Questions tagged [knowledge]
A puzzle whose solution relies on external sources such as tables, dictionaries, Wikipedia, or specifics that may not be common knowledge.
1,529
questions
7
votes
2answers
116 views
A Philosopher's Dream
I am heavier than most, but I still run faster than you.
Some mistake me for a fool, yet everyone else loves me.
Even as centuries pass and empires disappear too--
I stay by their sides, ...
11
votes
1answer
233 views
Piece de Resistance - Five Flowers with One Missing
Five - Flowers with One Missing
This puzzle is part of the "Piece de Resistance" series. Go back to Part 1 (Ace) for the story.Ace Two Three Four Five ...
Removing the silver matter, you see this ...
5
votes
0answers
73 views
Foul Psychology Question
According to our psychology examination, Mr. X
Is afraid of heights as well as the cookie monster under his bed (1)
Prefers to work late into the night (2)
Has 20/20 vision with perfect ...
14
votes
1answer
335 views
I'm a really tiny critter. Come close
Come really close and take a look at me.
May be you will think I am sleepy
May be you will have a couple of questions:
Why is he far away at the end?
Why are there six in a row then ...
16
votes
2answers
990 views
Eric Andre had a dream
Eric Andre had a dream.
What did he dream?
Hint $\downarrow$ (the answer does require knowledge, though I'd assume it's pretty common to know about it)
Not part of the puzzle. TL;DR
This is my ...
23
votes
2answers
1k views
A trip to the library
I try to go to the library at least once every month, so I've developed a pretty good relationship with the librarian, a nice old man who sometimes teases me about my broad set of interests. Yesterday,...
46
votes
2answers
2k views
One 'double agent' two-step on a waltzing floor
I'm in a jam – cornered I am! –
No clue 'bout where to go
Here's what went down, a pretty gown
Some wine, a French chateau
She whispered underneath her breath
"Come dance with me and ...
11
votes
3answers
802 views
A Puzzling Cipher: Redux
A couple months ago, I posted this, to test a new cipher encryption idea, but it was poorly constructed and did not work. After that puzzle fail, I redesigned it to work better, making it much cleaner,...
13
votes
1answer
306 views
Listen to this riddle carefully!
Hi all!
Here's a riddle. Please guess what thing is described below, and don't forget to explain each clue. :)
- - - Riddle starts - - -
Oh, my dear friend,
If you want to know who I am,
listen ...
1
vote
1answer
108 views
Where in the world is this astronomical convergence? [closed]
At this location on planet Earth, on April 8, 2024, you can observe a total solar eclipse. At the same location, at some time on June 29, 2024, the sun will be directly overhead. Where in the world is ...
17
votes
2answers
409 views
Ordering a word list
I think I've alphabetized this word list correctly, but my friends keep telling me it's not in the right order. Can you help me spot the mistake?
divvy, dry, dues, Eden, elf, fear, knee, opt, pet, ...
8
votes
1answer
265 views
On Doors and Passcodes, or Flying High
After going to sleep one night, you wake up in the middle of a dimly-lit cavern. You can feel the cool, damp surface of the stone beneath your fingers as you push yourself to a sitting position and ...
22
votes
1answer
380 views
It was a dark and stormy night
September 8: It’s raining, and Russian Emperor Czar Nicholas awakes, confused.
Someone enters, completely soaking. “It’s positively vile – I’d resist going outside.”
It’s Czarina Alexandra. “...
11
votes
1answer
233 views
You could help me, couldn't you?
Introduction
I am an enthusiastic geometry student, preparing for my first quiz. Yet while revising I accidentally spilt my coffee onto my notes. Can you rescue me and draw me a diagram so that I ...
3
votes
1answer
237 views
What is a Scott Word™?
In the spirit of the What is a Word™/Phrase™ series started by JLee, a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.Template taken from Rubio.
After seeing so many of these puzzles, I thought that it ...
9
votes
1answer
259 views
What is a Human Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Human Word™.
Use the ...
13
votes
2answers
223 views
What was Grandpa's itinerary?
Grandpa decides to take a multi-country tour visiting big cities
First he goes to LIBYA
Then to PERU
Then to BAHRAIN
Then to _______
Then to _______
Then to _______
Fill ...
8
votes
3answers
398 views
Let me hurl this riddle to you
Role 1: These people do things in mountains, pastures, hills, fields, forests...
Role 2: These people do various things. They can find you a house, a hotel, send you something, kill you...
Role 3: ...
7
votes
3answers
270 views
Trapped in Time
A Greek trapped in time
by a Roman refine
Mother precedes
we'll never be freed
Circling around
waiting to be found
perhaps by my shipmates
if they've not met their fates
Who am I? And where can ...
19
votes
2answers
593 views
Seven levels through Europe
Let's take a little trip through Europe, shall we?
Each level forms a word chain. Even-numbered levels (yellow) go clockwise, odd-numbered ones (white) go anticlockwise.
Each level has ...
8
votes
1answer
252 views
What is a Fade Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Fade Word™.
Use the ...
10
votes
1answer
661 views
What is an Earth Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
The Earth is composed with many various elements or objects.
But some of ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
What is a Union Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
After a long period of division, tends to unite; After a long period of ...
23
votes
1answer
1k views
Properties: Left of the colon
Here are three short 'property' puzzles I wrote.
In each puzzle the words to the left of the colon all have a (non-trivial) property that the word to the right of the colon does not have. What is ...
4
votes
3answers
363 views
Tricky Tropical Water Temperatures
Herman lives in a house on the Caribbean island of Kinja, where the weather is warm all year. Let’s assume all Kinjan houses are of similar construction, and no houses have a water heating system. ...
16
votes
1answer
690 views
A wiild aanimal, a cardinal direction, or a place by the water
I'm in the north. I can be accompanied by violent crimes, a relative direction, or a body of fresh water.
I'm in the east. I can be accompanied by a wiild aanimal, a cardinal direction, or a ...
9
votes
1answer
421 views
Find the missing country
Below is a list of ten countries, with one missing. Find one attribute (for example, the population) of each country, so that if you take the first number or first letter of each country’s attribute, ...
6
votes
5answers
849 views
Violations of the law
I live in A but work at B. The two are 45 minutes apart and I could commute back and forth either by driving or by taking the bus. Every day, before going from A to B in the morning and before going ...
8
votes
1answer
231 views
What is a Mono Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Mono Word™.
Use the ...
5
votes
1answer
308 views
What is wrong about that person?
I once was in a relationship with Ms. Litson. Things were OK, I guess. But not before too long, I could see that I could not keep up with her. Things were slipping. I couldn't bear this, it ...
28
votes
9answers
8k views
Easy riddle. Prove the equation
Background: I am a French educated person.
My old math teacher keeps posting some small and funny riddles, here's one of his:
The next equation is correct:
11111=0
Can you prove it?
...
7
votes
1answer
215 views
A Group of people: A simple word
This word describes a group of people
Take the last letter out: A person with some authority
Take the last two letters out: Same person
Take the last three letters out: Same person
...
10
votes
2answers
417 views
#, %O, and so on
I woke up this morning to find someone had added a new button to my basic calculator. Besides the $+$, $-$, $\times$ and $\div$ buttons, there's now also a $\#$ button. I figured, "Well, this probably ...
5
votes
2answers
235 views
Fiction Book Who Am I?
I am a fiction character that follows these criteria:
A maiden huntress, whose life was brief
I left my brother with a lot of grief
Died fiddling with lots of gears
My friends, my friends, ...
4
votes
1answer
303 views
Two friends who went through some rough times
First I had a pretty good vision
But then they locked me up
And blinded me !
But I kept my heads on my shoulders
Even though they drugged me...
Then I played the role of my life (and death)
...
7
votes
1answer
119 views
4
votes
1answer
155 views
My name, my name, it's a guessing game!
I needn't be late, that would be bad
As a man with a job, I must get to work
I must travel quickly now, so I go
I travel by the underground train
I have bills that I need to pay
I need that money to ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
Is Grandpa Irrational? Another Grandpa Mystery
Grandpa likes iron skillets but not aluminum pans
He likes m&m but not just "m"
He likes Michigan but not Georgia
Why is that?
2
votes
2answers
172 views
Translate this “especially important” note from “War with the Newts”
Language-identification questions are off-topic on linguistics.stackexchange.com, or I would have posted this over there. Since it's also a puzzle, I figure puzzling.stackexchange might appreciate it.
...
18
votes
2answers
1k views
Stella and the president's secret notes
Jason Trump, president of the Untitled Statues Association, has left a notebook containing presumably important information lying around on his desk. Stella, his nosy assistant, takes a look only to ...
12
votes
1answer
297 views
Is it simple Math or something else?
Grandpa with his mischievous smile said:
"If zero belongs to One
And two belongs to Four
Twenty seven belongs to Seven
Then what belongs to Three?"
Hint
When I could not guess, I ...
7
votes
3answers
255 views
Which Birch Bark Manuscript is Genuine?
Inspired by a question from JLee
You arrived at Siberia where, just one month ago, excavations discovered a civilization that existed and traded for hundreds of years, developing an elegant language ...
21
votes
1answer
2k views
What happens on Day 6?
My friend, who works in a Library, has recently learned about Puzzles, in general, and Puzzling Stack Exchange, in particular. He was excited and has sent me this puzzle to "test" the users of PSE. ...
26
votes
6answers
910 views
I can be heavy, but I'll never sink. When I am ready, my glass is a drink
Riley Riddle:
My prefix runs past, When you leave what you cast, Where a square may be skipped by a pawn. My suffix is vast, When I swap first with last, Where a breath may be currently ...
8
votes
1answer
191 views
Which family is it?
On the 20th of July '19 it's a large family of 175 members that keeps growing. Youngest is only 2 months. Only four of them are more than 10 years old.
What family is it?
8
votes
9answers
1k views
Short, but it shouldn't be sweet
Inspired by Fortnightly Topic Challenge #41 : Short and Sweet, this puzzle suddenly appeared in my head:
"When American prefer to bring milk rather than water they will be called _____(5)."
...
15
votes
4answers
1k views
What does my girlfriend want me to buy for her?
I'm obviously dating up, because I can't figure out what my girlfriend wants me to buy her for Christmas. When I asked her what she wanted, she gave me the three puzzles below. The only hint she gave ...
14
votes
1answer
1k views
Everyone but three
For the first time, a photo was taken with every person, living or dead, in frame. Everyone that is except for three. Who were those three?
4
votes
1answer
245 views
Here's a riddle, so listen up yo
I'm from Italy, yet I speak English
On top of that, my name is French
I hail back from the late nineties galore
Last in 2016 did I release lore
Until then it has been a decade
But we never truly ...
11
votes
1answer
400 views
Where shall we go next?
The following nonogram is about $92\%$ solvable. Also, the grid is not really like it should be.
All this feels somewhat annoying, but honestly, not that much, because this is most likely the last ...
