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If you're looking for hard riddles for adults to really get your brain thinking, this post is for you.
As an expert in riddles for adults, I've been published on sites like Rest Nova and Last Call Trivia. Because of my wide knowledge of anything riddles and trivia, I know all the hard riddles to excite you, your family, and your friends!
Let's get thinking.
Contents
Unbreakable List of Hard Riddles for Adults
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We appreciate easy riddles, but as adults, there's something about hard riddles that get us going. The mind-boggling puzzles are enjoyable because you know you're exercising your brain and learning something along the way. Not to mention, many hard riddles are funny when you think about them.
That is why I've collected some of the best hard riddles for adults for anyone to enjoy. Whether you're using it for game night or a friendly conversation, it's always nice to know some riddles.
Riddle Categories
4 Hardest Puzzles For Grown-ups (With Answers)
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If you can answer the hardest riddles, you can solve anything! These riddles are so challenging they will take you a long time to decode. However, once you get them, it's as fulfilling as can be.
1. A man goes out in heavy rain with nothing to protect him from it. His hair doesn’t get wet. How does he do that?
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Answer
He is bald.
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It makes sense because he doesn't have any hair. That means nothing will get wet. It's a clever riddle that seems simple but may not be something that will cross your mind.
2. I only lie down once - when I die. What am I?
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Answer
A tree.
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This one is something that you won't get right away. It's a tricky riddle, but beyond that, we don't really look at trees this way, so we wouldn't think that the answer is a tree.
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3. There are two sisters. One gives birth to the other, and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?
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Answer
Day and night.
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Of course, if you take this literally, you wouldn't be able to get the answer. But this one is a really nice thought.
4. What has a heart that doesn’t beat?
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Answer
An artichoke.
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This one can be a difficult riddle because you can also answer that it's a banana! That will also be a correct answer, but an artichoke makes more sense.
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4 Tough But Funny Mystery Questions for Oldies
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Answering funny riddles for adults is double the fun! Puzzles are already fun but make it a funny riddle, and you will laugh nonstop. This list of the best funny riddles is something that you should keep in your mind. If you want to make people laugh, it will take you just one brain teaser.
5. Two girls were born to the same mother, on the same day, at the same time, in the same month, and in the same year, however, they’re not twins. How is this possible?
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Answer
The two girls are a part of a set of triplets.
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This riddle is one of the good riddles out there because it's very confusing! But it gets funny once you realize that a mother can give birth to more than two girls in one go.
6. Three different doctors said that Paul is their brother, yet Paul claims he has no brothers. Who is lying?
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Answer
No one is lying because the three doctors are Paul’s sisters.
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This challenging riddle is popular, but many still fail to answer it correctly!
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7. You measure my life in hours, and I serve you by expiring. I'm quick when I'm thin and slow when I'm fat. The wind is my enemy.
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Answer
A candle.
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This one is actually a tough riddle, but it makes complete sense! Especially because the thin and fat part kind of gives the answer away.
8. I come from a mine and get surrounded by wood always. Everyone uses me. What am I?
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Answer
Pencil lead.
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This hard riddle is something that will get you thinking. It's short hard riddles like this that make you think hard.
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3 Not so Easy But Clever Puzzles for Grownups
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If you're a big fan of riddles and brain teasers, you know that the more clever a riddle is, the better! Many riddles are a play on the English language, so it's really great to get into them. Each puzzle is like decoding a mystery.
9. I am laced twice in eternity and always within sight. What could I be?
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Answer
The letter “T.”
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Letter riddles like this are fun. You think the answer is clever, but it just turns out to be a letter. If you think about it, a riddle like this is an easy riddle; if only it's not so confusing.
10. What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?
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Answer
Queue
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This is one of the best riddles because it shows how complicated the English language can be!
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11. What kind of coat is always wet when you put it on?
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Answer
A coat of paint.
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Difficult riddles like this can be ridiculous at times. It's funny because it makes so much sense, but also it doesn't!
4 Hard but Short Riddles For Adults
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Don't let these short riddles fool you! They're short, but they're tricky. Get your thinking caps on and answer these as fast as you can.
12. How many letters are in the alphabet?
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Answer
Eleven letters are in "the alphabet."
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This is such a play on words! You think you got the right answer, but you don't! It's funny and hard riddles that make you suspicious of future puzzles.
13. What has only two words but thousands of letters?
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Answer
A Post Office.
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It makes complete sense. The post office always has thousands of letters (and packages)!
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14. What has ten letters and starts with gas?
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Answer
An automobile.
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Yes, we can't argue with that. An automobile wouldn't start without gas.
15. People in poverty have this. If you eat this, you will die. What is it?
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Answer
Nothing
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This logic riddle is hard because you assume that the answer is something you can eat.
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3 Difficult But Long Puzzles For Young at Heart
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If you're not a fan of short riddles, maybe long puzzles will do it for you! These riddles are longer but just as clever and mind-boggling.
16. How can you throw a ball as hard as you can only to have it come back to you without it bouncing off of anything?
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Answer
Throw the ball straight into the air.
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This riddle is tricky, but when you think about it, it's pretty common sense. It's just playing on the imagery to confuse you!
17. I am the beginning of the end of time and space that surrounds everything and every place. What am I?
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Answer
The letter “E.”
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It's riddles like this that would probably be easy for kids and tricky for adults. Adults can overthink everything, including this easy riddle!
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18. A man attending his mother’s funeral sees a woman in another pew and experiences love at first sight. He tries to find her but has no luck. A few weeks later, he kills his sister. Why does he kill his sister?
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Answer
He kills his sister in hopes of seeing the woman at her funeral.
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That's a very bothersome way to see someone you have a crush on, isn't it?
3 Famous Mystery Questions Even Grownups Can't Answer
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Some riddles are so hard you probably won't be able to figure out the answer. Lucky for you, we provide solutions to these hard riddles.
19. What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?
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Answer
A Human.
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You shouldn't take this riddle literally if you want to get the answer. Morning, noon, and evening are metaphors for stages of life!
20. How can the number four be half of five?
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Answer
IV, the Roman numeral for four, which is “half” (two letters) of the word five.
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And you thought purely math riddles are hard, right? This one is definitely very confusing.
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21. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
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Answer
The letter "M."
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Letter riddles like this can really make you lose your trust with riddles.
3 Brain Teasers That Will Challenge Your Mind
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If you're looking for some brain riddles that can challenge your mind, look no further. I've compiled the three most brain-teasing puzzles here!
22. You're in a dark room with a candle, a wood stove, and a gas lamp. You only have one match, so what do you light first?
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Answer
The match
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Some people will look too deep into this and won't realize you have to light the match before strategizing anything else!
23. A Red House Is Made From Red Bricks. A Blue House Is Made From Blue Bricks. A Yellow House Is Made From Yellow Bricks. What Is A Green House Made From?
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Answer
Glass
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That was a tricky one, wasn't it? The first thing that would come to mind is that it's made of green bricks, but it's not!
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24. Jenny Dropped An Earring In Her Coffee Yet The Earring Didn't Get Wet. How Did This Occur?
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Answer
The earring was dropped into dry coffee grounds.
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It makes sense because the riddle didn't specify that it was a coffee drink.
Downloadable/Printable List of Hard Riddles For Adults
Here is a downloadable and printable jpg/pdf list of riddles that are really hard to answer for adults (right-clicked the image and select Save Image As...)
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What Makes Answering Puzzles Fun?
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Answering puzzles and riddles is one of the fun things to do when bored, but why is this activity so fun?
A riddle helps people exercise logic, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Being able to answer a riddle correctly can touch the brain's reward center, making us feel like we're in control. However, even incorrectly answering riddles is fun because we get to laugh at the creative play of words. Being amused with the creativity of puzzles can help our system release dopamine, which leads to feelings of fun and positivity.
8 Popular and Iconic Mind-Blowing Movies That Will Keep You Guessing
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Word riddles aren't the only fun riddles to solve. Movies are riddles on their own. If you're into some movie trivia, why not be sucked into movie riddles, too?
Identity
This thriller film is loosely based on the novel, "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie, so you know it's going to be a good ride figuring out what happens next!
The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense is a classic horror movie that you should watch if it's something right up your alley. You'll never figure out the next thing happening, which makes it a good watching experience.
Inception
This is one of the most mind-blowing movies of all time. You think you know what's happening, but you don't. And don't even get me started on that ending.
Atonement
This movie is based on a book with the same name, and the ending is one unpredictable scene that can really get you thinking.
Saw
This is one classic gory and horror film that's surely on the must-watch list of any horror movie lover. You'll keep guessing about what will happen. This one is a definite nail-biter.
The Prestige
The Prestige is a sci-fi thriller movie loosely based on true stories. That will really get you thinking!
Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect actually follows a really cool concept that can make your brain hurt. If you want something truly mind-boggling, then watch this film.
Unknown
What would you do if someone stole your identity? It's one big puzzle waiting to be unfolded.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Are riddles so mind-boggling that you have more questions? Don't worry; we have the answers.
How do you start a riddle?
Before you start asking riddles, make sure whoever you're talking to actually wants to answer a riddle. No matter how easy your riddle may be, it can be overwhelming for others, so ask them first if they're up for it.
Are riddles poems?
Riddles can be poems! However, not all riddles are poems.
How many lines does a riddle poem have?
A riddle poem shouldn't exceed 6 lines. If it does, it becomes too long and confusing to figure out.
What is the world’s toughest riddle?
The answer to this one really depends. We all have different ideas of a tough riddle, so I think this is subjective.
How do you make your own riddles?
If you want to make riddles, start from the answer. Think of the answer you want, and then go from there. You can make it a poem if you're more comfortable with that. Be creative with your riddle. And if it rhymes, it's even better!
How to Choose the Hardest Riddle For Adults
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There are many riddles on this list, but not all of them may be suitable for your needs! We have a short guide for you to figure out how to choose the best riddle to use.
1. Choose the one you can figure out.
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Of course, you should choose the riddle that you can figure out. It doesn't only mean that you can easily search for the answer. You have to understand it! You can't deliver a riddle well if you can't explain the answer well. You have to understand how the answer came to be.
2. Choose one that will be hard but fun.
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Riddles should be hard, but they shouldn't feel like a chore. Remember that you should have fun, so choose a riddle you know many people will enjoy and be amused by!
More Awesome Riddles to Test your IQ
These riddles might not be doing it for you even though they're hard enough, so we have more riddles for you to decode!
- These easy riddles with answers are great for beginners and experts alike. It's all just fun here!
- If these hard riddles for adults aren't enough, why not try some clever riddles?
- Simple riddles should do the trick if you want to pass the time and test your brain at the same time.
Conclusion
We hope these hard riddles for adults get your mind going. They're tricky and confusing, but they're all fun. Regardless of whether you want to crack them on your own or with your friends, you're bound to have a great time with them.
