Detective Riddles

Detective riddles tell you a story and require you to figure out what is suspicious or wrong with what you’ve read. If you like doing detective work, you will love these riddles.

World War 1 Sword

A grandfather is telling his grandson war stories.

“At the end of World War 1, I was awarded for my bravery after saving a group of my men,” the grandfather says. “You see, we were fighting in northern France and one of our enemies threw a grenade at us. I managed to pick it up and throw it away before it exploded. So right after the war ended, a General gave me a sword, engraved with the words ‘Awarded for Bravery and Valor, A True Hero, World War 1’.”

The grandson thinks about the story for a minute and then says “Grandpa, that story can’t be true!” How did the grandson know?

Riddle Answer

Agents Yellow, Red and Green

Agents Yellow, Red and Green each have a green badge, a yellow badge and a red badge, but none of them has a badge color that matches their name. They met when called to a conference at headquarters.

The Agent with the Green badge said “I have a license to kill!” to which Agent Red replied sarcastically: “What, time?”

What color is each Agent’s badge?

Riddle Answer

Stolen Apple

During lunch hour, a group of boys from Mr. Bryant’s homeroom visited a nearby grocery store. One of the five stole an apple.

When questioned:

Jim said: “It was Hank or Tom.”
Hank said, “Neither Eddie nor I did it.”
Tom said, “Both of you are lying.”
Don said, “No, one of them is lying, the other is speaking the truth.”
Eddie said, “No, Don, that is not true.”

When Mr. Bryant was consulted, he said, “Three of these boys are always truthful but two will lie every time.”

Who took the apple?

Riddle Answer

Tape Recorder Suicide Message

A man was found dead in his study. He was slumped over his desk and a gun was in his hand. There was a cassette recorder on his desk. When the police entered the room and pressed the play button on the tape recorder they heard: “I can’t go on. I have nothing to live for.” Then there was the sound of a gunshot. How did the detective immediately know that the man had been murdered and it wasn’t a suicide?

Riddle Answer

Empty Cell Mystery

Andy is put in a cell with a dirt floor and only one window. The window is too high for him to reach. The only thing in the cell is a shovel.

He won’t be able to get any food or water and only has two days to escape or he’ll die.

Andy can’t dig a tunnel because it will take him much longer than two days to do it.

How will Andy escape from the cell?

Riddle Answer