Lateral Thinking Riddles

Lateral thinking puzzles involve solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious, thinking out of the box and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic.

Tunnel Crossing

One family wants to get through a tunnel at night.

Dad can make it in 1 minute, mom in 2 minutes, son in 4 minutes and daughter in 5 minutes. Unfortunately, not more than two people can go through the narrow tunnel at one time, moving at the speed of the slower one.

They have only one torch and it only has enough light left for 12 minutes. The tunnel is too dangerous to cross without a torch.

How can they all cross the tunnel in 12 minutes?

Riddle Answer

Logic Loving Cannibals

A reckless explorer was captured by logic loving cannibals. He was brought before the chief and told, “You may now speak your last words. If your statement is false, we kill you slowly, and if your statement is true, we will kill you quickly.”

The man thought for a moment, then made his statement. Perplexed, the clever cannibals realized they could do nothing but let him go. What did the explorer tell them?

Riddle Answer