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.

Six Grave Plot

While ambling about your local cemetery, you stumble upon a grave marker situated before a six-grave plot. Glancing down, you notice an inscription upon the family stone. It reads:

Here lie…
2 Grandmothers with their 2 Granddaughters
2 Husbands with their 2 Wives
2 Fathers with their 2 Daughters
2 Mothers with their 2 Sons
2 Maidens with their 2 Mothers
2 Sisters with their 2 Brothers

Yet but 6 corpses all lie buried here. All born legitimate, from incest clear. How is this possible?

Riddle Answer

Identical Twins

Suppose there are twin brothers, one which always tells the truth and one which always lies. (So in this case they both know what is true and false, or as you put it, both are accurate in their knowledge.) What one yes-no question could you ask to either one of the brothers to figure out which one he is?

Riddle Answer