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.

Chicks Peas and the Bride

There was once a bride who lived with her husband and mother-in-law. The bride was very fond of chick peas. The mother-in-law had a barrel full of chick peas in the kitchen. Every couple of days the bride would steal some chick peas and roast them in secret.

Eventually, the barrel became half-empty and the mother-in-law became suspicious of the bride because she was new to the household and no one had ever taken the chick peas before. The bride knew of her suspicion.

Once when they were cleaning the kitchen, the bride found a chick pea on the floor. She said three words to the mother-in-law that made the mother-in-law think she didn’t take the chick peas. What were they?

Riddle Answer

Tractor on an Island

You are on an island in the middle of a lake. The lake is in a remote part of the country and there has never been a bridge connecting the island to the mainland.

Every day a tractor and wagon gives hay rides around the island. Puzzled as to how the tractor had gotten onto the island, you ask around and find out that the tractor was not transported to the island by boat or by air. Nor was it built on the island. Can you explain how the tractor got there?

Riddle Answer

Campers’ Dilemma

A group of campers have been on vacation so long, that they’ve forgotten the day of the week. The following conversation ensues.

Darryl: What day is it? I don’t think it is Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
Tracy: Well that doesn’t narrow it down much. Yesterday was Sunday.
Melissa: Yesterday wasn’t Sunday, tomorrow is Sunday.
Ben: The day after tomorrow is Saturday.
Adrienne: The day before yesterday was Thursday.
Susie: Tomorrow is Saturday.
David: I know that the day after tomorrow is not Friday.

If only one person’s statement is true, what day of the week is it?

Riddle Answer