Hey everyone I need a few tough riddles or trivia questions for a game I'm playing in a little bit. The players will have access to google, so it can't be too easy to google.
Ask them to come up with a term or set of terms that when googled return exactly one result. You can't google the answer, because as soon as someone finds one, and records it, that search will return more than one result.
A shepherd is bringing four sheep back home from grazing. He has to cross a bridge on the way back, and the sheep are seemingly picky, with the shepherd only being able to take across two at a time and any one back on a return trip (he's a lonely guy).
The sheep are of varying sizes and natures. The first sheep takes 1 minute to cross the bridge. The second takes 2 minutes to cross the bridge. The third takes 5 minutes to cross the bridge. The fourth takes 10 minutes to cross the bridge. When traveling with a pair of sheep, the longest time takes precedence.
What is the shortest time that it could take the shepherd to bring all four sheep to the other side?
(Cursory Google searches give recipes and things, so I don't know if the answer will magically pop up.)
Last American President to be born a subject of the British Empire?
Barack Obama. Yes, of course he was born in Hawaii. But his Kenyan father made him a citizen of Kenya at a time when Kenya was still a part of the British Empire. (Source)
Google actually gives the wrong answer to this one.
EDIT: More. I collected these as factoids, not questions, so my rewording may be a little awkward.
What was the original use of "Don't Mess with Texas"?
An anti-litter slogan from the state Department of Transportation.
Okay, Google gets that one, but it's still one of my favorites.
We hopefully all know about the British naval victory, but why might Bostonians celebrate Trafalgar Day?
It's also the day USS Constitution was launched.
Google doesn't stand a chance with this one.
What's the secret of London's BT Tower?
The tower itself. Its existence was an Official Secret from its construction until it was "revealed" in 1993.
Stupid Google! I thought for sure that would be obscure enough!
What is the official system of measures in the United States?
The International System of Weights and Measures, i.e. the metric system, since 1875. By law Imperial units are defined in metric terms.
Google gets this too, but only if you read carefully.
Name an Abrahamic religion that forbids fanaticism, endorses Darwinism in its holy texts, and is challenged by scientific discoveries because astronomers aren't finding enough aliens.
The Bahá'í Faith.
Hah! Punch "religion" and "Darwinism" into Google and you're SWAMPED!
What was the curse of Tamerlane?
Apparently, Nazi Germany, which invaded the USSR just after Tamerlane's tomb was exhumed and defeated at Stalingrad just after he was reinterred.
...Yeah, I knew Google would get that one.
Menelik II of Ethiopia had some shocking ideas, but none more so than which major interior design decision?
He used an (unplugged) electric chair for his throne.
Any combination of "Menelik", "electric chair", and "throne" gets it in Google, so I tried to make the question a little more indirect.
The trend has been for countries to switch from a left-side driving to right-side driving system. But one country recently switched the other way. Which was it?
Samoa, because of its proximity to Australia and New Zealand.
Again, Google gets the answer, but only if you search and read carefully.
What was the nationality of St. Patrick?
English.
More a "gotcha" question; Google gets it easily. Keep it in your back pocket for the bars, though.
This popular method of BBQing ribs involves foil wrapped around the meat to form a miniature "bath" of liquid to tenderize, flavorize, and more evenly cook the meat.
Texas Crutch
If you go into competative BBQ you pretty much have to use this method. It's super easy to screw up because if you leave the ribs in too long they get soft and lost all their flavor. If you do it right though, the ribs become amazing. Like, best flavor you will ever taste in a BBQ rib.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stopped, the story will not end.
Whether it's a comedy or a tragedy, if there is cheering, the story will continue on.
Just like the many lives.
For the us who are still in it and still in the journey, send warm blessings.
- We will continue to walk down this path until eternity.
A shepherd is bringing four sheep back home from grazing. He has to cross a bridge on the way back, and the sheep are seemingly picky, with the shepherd only being able to take across two at a time and any one back on a return trip (he's a lonely guy).
The sheep are of varying sizes and natures. The first sheep takes 1 minute to cross the bridge. The second takes 2 minutes to cross the bridge. The third takes 5 minutes to cross the bridge. The fourth takes 10 minutes to cross the bridge. When traveling with a pair of sheep, the longest time takes precedence.
What is the shortest time that it could take the shepherd to bring all four sheep to the other side?
(Cursory Google searches give recipes and things, so I don't know if the answer will magically pop up.)
@ljoss: I don't think that answer is correct; you're not accomodating for time to go back across the bridge for each trip(but he would always bring the 1 minute sheep when traveling with only 1 sheep).
I believe it is
1+2(2)
1
1+5(5)
1
1+10
No return trip because all 4 are across.
@ljoss: I don't think that answer is correct; you're not accomodating for time to go back across the bridge for each trip(but he would always bring the 1 minute sheep when traveling with only 1 sheep).
I believe it is
1+2(2)
1
1+5(5)
1
1+10
No return trip because all 4 are across.
For a total of 19. I think that's correct anyway.
I think you mean 17, but that sounds correct(it is what I got anyway).
You have two pieces of fuse and a box of matches.
The fuses each burn for exactly one hour.
You may not assume that they burn at a constant rate.
How do you time exactly 45 minutes?
The other one (but more common) is the you have a five gallon jug and a three gallon jug. How do you measure exactly 4 gallons of water?
The last one isn't very hard but some people really struggle with it.
The previous question should be the total of the largest 3 plus 2 correct? For 19.
The one I always liked is:
You have two pieces of fuse and a box of matches.
The fuses each burn for exactly one hour.
You may not assume that they burn at a constant rate.
How do you time exactly 45 minutes?
Light both ends of the first fuse, and one end of the second fuse.
When the first fuse is completely burnt up, 30 minutes will have passed. At this time, light the unlit end of the second fuse.
When the second fuse is completely burnt up, 45 minutes will have passed.
Heh, I would have said it was because The Millennium Eye (the ferris wheel) didn't exist in 1993.
That wouldn't make the picture illegal, though, would it? If someone were to doctor a giant ferris wheel into a photo of the 1993 London skyline for some reason, it wouldn't be a crime.
EDIT: What's wrong with this sentence? "Captain Ahab's wooden leg served him as a constant reminder of his quest for revenge, a quest that had kept him at sea for thirty-seven years out of forty and estranged him from his wife and young son."
Captain Ahab didn't have a wooden leg. It was whalebone.
@ljoss: I don't think that answer is correct; you're not accomodating for time to go back across the bridge for each trip(but he would always bring the 1 minute sheep when traveling with only 1 sheep).
I believe it is
1+2(2)
1
1+5(5)
1
1+10
No return trip because all 4 are across.
For a total of 19. I think that's correct anyway.
The solution is 17 minutes. (2 + 1 + 10 + 2 + 2)
Trip 1a: Take the 1 and 2 across (2).
Trip 1b: Take the 1 back (1).
Trip 2a: Take the 5 and 10 across (10).
Trip 2b: Take the 2 back (2). (I tried to specifically word it so you can take any of the sheep back.)
Trip 3a: Take the 1 and 2 across (2).
My initial solution when first presented this problem was yours, Cyan.
What's wrong with this sentence? "Captain Ahab's wooden leg served him as a constant reminder of his quest for revenge, a quest that had kept him at sea for thirty-seven years out of forty and estranged him from his wife and young son."
Captain Ahab didn't have a wooden leg. It was whalebone.
By itself, nothing is wrong with that sentence. There's only something wrong with it if you're talking about THE Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. And you didn't specify.
You could always do the verbal riddles, too. The ones that don't work in text, but work in speech.
"While I was walking to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Every wife had seven sacks, and every sack had seven cats. Sacs and cats, man and wives, how many were walking to St. Ives?"
"You're a bus driver, and you picked up thirty kids on the way to school today. On your second stop, you picked up three more. Then you dropped off two, to pick up five more. Seven were dropped off next, and only one came back on. What's the bus driver's eye color?"
A visual riddle's just as fun. By this, I mean, get a newpaper. And, using actual newsprint, paste an ad in the paper that reads "Mention this add to your instructor to win $5." Give out ten of these papers to ten people, saying that you're testing for luck. See how many try to claim the prize.
"While I was walking to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Every wife had seven sacks, and every sack had seven cats. Sacs and cats, man and wives, how many were walking to St. Ives?"
The standard answer is "one", but it could be "nine", since the riddle doesn't specify which direction the man and wives were walking in, or whether they were walking at all.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Vive, vale. Siquid novisti rectius istis,
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
What would have made this picture illegal in Britain prior to 1993?
So are you going to give us the answer to this? Looking up English laws that are almost 20 years old is something I have neither the time nor the inclination to do (I imagine there are a lot of them that changed and it could take a very long time finding the one that applys here). But I'd like to know the answer...
"While I was walking to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Every wife had seven sacks, and every sack had seven cats. Sacs and cats, man and wives, how many were walking to St. Ives?"
Ah Die Hard with a Vengeance.
I'd suggest the tricky ones, like this:
"If a Rooster lays an egg on the top of a tirangle roof, which way does the egg roll?"
So are you going to give us the answer to this? Looking up English laws that are almost 20 years old is something I have neither the time nor the inclination to do (I imagine there are a lot of them that changed and it could take a very long time finding the one that applys here). But I'd like to know the answer...
The standard answer is "one", but it could be "nine", since the riddle doesn't specify which direction the man and wives were walking in, or whether they were walking at all.
I did the math in my head and figured out it would be 344 (the man, his wives, and all the cats in the sacks.)
Anyone have anything? Thanks.
The sheep are of varying sizes and natures. The first sheep takes 1 minute to cross the bridge. The second takes 2 minutes to cross the bridge. The third takes 5 minutes to cross the bridge. The fourth takes 10 minutes to cross the bridge. When traveling with a pair of sheep, the longest time takes precedence.
What is the shortest time that it could take the shepherd to bring all four sheep to the other side?
(Cursory Google searches give recipes and things, so I don't know if the answer will magically pop up.)
[GTC] Gatecrash Patch for MWS (249/249)
EDIT: More. I collected these as factoids, not questions, so my rewording may be a little awkward.
What was the original use of "Don't Mess with Texas"?
We hopefully all know about the British naval victory, but why might Bostonians celebrate Trafalgar Day?
What's the secret of London's BT Tower?
What is the official system of measures in the United States?
Name an Abrahamic religion that forbids fanaticism, endorses Darwinism in its holy texts, and is challenged by scientific discoveries because astronomers aren't finding enough aliens.
What was the curse of Tamerlane?
Menelik II of Ethiopia had some shocking ideas, but none more so than which major interior design decision?
The trend has been for countries to switch from a left-side driving to right-side driving system. But one country recently switched the other way. Which was it?
What was the nationality of St. Patrick?
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
If you go into competative BBQ you pretty much have to use this method. It's super easy to screw up because if you leave the ribs in too long they get soft and lost all their flavor. If you do it right though, the ribs become amazing. Like, best flavor you will ever taste in a BBQ rib.
Whether it's a comedy or a tragedy, if there is cheering, the story will continue on.
Just like the many lives.
For the us who are still in it and still in the journey, send warm blessings.
- We will continue to walk down this path until eternity.
What would have made this picture illegal in Britain prior to 1993?
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
Is it... 12 minutes?
10 & 5 = 10
1 & 2 = 2
10+2 = 12?
I believe it is
1+2(2)
1
1+5(5)
1
1+10
No return trip because all 4 are across.
For a total of 19. I think that's correct anyway.
I think you mean 17, but that sounds correct(it is what I got anyway).
You have two pieces of fuse and a box of matches.
The fuses each burn for exactly one hour.
You may not assume that they burn at a constant rate.
How do you time exactly 45 minutes?
The other one (but more common) is the you have a five gallon jug and a three gallon jug. How do you measure exactly 4 gallons of water?
The last one isn't very hard but some people really struggle with it.
The previous question should be the total of the largest 3 plus 2 correct? For 19.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=489747
10+5+2+1+1 is not 17.
Heh, I would have said it was because The Millennium Eye (the ferris wheel) didn't exist in 1993.
When the first fuse is completely burnt up, 30 minutes will have passed. At this time, light the unlit end of the second fuse.
When the second fuse is completely burnt up, 45 minutes will have passed.
http://cup-a-swamp.com
:::My serious side:::
http://baddeacondesign.com/blog
That wouldn't make the picture illegal, though, would it? If someone were to doctor a giant ferris wheel into a photo of the 1993 London skyline for some reason, it wouldn't be a crime.
EDIT: What's wrong with this sentence? "Captain Ahab's wooden leg served him as a constant reminder of his quest for revenge, a quest that had kept him at sea for thirty-seven years out of forty and estranged him from his wife and young son."
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
Trip 1a: Take the 1 and 2 across (2).
Trip 1b: Take the 1 back (1).
Trip 2a: Take the 5 and 10 across (10).
Trip 2b: Take the 2 back (2). (I tried to specifically word it so you can take any of the sheep back.)
Trip 3a: Take the 1 and 2 across (2).
My initial solution when first presented this problem was yours, Cyan.
[GTC] Gatecrash Patch for MWS (249/249)
By itself, nothing is wrong with that sentence. There's only something wrong with it if you're talking about THE Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. And you didn't specify.
You could always do the verbal riddles, too. The ones that don't work in text, but work in speech.
"While I was walking to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Every wife had seven sacks, and every sack had seven cats. Sacs and cats, man and wives, how many were walking to St. Ives?"
"You're a bus driver, and you picked up thirty kids on the way to school today. On your second stop, you picked up three more. Then you dropped off two, to pick up five more. Seven were dropped off next, and only one came back on. What's the bus driver's eye color?"
A visual riddle's just as fun. By this, I mean, get a newpaper. And, using actual newsprint, paste an ad in the paper that reads "Mention this add to your instructor to win $5." Give out ten of these papers to ten people, saying that you're testing for luck. See how many try to claim the prize.
My helpdesk should you need me.
The standard answer is "one", but it could be "nine", since the riddle doesn't specify which direction the man and wives were walking in, or whether they were walking at all.
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
So are you going to give us the answer to this? Looking up English laws that are almost 20 years old is something I have neither the time nor the inclination to do (I imagine there are a lot of them that changed and it could take a very long time finding the one that applys here). But I'd like to know the answer...
Ah Die Hard with a Vengeance.
I'd suggest the tricky ones, like this:
"If a Rooster lays an egg on the top of a tirangle roof, which way does the egg roll?"
Thanks to Heroes of the Plane Studios for the amazing sig.
NO RUG: Primer
Tempo Thresh: Primer
Fully-powered 600-Card "Dream Cube" https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/dreamcube
450-Card "Artificer's Cube" https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/artificer
Cubing in Indianapolis...send me a PM!!
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
I did the math in my head and figured out it would be 344 (the man, his wives, and all the cats in the sacks.)
Yeah, I'm not good at these, lol.
Tired of corporate corruption ruining your favorite MtG site?
Come join ours!!
We even have Mafia!!
. . .
. . .
. . .
(Those dots should look like a square grid when you start, but it doesn't really matter.)
Moderator Help Desk
Sales Thread