Family riddles from the last century

by Gary on November 2, 2007

Phyllis and I were dealing with old boxes of stuff this morning, and I came across some riddles that different members of our family made up when the kids were very young. (So think of these in that light). We were reading Tolkein together and got inspired. Below I include the riddle and its author.

  1. What’s firm, is always moving, and has no foundations? (sjw)
  2. Sometimes mean, but pleasant, and will crash upon you. (mjw)
  3. What has four feet and can fly? (aaw)
  4. Sometimes tight, sometimes loose, sort of round, different designs. (amw)
  5. What are found everywhere, are puzzling, and need a solutions? (sjw)
  6. Up and down, long and short, fast and slow: it can make yo smile, laugh or cry or dance or sleep. (gtw)
  7. Sometimes brown, sometimes green, things good and bad it brings. (paw)
  8. It has no feet and cannot see, but when it runs under the sun its eyes disappear. (gtw)
  9. When are feathers hard? (aaw)
  10. What has two feet and a big mouth? (aaw)
  11. Dry and white and small of size, wet and hot makes quite a rise. (sjw)
  12. Mix this properly and you will find someone who loves you: “To give thanks” in Spanish, “and” in Spanish, and almost “walk” in English. (gtw)

{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }

Emily November 2, 2007 at 3:05 pm

Those are cool. For #11 I thought of yeast?

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janice November 2, 2007 at 3:19 pm

1. the earth?
2. waves of the ocean?
3. a fly?
4. jar lids?
5.
6.
7. money?
8.
9.
10.
11. flour?
12.

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Audrey November 2, 2007 at 4:26 pm

Wow, these are interesting…I shall have to ponder over them…

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Gary November 2, 2007 at 7:42 pm

Janice got the following correct: 1, 2, & 7. The answer to 11 was “baking powder,” so Emily’s “yeast” is a good answer. The answer to #3 might be difficult: “monster.”

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sejwa November 2, 2007 at 7:47 pm

I just remembered the answer to #11. It made me laugh out loud! lol!

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katie November 3, 2007 at 2:36 pm

9: when they’ve been made of iron
10: humans

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Gary November 3, 2007 at 3:22 pm

Actually, Katie’s #9 answer is along the right lines. It’s so difficult though, that I’ll tell you the answer: “When they are glued to a rock.”

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pabrauer November 4, 2007 at 6:06 pm

This is fun!

#8. night time
Sharon

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Gary November 4, 2007 at 8:20 pm

#8 is not “night time”. Think of something that has eyes.

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janice November 4, 2007 at 11:25 pm

Is #8 a hurricane?

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sejwa November 4, 2007 at 11:31 pm

Actually, when I said #11, I meant #9. I think #9 is hilarious!

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Gary November 5, 2007 at 10:33 am

#8 is not a hurricane. A hurricane has only one eye. This has two eyes.

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Gary November 5, 2007 at 10:36 am

With regard to #12, let’s start with this hint: how do you say “to give thanks” in Spanish? It’s one word, so “dar gracias” doesn’t work.

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Gary November 5, 2007 at 10:38 am

With regard to #10, think of a literal animal.

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katie November 5, 2007 at 5:43 pm

10. A chipmunk

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katie November 5, 2007 at 5:45 pm

7. Leaves?

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Emily November 5, 2007 at 6:34 pm

So far we have:
1. The earth
2. Ocean waves
3. Monster
4. A screw?
5. No idea. The mysteries of God?
6. Music?
7. Money
8. The cat from Alice in Wonderland?
9. When they’re made of iron
10. Pelican?
11. Baking powder
12. I looked it up and found the word “agradecer” meaning to give thanks? I know that doesn’t quite solve the riddle.

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janice November 5, 2007 at 7:03 pm

12. is Waldecker

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 12:01 am

Emily and Janice should put their minds together for #12 because they are both heading in the right direction. Also, I accidentally left part of it out, so look at it again.

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 12:02 am

Music is correct for #6

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 12:03 am

Pelican is correct for #10

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 8:58 am

The answer to #4 is “scrunchies.”

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 9:02 am

So we still need final answers on numbers 5, 8 and 12. I think 5 is actually pretty easy. 12 is almost solved. #8 is probably the hardest one there. The original version of 12 said: “To be thankful in Spanish and in Spanish almost walk in English.”

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janice November 6, 2007 at 9:19 am

12. Gary Waldecker?

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 10:01 am

Yes, Janice got #12.

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 10:03 am

A hint for #5: What is it that need solutions?
A hint for #12–I mean #8: Think winter.

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Emily November 6, 2007 at 3:24 pm

I thought you said she got #12? Do you mean #8?

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Gary November 6, 2007 at 6:06 pm

Yes, I meant #8. Sorry about that.

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katie November 7, 2007 at 12:59 pm

5. math problems

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katie November 7, 2007 at 1:00 pm

5. or just problems in general

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katie November 7, 2007 at 1:01 pm

8. snow?

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katie November 7, 2007 at 1:03 pm

8. ice?

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katie November 7, 2007 at 1:05 pm

8. Ice no question mark

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Gary November 7, 2007 at 1:24 pm

#5 is “problems.” Now I think #8 is the last one left. “Snow” is getting close. Now, what has eyes–whose disappearing has something to do with the sun.

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Emily November 7, 2007 at 2:00 pm

I was thinking too hard for #5. 8: A snowman has eyes. They don’t melt, though. Hmm. Eyes disappear first. Um…Runs. Runs as in melts? Like water? Okay, my guess is…

An ice-sculpted fish!

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Gary November 7, 2007 at 5:03 pm

Runs as in melts is good

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katie November 7, 2007 at 6:05 pm

8. Emily says a popsicle with eyes

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katie November 7, 2007 at 6:10 pm

Emily, why didn’t you guess snowman? it’s a very good guess and Lisa backed it up without even knowing you said that.

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Emily November 7, 2007 at 6:12 pm

because its eyes don’t disappear. They fall on the ground. But I’ll guess it anyway. SNOWMAN

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Gary November 7, 2007 at 6:26 pm

Snowman is the answer. The eye sockets disappear, and by the time the snowman melts, you probably won’t be able to find whatever you used for eyeballs. So for all practical purposes, the eyes disappear.

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