Riddles

Riddles are concise verbal puzzles designed to be solved. They present clues about an object, concept, or phenomenon in metaphorical or oblique language, challenging the solver to deduce the intended answer.

Most riddles rely on figurative language, misdirection, and lateral thinking. Clues may refer to attributes, functions, or wordplay involving the target's name or sounds. Solving a riddle often requires recognizing that the surface description is not literal and that different meanings of words or imagery are being used.

Common forms include rhyming riddles, where lines rhyme and conceal clues; and non-rhyming conundrums and charades, where clues describe a word's components or homophones. Some riddles also employ paradox, double meanings, or puns.

Riddling is ancient and widespread. The best-known mythic example is the Riddle of the Sphinx. The form is attested in many cultures, with early English riddles preserved in the Exeter Book of around 975 CE. In other regions, riddles appear in classical poetry, folk songs, and liturgical or didactic texts.

In modern usage, riddles appear in literature, puzzles, educational settings, and online communities. They serve as entertainment, mental exercise, and language-learning tools, helping to develop vocabulary, problem-solving skills, and cultural literacy.