Riddles and Puzzles

[Katharine]

Think of Mary Poppins.

[Moonraker]

What goes up a chimney down but not down a chimney up?

I thought I knew the answer and Googled the question. However, Katharine's clue led to the answer most considered correct. Anita also hit the spot - one suggestion certainly shouldn't have gone up a chimney, and neither should Katherine's!

However, my answer I would have thought was correct - and it certainly is designed to go up a chimney. Maybe Eddie can confirm.

[Katharine]

I'm intrigued, I never realised there might be more than one answer.

[Courtenay]

I've only ever heard the one answer for this one and it was the only one that came up when I Googled it, so I'm baffled as to what other answers there might be... Incidentally, at least when I was little, I heard that one asked as "What goes up a drainpipe down but not down a drainpipe up?" Same answer, though.

[Eddie Muir]

What goes up a chimney down but not down a chimney up?

...my answer I would have thought was correct - and it certainly is designed to go up a chimney. Maybe Eddie can confirm.

It was IceMaiden who asked the question, Nigel. I thought the answer was umbrella. I'd be interested to hear of any other suggestion(s) for the answer.

I had considered a chimney sweep's brush, as a possible answer, as it goes up a chimney down. However, it is pulled down a chimney up and so this answer cannot be correct.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I thought of umbrella, parasol, parachute and tent. All rather silly as you wouldn't normally put them up a chimney anyway!

[Eddie Muir]

I edited my post after first submitting it and it has crossed with yours, Anita.

[Rob Houghton]

Yes, I thought it was umbrella too.


Not quite a riddle, but as a child I used to enjoy these, from The Puffin Book of Nursery Rhymes -

I saw a pack of cards gnawing a bone
I saw a dog seated on Britain's throne
I saw a Queen shut up in within a box
I saw a shilling driving a fat ox
I saw a man lying in a muff all night
I saw a glove reading news by candle-light
I saw a woman not twelvemonth old
I saw a greatcoat all made of solid gold
I saw two buttons telling of their dreams
I heard my friends, who wish'd I'd quit these themes.

[Courtenay]

I've seen one or two versions of that one before, Rob. (And yes, "umbrella" is the only answer I've ever heard to the other one as well, whether it's in a chimney or a drainpipe!)

Years ago, the radio station we used to listen to over breakfast had a competition every day called "What Am I?" — they'd give a cryptic clue and listeners had to phone in with their answers, with a prize for the first one to get it right. I recall they made it more difficult by only accepting one caller each time, so the same game could go on for several days, and they would give up to three different clues for each riddle.

I just remember one particular time when I thought of a likely answer at once but was too shy to try phoning the radio station (I was probably only 10 or 11 years old at the time), and then wished I had a few days later when someone else got through with the correct answer and it was exactly what I'd thought! Here's the clue — can any of you figure it out?

Once I am known, I cease to exist. What am I?

[Rob Houghton]

I think I know, but won't say out loud yet!

[Rob Houghton]

Here's a riddle that involves times tables - from Enid Blyton's Book of the Year -

There was a king who sent his men
Against Prince Valentine,
The first had 12x10 to send
The second 9x9
8x8 of the 12x10
Fell into a marshy bog,
And 4x9 quite lost their way
in a perfectly dreadful fog.
5x4 were left to fight
Against the 9x9
They polished off a 5x12
Who fell in a long, long line!
The 5x4 then had to face
A remnant of 7x3,
But 20 soldiers of each side
ran off as fast as can be.
Sp could you tell me clearly please,
Which of the enemy won?
And how many soldiers were left on the field
Waving a sword or gun?

[Rob Houghton]

Another from the Book of the Year -

I am a fish. Change my head and you may catch my first with my second; change my tail and I am an ugly noise; add another head and I become a bird; add another tail and I am many people together; take away all but my middle and I am nothing!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Very enjoyable riddles, Rob! Clever and fun to work out.

I just remember one particular time when I thought of a likely answer at once but was too shy to try phoning the radio station (I was probably only 10 or 11 years old at the time), and then wished I had a few days later when someone else got through with the correct answer and it was exactly what I'd thought! Here's the clue — can any of you figure it out?

Once I am known, I cease to exist. What am I?

I've got an idea but I'm not sure whether it's right.

[IceMaiden]

Got it, but I won't give the game away. It's a good one, IceMaiden.

Here's another one:

What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?

I thought that was time, others certainly seem to use mine more than me! I didn't get the right andwer thjough, but I did for Rob's one.

And yep, the answer to mine was an umbrella .

[IceMaiden]

Once I am known, I cease to exist. What am I?

I'm going to guess a mystery but I doubt it's right


You are a bus driver. The bus starts out empty. At the first stop 4 people get on. At the second stop, 8 people get on and 3 get off. At the third stop, 2 people get off and 4 get on. The question is, what color are the bus driver's eyes?

Using just one line, how can you change l0 l0 l0 into nine fifty?