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150+ English Riddles with Answers and Explanations

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To add a touch of fun to social gatherings, having a selection of English riddles is a must. To save you time searching, we've put together a list of entertaining English riddles ranging from easy to challenging, covering a variety of topics. Each riddle comes with its answer and a detailed explanation, making it easy for you to enjoy them without any hassle. Dive into these engaging riddles on prepedu.com now!

150+ English Riddles with Answers and Explanations

I. What are English riddles?

What is an English riddle? In English, a riddle is called a "Riddle" (/ˈrɪd.əl/). We often use interesting English riddles in competitions, entertainment programs, and parties to make the atmosphere more lively and cheerful. For example:

English Riddles

Answer

Where can we always find “Money”?

In the Dictionary.

⏩Because the word “Money” is always included inside the dictionary.

What can you never see but is constantly right in front of you?

The future.

II. English riddles by topic with answers

Below is a list of English riddles according to various common topics, along with detailed answers and explanations. Save it and use it whenever you need!

1. Wordplay riddle

No	English wordplay riddle	Answer
1	Who always drives his customers away?	A taxi-driver.
2	What is the longest word in the English language?	Smiles.
3	Why is the letter E so important?	Everything.
4	What has ears but can not hear?	An ear of corn.
5	What has arms but can not hug?	Armchair.
6	What month do soldiers hate?	March. ⏩ “to march” means to walk with stiff regular steps like a soldier.
7	What clothing is always sad?	Blue jean. ⏩The adjective “blue” means the sad feeling.
8	Why are dogs afraid to sunbathe?	They don’t want to be “hot-dogs”.
9	What has nothing but two faces?	A coin. ⏩The coin has two sides: front and back.
10	Why is 10 x 10 = 1000 like your “left” eye?	It’s not “right”.
11	How do we know the ocean is “friendly”?	It waves. ⏩The verb "Wave" has two meanings: it can refer to the motion of waves, and it can also mean to move one's hand in a waving motion.
12	Which can move faster, heat or cold?	Heat.
13	What key does not lock the door?	Keyword.
14	Where does June come before May?	In the dictionary.
15	Why is the letter A similar to 12 o’clock?	Because 12 o'clock is the middle of the day, and the letter A is also the middle of the day (the letter A stands in the middle of the word DAY.)
16	What comes twice in a moment, once in a minute and never in a hundred years?	Letter “M”. ⏩There are two 'M's in the word "moment," one 'M' in the word "minute," and no 'M' in the phrase "a hundred years."

2. English riddles requiring logical reasoning intelligence

english-riddles-requiring-logical-reasoning-intelligence.png — Riddles requiring logical reasoning intelligence

No	English Riddles requiring logical reasoning intelligence	Answer
1	What did the big chimney say to the little chimney while working?	You are too young to smoke.
2	What has a head and a foot but no body?	Bed.
3	People make me, keep me, change me, raise me, even though I can be very dirty. What am I?	Money.
4	What has three hands but only one face?	A clock. ⏩The clock has one face and 3 hands - corresponding to three arms.
5	What was the longest river in the world before the Amazon River was discovered?	The Amazon. ⏩Because it's still the longest even before anyone discovers it.
6	Which can you keep after giving it to your friend?	Promise.
7	What is it that was the past of tomorrow and the future of yesterday?	Today.
8	What belongs only to you but it is used more by others than by yourself?	Your name.
9	When I eat, I live but when I drink, I die. Who am I?	Fire.
10	What increases but never decreases?	Your age.
11	They travel all over the world but end up in one corner. What are they?	Stamps.
12	Which months have the 28th day?	All months.
13	What will make more noise in your house than a dog?	Two dogs or more.
14	What are the two things that people never eat before breakfast?	Lunch and Dinner.
15	What is higher without a head than with a head?	A pillow.
16	Which of the following is correct: 1 - Ostrich can fly, or 2 - Ostriches can fly?	None. Ostrich can’t fly.
17	Sometimes I shine, sometimes I’m dull, sometimes I am big, and sometimes I am small. I can be pointy, I can be curved, and don’t ask me questions because even though I’m sharp, I’m not smart enough to answer you. What am I?	A knife.
18	How can you fit 4 apples inside a box that measures 7x4x2 inches?	Put 4 iPhones in the box.
19	I can be long and can be short, I can be black, white, brown or purple. You can find me the world over and I am often the main event. What am I?	Rice.
20	How can you make six into an odd number?	Remove the letter S and you have IX which is 9 in roman numerals.

3. Funny English riddles

No	English fun riddles	Answer
1	What vegetable is the most fun to be around and the one that everybody wants to hang out with?	Fungi.
2	What is the wealthiest nut?	Cashew
3	I am a beer yet kids can drink me and not get drunk. What am I?	Root beer.
4	What kind of food does the baby chicken make when it goes to the bathroom?	Chickpeas.
5	What did the doctor prescribe to the sick lemon?	Lemon-aid. ⏩Lemonade
6	You cut me up, you chop me up, you dice me up and you cry over me. What am I?	Onion.
7	What do you call a cat who has sprouted fins and loves to swim?	Catfish.
8	What do golfers drink?	Tea (tee). ⏩Tee is a small piece of plastic or wood that you stick in the ground to support a golf ball before you hit it
9	What vegetable always wins in every competition?	Beets. ⏩Beat - to defeat somebody in a game or competition
10	What kind of vegetables do people look forward to getting every month?	Celery. ⏩Salary
11	What vegetable can you use to tie your shoelace?	A string bean.
12	I am a stick stuck in a ball of sweetness. What am I?	Lollipop.
13	Which fruit is a celebrity?	Star apple.
14	What fruit is friendly and likes to meet people?	A date. ⏩a sweet sticky brown fruit that grows on a tree called a date palm, common in North Africa and West Asia
15	I love fruit and I love to read, you’ll find me digging around in the earth. What am I?	Bookworm.
16	I am the sweetest and most romantic fruit. What am I?	Honeydew.
17	What is the longest fruit?	Longan.
18	What kind of food is always tardy?	Choco-late.
19	What vegetable grows eggs?	Eggplant.
20	What is the most deceitful and dishonest fruit?	Lychee ⏩(lie-chee).
21	What kind of drink loves an earthquake?	Milkshake.
22	I am a bell yet you can’t ring me. I sound hot but am not.	Bell peppers.
23	What food loves to yell and shout?	Ice cream.
24	I get chewed, but should not be swallowed or eaten and always get thrown away.	Gum.
25	Who is the father of all fruits?	Papaya.
26	What kind of room can you eat?	Mushroom.
27	What kind of dessert is the best chef?	Cookie.
28	What is the tastiest kind of sand?	Sandwich.
29	What food do you eat when you take a break at school?	Recess pieces.

4. English riddles about animals

No	Animal English riddles	Answer
1	I have four legs. I live in Africa. I’m big and gray. I live in the river.	I’m a hippo.
2	I’m a large mammal. I live in the woods. I’ve fur. I stand up and growl when I’m angry.	I’m a bear.
3	Out in the field, I talk too much. In the house, I make much noise, but when at the table I’m quiet.	I’m a fly.
4	I hiss. I can be poisonous. I’m long. I have a forked tongue.	I’m a snake.
5	I eat vegetables. I can run fast. I can be a pet. I have long ears.	I’m a rabbit.
6	I can swim and dive. I have two legs. I’ve wings. I quack.	I’m a duck.
7	I eat insects. I live in the pond. I can hop. I’m green.	I’m a frog.
8	I have four legs. You can ride me. I’ve tusks. I have a long nose.	I’m an elephant.
9	I’m ever eating garbage and waste.	I’m a pig.
10	I eat other animals. I have a big mouth. I’m green. I live in the water.	I’m a crocodile.
11	I’m small. I can be scary. I’ve eight legs. I spin the web.	I’m a spider.
12	I live in Africa. I’m yellow and brown. I eat leaves. I have a long neck.	I’m Giraffe.
13	I swim in a lake. While asleep and awake. My name rhymes with dish.	I’m a fish.

5. English riddles about the life around us

No	English Riddles about the life around us	Answer
1	What is easy to get into, but hard to get out of?	Trouble
2	I’m not alive, but I have 5 fingers. What am I?	A glove.
3	People buy me to eat, but never eat me. What am I?	A plate.
4	If there are 6 apples and you take away 4, how many do you have?	The 4 apples I took.
5	What word in the dictionary is hilarious?	“Hilarious”. ⏩The word “Hilarious” is always included in the dictionary.
6	What book do teenagers and millennials love the most and voluntarily spend hours looking through?	Facebook.
7	How many “seconds” are there in January?	Just one: January 2nd.
8	What has four legs and a body but cannot walk?	A table.
9	I have many faces, expressions and emotions and am only one tap away. What am I?	Emojis.
10	I can cycle many hours but I don’t get tired even at the end of the day. What am I?	A clock.
11	What letters of the alphabet run around and have a tight schedule?	The letters B&C because they are BC (busy).
12	Why don’t famous actors and actresses “sweat”?	Because they have so many “fans”.

6. Alphabet English riddles

Alphabet English riddles.png — Alphabet riddles

No	Alphabet English riddles	Answer
1	What letter of the alphabet is an insect?	B ⏩Bee
2	What letter is a part of the head?	I ⏩Eye
3	What letter is a drink?	T ⏩Tea
4	What letter is a body of water?	C ⏩Sea
5	What letter is a vegetable?	P ⏩Pea
6	What letter is an exclamation?	O ⏩Oh!
7	What letter is a European bird?	J ⏩Jay
8	What letter is looking for causes ?	Y ⏩Why
9	What four letters frighten a thief?	O.I.C.U ⏩Oh I see you!
10	Why is the letter “T” like an island?	Because the letter “t” is in the middle of “water”.
11	Which is the loudest vowel?	The letter “I”. It is always in the midst of “noise”.
12	What is at the end of the rainbow?	The letter “W”
13	What can you find here, there and everywhere?	The word “here”.

III. Collection of interesting books of English riddles

Let's join PREP to explore common books of English riddles that provide many interesting puzzles for children and adults. Let's find out right away!

1. The Big Quiz Book: 10,000 Amazing General Knowledge Questions

The Big Quiz Book is an English puzzle book that features over 10,000 intriguing general knowledge questions, making it a fun and humorous way for readers to test their overall knowledge.

Collection of interesting English riddle books

This fascinating English puzzle book, The Big Quiz Book, contains nearly 10,000 questions and is suitable for all family members. With 10 different categories of general knowledge - from Science & Technology, Arts & Literature, Natural History, to Food & Drink, Film & Television, Sports & Entertainment - and three increasing levels of difficulty, it provides a fresh experience and challenges readers with mind-boggling puzzles.

Book Title: The Big Quiz Book: 10,000 Amazing General Knowledge Questions
Author: DK
Publisher: DK
Year of Publication: 2020
Number of Pages: 528

2. Quiz Or Treat? (Ultimate Quick Quizzes)

Quiz Or Treat? is a puzzle book for children written by BuzzFeed and Rachel McMahon. Quiz Or Treat? (Ultimate Quick Quizzes) focuses on the Halloween festival with quiz or treat puzzles about candies, costumes, and spooky things! Quiz Or Treat? includes over 20 fun puzzles with colorful illustrations. Readers can solve them on their own or enjoy them with friends and family.

Book Title: Quiz Or Treat?
Author: Rachel McMahon
Publisher: Usborne
Year of Publication: 2021
Number of Pages: 64

3. 100 Children's Crosswords: Planet Earth

100 Children's Crosswords: Planet Earth is a book on English riddles designed to test your knowledge with over 100 crosswords related to the planet Earth. It covers various topics from animals, and plants to cities, countries, continents, and rivers. The crosswords gradually become more challenging throughout the book, making it perfect for quiet solo time or playing with friends and family. All the English riddles and answers can be found at the back of the book.

Book Title: 100 Children's Crosswords: Planet Earth
Authors: Phillip Clarke, Pope Twins
Publisher: Usborne
Year of Publication: 2021
Number of Pages: 108

Hopefully, this article from PREP has helped you gather a variety of intriguing English riddles on different topics. Be sure to visit PREP regularly to update yourself with more English knowledge!

Hien Hoang

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Hien, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.