Riddles are more than just fun—they’re little mysteries wrapped in wordplay, often designed to mislead, surprise, or delight. One riddle that’s been making the rounds online goes like this: “I had 5 cats, one of them escape. How many do I have now?” At first glance, it looks like a simple math problem. But as with many riddles, the twist lies in the language.
In this post, we’ll unpack the clever answer to that question and treat you to 33 more creative riddles, each with an explanation to help you appreciate the wordplay and logic behind it. Whether you’re here for a fun brain workout or to challenge your friends, you’re in the right place.
1. Riddle:
I had 5 cats, one of them escape. How many do I have now?
- Answer: 5
- Explanation: The key is in the word “had.” It refers to the past. But the riddle then shifts to the present—“How many do I have now?” If one escaped but hasn’t been given away or confirmed lost, you still own all 5. One just isn’t physically present.
2. Riddle:
What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
- Answer: The letter M
- Explanation: It’s all about spelling. “M” appears once in “minute,” twice in “moment,” and not at all in “a thousand years.”
3. Riddle:
What has to be broken before you can use it?
- Answer: Egg
- Explanation: You have to crack an egg before cooking or eating it.
4. Riddle:
I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
- Answer: Candle
- Explanation: A candle starts out tall and burns down over time.
5. Riddle:
What can travel around the world while staying in one spot?
- Answer: Stamp
- Explanation: A stamp stays stuck on an envelope that travels far and wide.
6. Riddle:
The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
- Answer: Footsteps
- Explanation: With every step, you leave a mark behind on the ground.
7. Riddle:
What gets wetter as it dries?
- Answer: Towel
- Explanation: A towel absorbs water from you—getting wetter while drying you.
8. Riddle:
What has a head and a tail but no body?
- Answer: Coin
- Explanation: A coin has two sides referred to as “head” and “tail.”
9. Riddle:
What has one eye but can’t see?
- Answer: Needle
- Explanation: A sewing needle has an “eye” (hole for thread), but no vision.
10. Riddle:
What begins and ends with T and has T in it?
- Answer: Teapot
- Explanation: “Teapot” starts and ends with “T” and holds tea (T) inside.
11. Riddle:
What gets bigger the more you take away?
- Answer: Hole
- Explanation: As you dig or remove material, a hole grows in size.
12. Riddle:
What can you catch but not throw?
- Answer: Cold
- Explanation: You can catch a cold (sickness), but you can’t physically throw it.
13. Riddle:
What has hands but can’t clap?
- Answer: Clock
- Explanation: A clock has hour and minute “hands” but no actual arms.
14. Riddle:
What word is spelled incorrectly in every dictionary?
- Answer: Incorrectly
- Explanation: A fun pun—the word “incorrectly” is always spelled “incorrectly.”
15. Riddle:
What disappears as soon as you say its name?
- Answer: Silence
- Explanation: Speaking immediately ends silence.
16. Riddle:
What has keys but can’t open locks?
- Answer: Piano
- Explanation: A piano has musical keys—not the locking kind.
17. Riddle:
What can be cracked, made, told, and played?
- Answer: Joke
- Explanation: All of those actions relate to humor and wordplay.
18. Riddle:
What’s always in front of you but can’t be seen?
- Answer: Future
- Explanation: The future lies ahead but is invisible.
19. Riddle:
What has a neck but no head?
- Answer: Bottle
- Explanation: Bottles have a “neck” and “body,” but no literal head.
20. Riddle:
What comes down but never goes up?
- Answer: Rain
- Explanation: Rain falls from the sky but never reverses.
21. Riddle:
What can fill a room but takes up no space?
- Answer: Light
- Explanation: Light can illuminate a room fully without taking physical space.
22. Riddle:
What begins and ends with an “e” but only contains one letter?
- Answer: Envelope
- Explanation: The word “envelope” starts and ends with E and holds a letter inside.
23. Riddle:
What flies without wings?
- Answer: Time
- Explanation: “Time flies” is a common idiom—without needing wings.
24. Riddle:
I shave every day, but my beard stays the same. Who am I?
- Answer: Barber
- Explanation: A barber shaves other people, not himself.
25. Riddle:
What’s full of holes but still holds water?
- Answer: Sponge
- Explanation: A sponge has many holes but retains water effectively.
26. Riddle:
What belongs to you but is used more by others?
- Answer: Your name
- Explanation: You rarely say your own name, but others use it constantly.
27. Riddle:
What can be touched but can’t be seen?
- Answer: Emotion
- Explanation: Emotions are deeply felt but invisible.
28. Riddle:
What goes up but never comes down?
- Answer: Age
- Explanation: You only get older—never younger.
29. Riddle:
What has four fingers and a thumb but isn’t alive?
- Answer: Glove
- Explanation: A glove mimics the shape of a hand but is not a living being.
30. Riddle:
The more you look at me, the less you see. What am I?
- Answer: Darkness
- Explanation: Staring into the dark reveals less, not more—complete absence of light.
31. Riddle:
What comes before thunder?
- Answer: Lightning
- Explanation: Lightning strikes first; thunder follows due to the speed of light vs. sound.
32. Riddle:
What do you throw out when you want to use it, and bring in when you don’t?
- Answer: Anchor
- Explanation: You drop an anchor to stay put and pull it in when ready to move.
33. Riddle:
What starts with an E, ends with an E, and contains only one letter?
- Answer: Envelope
- Explanation: It starts and ends with “E” and contains a letter inside. Clever wordplay!
Conclusion
The riddle “I had 5 cats, one of them escape” is a perfect example of how simple language can twist your thinking. It’s not just about math or grammar—it’s about interpreting the question in an unexpected way. That’s the beauty of riddles: they make us pause, think, and often laugh at ourselves.
We hope these 33 riddles brought you joy and maybe even stumped you a bit! Do you have a favorite? Or a riddle of your own to share? Drop it in the comments below and challenge your friends. Let the riddle fun continue!