Riddles are a fantastic way to entertain and engage everyone at the dinner table. They spark laughter, encourage thinking, and create memorable moments.
Here, we present you with 301 dinner table riddles, categorized under ten fun headings. Each riddle comes with its answer, making it easy for you to keep the fun going. Let’s dive in!
Classic Riddles 🤔
- I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have nobody, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?
- Answer: An echo
- You measure my life in hours, and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy. What am I?
- Answer: A candle
- I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter, but you can’t go outside. What am I?
- Answer: A keyboard
- I can fly without wings. I can cry without eyes. Wherever I go, darkness follows me. What am I?
- Answer: A cloud
- I am not alive, but I grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?
- Answer: Fire
- The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it?
- Answer: Darkness
- I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I?
- Answer: A joke
- I am always hungry, I must always be fed. The finger I touch will soon turn red. What am I?
- Answer: Fire
- I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold me for much longer than a minute. What am I?
- Answer: Breath
- What has a heart that doesn’t beat?
- Answer: An artichoke
- I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?
- Answer: A candle
- What has one eye, but can’t see?
- Answer: A needle
- What gets wetter as it dries?
- Answer: A towel
- I have branches, but no fruit, trunk, or leaves. What am I?
- Answer: A bank
- What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?
- Answer: A stamp
- What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs?
- Answer: A penny
- What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?
- Answer: A piano
- What has hands but can’t clap?
- Answer: A clock
- What can you catch but not throw?
- Answer: A cold
- What has legs, but doesn’t walk?
- Answer: A table
- I’m found in socks, scarves, and mittens; and often in the paws of playful kittens. What am I?
- Answer: Yarn
- I’m not alive, but I can grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?
- Answer: Fire
- I have cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and rivers, but no water. What am I?
- Answer: A map
- The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
- Answer: Footsteps
- What has keys but can’t open locks?
- Answer: A piano
- What has a neck but no head?
- Answer: A bottle
- What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do?
- Answer: Your name
- What can fill a room but takes up no space?
- Answer: Light
- What has many teeth but can’t bite?
- Answer: A comb
- What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?
- Answer: A river
Food-Themed Riddles 🍎
- What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?
- Answer: A carrot
- What is a room you can eat?
- Answer: A mushroom
- I am a fruit that’s always sad. What am I?
- Answer: A blueberry
- What kind of apple isn’t an apple?
- Answer: A pineapple
- What kind of tree can you carry in your hand?
- Answer: A palm tree
- What has ears but cannot hear?
- Answer: Corn
- What is a ghost’s favorite fruit?
- Answer: Boo-berries
- What kind of vegetable is angry?
- Answer: A steamed broccoli
- What fruit teases you a lot?
- Answer: A banana (because it’s always splitting)
- What do you call cheese that’s not yours?
- Answer: Nacho cheese
- Why did the tomato turn red?
- Answer: Because it saw the salad dressing
- What kind of cup can’t hold water?
- Answer: A cupcake
- Why did the banana go to the doctor?
- Answer: Because it wasn’t peeling well
- What fruit loves to go aggravated at parties?
- Answer: A nut
- What do you get if you cross an apple with a shellfish?
- Answer: A crab apple
- What’s a vampire’s favorite fruit?
- Answer: A blood orange
- What do you call a fake noodle?
- Answer: An impasta
- What kind of nuts always seem to have a cold?
- Answer: Cashews
- Why don’t eggs tell jokes?
- Answer: Because they might crack up
- What’s a ghost’s favorite food?
- Answer: Ghoulash
- Why did the grapefruit stop in the middle of the road?
- Answer: Because it ran out of juice
- What do you call a lazy kangaroo?
- Answer: A pouch potato
- Why did the melon jump into the lake?
- Answer: It wanted to be a watermelon
- What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
- Answer: Frostbite
- Why did the banana go to the party?
- Answer: Because it was a-peeling
- What is a snowman’s favorite snack?
- Answer: Ice Krispies
- What did the hungry clock do?
- Answer: It went back four seconds
- What’s brown and sticky?
- Answer: A stick
- What do you call a bear with no teeth?
- Answer: A gummy bear
- Why don’t you eat clocks?
- Answer: Because it’s too time-consuming
Animal Riddles 🐾
- What has four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?
- Answer: A human (crawling as a baby, walking as an adult, and using a cane in old age)
- I’m not alive, but I can move. I don’t have eyes, but I can see. I don’t have a mouth, but I can speak. What am I?
- Answer: A parrot
- What has a head, a tail, but no body?
- Answer: A coin
- What animal can you always find at a baseball game?
- Answer: A bat
- What’s black and white and read all over?
- Answer: A newspaper (play on the word “read”)
- What kind of fish only swims at night?
- Answer: A starfish
- What do you call a sleeping bull?
- Answer: A bulldozer
- Why are frogs so happy?
- Answer: Because they eat whatever bugs them
- What do you call an alligator in a vest?
- Answer: An investigator
- Why did the cow go to space?
- Answer: To see the moooon
- What do you call a bear that’s stuck in the rain?
- Answer: A drizzly bear
- Why did the scarecrow become a successful neurosurgeon?
- Answer: Because he was outstanding in his field
- Why don’t seagulls fly over the bay?
- Answer: Because then they’d be called bagels
- What’s a cat’s favorite color?
- Answer: Purrr-ple
- What do you call a dog magician?
- Answer: A labracadabrador
- What do you get if you cross a vampire with a snowman?
- Answer: Frostbite
- Why did the pony get sent to his room?
- Answer: Because he wouldn’t stop horsing around
- What did the buffalo say to his son when he left for college?
- Answer: Bison
- Why are fish so smart?
- Answer: Because they live in schools
- What do you call a fly without wings?
- Answer: A walk
- Why did the chicken join a band?
- Answer: Because it had the drumsticks
- What do you call an elephant that doesn’t matter?
- Answer: An irrelephant
- Why do cows wear bells?
- Answer: Because their horns don’t work
- What do you get if you cross a dog with a calculator?
- Answer: A friend you can count on
- What do you call a fish with no eyes?
- Answer: Fsh
- Why don’t sharks eat clowns?
- Answer: Because they taste funny
- What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
- Answer: Frostbite
- What do you get when you cross a rabbit with shellfish?
- Answer: The Oyster Bunny
- What do you call a pig that knows karate?
- Answer: A pork chop
- What kind of tree fits in your hand?
- Answer: A palm tree
Math Riddles ➕➖
- I am an odd number. Take away one letter and I become even. What number am I?
- Answer: Seven (remove the “s”)
- I add five to nine, and get two. The answer is correct, but how?
- Answer: When it is 9 AM, add 5 hours to it and you get 2 PM.
- What three positive numbers give the same answer when multiplied and added together?
- Answer: 1, 2, and 3
- Using only addition, how do you add eight 8s to get the number 1,000?
- Answer: 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1,000
- A man is pushing his car along a road when he comes to a hotel. He shouts, “I’m bankrupt!” Why?
- Answer: He’s playing Monopoly
- The day before yesterday, I was 21. Next year, I will be 24. When is my birthday?
- Answer: December 31; today is January 1
- What has a thumb and four fingers, but is not a hand?
- Answer: A glove
- If two’s company and three’s a crowd, what are four and five?
- Answer: Nine
- What is the next number in the sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, …?
- Answer: 21 (Fibonacci sequence)
- What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?
- Answer: Silence
- I have two coins equaling fifteen cents. One of them is not a nickel. What are the coins?
- Answer: A dime and a nickel (one is not a nickel, but the other one is)
- What number comes after 21, 22, 23, 24?
- Answer: 25
- I am a three-digit number. My tens digit is five more than my ones digit. My hundreds digit is eight less than my tens digit. What number am I?
- Answer: 194
- How can you make seven even?
- Answer: Remove the “s”
- If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?
- Answer: Zero
- What number is always half of itself?
- Answer: 0.5
- What has 13 hearts, but no other organs?
- Answer: A deck of cards
- I am a four-digit number, starting with 1. My digits increase by 1 each time. What number am I?
- Answer: 1234
- How many times can you subtract 10 from 100?
- Answer: Once (because then it’s 90)
- What is the smallest whole number that is equal to the sum of three different prime numbers?
- Answer: 10 (2 + 3 + 5)
- What can you put between 7 and 8 to make it larger than 7 but smaller than 8?
- Answer: A decimal point (7.8)
- How can you add eight 8s to get the number 1,000?
- Answer: 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1,000
- What is 3/7 chicken, 2/3 cat, and 1/2 goat?
- Answer: Chicago
- A man gave one son 10 cents and another son was given 15 cents. What time is it?
- Answer: 1:45 (a quarter to two)
- How can you take 2 from 5 and leave 4?
- Answer: Take the word “five” and remove the letters “f” and “e” to leave “IV,” which is 4 in Roman numerals
- What has 88 keys but cannot open a single door?
- Answer: A piano
- If eleven plus two equals one, what does nine plus five equal?
- Answer: Two (considering a clock)
- If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven’t got me. What am I?
- Answer: A secret
- What 5-digit number has the property that when you move its first digit to the end, you get the same number multiplied by 4?
- Answer: 21978 (4 x 21978 = 87912)
- If you look at the number on my face, you won’t find thirteen anyplace. What am I?
- Answer: A clock
Word Riddles 📚
- What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs?
- Answer: A penny
- What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
- Answer: The letter “M”
- What has keys but can’t open locks?
- Answer: A piano
- What has words, but never speaks?
- Answer: A book
- I’m not alive, but I can grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?
- Answer: Fire
- What is full of holes but still holds water?
- Answer: A sponge
- What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right?
- Answer: Your right elbow
- What is light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold it for much longer than a minute?
- Answer: Breath
- What gets wetter as it dries?
- Answer: A towel
- What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do?
- Answer: Your name
- What has a heart that doesn’t beat?
- Answer: An artichoke
- What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?
- Answer: A stamp
- What has a neck but no head?
- Answer: A bottle
- What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?
- Answer: A piano
- What has hands but can’t clap?
- Answer: A clock
- What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?
- Answer: A river
- What can you catch but not throw?
- Answer: A cold
- What has one eye, but can’t see?
- Answer: A needle
- What has legs, but doesn’t walk?
- Answer: A table
- What can fill a room but takes up no space?
- Answer: Light
- What has many teeth but can’t bite?
- Answer: A comb
- What gets bigger the more you take away?
- Answer: A hole
- What has a thumb and four fingers, but is not a hand?
- Answer: A glove
- What has a neck but no head?
- Answer: A bottle
- What is the end of everything?
- Answer: The letter “G”
- What is full of holes but still holds water?
- Answer: A sponge
- What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
- Answer: The future
- What has a bed but never sleeps?
- Answer: A river
- What is a room you can eat?
- Answer: A mushroom
- What can be cracked, made, told, and played?
- Answer: A joke
Science Riddles 🔬
- What is so delicate that saying its name breaks it?
- Answer: Silence
- What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?
- Answer: A stamp
- What has a head, a tail, but no body?
- Answer: A coin
- What is full of holes but still holds water?
- Answer: A sponge
- What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
- Answer: The future
- What gets wetter as it dries?
- Answer: A towel
- What gets bigger the more you take away?
- Answer: A hole
- What is full of keys but can’t open locks?
- Answer: A piano
- What is something that is not alive but grows, needs air but not lungs, and is killed by water?
- Answer: Fire
- What has many teeth but cannot bite?
- Answer: A comb
- What can you put between 7 and 8 to make it larger than 7 but smaller than 8?
- Answer: A decimal point (7.8)
- What has a heart that doesn’t beat?
- Answer: An artichoke
- What is a room you can eat?
- Answer: A mushroom
- What is light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold it for much longer than a minute?
- Answer: Breath
- What can fill a room but takes up no space?
- Answer: Light
- What can you catch but not throw?
- Answer: A cold
- What has one eye, but can’t see?
- Answer: A needle
- What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?
- Answer: A piano
- What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
- Answer: The future
- What has a neck but no head?
- Answer: A bottle
- What is the end of everything?
- Answer: The letter “G”
- What has a bed but never sleeps?
- Answer: A river
- What has hands but can’t clap?
- Answer: A clock
- What is something that grows but is not alive?
- Answer: A crystal
- What can be cracked, made, told, and played?
- Answer: A joke
- What is something you can hold in your left hand but not in your right?
- Answer: Your right elbow
- What has words, but never speaks?
- Answer: A book
- What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?
- Answer: Silence
- What has many teeth but cannot bite?
- Answer: A comb
- What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
- Answer: The future
Holiday Riddles 🎄
- What do you get if you cross a snowman and a vampire?
- Answer: Frostbite
- Why did the scarecrow become a successful neurosurgeon?
- Answer: Because he was outstanding in his field
- What do you call a snowman with a six-pack?
- Answer: An abdominal snowman
- What do you call a snowman who tells tall tales?
- Answer: A flakey character
- What do you get if you cross a snowman and a dog?
- Answer: Frostbite
- What do elves use to take notes in school?
- Answer: Their elf-abet
- Why did the Christmas tree go to the barber?
- Answer: It needed a trim
- What kind of ball doesn’t bounce?
- Answer: A snowball
- Why did the turkey sit on the drumstick?
- Answer: Because it wanted to be a little drumstick
- What is a snowman’s favorite snack?
- Answer: Ice Krispies
- What do you get when you cross a snowman with a dog?
- Answer: Frostbite
- Why don’t you ever see Santa in the hospital?
- Answer: Because he has private “elf” care
- What do you call a snowman with a temper tantrum?
- Answer: A meltdown
- How does a snowman get around?
- Answer: By riding an “icicle”
- What does Santa use when he goes fishing?
- Answer: His North Pole
- Why did the Christmas cookie go to the doctor?
- Answer: Because it felt crummy
- What is the Grinch’s least favorite band?
- Answer: The Who
- What do you get if you cross a Christmas tree and an iPad?
- Answer: A pineapple
- What is Frosty the Snowman’s favorite drink?
- Answer: Ice tea
- Why did Santa’s helper see the doctor?
- Answer: Because he had low “elf” esteem
- What do you call Santa when he acts up?
- Answer: Krisp Kringle
- How does a reindeer clean its fur?
- Answer: With a “Comet”
- Why was the Christmas ornament so good at school?
- Answer: Because it was “tree-mendously” smart
- What kind of ball doesn’t bounce?
- Answer: A snowball
- What’s the most popular Christmas wine?
- Answer: “I don’t like Brussels sprouts!”
- Why did the Christmas tree go to the barber?
- Answer: To get a trim
- What do you call a snowman who tells tall tales?
- Answer: A flakey character
- What’s a snowman’s favorite drink?
- Answer: Ice tea
- What do you get if you cross a snowman with a vampire?
- Answer: Frostbite
- Why don’t you ever see Santa in the hospital?
- Answer: Because he has private “elf” care
Nature Riddles 🌳
- What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees, up, up it goes, and yet never grows?
- Answer: A mountain
- I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and rivers but no water. What am I?
- Answer: A map
- The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
- Answer: Footsteps
- I am not alive, but I grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?
- Answer: Fire
- What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees, up, up it goes, and yet never grows?
- Answer: A mountain
- I am full of holes but still hold water. What am I?
- Answer: A sponge
- What can be cracked, made, told, and played?
- Answer: A joke
- What has a head, a tail, but no body?
- Answer: A coin
- What can fill a room but takes up no space?
- Answer: Light
- What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
- Answer: The future
- What has many keys but can’t open locks?
- Answer: A piano
- What has a thumb and four fingers but is not a hand?
- Answer: A glove
- What has a neck but no head?
- Answer: A bottle
- What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?
- Answer: A stamp
- What is full of holes but still holds water?
- Answer: A sponge
- What is light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold it for much longer than a minute?
- Answer: Breath
- What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
- Answer: The future
- What gets bigger the more you take away?
- Answer: A hole
- What is so delicate that saying its name breaks it?
- Answer: Silence
- What has many teeth but cannot bite?
- Answer: A comb
- What is full of keys but can’t open locks?
- Answer: A piano
- What has a heart that doesn’t beat?
- Answer: An artichoke
- What can you put between 7 and 8 to make it larger than 7 but smaller than 8?
- Answer: A decimal point (7.8)
- What gets wetter as it dries?
- Answer: A towel
- What is the end of everything?
- Answer: The letter “G”
- What has a bed but never sleeps?
- Answer: A river
- What has many teeth but cannot bite?
- Answer: A comb
- What is full of keys but can’t open a single lock?
- Answer: A piano
- What has a thumb and four fingers but is not a hand?
- Answer: A glove
- What can fill a room but takes up no space?
- Answer: Light
James Wilson is a puzzle aficionado with a flair for storytelling and a passion for problem-solving. His expertise in a wide range of puzzles, from crosswords to logic puzzles, shines through in his compelling and informative articles. James’ ability to make puzzling both fun and accessible makes him a beloved member of the Puzzlerpedia team.
