9 Riddles From Ancient Civilizations to Test Your Wits Against 5th-Century Egyptians and Sumerians

We all know what it takes to outsmart a 5th grader, but can you outthink a 5th-century Egyptian or Sumerian? It’s time to put your intellect to the test against some of history’s most perplexing puzzles!

Before crosswords dominated our leisure time, ancient civilizations honed their mental acuity with riddles. These weren’t your run-of-the-mill “What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?” brain teasers. No, these were poetic and required time to solve them.

We presented these nine riddles to members of our editorial team, from writers to senior editors, and guess what? Not a single one could crack them all! Now it’s your turn to see if you can succeed where our brightest minds faltered.

So, sharpen your wits, channel your inner Sphinx, and prepare to journey back in time. Are you ready to tackle the brain-benders that once puzzled great minds?

The answers will be presented after the last riddle. Remember, no peeking!

Let’s begin!

Riddle #1: The Sphinx’s Challenge

What creature moves on all four legs in the morning,

on two by midday,

and three as dusk falls?

None of us could get this one right! 👀

Riddle #2: The Nile’s Enigma

I am dark,

but my birthplace is a radiant one.

A flightless fowl,

earth to sky I soar.

I bring forth tears,

yet sorrow’s not the cause,

My life, though brief,

leaves watchers in awe.

What could I be?

This one’s quite easy. You just need to focus. THINK, THINK, THINK! 🤔

Riddle #3: The Sumerian Scholar’s Puzzle

A structure stands, peculiar and grand.

Enter sightless, exit with vision expanded.

What is this place?

HINT: You’ve been to this place several times. Some of us enjoyed going there, some didn’t. Some of us still go there, while some don’t. 🤫

Riddle #4: The Desert Nomad’s Riddle

Four hang, four sprang.

Two guide the path, two keep hounds at bay.

One trails behind, perpetually unclean.

Can you name me?

This one’s our favorite! No scrolling down, okay? ❌

Riddle #5: The Scribe’s Conundrum

I bite, yet harm no soul.

But many yearn to bite me.

Fear not because I have no teeth.

Who might I be?

You’ll cry when you see the answer. Because this thing makes us cry. ALL OF US. 😭

Riddle #6: The Fisherman’s Paradox on the Tigris

We dispose of what we catch,

and keep what we couldn’t catch.

What treasure did we retain?

HINT: Think of what happens when people don’t maintain their hygiene… especially children. 🤫

Riddle #7: The Eternal Journey of Ra

All travelers pause their journey to rest,

but my path knows no end.

Eternally I roam, defying time’s decree,

no ruler nor realm can put an end to my journey.

Who am I?

Most of our team members could guess this one. You’ll nod when you see the answer. 😀

Riddle #8: The Mesopotamian Mystery

You look at me, and I stare back at you,

but I cannot see.

You speak, and people hear you,

but no one hears me.

My lips part, but silence persists.

In vain, they move, unheard.

What am I?

C’mon! We made this one sound WAY TOO EASY! 😄

Riddle #9: The Humble Sage of Ur

Meek in spirit, yet rich in giving,

I seek no wealth but bestow it freely.

Roaming far, I feast on nature’s simplicity,

often compelled to give up my bounty.

Penniless am I, yet kings covet my presence.

Who could I be?

We bet you’ve already guessed this one. Ready to check the answers? 🤓

Unveiling the Ancient Wisdom: Riddle Revelations

It’s time to check your results! Count how many riddles you solved correctly and prepare to measure your wit against the sages of old.

Answers:

1. Man. Throughout life’s journey, we evolve: crawling as infants, standing tall in our prime, and leaning on support in our twilight years. 💁

2. Smoke. 🔥

3. A school. One enters unenlightened and emerges with newfound knowledge. 🏫

4. A cow. It has four legs and four udders, two horns to scare dogs, and two eyes to look at the path they’re taking. Plus, it has an “unclean” tail. 🐮

5. An onion. Its pungent flavor “bites” without teeth. 🧅

6. Lice, or any parasite. Those captured are discarded, while the ones that aren’t remain on the person’s head. 🐜

7. The sun. ☀️

8. Your reflection. 🪞

9. A sheep. Its wool is a prized resource, shorn and shared without diminishing the animal’s value. 🐑

So, how well did you perform? Count the number of correct answers and grade yourself using this scale:

1-3 correct: Apprentice Scribe. Keep studying those clay tablets!

4-6 correct: Skilled Stonecutter. You’re carving out a reputation for wisdom.

7-9 correct: Pharaoh’s Vizier. Your intellect rivals the greatest minds of antiquity!

We’d love to know how you measured up! Share your grade with us in the comments section on Facebook. Also, don’t be disheartened if you got most of them wrong. You can share these riddles with your friends and family to see how well they score and compare your results with them.

If you enjoyed reading this article, here’s another set of riddles to keep your mind active:

10+ Riddles That Look Easy – Until You Try to Crack Them

Ready to challenge your brain? Below are 21 riddles that seem simple at first glance but might just have you scratching your head. Remember, the answers await you at the end – but no peeking! Grab a pen and paper, and let’s see how many you can solve!

Riddles have a way of playing tricks on our minds, leading us down one path only to surprise us with an unexpected answer. From tricky wordplay to clever math puzzles, these riddles will test your logic and creativity. Ready to uncover the answers hidden in plain sight? Let’s get started!

Riddle #1

A woman has seven children. If half of them are boys, how can that be possible?

Riddle #2

When can three grown men, a woman, two boys, and a dog all fit under the same umbrella and still stay completely dry?

Riddle #3

Lily is a hairdresser with an unusual preference: she would rather give two blondes a haircut than one brunette. Why does she feel this way?

Riddle #4

A father is currently four times as old as his son. In twenty years, the father will be only twice as old as his son. How old are the father and son now?

Riddle #5

Jack, Jill, and Jane went for a walk. Jack walked twice the distance that Jill did, and Jill walked half the distance that Jane did. Together, they walked 18 miles. How far did each person walk?

Riddle # 6

You have two hourglasses: one measures seven minutes and the other four minutes. How can you measure exactly nine minutes using only these hourglasses?

Riddle #7

Three friends shared a pizza. The first friend ate half, the second ate a third, and the third ate a sixth. How much pizza is left?

Riddle #8

Sarah, Jake, and Emma are siblings. Sarah is twice as old as Jake, and Jake is three years older than Emma. If Sarah is twelve years old, how old is Emma?

Riddle #9

You have a five-gallon jug and a three-gallon jug. How can you measure exactly four gallons of water using only these two jugs?

Riddle #10

Consider a three-digit number where the second digit is four times the third digit, and the first digit is three less than the second digit. What is the number?

Riddle #11

I am the start of everything and the end of everywhere. I’m the beginning of eternity and the end of time and space. What am I?

Riddle #12

Two people were born on the same day, in the same month, and the same year. However, they are not twins. How is this possible?

Riddle #13

A man is looking at a picture. His friend asks, “Who is that you’re looking at?”

The man replies, “Brothers and sisters, I have none. But that man’s father is my father’s son.”

Who is in the picture?

Riddle #14

In a family, the sum of the ages of a father and his two sons is 78 years. The father is twice as old as the first son was when the second son was born, and the second son is half the age of the first son. What are their ages?

Riddle #15

A mom and dad have four daughters. Each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the family?

Riddle #16

Sarah and her sister Mary are out shopping. As they leave the store, Sarah points out a young man and says, “Look, my nephew is over there.”

Mary replies, “Oh yes, I see him, but he isn’t my nephew.” How can that be?

Riddle #17

What can be seen in the middle of March and April but not at the beginning or end of either month?