Puzzle 1 of 8
A man shaves several times a day, yet he still has a beard. Who might he be?
A barber
PUZZLES
Lateral Thinking Puzzles
Short situations designed to make you question an obvious assumption and inspect the wording closely.
Puzzle 2 of 8
A room has no windows or doors, yet it contains a person. What could the room be?
A picture or photograph
Puzzle 3 of 8
A driver goes the wrong way on a one-way street but is not stopped. Why?
They are walking
Puzzle 4 of 8
What can travel around the world while staying in one corner?
A stamp
Puzzle 5 of 8
A person falls from a high ladder and is not hurt. Why?
They fell from the bottom rung
Puzzle 6 of 8
What gets wetter the more it dries?
A towel
Puzzle 7 of 8
A farmer has 17 sheep and all but 9 run away. How many remain?
9
Puzzle 8 of 8
What has many keys but cannot open a single lock?
A piano
How to approach these puzzles
Write down what the question actually tells you before trying to solve it. For arithmetic puzzles, calculate carefully; for lateral-thinking puzzles, inspect assumptions; for word puzzles, consider both meaning and spelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I look at the answer immediately?
Try to solve each puzzle first. If you get stuck, reveal the answer and study the reasoning before moving on.
Can a puzzle have more than one interpretation?
Sometimes. The intended answer should account for the clues with the fewest extra assumptions.