Articles · Resource · Game Mastering
30 Simple Rhyming Riddles
Wanderers beware, these gates open not, Except to those only who the way have bought. You may purchase the right to pass me by, By each guessing my riddles. Care to try?
1
I touch the Earth, I touch the sky, But if I touch you, you'll surely die.
2
A head but no body, a heart but no blood, just leaves and no branches, I grow without wood.
3
A sturdy back and legs couting four, I once was alive, but I am no more.
4
I die without air, yet I have no lung, I am cherished, yet feared by those I have stung.
5
I live in the oceans, the rivers and seas, when I'm cold I float, when I'm hot, I'm free.
6
I run all day and I never walk, I have a big mouth, but never talk.
7
In the warm months I wear grean, both at day and at night. As it cools I shed yellow, but during winter wear white.
8
My feet stay warm, but my head is cold. No one can move me, I'm just too old.
9
Red as blood and sweet as wine. A hard hard heart within flesh sublime.
10
White flesh above and brown gills below. Never moving an inch, and in darkness I grow.
11
I run away every day and return every night. I am the bane of the flower and the theives' delight.
12
I rest near the shore, never touching the sea, I bring worlds together, yet people trod on me.
13
A solid white box, equal size on all faces. I make the luck of the game and of gambling places.
14
Never darkness do I see, not even a shadowy place. You can oft see me all day, though I might burn your face.
15
I float on the water. I fly through the sky. I come from plants. Without me you'll die.
16
I sing when I'm struck or whenever they shake me. By mould and cast, the craftsmen make me.
17
I'm bound and remember every word I was given. I share my knowledge to all with eyes to listen.
18
I spit like bacon, am made with an egg, I have plenty of backbone but lack good legs,
I peel like an onion but still remain whole, I'm long like a flagpole, yet fit in a hole.
19
Halo of water, tongue of wood. Skin of stone, long I've stood.
20
I bear milk and food from sunny lands. I have palms but have no hands.
21
I'm beaten, never free. Men seek me each day. Yet they only get me to give me away.
22
A word I know that six letters contains, subtract the last and only twelve remains.
23
My thunder comes before lightning, and quakes before the cloud,
My rain burns all it touches, as blood red stones enshroud.
24
Voiceless I cry, and wingless flutter. Toothless I bite, and mouthless mutter.
25
Throw me away to use me, and take me in when done. My metal body will drown and then motion stun.
26
I am buried in wood from one end to the other, but my head is exposed while I keep things together.
27
I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place.
28
One man makes it to sell it, another buys but never uses. The one who uses it is dead so who cares what he chooses.
29
I am seen in the water if seen in the skies. I am in the rainbow and in many eyes.
30
Lighter once formed and downward I thrust. Crystalline spears that never rust.
Scrolls
Twists, chapters, and details meant to stream with the submission — not general discussion.
Please add this to your list:You heard me before,Yet you hear me again,T…
Please add this to your list:
You heard me before,
Yet you hear me again,
Then I die,
'Til you call me again
<echo>
Please add this to your list:Until I am measuredI am not known,Yet how y…
Please add this to your list:
Until I am measured
I am not known,
Yet how you miss me
When I have Flown.
<time>
Please add this to your list:Each morning I appearto lie at your feet,Al…
Please add this to your list:
Each morning I appear
to lie at your feet,
All day I follow
no matter how fast you run,
Yet I nearly perish
in the midday sun.
<shadow>
Please add this to your list (a variation of #29):I am seen in the water…
Please add this to your list (a variation of #29):
I am seen in the water
If seen in the sky,
I am in the rainbow,
A jay's feather,
and lapis lazuli.
<blue>
Please add this to your list:Lovely and roundI shine with pale light,Gro…
Please add this to your list:
Lovely and round
I shine with pale light,
Grown in the darkness,
a lady's delight.
<pearl>
Please add this to your list:When young,I am sweet in the sun.When middl…
Please add this to your list:
When young,
I am sweet in the sun.
When middle-aged,
I make you gay.
When old,
I am valued more than ever.
<wine>
Please add this to your list:All aboutBut cannot be seen,Can be captured…
Please add this to your list:
All about
But cannot be seen,
Can be captured
But cannot be held,
No throat
But can be heard.
<wind>
Please add this to your list (a variation of #21):I drivemen madFor the …
Please add this to your list (a variation of #21):
I drivemen mad
For the love of me,
Easily beaten
Never free.
<gold>
Please add this to your list:I am only usefulwhen I am full.Yet, I am al…
Please add this to your list:
I am only useful
when I am full.
Yet, I am always
full of holes.
<sieve>
Please add this to your list (a variation of #30):Glittering pointsthat …
Please add this to your list (a variation of #30):
Glittering points
that downward thrust,
Sparking spears
that never rust.
<icicle>
Please add this to your list:Lighter than whatI am made of,More of me is…
Please add this to your list:
Lighter than what
I am made of,
More of me is hidden
than is seen.
<iceberg>
Please add this to your list:I turn around once,What is out will not get…
Please add this to your list:
I turn around once,
What is out will not get in.
I turn around again,
What is in will not get out.
<key>
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Update: I started this with 10 simple riddles from an old video game, and I'm running out of steam to finish it. Any suggestions? I will give contribution credit to anyone who significantly helps. If you don't want to post the answer to your riddle in the open, you can send me a PM, and I will post it the same way I did the others.
ran a google search and found the following link: http://dan.hersam.com/riddles.html
Update: Added several more riddles, but can't get to the answers yet. Power is failing. Updates soon.
Mega thanks to Moonlake for finding a link to a ton of inspiring riddles. The first 10 are from Warlords Battlecry 2. The last 13 are inspired and modified from the link Moonlake found.
These riddles are not intended to be complicated. My players like coming across the occasional riddle-spewer, but they don't like waiting when the riddles are so hard that only one person could possibly figure it out.
Hovering doesn't work on my iPad, regrettably.
Kassy, I'll send you the answers in a PM :)
Interesting... not spectacular but ok.
An interesting 30's list, especially good for riddle contests at town celebrations or to stump the know it all wizard of the party.
Thanks for sending me a copy via PM Omega.
A nice set of riddles to fit well into a campaign. As Silveressa has already mentioned; these would be fun to throw at your party's Wizard ;-)
3/5
I enjoyed this one. I'd like to see more added.
A list of riddles is always nice to have when playing, as paswords or as tests.
I don't know how to send you (Omega) a 'PM' message. Maybe I could just e-mail you.
No worries, inspector: you used the Add an Idea button correctly. You don't have to contact omegadraco to add them to the sub, they're now as much a part of it as the rest.
But they won't have that cool 'Hover for the answer' feature!
I forgot to say, I got these rhyming riddles from an old game on our Atari, 30 years ago.
Copied them down on paper as we solved them.
Very useful!