The Grey Labyrinth is a collection of puzzles, riddles, mind games, paradoxes and other intellectually challenging diversions. Related topics: puzzle games, logic puzzles, lateral thinking puzzles, philosophy, mind benders, brain teasers, word problems, conundrums, 3d puzzles, spatial reasoning, intelligence tests, mathematical diversions, paradoxes, physics problems, reasoning, math, science.

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

#33
I ain't a soul destined for heaven. I did get in, but angered God, so I went to Hades and looked real cool.

referee · June 21st, 2004 Member

#31: ..., arbor, rate, argon, ___, ...
apple, eel, egg, rose, sword.
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Mar 4th, 2008: Rest in Peace, Gary Gygax. May your dice always roll a natural 20 wherever you are.

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Zag · Tired of his old title

#34. Do This When You're Done

Another of my rhyming word ladders. You may have to work forwards and backwards to get all ten words.

This is what pays for what seems to be free.
Add one and a scoundrel is what you will see.

Insert an R and you might find a king.
Change A to O for a power-bearing thing.

Longer word, sounds the same: a musical term.
Change the D to an E to make children squirm.

Dump the first, insert S: might be a nice ride.
Drop the middle: a device you use (usually) outside.

Last becomes T: one who leads in the fun.
Change H to P: Do this when you're done.

Answers to earlier puzzles:

#31. The sequence (so far) is

toll, eagle, limb, evil, very, lair, lobe, arbor, rate, argon, eel

Words were selected to correspond to this list:

atoll, beagle, climb, devil, every, flair, globe, harbor, irate, jargon, keel

(Note the first letters.)

#33. Super Powers!

The letter 'S'!

S + talk = stalk == to follow stealthily
S + kill = skill == talent
S + laughter = slaughter == horrible scene of death
S + top = stop == halt
S + lip = slip == you can't stand up

From Scurra:

S + tripped: I tore all my clothes off
S + tuck: I often find myself trapped.
S + ears: I end up burning myself.

From ralphmerridew:

S + camp: scoundrel
S + cuff: damaged
S + it: to lower his bottom
S + corn: contempt

From Jack_Ian:

S + ain't: destined for heaven
S + in: angered God
S + Hades: looked real cool.

ralphmerridew · Daedalian Member

Re #33: (s)lower was unintentional, but (s)it was deliberate.

Zag · Tired of his old title

Sorry, I missed that one. It explains a lot. Extreme Delectation

BTW, for #31, I should have pointed out that "rate" did not completely fit the sequence. "Deal" would have been a better choice, for the same reason that I preferred "lobe" over "race" for the seventh word in the list. However, by this criteria, both "evil" and "lair" were slightly flawed.

Silverfire · Daedalian Member

As per riddle #34.

PuzzleScot · Daedalian Member

ditto, for #34 Wink

referee · June 21st, 2004 Member

For 33 I think you missed S+in: Angered God.
_________________
Jan 21st, 2008: The pillaging continues.
Mar 4th, 2008: Rest in Peace, Gary Gygax. May your dice always roll a natural 20 wherever you are.

Be the Ultimate Ninja! Play Billy Vs. SNAKEMAN today!

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

#35
A second given is the first of mine
Take a drink but leave some wine
Split the word with A for O
Add a Y and joy will flow
Remove the start, pretentious I'm told
Endlessly though for a fortune sold
Add last to first to have something in
My question now, with what to begin?

ralphmerridew · Daedalian Member

Solve #34 as well.

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

I've modified the riddle above, as one of the definitions I used was invalid.
I have become prone to using German words in normal conversations without noticing and thought that the German translation of this word was also used in English.

The following lines:

Oscar · Daedalian Member

I support everyone who claims to have solved #34.
Oh, and #35 as well... *nudge*

Oscar · Daedalian Member

I guess I was being overly subtle wrt #35
Nice reference to #33 Jack_Ian! Felicitous

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

That reference is probably harder than my original riddle. Revenge most foul!

Nice one Oscar.

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

Hint for #35:???????

Zag · Tired of his old title

36. Give me an R!

Give me an R and I will flatten hills, knock down trees, and uproot stumps.
Give me an N, and I will be twelve.
Leave me alone, and I will sleep.

Oscar · Daedalian Member

And knock off my head and tail and you'll make me Australian!

Zag · Tired of his old title

37. Adage to adage

(This one is pretty easy, I think.)

-------------

The old adage says to do this again.
Add one, make a city of fame way back when.

OY becomes IP and you'll have a nice fall.
Change I to A and you'll catch it all.

Insert an M: make an invention of Chaplain.
Change T to C and with pain you'll be grapplin'.

Replace second with H: a winner for sure!
Lose second to last: you'll want balm for a cure.

Drop the H to make something to go on your head.
Change one and an adage will leave this thing dead.

PuzzleScot · Daedalian Member

Not 100% on the last step: try -> troy -> trip -> trap -> tramp -> cramp -> champ -> chap -> cap -> cat?

3iff · very unbifflike

Try... cap > zap

PuzzleScot · Daedalian Member

38. Laugh yourself fat one step at a time

A joker by trade, his costume is gay,
Change my first to niggle, like kids do all day

Then change the second to advertise wares
And the the third to lug things for those who paid fares

Change the fourth to become a well-rounded swine,
Employing the joker, whilst swigging his wine.

ralphmerridew · Daedalian Member

38: jester, pester, poster, porter, porker

Zag · Tired of his old title

ralphmerridew · Daedalian Member

36: dozer / dozen / doze

Zag · Tired of his old title

I thought I'd wake up this thread again. Some of the riddles I had posted I had to do a little work to solve. Extreme Delectation

Anyway, here's a new one. I am not sure if this one is ridiculously easy or very hard. (No part of this paragraph was meant as a hint.)

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39. A man wrote a single word on a piece of paper. He then put that paper in an envelope and addressed it to "John and Jane Why" (and their address, which is irrelevant to the riddle). What word did he write on the paper?

bgg1996 · BeeGees are awesome!

Does the answer have to do with the placeholder names Jane or John Doe?
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Zag · Tired of his old title

Silverfire · Daedalian Member

What was the "additional criterion" for #31?

Zag · Tired of his old title

Oscar · Daedalian Member

I believe that for #39 the word is sufficient

Nice one, Zag! Extreme Delectation

Zag · Tired of his old title

Yes, that's it. Thanks, Oscar!

Credit also to ralphmerridew, who sent me a partial answer via PM.

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

Well the only word that seems to apply for me is flummoxed - since I haven't got a clue what the word is or how "sufficient" is the answer. Could someone please explain?
Perhaps I'm thinking too cryptically. I assumed it was something like this...

40. I am placed in an envelope with a large net and with it, I am ready to fly. What am I?

Zag · Tired of his old title

Hints for 39:
1. If you and your significant other were friends with the couple "John and Jane Why" and you had planned to meet them for dinner, you might say to your SO, "We are having dinner with __ ___."

2. Look at Oscar's answer, which is correct. Even knowing the answer doesn't make the arriving at it obvious.

Zag · Tired of his old title

No clue on yours, Jack_Ian.

This is similar to #39, but it's a bit easier, I think, so Oscar is excluded from answering. Extreme Delectation

41. Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr., famous aviator and explorer -- It is not well known, but he had a son named Lee. As a young man, Lee emigrated to England, because a citizen of Great Britain, and eventually was given an Earldom for his service to the crown. What would be an appropriate gift for him receiving his title?

Oscar · Daedalian Member

Ha! You can't shut me out as easily as that, Zag! It's oh, no! Some force field is preventing me from typing the answer!

groza528 · No Place Like Home

41. Surely not a worm?

Zag · Tired of his old title

Well, yeah. But my wife said "Blue plate special," which also works.

Oscar · Daedalian Member

This is an extension of one I sort of posted previously...

42. A man on <A> thinks <B> is nothing; a man who is <A>ing thinks <B> is everything.
What are <A> and <B>?

Zag · Tired of his old title

As I was going through ideas, for <A> I considered "his knees" and "a-sneezing" but I don't think that's it. Extreme Delectation