Create Riddles and Puzzle Others

My Experience of Creating a Riddle

Few days ago I was going through a book (my son’s English composition book) of 4^th standard. A lesson in the index caught my attention. The section was based on riddle making. I immediately went into flash back. In this hub I wish to discuss some interesting points regarding riddle making but before that I have a little personal experience to share.

Here I share: A year ago during summer holidays my son (then in 3^rd standard) got an assignment on making riddles. Nowadays, it seems the assignments are meant for the mothers than the students. If assignments relate to language and literature then I prefer to keep it simple and original. I task my brain and usually come out with an original composition and then try to teach my son. It happened in the same fashion for this particular riddle making assignment. Before I discuss the method to make a riddle, let me put some light on the definition of riddle.

Definition

In one word, riddle means puzzle. Normally, it is a quite poetic explanation. Usually in four to five lines about a specific thing a description is given without disclosing the actual answer. The person who reads or listens to has to follow the explanation written or given and understand the description properly. After it, solving the riddle is the main fun. Get solution through recognizing the actual answer from the detailed explanation. By definition it sounds so easy but the fact is it’s not that easy. The whole process depends upon the way the explanation is given. The art lies in preparing the description. It is a matter of giving a creative explanation. May be the description can be tricky or elaborate. Suppose the explanation is very tough or confusing then finding out the solution becomes quite a challenging task. What’s of that? Here only lies the fun quotient. One who is able to do it feels like a winner as solving riddle is a test of intelligence level.

Solve Riddles

Now the point is to have some good riddles or else finding out solution will not be of any interest. Riddles which are easily understood are actually the riddles for the nursery kids. As the kids grow by age the intelligence level too grows. Naturally they need games of their standard or else they lack interest and have no fun. Let’s have an example of a riddle:

I am a being with four legs and two hands,

I can’t move by my own,

I have a seat and a back rest too,

Even, I bear the weight of a person,

Tell me, what am I?

Oh! Yes, you are right. ‘Chair’ is the correct answer.

Now let us solve another. The riddle is:

I am useful but for a single day,

Next day I get stale,

Well, I am not an eatable but people are hungry for me,

Feed their hunger by reading me in detail but once finished,

Place me on the scrap-heap and wait till the next day,

To get a brand new copy of mine,

So, who am I?

Now, I am sure you have solved it. Correct you are! The answer is ‘Newspaper’. Hope you have enjoyed the riddles. Share it with others, I vouch, you will have fun.

Rules of Riddle Making

Let me discuss about the basic features of riddle making. Before creating a riddle the temperament should be very clear in mind. There are 5 important rules to create a riddle, such as:

1. The riddle must puzzle people.

2. Clues given must be a bit complicated.

3. Force people to think over.

4. Tricky language is a bonus

5. Create the riddle in such a way that it becomes fun to read.

Creating a riddle is literally a fun in my opinion. Solving it is a brain teaser but creating it is a writing skill. To make a puzzle, the best part is, the maker must have the answer. One cannot write something without a goal to reach. Thus, it is the perfect method that the riddle creator keeps the answer in mind and then must think of different options to present the explanation. Now, it’s time to represent your writing skill. A thing can be explained in many ways. Therefore, the above written 5 important rules must be kept in mind on which the description should be based upon.

Method to Solve Riddles

Now, it’s time to solve. Task your brain. Read the puzzle thoroughly. One reading is not enough. Read it again and again. Try to understand the given clues and I am sure it will help you in solving the riddle. A brain teaser, isn’t it? Definitely, solving a riddle is a fun.

Riddles as Hobby

I never tested my writing skill in making riddles until it was required for my son. Nobody helped me in preparing the puzzles. It was my experience and understanding with age helped me in creating original riddles. Thus, making a riddle is completely dependent upon: thought, understanding and creative writing skill. Originality comes from one’s own thought of expression. After being able to create few riddles I felt it could be easily shaped as a very interesting hobby. I did it with the help of my writing ability and understanding that too after being a mother then it is quite possible to develop this riddle making ability in a growing child. Teachers can easily guide the students in building the riddle making ability. My personal experience says writing puzzles can turn out to be a creative hobby if guided skillfully especially at the right learning age.

Riddles have Ways to Enjoy

Riddles can be enjoyed in two ways. Both the ways can be developed as hobby. The best part is every time it is a new one so such a hobby does not allow a person to get bored. Either you create a riddle or solve it or if you can develop an interest in both the aspects of riddle then I am certain it is going to be a wonderful, creative and intelligent hobby. This is a hobby to enjoy with the whole family, friends or in any particular group.

A Hobby with Benefits

Riddle enhances two talents, they are as follows:

Creating riddle is a creative writing skill. It develops the ability to write. The more one experiments with his creative writing ability it makes one more and more innovative and others quite thoughtful. It sharpens the creative writing skill, makes the creator imaginative and definitely the mind of the maker becomes sharper.

· This is the other aspect of riddles. This is a complete brain teaser. Solving riddles invariably makes you intelligent. It sharpens mind thoroughly. A brushing up of intelligence level is always a treat to watch.

It will be an added advantage if one person pursues both the aspects of riddle making. I consider it to be a healthy way of passing time. It is beneficial in two ways which makes this hobby an unparalleled one.

I believe creating riddles will be a fun with the students. It is my kind request to the teachers to try it once. I am confident it will bear fruit. Solving puzzle helps to spend enjoyable moments and it gives a sharper intelligence level. Side by side this hobby will create a writer in advance. The creator of riddle learns to play with words and imbibe the qualities of a creative writer.

Let’s Create a Riddle

Earlier in this hub we solved puzzles but now let us create the riddles. To create a riddle the first thing we have to keep in mind is the ‘answer’ as said earlier in this hub. Suppose, ‘Calendar’ is the answer of the riddle we are going to make. Let me create an explanation about calendar:

Like clock I move but without sound,

Not in every second but after each day.

My life span is only one year,

Still, gets divided into twelve parts,

Hangs me or keeps me on the table,

Only till the last day of a year,

Tell me, who am I?

Let us have another description regarding calendar:

I take birth on the first day of every New Year,

Die on the last day of the same year,

My life is short lived,

Still, within me there are twelve cuts,

Every four years I enjoy a reward,

One day extra added to my life,

Can you guess me?

Else, you can try any other significant explanation of your own. Try it yourself to find out the pleasure hidden in the making of riddles. Creating and solving of riddles enrich the mind and excels the creativity. It is a tough mind game with a creative touch. This hobby not only benefits in two ways but helps to utilize the time in short term and long term both. Making and solving of riddles are hobby at the short term level, but think a bit, the long term usefulness is quite motivating. Imagine a creative writer with an intelligent mind, what a great combination!