New riddle

**simon c** · 12th September 2004, 06:52 PM

This is the way I worked it out.

The answer must be a number as the question is "How many letters...?". So, let's suppose that we thought the answer was "six". The full question states: "How many letters does the correct answer to this question contain?" If "six" was the right answer then we would ask how many letters "six" contained and we would get 3. So six can't be the right answer because the answer can't be six and 3 at the same time. If we go through all the options, we get the same conflict with "one" (which has 3 letters) and we would get to the possible answer of "four". When we ask how many letters does "four" contain, then the answer is 4. In this case we don't get a conflict so the answer must be "four".

Outback, it's imortant that the answer is "four" and not "4" as "four" has 4 letters whereas "4" doesn't have any as you said. However, you could at a stretch say that the answer is "0", because "0" has no letters - but I think that is stretching the point.

Don't forget this is a riddle and not a quiz.

**outback** · 12th September 2004, 07:41 PM

However, you could at a stretch say that the answer is "0", because "0" has no letters - but I think that is stretching the point.

I am yet to see anything this stretchy.Using the same logic, anyone who answered using didgits, 42, 36,10 etc. has answered correctly because no matter how you look at it NONE of these answers have letters.
I don't think it's a very funny riddle, riddles are meant to be funny, I know funny, this isn't it. It's a scheme from the aliens to so they can read our minds. I'm gonna go put my alfoil undies on. Everyone reckons my brains are in my arrrs!

**simon c** · 12th September 2004, 09:36 PM

Outback

The same logic doesn't apply to the digits 42 because while you're right that in saying that 42 has no letters, in that case the answer is wrong because it would need to have 42 letters. The fact that 0 has no letters makes it sort of correct because the answer is 0. But I still think "four" is the only really correct answer.

Simon

**AlexS** · 12th September 2004, 09:55 PM

In our next philosophical discussion, we will consider the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin, while those of us of a practical bent will ask 'why the #### would they want to?'.

**gemi_babe** · 12th September 2004, 09:55 PM

0 has 4 letters ZERO! or if you go by naught it has 6 letters.

Yeah I agree outback. It isn't a riddle, its not fun, its more like a mind game and a nasty one at that!

This rat stinks :mad:

**Tristan Croll** · 13th September 2004, 09:52 AM

Hey, lighten up, guys! It's just a game, right?

The number 0 contains zero letters, the word four contains four letters - it matters how the answer is written.

Oh, and by the way, nobody ever said a riddle is supposed to be funny. Riddles are word games that require lateral thinking to answer - not jokes.

**hexbaz** · 13th September 2004, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Tristan Croll

Hey, lighten up, guys! It's just a game, right?

The number 0 contains zero letters, the word four contains four letters - it matters how the answer is written.

Oh, and by the way, nobody ever said a riddle is supposed to be funny. Riddles are word games that require lateral thinking to answer - not jokes.

What he said! ... I had no idea what the answer was, but I thought simon c's explanation(s) a few posts back made perfect sense. Maybe the riddle was strangely worded, but the fact that there are two explanable answers is all that really matters - 0 or four clearly fit and that's that. No debate required!

**gemi_babe** · 13th September 2004, 02:40 PM

LOL I wsa referring to the dead rat in my house that stinks, not the riddle.

Here is anew one for yas...

What row of numbers comes next?
This is a tough one!
1
11
21
1211
111221
312211
13112221

**outback** · 13th September 2004, 05:50 PM

I got the stinky rat bit Gemi.

To answer AlexS' question regarding angels and pins, we would of course need to know the brand of pin before any calculations can forwarded to the angel calculation department.

As to Gemi's riddle, it's been in here before.
If I've put enough thought into it, which is unlikely answer will go something along the lines of

1113213211

**hexbaz** · 13th September 2004, 06:25 PM

Yes - I was going to refer Gemi to this post (the answer I gave earlier in this thread)!

**gemi_babe** · 13th September 2004, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by outback

As to Gemi's riddle, it's been in here before.

Oh Rats.... ha ha ha ha ha

**ozwinner** · 13th September 2004, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Tristan Croll

Hey, lighten up, guys! It's just a game, right?

The number 0 contains zero letters, the word four contains four letters - it matters how the answer is written.

Oh, and by the way, nobody ever said a riddle is supposed to be funny. Riddles are word games that require lateral thinking to answer - not jokes.

I dont get it, or is that the riddle?
0 or zero has 4 letters?
If Captn Crabtree were here.
1 would be woon, which has 4 letters.
2 would be twoo, which has 4 letters.
3 would be trhe, which has 4 letters.
4 would be foore, which has 5 letters.
6 would be seix, which has 4 letters.
7 would be sevn, which has 4 letters.
8 would be eigt, which has 4 letters.
9 would be neen, which has 4 letters.
10 would be tein, which has 4 letters.

So I realy just dont get it. :confused:

Al

**gemi_babe** · 14th September 2004, 12:13 AM

OK I went thru the thread and did not see this riddle so here you go...

There is a common English word that is nine letters long. Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word - from nine letters right down to a single letter. What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time?

**MarkV** · 14th September 2004, 12:59 AM

Startling : Starting Staring String Sting Sing Sin In I

**gemi_babe** · 14th September 2004, 01:14 AM

hmmm seems you have done this before

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