51 Hard Riddles - Challenge Your Brain

Rules of the game of life we play,

Irrefutable scientific discovery,

It is said none are above me,

Laid down to assert authority.

A location picked by thieves,

A surprise dollar may be received,

If I am deep, wealth is possessed,

Where cold hands go to rest.

A dozen pages but not one sentence,

Tracks past and future attendance,

Numbers fall fast, then slowly rise,

Guiding plans, noting alibis.

Constantly chased throughout life,

When improbable, seen through pipes,

Optimistically grand or realistically meek,

Means through the subconscious speaks.

Twin sleek blades, I smoothly dive,

In white powder, I start to fly,

Carving tracks as I race,

Leaving behind a cloudy trace.

Those who win me provide,

Golden coat, soft inside,

In a heated chamber rise

Before slashed to bits widthwise.

Given to those who need to recover,

A boundless area to discover,

A bar under your thumb,

Personal zone near someone.

The mood where you are,

Protection from a shooting star,

Enabling every breath,

Without this blanket certain death.

A tiny piece of the riddle you see,

Or a message on a sliver of tree,

A building block of speech and script,

Or inked emotions sealed and shipped.

The origin of a result,

The fundamental cause,

When put down, staying for good,

Or to show your team applause.

In times of triumph, I am made,

I can be revealed, but can’t be changed,

Repeats time and time again,

Written by those who come out ahead.

When put on me, made famous,

When off of me, obscure,

A guide with scale and key,

Followed around the world.

Work to grow and provide,

Then split in half when it is time,

A tiny space some call home,

Building block of all life known.

Within me lies a carousel,

Rising heat within a cell,

With a beep and a hum,

Tiny waves switch on.

With notes in song, I ascend,

Or in gradients, I blend,

Short and squat, yet I can tip,

Balance truths, make things fit.

A channel lets a tiny stream flow,

Leaving thoughts on a surface below,

Possibilities infinite, but can be capped,

Describes an author's alias.

Woven web with wisdom,

Carbon computer system,

Read this riddle, give it a tease,

Sip a slushie and it may freeze.

I stay silent until I snap,

Catch all before me in my trap,

Everyone smiles when looking at me,

My eye winks when it's time to see.

Those with faith plead for me,

Or when one uses a mark to agree,

Language of hands and expressions,

Or fate linked to the heavens.

If I’m young, ample time for thrills,

But stepping out may give chills,

The shadow of the earth,

Yet will be gone in turn.

First a dig, then a set,

Puts in place a downward threat,

On a beach, or indoor,

Sandy court or wooden floor.

Twenty small bits of armor,

Clean on a clerk, dirty on a farmer,

May be seen in colors rich,

Great help if you have an itch.

Always wearing a smile wide,

With patience I wait and hide,

Often confused for a log,

Until I lunge forth through the fog.

Describes the patterns of life,

Seen in sun and moon's gentle light,

It starts and ends without a break,

Around it goes, no corners to take.

Rainbow dancing in the breeze,

Can be destroyed with a sneeze,

Or when assets soar in a craze,

Before tumbling down in days.

Describes a hug from a long lost friend,

I rest for months on end,

Sometimes black, sometimes white,

Sometimes both, a welcome sight.

When I break, I am brand-new,

Soaked in with a morning brew,

The good tends to come with the bad,

Current chapter of near or far land.

Prominent peak persistently picked,

Protrusion that can’t be licked,

More easily seen by others than you,

Bridge above tunnels two.

Always in one of eight groups,

River running in endless loops,

In the cruel, I may be cold,

In the angry, I may start to boil.

Voraciously consumed by worms,

I hold wisdom within my terms,

Laid in rows so you may see my spine,

Don’t judge me by the face of mine.

Some days I rise, some days I fall,

Piece of a giant, though I may be small,

Bulls seek me out, bears tend to flee,

Holding wealth, though not touched or seen.

Over here, less is more,

A measured arc makes a missile soar,

Fields of green put you to a test,

Eagles the aim of the very best.

I bloom like a flower,

Swiftly in the needed hour,

Threads bearing a precious load,

That gracefully descends.

Fighting foes known from the past,

With strength when used en masse,

First a poke and then a squeeze,

Creates defense that can’t be seen.

Clothed in layers, standing tall,

Rise in the summer, lie in the fall,

Shed my coats and you’ll find enclosed,

Lines and lines, golden rows.

Born from earth, hardened by flame,

With many twins all made the same,

Six flat sides, solid and coarse,

Layer by layer becomes something more.

I move in silence, in circles round,

An invisible force, bringing light,

Can create motion where no life is found,

In copper or steel, I take flight.

With a lengthy spine, I crawl in line,

Reaching far with an iron twine,

I move with might, yet I'm confined,

Only two choices, forth or behind.

Floating forth, I dance and sway,

Swarm in an gentle ballet,

My form is weak, but mind my touch,

Jolts of pain when in my clutch.

Tall when young, short when old,

Body from life, heart from stone,

Leave silver trails in my wake,

Print or picture I may make.

I join two sides with a firm embrace,

But easily part in a swift, sliding race,

Jagged teeth, but I am tame,

The sound I make gives me my name.

Born through a craftsman's patient grace,

Fragrant clouds from me derive,

A roll of leaves, in tight embrace,

In fire's kiss, I come alive.

Raise me in a game of war,

Or for that which you adore,

With four brothers I oppose,

In tricks split, or mock a nose.

A whirl of loops and underlines,

On blank lines, a home it finds,

A seal, unique as a star,

Binds agreements, near and far!

At times I am a source of dread,

Stand between you and your dreams ahead,

Through ink or pixels, truth unwinds,

Aiming to award the wise.

A heavier hand, not a heavier heart,

I have no end, and also no start,

Look at me closely, let out a wow!

I have no voice, but tell of a vow.

Illegal activity occurs underneath,

Negotiable items on top,

Turned when the advantage flips,

Set before meals are brought.

Picked when discussing a complaint,

Tossed when giving a small concession,

Traces of those long lost,

A jigsaw puzzle to link together.

Pulled when exercising influence,

Not attached to unconditional gifts,

When taut and tight can create music,

If plucked, struck, or bowed.

Tough concepts fly over me,

Two better than one,

One half of a coin,

Leads an organization.

Endorsed - but not by politicians,

Bounced - but not in sport,

Memos - but not a diary,

When blank, money’s not short.