Curling is a popular winter Olympic sport that involves sliding stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It requires strategy, coordination, and skill. Here are 49 riddles about various aspects of curling to test your knowledge. Covering topics like curling terminology, technique, equipment, rules, and more. See if you can get the right answers!
Curling Terminology Riddles
Curling has its own unique vocabulary used to describe the game. Here are some riddles related to common curling terms:
Riddle #1
I’m the path the stone travels down the sheet of ice. What am I?
Answer: The curl
Riddle #2
I’m the round target marked at the end of the sheet that you aim for. What am I?
Answer: The house
Riddle #3
I’m the person who determines strategy and directs play for their team. Who am I?
Answer: The skip
Riddle #4
I’m the vigorous brushing done by players to alter the path of a stone. What am I?
Answer: Sweeping
Riddle #5
I’m the rotation applied to the stone that makes it curl. What am I?
Answer: The turn
Curling Equipment Riddles
Curling uses specialized equipment to play the game on the ice. See if you can identify these items:
Riddle #6
I’m the polished granite stone that is slid down the ice sheet. What am I?
Answer: A curling stone
Riddle #7
I’m the brush or broom used by players to sweep the ice. What am I?
Answer: A curling broom
Riddle #8
I’m the special slippery shoe worn by curlers on the ice. What am I?
Answer: A slider
Riddle #9
I’m the timing device used to ensure players complete their throws in time. What am I?
Answer: A stopwatch
Riddle #10
I’m the device that indicates where the hog line is located. What am I?
Answer: A hog line indicator
Curling Technique Riddles
Mastering the right techniques is key for successful curling. Test your knowledge of strategy with these riddles:
Riddle #11
I’m the type of throw where the stone is slowly pushed down the sheet. What am I?
Answer: A draw
Riddle #12
I’m the big weight throw intended to knock stones out of play. What am I?
Answer: A takeout
Riddle #13
I’m the strategic repositioning throw that bumps stones to a better location. What am I?
Answer: A tap back
Riddle #14
I’m the choice of rotation direction imparted on a curling stone. What am I?
Answer: The handle turn
Riddle #15
I’m the amount of sweeping pressure applied to guide the stone. What am I?
Answer: The brush weight
Curling Rules Riddles
Think you know all the intricacies of curling rules and regulations? Test your expertise with these brainteasers:
Riddle #16
I’m the foul that occurs when a stone is touched while in motion. What am I?
Answer: A burned stone
Riddle #17
I’m the radial lines on the ice marking key locations. What am I?
Answer: Hog line, tee line, center line
Riddle #18
Teams take turns throwing stones during ends. I’m the term for one round of all players throwing. What am I?
Answer: An end
Riddle #19
I signal the end of an end and teams change sides. What do players yell out when I happen?
Answer: “House!”
Riddle #20
I’m the minimum distance a hog lined stone must reach. What am I?
Answer: The hog line at the far end
Curling Terms Riddles
How familiar are you with the lingo curlers use? Decode this terminology:
Riddle #21
I come in different colors and am inserted in holes on stones for grip. What am I?
Answer: A handle plug
Riddle #22
I’m the maintenance done on stones and ice before matches. What am I?
Answer: Pebbling
Riddle #23
When curling in neutral conditions, I describe stones that curl less or more than expected. What am I?
Answer: Undercurl or overcurl
Riddle #24
I describe a relatively straight trajectory a stone may take. What am I?
Answer: A splitter
Riddle #25
I’m when the last stone of an end crosses the hog line. What am I?
Answer: The back line hog
Curling Play Riddles
The complex strategies used in a curling match can be puzzling! See if you can decipher what these plays are referring to:
Riddle #26
I’m a strategic repositioning play where your own stone pushes an opponents stone to their disadvantage. What am I?
Answer: A jam
Riddle #27
Stones in the house can block access to the button. I’m the play used to bump those stones away. What am I?
Answer: A peel
Riddle #28
I refer to the sequence of team stone throws during an end. What am I?
Answer: The rotation
Riddle #29
When teams blank an end intentionally to retain last rock advantage, what is that called?
Answer: A blank end
Riddle #30
I’m the amount which one team is ahead on the scoreboard. What am I?
Answer: The lead
Curling Ice Riddles
The ice itself plays a crucial role in this slippery game. See if you know the meaning of:
Riddle #31
I’m the tendency of a curling stone to travel straight. What am I?
Answer: Swing
Riddle #32
I describe ice conditions with more sweeping and stone curl. What am I?
Answer: Swingy ice
Riddle #33
Teams decide which stone will be delivered first based on odd or even ends. What am I?
Answer: The hammer
Riddle #34
I’m the amount of curl on a stone. What am I?
Answer: The break
Riddle #35
I’m the repeated dropping of water droplets on the ice before play. What am I?
Answer: Pebbling
Curling History Riddles
Curling traces its origins back centuries. Can you solve these historical stumpers?
Riddle #36
I’m the Scottish country where an early form of curling began. What am I?
Answer: Scotland
Riddle #37
Considered the birthplace of modern curling, I’m the Scottish town where the first curling club opened in 1716. What am I?
Answer: Kilsyth
Riddle #38
I’m the month when pond curling happens outdoors. What am I?
Answer: January or February
Riddle #39
Curling clubs established the first set of written rules in this country in 1807. What country am I?
Answer: Scotland
Riddle #40
Mr. John Shedden introduced this innovation allowing year-round play in 1888. What is it?
Answer: Indoor or artificial ice
Famous Curlers Riddles
Some big names have made their mark playing this cold sport. Do you recognize:
Riddle #41
I’m the American curler with 10 national titles and a 2006 Olympic bronze medal. Who am I?
Answer: Pete Fenson
Riddle #42
This Canadian is considered one of the best women curlers ever with 4 world titles and an Olympic gold medal. Who is she?
Answer: Colleen Jones
Riddle #43
This Canadian curler popularized corn broom sweeping in the 1990s. I have 4 Brier wins and 2 world gold medals to my name. Who am I?
Answer: Russ Howard
Riddle #44
I’m a Scottish curler and clergyman who helped standardize rules in the 1800s. Often called the “father of curling.” Who am I?
Answer: Reverend John Kerr
Riddle #45
This Canadian is considered the best male skip ever, with 6 Brier wins and 4 world titles. Known for popularizing the “hit and roll.” Who is he?
Answer: Randy Ferbey
Fun Curling Facts Riddles
Think you know some intriguing trivia about this winter sport? Try these fun fact riddles:
Riddle #46
Stones can travel at speeds up to this many miles per hour during competitive play. How fast?
Answer: 20 miles per hour
Riddle #47
The world record for most stones curled consecutively by one player in an hour is this many stones. How many?
Answer: 253 stones
Riddle #48
Curling ice temperature is kept between this number of degrees Fahrenheit for ideal play. What is it?
Answer: 22 to 26 degrees Fahrenheit
Riddle #49
One unusual surface curling has been played on is a rooftop in this country in 2020. What country is it?
Answer: India
Conclusion
How did you do with these curling riddles? Curling is a sport of intricate precision and strategy that takes both physical talent and mental skill. Mastering the unique technical language and concepts requires in-depth knowledge. Hopefully these brainteasers challenged your understanding while teaching you something new about this fascinating winter game traced back centuries. With more practice you’ll be a curling expert in no time!
