Individual sports require focus, dedication, and mental toughness. Solving riddles about these sports takes cleverness and quick thinking. Test your mind with these 57 riddles covering everything from running and swimming to cycling and rock climbing. How many can you get right?
Running Riddles
Running is one of the most accessible individual sports. See if you can keep up with these running riddles.
1. I run on a track with only left turns. What am I?
Answer: A runner on an oval track.
2. The more of this fruit I have, the faster I can run a marathon. What fruit is it?
Answer: Bananas (for the potassium).
3. What gets wetter the faster it runs?
Answer: A runner’s shirt.
4. What kind of car is useful to runners?
Answer: A Ford Escort (runs fast).
5. What do runners eat before a marathon so they don’t sink into the street?
Answer: Light fast food.
Swimming Riddles
Test your swimming knowledge with these riddles below the surface.
6. What starts with E, ends with E, but normally only has one letter?
Answer: Envelope (referring to the swimming stroke).
7. I have four straight sides but no corners or angles. What am I?
Answer: A swimming pool.
8. What’s full of holes but still holds water?
Answer: A sponge (used for swimming).
9. What gets wet when drying?
Answer: A swimming towel.
10. What can swim quickly underwater but always stays in the same place?
Answer: A speedboat propeller.
Cycling Riddles
Pedal your way through these bike and cycling brain teasers.
11. The more of these you have, the slower you go. What are they?
Answer: Brakes.
12. It has two wheels but cannot stand on its own. What is it?
Answer: A bicycle.
13. What has two legs but cannot walk?
Answer: A cycling stand.
14. I have handlebars but am not a bike. What am I?
Answer: A wheelbarrow.
15. It travels all around the neighborhood but stays within the same blocks. What is it?
Answer: A kid on a bicycle.
Golf Riddles
Take a swing at these tricky golf riddles.
16. The more of these you have, the less effective you are on the course. What are they?
Answer: Golf balls (in the woods/water).
17. What goes up but never comes down?
Answer: Your golf score.
18. What has 18 holes but can’t be dug into the ground?
Answer: A golf course.
19. You hold it off the ground and swing it as hard as you can. The better you are, the further it goes. What is it?
Answer: A golf club.
20. I have a head and a tail but no body. What am I?
Answer: A golf tee.
Rock Climbing Riddles
Use your climbing skills to scale these rock climbing riddles.
21. I’m strong enough to smash rocks but have no muscles. What am I?
Answer: A rock climbing hammer.
22. What has teeth but cannot bite?
Answer: Climbing chalk bags.
23. The more you use me, the shorter I become. What am I?
Answer: Climbing rope.
24. I tighten as you climb higher but don’t squeeze too tight. What am I?
Answer: A climbing harness.
25. I’m useless without my harness. Climbers can dangle from me for hours. What am I?
Answer: A carabiner.
Skating Riddles
Glide through these skating riddles with skill.
26. I have wheels but am not a car, keys but am not a keyboard. What am I?
Answer: Roller skates.
27. I slice across the ground but have no blades. What am I?
Answer: An ice skate.
28. I spin and twirl but quickly get dizzy. What am I?
Answer: A figure skater.
29. I’m an arena but not for sports, frozen water but not for drinking. What am I?
Answer: An ice skating rink.
30. I’m rough and rigid, used to propel skaters across the ice. What am I?
Answer: The picks on ice skates.
Snow Sports Riddles
Shred through these brain freezing snow sport riddles.
31. I’m made of wood or fiberglass and slide on snow. What am I?
Answer: A snow ski.
32. My surface is waxed so I can glide fast. What am I?
Answer: A snowboard.
33. I hang by your heel but you hope I don’t dig into ice. What am I?
Answer: A ski binding.
34. I zigzag across snowy slopes at high speeds. What am I?
Answer: A downhill skier.
35. I use two poles but am not a tent. What am I?
Answer: Cross country ski poles.
Boxing Riddles
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee through these brain bruising boxing riddles.
36. The heavier I am, the harder I punch. What am I?
Answer: Boxing gloves.
37. I bob, weave, and leave you seeing stars. What am I?
Answer: A boxer.
38. Height, reach, weight – I measure them all precisely. What am I?
Answer: A boxing referee.
39. I’m white, elevated, and surrounded by ropes. Step into me if you dare. What am I?
Answer: A boxing ring.
40. Hit me hard and I barely move. What am I?
Answer: A punching bag.
Wrestling Riddles
Grapple with these wrestling riddles if you can pin them down.
41. We roll around on mats wearing tight onesies. What are we?
Answer: Wrestlers.
42. I indicate when points are scored by slapping my hand. What am I?
Answer: A wrestling referee.
43. You face off inside my circle at the beginning of a match. What am I?
Answer: A wrestling circle.
44. I’m a wrestling hold named after a swimming stroke. What am I?
Answer: The butterfly wrestling hold.
45. I’m a wrestling move that involves lifting and slamming your opponent. What am I?
Answer: A suplex.
Sailing Riddles
Set your sails for adventure with these sailing riddles.
46. I use wind power but am not a windmill. What am I?
Answer: A sailboat.
47. Pull my line to adjust the sail’s angle against the wind. What am I?
Answer: A mainsheet.
48. Turning me moves the rudder to steer. What am I?
Answer: The tiller.
49. My name’s knot funny but I tie up loose lines. What am I?
Answer: Cleat.
50. Batten me down if the weather gets stormy. What am I?
Answer: A sail.
Surfing Riddles
Hang ten with these totally tubular surfing riddles, dude.
51. I’m not made for sitting but you can stand on me. What am I?
Answer: A surfboard.
52. Grab onto me or you might wipe out, brah. What am I?
Answer: The rails of a surfboard.
53. I’m news about swells rolling your way. What am I?
Answer: A surf report.
54. Duct tape me if I get dinged. What am I?
Answer: A surfboard.
55. Wax me up so you can shred those tasty waves. What am I?
Answer: A surfboard.
Skydiving Riddles
Take a leap of faith into these skydiving riddles!
56. Check if I’m packed right before jumping from the plane. What am I?
Answer: Your parachute.
57. I’m not a pilot but I can help you make a soft landing. Who am I?
Answer: A skydiving instructor.
Conclusion
How many riddles could you solve? Individual sports take quick thinking and split second reflexes. Flex your mental muscles with these sports mind benders whenever you need a challenging workout. Stay active in both body and brain!
