Sports come in all shapes and sizes beyond just the ones we see at the Olympics. There are weird and wacky sports from around the world that push the limits of athleticism and competition. Here are 41 riddles to test your knowledge on some lesser known, non-Olympic sports.
Basketball Riddles
Let’s start with some riddles about basketball and its key players:
Riddle: I’m a basketball legend who played for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, winning six championships. I could fly through the air for gravity-defying dunks. Who am I?
Answer: Michael Jordan
Riddle: I’m over 7 feet tall and played center for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, winning five NBA championships. My skyhook was nearly unblockable. Who am I?
Answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Riddle: I was one of the earliest professional basketball players, considered one of the game’s first stars in the 1930s and 1940s. My name rhymes with the place you’d throw out trash. Who am I?
Answer: George Mikan
Combat Sports Riddles
Let’s switch gears to some combat sports:
Riddle: I’m a form of stand-up fighting where competitors can use punches, kicks, knees, and elbow strikes. Fighters like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey have become big stars in my sport. What am I?
Answer: Mixed martial arts (MMA)
Riddle: I originated in Brazil and focus on grappling and ground fighting, with the goal of making your opponent submit. The Gracie family made me famous. What am I?
Answer: Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ)
Riddle: I use interlocking sticks made of rattan or wood as weapons while fighters try to strike specific targets on the body. What am I?
Answer: Eskrima (or Arnis or Kali – various names are used)
Extreme Sports Riddles
Let’s jump into the world of extreme sports:
Riddle: Traditionally, I involved riding the biggest waves out in Hawaii by being towed into the surf by jetskis, but now I use specially designed boards to ride the biggest swells in the ocean under my own power. What extreme sport am I?
Answer: Big wave surfing
Riddle: I involve flying down steep, rocky mountainsides while traversing rugged terrain and pulling off huge jumps and tricks. Downhill legends like Sam Hill and Rachel Atherton compete to see who can make it down the course fastest. What extreme sport am I?
Answer: Downhill mountain biking
Riddle: Combining aspects of skydiving and hang gliding, I involve flying special wingsuits that allow people to soar through the air before releasing a parachute. What extreme sport am I?
Answer: Wingsuit flying
Cue Sports Riddles
Let’s try some riddles focused on cue sports played with sticks and balls on a table:
Riddle: I’m a popular pub game that involves knocking balls across a table and into holes using a stick known as a cue. What game am I?
Answer: Billiards (or pool)
Riddle: Played competitively around the world, I’m a cue sport where players use a cue stick to strike ivory balls across a green felt table and into tight pockets. Top players have achieved my “maximum break” of 147 points by consecutively potting a series of red and colored balls. What game am I?
Answer: Snooker
Riddle: Invented in the late 1800s, I’m a faster-paced table game popular in bars and arcades. Players rapidly shoot solid balls across my smaller table into holes using a stick, attempting to be the first to reach an exact point total. What fast-paced cue sport am I?
Answer: Bar billiards
Wacky Sports Riddles
Now let’s try some riddles about wacky and unusual sports:
Riddle: Played across Europe, players chase a 200g round of cheese down a steep hill as it rolls unpredictably, risking tumbles and collisions. Victory goes to the first person over the finish line at the bottom. What bizarre sport am I?
Answer: Cheese rolling
Riddle: In the swamps of Florida, local hunters compete to capture reptiles either by hand or using snares, with prizes going to those who catch the biggest gators and snakes. What crazy sport am I?
Answer: Alligator hunting or frog gigging
Riddle: Originating in Germany, competitors clad in outrageous costumes ski or snowboard down a course, aiming to impress judges with their skill, costumes and high-flying jumps and tricks. What quirky snow sport am I?
Answer: Ski ballet or freestyle skiing
Mind Sports Riddles
Now here are some brain teaser riddles about mental competitions:
Riddle: Played competitively around the world, I’m a two-player strategy board game dating back thousands of years to India and the Middle East. Grandmasters still strive for innovative moves and total victory over their opponents in my game. What classic mind sport am I?
Answer: Chess
Riddle: Invented in China over 2500 years ago, I use black and white stones placed on a 19×19 intersection grid. Players surround spaces to capture their opponent’s stones, with the goal of controlling more territory by game’s end. I inspired AlphaGo and remain popular worldwide. What ancient strategy game am I?
Answer: Go (also called weiqi or baduk)
Riddle: Standardized in the late 1800s, I’m a card game where players attempt to form sets and runs by drawing and discarding tiles until one player wins by going “out” first or scoring the most points. Families gather to play my game during holidays. What classic card game am I?
Answer: Rummy or gin rummy
Conclusion
While not seen at the Olympics, games, sports and competitions come in endless varieties that test the limits of skill, strategy and athleticism. As these riddles show, lesser known sports can be just as challenging and compelling as internationally known Olympic events. So the next time you think of sports, think beyond what you see at the Summer and Winter Games. Weird, wacky and mind-bending competitions are out there waiting to be discovered all over the world!
