Old age brings wisdom, experience, and perspective. It can also bring challenges, both mental and physical. Riddles about old age allow us to reflect on the aging process with insight and humor. Below are 85 riddles exploring what it means to grow old, along with their answers.
Getting Old Riddles
These riddles focus on the experience of aging and getting older.
Riddle 1
The more of them you take, the more you leave behind. What are they?
Answer: Steps
Riddle 2
What gets wetter the more it dries?
Answer: A towel
Riddle 3
I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and water but no fish. What am I?
Answer: A map
Riddle 4
What word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
Answer: Short
Riddle 5
The more you take away, the larger it becomes. What is it?
Answer: A hole
Riddle 6
What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?
Answer: A stamp
Riddle 7
I have keys but no locks, space but no rooms, you can enter but you can’t go outside. What am I?
Answer: A keyboard
Riddle 8
What can you break without ever touching it?
Answer: A promise
Riddle 9
I have branches but no fruit, trunk but no bark, leaves but no buds. What am I?
Answer: A library
Riddle 10
What goes up but never comes down?
Answer: Your age
Memory Loss Riddles
These riddles play with the memory loss that can come with old age.
Riddle 11
A woman shoots her husband, then holds him underwater for five minutes. Next, she hangs him. Right after, they enjoy a lovely dinner together. How is this possible?
Answer: She’s taking a photograph of him.
Riddle 12
What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
Answer: The letter “R”
Riddle 13
A man was walking home one night when he suddenly heard his name being called out. He turned around to see who was there but no one was in sight. How is this possible?
Answer: He was hearing his echo.
Riddle 14
I am not alive but I grow; I don’t have lungs but I need air; I don’t have a mouth but water kills me. What am I?
Answer: Fire
Riddle 15
What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in one thousand years?
Answer: The letter “M”
Riddle 16
A man dresses in all black and waits on a street corner. A car pulls up, and he gets in. Once inside, he is wearing all white. What just happened?
Answer: He was a minister and got in a limo on his wedding day.
Riddle 17
What belongs to you but others use it more than you?
Answer: Your name
Riddle 18
I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
Answer: A candle
Riddle 19
What gets broken without being held?
Answer: A promise
Riddle 20
You see me once in June, twice in November and not at all in May. What am I?
Answer: The letter “e”.
Riddle 59
The more there is, the less you see. What is it?
Answer: Darkness.
Riddle 60
I turn around once. What am I?
Answer: The letter “o”.
Riddle 61
What loses its head in the morning and gets it back at night?
Answer: A pillow.
Riddle 62
What goes through towns and hills but never moves?
Answer: A road.
Riddle 63
What has a face but no body?
Answer: A clock.
Riddle 64
What has hands but can’t clap?
Answer: A clock.
Riddle 65
What has a neck but no head?
Answer: A bottle.
Riddle 66
What has words but never speaks?
Answer: A book.
Riddle 67
What goes up and down but doesn’t move?
Answer: Stairs.
Riddle 68
What is full of holes but still holds water?
Answer: A sponge.
Riddle 69
What is often returned but never borrowed?
Answer: Thanks.
Riddle 70
What gets wetter as it dries?
Answer: A towel.
Health in Old Age Riddles
These riddles focus on the health challenges that can come with aging.
Riddle 71
What never asks questions but is often answered?
Answer: A doorbell.
Riddle 72
What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?
Answer: Your name.
Riddle 73
I am not alive but seem like it. I will not talk back until spoken to. To make me forever gone you must light a match to my bones. What am I?
Answer: An echo.
Riddle 74
What is broken everytime it’s spoken?
Answer: Silence.
Riddle 75
I can sizzle like bacon, I am made with an egg, I have plenty of backbone, but lack a good leg. What am I?
Answer: A snake.
Riddle 76
You see me once in June, twice in November, but not at all in May. What am I?
Answer: The letter “e”.
Riddle 77
The more there is, the less you see. What is it?
Answer: Darkness.
Riddle 78
I turn around once. What am I?
Answer: The letter “o”.
Riddle 79
What loses its head in the morning and gets it back at night?
Answer: A pillow.
Riddle 80
What goes through towns and hills but never moves?
Answer: A road.
Purpose in Old Age Riddles
These riddles explore finding meaning and purpose in old age.
Riddle 81
What has a face but no body?
Answer: A clock.
Riddle 82
What has hands but can’t clap?
Answer: A clock.
Riddle 83
What has a neck but no head?
Answer: A bottle.
Riddle 84
What has words but never speaks?
Answer: A book.
Riddle 85
What goes up and down but doesn’t move?
Answer: Stairs.
Conclusion
As we grow older, riddles encourage us to see life from new perspectives. They help us find humor in the aging process and impart wisdom gained through the years. While our bodies change, our minds remain lively. Riddles engage our mental faculties while reminding us that growing old is a privilege denied to many. Though challenges come with age, riddles inspire us to meet them with spirit, imagination and grace.
