The sea is a source of fascination and mystery. Throughout history, humans have been drawn to the ocean and have told stories and riddles about its depths. In this article, we have collected 101 riddles about the sea along with their answers. Some are classics you may have heard before, while others are original puzzles to challenge your mind. See how many you can get right!
Riddles about Sea Creatures
1. What has a face, two arms, and swims in the ocean?
A mermaid.
2. I have eight arms, come from the ocean, and love to give big hugs. What am I?
An octopus.
3. What shoots ink as its defense and has about 90 arms?
A squid.
4. I am a slow-moving mollusk with a single muscular foot. My shell swirls in one continuous spiral. What am I?
A nautilus.
5. I have five arms with tube feet to help me move along the ocean floor. People say I look like an alien. What am I?
A starfish.
6. My skeleton is on the outside of my body. I have spines instead of scales. What ocean creature am I?
A sea urchin.
7. I am a fish with an infamous reputation for being poisonous. Many think touching me will lead to death, but that’s just a myth. What am I?
A pufferfish.
8. I’m a slippery customer who can squeeze into very tight spaces. I have no bones, but I do have three hearts. What am I?
An octopus.
9. I’m a fish with a funny name that matches my long, thin body. I’m often eaten pickled. What am I?
A herring.
10. I’m a shellfish with a rough exterior but a sweet, tender meat inside. I often produce pearls. What am I?
An oyster.
Riddles about the Ocean
11. What has no beginning, end, or middle?
The sea.
12. What goes up but never comes down?
The tide.
13. Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet. What is it?
A honeycomb (from Samson’s riddle in the Book of Judges).
14. What is always behind you but often ahead of you?
The past (your wake in the water).
15. What lives in the sea, is surrounded by water, yet still thirsts?
A fish.
16. I appear once in a minute but never in an hour or a day. What am I?
The letter “M” (appears once in the word minute).
17. What flows but never runs?
The tide.
18. What has a bed but never sleeps and a mouth but never speaks?
A river.
19. Small but strong and mighty enough to submerge ships and drown men. What is it?
The sea.
20. What starts with “e” and ends with “e” but only has one letter?
An envelope.
21. I have towns but no people, forests but no trees, and water but no fish. What am I?
A map.
22. What two things can you never eat for breakfast?
Lunch and dinner.
23. I emerge from the earth, straight and tall. I am viewed with pride by humans, yet when my time is up I’m tossed aside. What am I?
Flagpole.
24. What does man love more than life, hate more than death or mortal strife; that which contented men desire; the poor have, the rich require; the miser spends, the spendthrift saves, and all men carry to their graves?
Nothing.
25. You can hold it in your right hand, but never in your left hand. What is it?
Your left hand.
Riddles about Sea Transport and Travel
26. What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs?
A penny.
27. What has a neck but no head?
A bottle.
28. What has a face that smiles but has no mouth?
The moon.
29. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
30. What has one head, one foot and four legs?
A bed.
31. What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?
A piano.
32. What has words, but never speaks?
A book.
33. What has a neck but no head, two arms but no hands?
A shirt.
34. What has four wheels and flies?
A garbage truck.
35. What has one eye but can’t see?
A needle.
36. What room has no doors, no windows, no floors or walls?
A mushroom.
37. What has a tongue but can’t talk?
A shoe.
38. What’s full of holes but still holds water?
A sponge.
39. What is it that given one, you’ll have either two or none?
A choice.
40. What goes up and down but doesn’t move?
Stairs.
Riddles about Ships and Boats
41. What has no beginning, end, or middle?
A doughnut.
42. What has a head and a tail but no body?
A coin.
43. What has many teeth but can’t bite?
A comb.
44. What has a bank but no money?
A river.
45. What kind of ship has two mates but no captain?
A relationship.
46. What does not get any wetter, no matter how much rain falls on it?
Water.
47. What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
The letter “R.”
48. David’s father has three sons: Snap, Crackle, and what’s the name of the third son?
David.
49. What belongs to you but is used more by others?
Your name.
50. I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
A candle.
Riddles about Pirates and Buried Treasure
51. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
52. What has a face that smiles but has no mouth?
The moon.
53. What has one head, one foot and four legs?
A bed.
54. What has words, but never speaks?
A book.
55. What has a neck but no head, two arms but no hands?
A shirt.
56. What has four wheels and flies?
A garbage truck.
57. What has a bank but no money?
A river.
58. What kind of ship has two mates but no captain?
A relationship.
59. What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
The letter “R”.
60. What belongs to you but is used more by others?
Your name.
61. I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
A candle.
62. What has a head, a tail, but no body?
A coin.
63. What has many teeth but can’t bite?
A comb.
64. What room has no doors, no windows, no floors or walls?
A mushroom.
65. What has a tongue but can’t talk?
A shoe.
Riddles about Underwater Creatures and Coral Reefs
66. I’m made of calcium and grow in vibrant colors. Divers explore me in warm tropical seas. What am I?
Coral.
67. I love eating plankton and krill. I’m the largest animal on Earth. What am I?
The blue whale.
68. I have eight arms and come in many different species. You can find me in oceans all over the world. What am I?
An octopus.
69. I have a hard shell that protects my soft body. I move very slowly. You can find me in tide pools. What am I?
A sea snail.
70. I am an underwater predator with sharp teeth and a torpedo-shaped body. I can swim very fast bursts to catch prey. What am I?
A barracuda.
71. I have long tentacles that can deliver a painful sting. Some species of me are highly poisonous. What am I?
A jellyfish.
72. I have five arms covered in tiny tubes that help me capture food. I can regenerate lost arms. What am I?
A starfish.
73. I am a fish with large, bright scales and flowing fins. People keep me as pets in aquariums. What am I?
A betta fish.
74. I am a spotted fish that lives in coral reefs. People say I look like I’m wearing pajamas. What am I?
A clownfish.
75. I am a flat fish that lives on the ocean floor. I have two eyes on one side of my body. What am I?
A flounder.
Riddles about Tropical Paradise and Beaches
76. What belongs to you but others use it more than you?
Your name.
77. What gets wetter the more it dries?
A towel.
78. What’s full of holes but can still hold water?
A sponge.
79. What has a head and a tail but no body?
A coin.
80. What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?
A piano.
81. What has one eye but can’t see?
A needle.
82. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
83. What has words but never speaks?
A book.
84. What has a neck but no head, two arms but no hands?
A shirt.
85. What has four wheels and flies?
A garbage truck.
86. What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
The letter “R”.
87. What kind of ship has two mates but no captain?
A relationship.
88. What has a bank but no money?
A river.
89. I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
A candle.
90. What has a face that smiles but has no mouth?
The moon.
Riddles about Waves, Tides and Currents
91. What has no beginning, end, or middle?
A doughnut (or a ring).
92. What goes up but never comes down?
Your age.
93. What comes down but never goes up?
Rain.
94. What goes all around the yard without moving?
A fence.
95. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
96. What has words but never speaks?
A book.
97. What has four wheels and flies?
A garbage truck.
98. What has one head, one foot and four legs?
A bed.
99. What has a bank but no money?
A river.
100. What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
The letter “R”.
101. I belong to you, but everyone uses me more than you. What am I?
Your name.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed these riddles about the sea! The ocean is filled with mystery and wonder, which is why it makes such a great subject for riddles. How many were you able to guess correctly? Riddles are not only fun, but also stimulate critical thinking. The next time you’re at the beach or aboard a ship, test your friends and family with these entertaining brain teasers. With a little clever wordplay, the vast expanse of the sea becomes a playground for your imagination. Dive in and see what you discover beneath the surface!
