Time is a fascinating subject that has perplexed humans since the beginning of civilization. Riddles about time challenge us to think abstractly and appreciate the peculiarities of this fourth dimension we inhabit. Below are 107 thought-provoking riddles about time along with their explanatory answers.
Riddles about the Concept of Time
1. I’m fast when I’m thin, slow when I’m fat, wind is my enemy. What am I?
An hourglass. The sand flows quickly through the narrow middle, and slowly when the glass is almost full.
2. I never was, am always to be, No one ever saw me, nor ever will, And yet I am the confidence of all, To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball. What am I?
Tomorrow. It is always ahead in the future.
3. I give you a group of three. One is sitting down, and will never get up. The second eats as much as is given to him, yet is always hungry. The third goes away and never returns. What are they?
The past, present, and future. The past is gone and cannot return. The present is always here but never satisfied. The future never arrives.
4. I am free, I cannot see. I move fast, in colors three. I am warm, I light the night. Without me, there is no light. What am I?
Time. It moves freely without being seen, with past/present/future, it brings morning light.
5. The more of this there is, the less you see. What could it be?
Darkness. As darkness increases, visibility decreases.
Riddles about Time Measurement
6. Thirty white horses on a red hill. First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still. What are they?
Teeth. Representing the 30 days in a month.
7. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
8. What goes up but never comes down?
Age. Our age continually increases.
9. What gets wet while drying?
A towel.
10. Peter’s father has five sons named Lester, Chester, Den, Walter and?
Peter. He is the fifth son.
11. The more there is, the less you see. What is it?
Darkness.
12. What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?
A clock.
13. What goes up and down but does not move?
A staircase.
14. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
15. What has a neck but no head?
A bottle.
16. What can you catch but not throw?
A cold.
17. I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?
A map.
18. 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”.
19. What goes up but never comes down?
Your age.
20. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
The letter “M”.
Riddles about Time Passing
21. I’m tall when I’m young and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?
A candle.
22. What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?
A towel.
23. I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I?
A bank.
24. What goes up but never comes down?
Your age.
25. The more you take away, the bigger I become. What am I?
A hole.
26. What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?
A stamp.
27. I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?
A map.
28. What gets broken without being held?
A promise.
29. What goes all around the yard without moving?
A fence.
30. The more there is, the less you see. What could it be?
Darkness.
31. What can fill a room but takes up no space?
Light.
32. What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?
Your name.
33. What gets wetter the more it dries?
A towel.
34. What goes up and down but doesn’t move?
A staircase.
35. What comes down but never goes up?
Rain.
Riddles about Speed of Time
36. What goes slow but flies high?
A hot air balloon.
37. What fastens two people yet touches only one?
A wedding ring.
38. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they?
Footsteps.
39. What gets whiter the dirtier it gets?
A chalkboard.
40. What goes up when rain comes down?
An umbrella.
41. I’m sometimes white and sometimes black. I take you there but never bring you back. What am I?
A road.
42. What can fill up a room without taking up space?
Light.
43. What belongs to you but other people use it more than you?
Your name.
44. I have keys but no locks. I have a space but no room. You can enter, but can’t go outside. What am I?
A keyboard.
45. What can you break, without touching it?
A promise.
Riddles about Utilizing Time
46. What gets sharper the more you use it?
A pencil.
47. What has words, but never speaks?
A book.
48. What has a neck but no head?
A bottle.
49. What has four legs but can’t walk?
A table.
50. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
51. What has a thumb and fingers but is not alive?
A glove.
52. What has a head and a tail but no body?
A coin.
53. What has teeth but cannot bite?
A comb.
54. What has a face but no head?
A clock.
55. What gets broken without being held?
A promise.
56. What has four fingers and one thumb but is not alive?
A glove.
57. What has a tongue but cannot taste?
A shoe.
58. What has hands but cannot clap?
A clock.
59. What can point in every direction but can’t reach the destination by itself?
A finger.
60. What has a head, a tail, but no body?
A coin.
Riddles about Time of Day
61. What gets broken without being held?
A promise
62. What has teeth but can’t bite?
A comb
63. What has words but never speaks?
A book
64. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
The letter M
65. What belongs to you but other people use it more than you do?
Your name
66. What has one head, one foot and four legs?
A bed
67. What can you hold in your right hand, but never in your left hand?
Your left hand
68. What goes through cities and fields, but never moves?
A road
69. What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?
A piano
70. What has a thumb and fingers but is not alive?
A glove
Riddles about Wasting Time
71. What question can you never answer yes to?
“Are you asleep?” If you’re asleep, you can’t answer.
72. What belongs to you but is used more by others?
Your name.
73. I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
A candle.
74. What month of the year has 28 days?
All of them.
75. What is full of holes but still holds water?
A sponge.
76. What goes up and down but doesn’t move?
A staircase.
77. What has four wheels and flies?
A garbage truck.
78. What has one eye but can’t see?
A needle.
79. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
80. What has a face but no head?
A clock.
Riddles about Saving Time
81. What gets wetter the more it dries?
A towel.
82. What goes through towns and over hills but never moves?
A road.
83. What has 13 hearts but no organs?
A deck of cards.
84. What goes up but never comes down?
Your age.
85. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
The letter M.
86. What has a head, a tail, but no body?
A coin.
87. What can you break without touching?
A promise.
88. What has four fingers and a thumb, but is not living?
A glove.
89. What is always behind you but never catches up?
Your past.
90. What goes up but never comes down?
Your age.
Riddles about Losing Track of Time
91. What belongs to you but is used more by others?
Your name.
92. What building has the most stories?
The library.
93. What is full of holes but can still hold water?
A sponge.
94. I have cities but no houses. I have mountains but no trees. I have water but no fish. What am I?
A map.
95. What is always coming but never arrives?
Tomorrow.
96. What gets wetter the more it dries?
A towel.
97. David’s father has three sons. Two are named MindYourOwn and Business. What is the third son’s name?
David.
98. What goes up and down but doesn’t move?
Stairs.
99. What flies without wings?
Time.
Riddles about Making Time
100. What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock
101. What has a face but no head?
A clock
102. What has a neck but no head?
A bottle
103. What gets wetter as it dries?
A towel
104. What has four fingers and a thumb but is not living?
A glove
105. What is always coming but never actually arrives?
Tomorrow
106. What belongs to you but is used more often by others?
Your name
107. What goes up but never comes down?
Age
Conclusion
These riddles about time provide an intriguing glimpse into the mysteries and peculiarities of this unseen fourth dimension. Contemplating time through the metaphorical language of riddles requires careful thought about the abstract passage, measurement, and usage of time. Solving these puzzles is not only fun, but can be enlightening in understanding time’s inescapable rhythms. Our limited mortal lifespans within the vast sweep of time are among existence’s greatest perplexities, and riddles force us to think creatively about our place within time’s unidirectional flow. While time itself remains ever elusive, these riddles help bring us a bit closer to grasping time’s challenges and gifts that touch us all.
