The White House is one of the most famous and iconic buildings in the United States. As the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States, it is filled with history, secrets, and mysteries. Riddles about the White House provide an entertaining and challenging way to learn more about this important place. Here are 103 riddles about the White House along with their answers. Test your knowledge of America’s most famous residence!
Riddles
History
Q: Which president signed the Residence Act that approved plans for a presidential mansion in Washington, D.C.?
A: George Washington
Q: Construction on the White House started in what year?
A: 1792
Q: Who was the first president to live in the White House?
A: John Adams
Q: The British set fire to the White House during which war?
A: War of 1812
Q: Who was the first president born in the White House?
A: John Quincy Adams
Q: What color was the White House originally painted?
A: Gray
Q: What president officially changed the name from the “Executive Mansion” to the “White House”?
A: Theodore Roosevelt
Q: Which first lady added the Rose Garden?
A: Jackie Kennedy
Q: Who was the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms in the White House?
A: Grover Cleveland
Q: Which president had a jogging track installed at the White House?
A: Richard Nixon
Architecture and Design
Q: How many floors are in the White House?
A: 6
Q: How many rooms are there in the White House?
A: 132
Q: What precious stone tops the Washington Monument visible from the White House lawn?
A: Aluminum
Q: What classical architectural style is the White House designed in?
A: Neoclassical
Q: There are three main wings of the White House. Name them.
A: East Wing, West Wing, Executive Residence
Q: Which wing houses the Oval Office?
A: West Wing
Q: Whose private living quarters and bedroom are on the second floor of the Executive Residence?
A: The President and First Family
Q: What is the large glass enclosed area overlooking the Rose Garden called?
A: The Palm Room
Q: What event space located in the West Wing was formerly an indoor swimming pool?
A: The Press Briefing Room
Q: What room in the West Wing houses the president’s Oval Office?
A: Oval Office Suite
Rooms and Features
Q: What unique item is stored in the White House basement?
A: A bomb shelter
Q: What type of wooden decor object is the Great Seal of the United States printed on in the Oval Office?
A: A door
Q: Which room in the White House is dedicated to celebrating the history of First Ladies?
A: The Vermeil Room
Q: What color is the carpet in the Cross Hall on the State Floor?
A: Red
Q: What sitting room in the Residence was Nancy Reagan’s favored entertaining space?
A: The Yellow Oval Room
Q: Which president installed the first bathtub with running water in the White House?
A: Fillmore
Q: Where are state dinners held in the White House?
A: The State Dining Room
Q: What room in the White House has portraits of all the presidents?
A: The Grand Foyer
Q: What room in the White House has a secret trapdoor hidden under a rug?
A: The Oval Office
Q: Which room in the White House was Thomas Jefferson’s office and is now used for ceremonies?
A: The Blue Room
Decor and Collections
Q: What flowers commonly decorate the White House?
A: Roses
Q: What is the Vermeil Room decorated with?
A: Gilded silver
Q: What decorative style did Jacqueline Kennedy often make use of during her White House restoration?
A: French décor
Q: Which president installed solar panels on the White House roof?
A: Jimmy Carter
Q: Where are examples of early American landscape artwork displayed in the White House?
A: The Green Room
Q: What furniture craftsman is responsible for designing multiple pieces in the White House collection?
A: Duncan Phyfe
Q: What color are the draperies, upholstery, and rug in the Blue Room?
A: Blue
Q: The White House collection includes examples of what type of porcelain?
A: Limoges
Q: What is the Blue Room Christmas tree decorated with every holiday season?
A: All blue ornaments
Q: Which room in the White House has walls made of red cedar for protection from moisture?
A: The China Room
Pets
Q: What was the name of Franklin Roosevelt’s beloved Scotch Terrier?
A: Fala
Q: One of Lyndon Johnson’s dogs was named after what drink?
A: Yuki, short for Yukon Jack whiskey
Q: What kind of cat did the Clintons have during their time in the White House?
A: A tabby named Socks
Q: What dog breed did the Obamas promise their daughters after the election in 2009?
A: Portuguese Water Dog
Q: What was the name of George H. W. Bush’s Springer Spaniel?
A: Millie
Q: What was the name of Theodore Roosevelt’s pet badger?
A: Josiah
Q: Who was the first president to keep a pet raccoon at the White House?
A: Calvin Coolidge
Q: What president had a pair of alligators that sometimes roamed the White House grounds?
A: John Quincy Adams
Q: Which first daughter owned a pet snake that sometimes escaped its White House enclosure?
A: Caroline Kennedy
Q: What kind of dog was LBJ infamous for picking up by the ears?
A: Beagle
Notable Events
Q: In what year was the first official White House egg roll held?
A: 1878
Q: Where was the treaty ending the Spanish-American War signed in 1898?
A: The White House
Q: Which amendment did Wilson ratify granting women the right to vote in 1920?
A: 19th Amendment
Q: Who became the first female representative allowed an official meeting in the Oval Office in 1929?
A: Lou Henry Hoover
Q: Where was the declaration of the War on Poverty signed by LBJ in 1964?
A: The White House
Q: What famous performer did the Nixons invite to perform at the White House in 1973?
A: Elvis Presley
Q: Which foreign leader was the first to stay overnight at the White House in 1979?
A: Emperor Hirohito of Japan
Q: What did President Carter host on the White House lawn in 1977 that drew widespread public attention?
A: Willie Nelson
Q: Where was the Camp David Accord declaring peace between Egypt and Israel signed in 1978?
A: The White House
Q: What British Royal was a guest of honor at a White House dinner hosted by Reagan in 1983?
A: Queen Elizabeth II
Popular Culture
Q: What Hollywood actor starred as the president in the film White House Down?
A: Channing Tatum
Q: What ABC drama series was set in the West Wing of the White House?
A: The West Wing
Q: What was the name of the dog in Marlon Bundo’s Day in the Life of the Vice President?
A: Marlon Bundo
Q: Sesame Street visited the White House during which first lady’s time in office?
A: Hillary Clinton
Q: Which fictional U.S. president from television lived in the Josiah Bartlet House?
A: Jed Bartlet of The West Wing
Q: What Hollywood actress played Jacqueline Kennedy in the 2016 film Jackie?
A: Natalie Portman
Q: Which recent contained a scene of the White House being attacked by aliens?
A: Independence Day: Resurgence
Q: In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the headquarters of what organization is located underneath the White House?
A: S.H.I.E.L.D.
Q: What comedy film included a plot to kidnap the First Lady from the White House?
A: First Kid
Q: Who voices the president in the TV show Rick and Morty?
A: Keith David
People
Q: Who was the only president to serve more than two terms in office?
A: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Q: Who was the first president to appear on television at the White House?
A: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Q: Name the president who served the shortest term in office.
A: William Henry Harrison
Q: Which president wrote about being a child in the White House in his memoir “A Boy Named Charlie Brown”?
A: Charles Brown
Q: Who was the only president to be elected for four successive terms?
A: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Q: Which president met with rapper Eazy-E at the White House?
A: George H.W. Bush
Q: Who was the first lady during the construction of the East and West Wings?
A: Abigail Adams
Q: Which president hosted the first official event at the completed White House?
A: John Adams
Q: Which president hosted a wedding at the White House for his son in 1812?
A: James Madison
Q: Who was the only president to be married in the White House?
A: Grover Cleveland
Conclusion
The White House has a long and fascinating history that can be explored through riddles. The answers touch on everything from architecture, pets, notable events, pop culture references and of course the many presidents, first ladies and their families who have lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the past two centuries. The wide range of riddles here provides a sample of the many intriguing facts and stories to uncover about this beloved national landmark. Whether you got stumped or answered them all correctly, these White House riddles offer an entertaining way to engage with history and learn more about America’s most famous home.
