NumberCatalog v1 - Riddles in Motion

Rules of Riddles

Riddles have always been an effective way of bringing light to difficult situations or events. Here are a few tips that could make writing one more exciting:

• Be prepared, the riddle can only be answered after the last word in the poem is read out, so prepare yourself and be patient.
• Think of an analogy (e.g., you're on a trip, the other party is on the same trip).
• Make use of punctuation. It makes riddles much easier to understand.
• Make sure the riddle has a certain end and does not continue infinitely.
• Read out loud and make others guess what the riddle means.

It is very easy for a writer to use the right kind of riddle to tell a story, but a riddle that is not appropriate is a recipe for disaster. A story writer should not rely on riddles or even on clever words or phrases.

If your riddle contains some very deep themes, don’t use a riddle with too many clues. If your riddle is about someone or something important, do not use the clue "it" or "it’s." Not only that, when the riddle is about a person, make sure it is someone you know or someone you have an important connection to. Do not make up a person in a riddle.

If the riddle is about an event that is not happening, do not give clues to events that are not happening or that might be confusing or false.

When you do use clues, make sure they are relevant and make the riddle as difficult as possible for readers. Clues are a necessary element of a riddle, but they are not a recipe.

For example, here are some riddles:

• The teacher asks me if I need to know how many eggs I have. I tell him I need to know.
• The teacher asks me if I need to know how old I am. I tell him I need to know.
• The teacher asks me if I need to know how many words are in my name. I tell him I need to know.

The riddle “The teacher asks me if I need to know how many words are in my name.” is too general and not relevant.

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