85 Critical Thinking Questions to Carefully Examine Any Information
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The ability to think critically will often determine your success in life.
Let’s face it. Every day, we are bombarded by news, social media updates, and an avalanche of information. If you take all of this at face value, it’s easy to be deceived, misled or ripped off.
That’s why it’s important to develop a mindset that focuses on critical thinking . This is a skill that needs to be developed in the classroom. But it’s also a valuable life skill.
With that in mind, the following post will share 85 critical thinking questions you can use to increase your awareness about different problems by carefully examining available information.
Let’s get started…
Table of Contents
What Are Critical Thinking Questions?
Critical thinking questions are inquiries that help you think rationally and clearly by understanding the link between different facts or ideas. These questions create a seemingly endless learning process that lets you critique, evaluate, and develop a depth of knowledge about a given subject. Moreover, you get to reinforce your viewpoints or see things in a new way.
We make decisions every day, whether at work or home. Adopting logical, rational, and practical approaches in addressing various issues requiring critical thinking is essential in decision-making. Therefore, before arriving at a decision, always ask yourself relevant questions and carefully analyze the matter’s pros and cons.
Critical Thinking Questions When in an Argument
When you make an argument using a critical thinking approach, you focus on justified claims that are valid and based on evidence. It helps one establish a strong argument.
- Do I disagree with the other person? Might the person I'm arguing with be misinformed on what they are saying?
- Would I be comfortable saying what I am telling him/her if I was in front of a group of people?
- What would happen if I lose this argument? Is engaging in this argument worth my time and energy? How will I feel if I lose?
- Is there room for ambiguity or misinterpretation? Are we arguing because I didn't make my point explicit? Should I take my time to understand his school of thought?
- Do I need some rest before saying something? Am I arguing because of other reasons other than the issues at hand? Do I need to take some time and cool down?
- Is it more important that I’m right? Am I trying to ask to prove an unnecessary point?
- Is this argument inductive, deductive, or abductive? Is it a weak or strong argument that I need to engage in? Is it compelling or sound?
- Is my opponent sincere? Given that they are wrong, are they willing to admit that they are wrong? Can they depend on available evidence, wherever it leads?
- Are my opponents only trying to shift their burden to me? What is the best way to prove them wrong without making them feel bad?
- Are the people I'm arguing with only interested in winning, or are they trying to pass some information across and help me discover the truth?
Critical Thinking Questions When Reading a Book
When you read a book, you probably ask yourself many “why” questions. Why is this a problem? Why did the character say that? Why is this important? The most challenging part of reading a book is assessing the information you are reading. These questions can help.
- If I learn only two things from this book, what will they be? How will they help me? How will I apply them in my daily life?
- What message are the authors trying to pass across? Are they making suggestions or providing evidence for their arguments?
- Given that almost every book is about solving problems, what is the most prevalent issue that the author is trying to solve?
- What is the author’s writing style? What strategy or master plan does the author employ to convey his/her main ideas throughout the book?
- Do I have background information about the book’s topic? If so, how is what the author is saying different from what I already know?
- What didn’t I understand from the book? Should I re-read the book to understand everything the writer is trying to convey?
- Which sections of the book do I love the most, and why? Generally, do I like this book? Should I look for more books that are written by the same author?
- If I had a chance to meet this book’s author, what questions would I ask him/her? What would I tell the writer about the book? Is it a great book worth recommending to your friends and family members?
- Who are the main characters of the book? If there is only one main character, what overarching goal does the character accomplish?
- In what ways did the protagonist change from the start of the book to the end? What caused the changes? Was the protagonist reckless in some ways? Which ways?
Critical Thinking Questions to Spot a Scam
Asking questions when you feel that a fraud or a scam is being presented to you is a good way to stretch your critical thinking muscles. Are you being emailed or messaged by a stranger? Or maybe there are other red flags you are unsure about. If so, ask these questions.
- Does it seem to be too good to be true? Is this stranger pushy or trying to lure me into making a poor decision?
- When trying out online dating: Is my new “friend” professing strong feelings towards me although we’ve only interacted for a few hours?
- Why is a stranger calling me to ask about my Social Security Number (SSN), personal contact information, or bank details while claiming they are from the bank or a phone company?
- When buying products online, why does the seller ask me to pay for goods using an insecure payment option like Bitcoin or money order?
- Does the email I have received have any spelling or grammatical errors? Is the language used overly formal or informal?
- If I do a quick search about the exact words of the email I received, does Google indicate it's a fraud or scam?
- Why should a stranger manipulate me using obvious questions like “Would you want to be rich or poor?” While they already know the answer?
- Is the email asking me to download an attachment? Or click a link to some insecure website?
- Is the person trying to make me feel selfish or guilty for not sending them money, whether for a donation or buying a product?
- Is the stranger portraying a sense of urgency and using pressure tactics? Are they telling me that their family member needs urgent medical attention?
Critical Thinking Questions About Your Life
It can also help to ask yourself a few critical thinking questions about your life. This way, you can gather basic information and uncover solutions to problems you might not have otherwise thought of.
- Where do I wish to be in a few years, probably two, three, or five years? What short-term and long-term goals should I set?
- What have I achieved so far from the time I set my previous goals? What should I be grateful for?
- Do I have any values that guide me in life? If so, what are these values? Am I always true to these values?
- Am I always worried about what people around me think? Can I act independently without the need to meet social expectations?
- What should people say about me at my funeral? Would they talk about how good I made them feel or how rich and flashy I was?
- If I wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, what would I have done? What if I didn't have any fear in me?
- If today was my last day, what extraordinary thing would I do? Can I do it right now?
- What should I do with the things that matter the most to me?
- What things will make the greatest difference in my future life if I take action now?
- How should I react when I feel unwanted by the people I love the most? Should I tell them?
Critical Thinking Questions for a Debate or Discussion
When you are in the middle of a debate or discussion, you need to know that what you are saying is fact, have evidence to support your claim, and position yourself as an expert in what you are saying. Here are some critical thinking questions to ask when you are in a debate or discussion.
- Is there fairness in this discussion? Is the moderator supporting one side? Do they want to make one side look stupid or wrong?
- What is the aim of this discussion? Is there a major problem that needs to be solved? If so, how can I help solve it?
- Who are the people affected by this discussion? If they were here, what would they say?
- Do my views on this discussion matter? If I raise my point, will I be redundant?
- What am I supposed to learn from this debate, and how can I use what I have learned in my daily life?
- Does the audience seem to be biased towards one side? Are they booing one side? What can I do even if it's our opponents being booed?
- Who are the discussion panel members? What views have they held about this kind of discussion or any other related discussions in the past?
- How can I make my point without being ambiguous? Before I speak, should I take down some notes to avoid any confusion during my speech?
- Am I ready to apologize if I make a mistake during the discussion? If so, what are the limits?
- What information does my team, or I need before this discussion?
Critical Thinking Questions About Lying
Admitting when you are wrong, choosing not to cheat, and sharing constructive feedback are all ways to show your honesty. Here are some critical thinking skills to ask regarding lying.
- Will the lie hurt those I am telling, or will it help them? What if being honest might cause my friend unnecessary pain?
- Should I be the one telling this person a lie, or I let someone else do it?
- Will I be the one hurt if I tell this lie? Will my friend feel I am a betrayer? Will it affect our friendship?
- Do they answer my questions in detail, or are they always trying to ignore and dodge the main problem?
- What if I ask these people the same question using different terms and wording? Will they give me the same response?
- Did the tone of my friend suddenly change after I asked him/her this question? Do they sound louder, faster, or slower compared to how they usually speak?
- Does this person have something to gain by lying to me? What is their motive?
- Does this person take a sudden pause or hesitate more than usual when responding to my question?
- When I look at these people's faces, do their facial expressions match what they say?
- Should I believe this person or not? What are my intuitions? Does it look like they are telling the truth?
- Do they blink like other days when I ask them questions? Are they always trying to avoid direct eye contact?
- Why do they seem uncomfortable when it’s just a normal conversation?
Critical Thinking Questions When Presented With a Claim
Critical thinking is much more than just evaluating whether a claim is true or not. It also means a critical thinker reflects on what follows from true claims.
- What does this claim mean, and what are its implications? What if it's a false claim?
- Which of my morals, values, or beliefs do I have to give up to accept this claim?
- Do professionals in this field agree or disagree with the claim that has been made?
- Do they have evidence to back their claim? Which is the most robust evidence to support the claim?
- What argument can I come up with to refute this claim? Or what is the best view that can support this claim?
- Who is the primary source of the claim being made? Is the basis of the claim reliable?
- Is it a claim, or it's just an opinion?
- Is the claim likely to be 100% false, true, or partially true?
- Am I allowed to refute the claim and table my evidence, or is it one-sided?
Critical Thinking Interview Questions
Critical thinking skills are valuable in any industry or field and for almost all roles. During a job interview, you will be asked questions so the potential employer can assess your skills and see how you use logic. Your critical thinking ability is just one vital part that can play into your professional development.
- Is there a time you had to convince someone to use an alternate approach to solve a problem?
- Have you ever had to make a difficult decision quickly?
- How would you handle a situation where your supervisor handled something wrong or made a mistake?
- What is one of the most difficult decisions you have ever had to make at work?
- How would you solve a disagreement between coworkers when approaching a project?
- Can you describe a time when you anticipated a problem ahead of time and took the appropriate steps to stop the problem from becoming an issue?
- If you discover a cheaper way to do something or a better solution to a problem and try to explain it to your supervisor, but they don’t understand, what do you do?
Critical Thinking Questions for Kids
We can’t leave the kids out either. Critical thinking questions for kids get them thinking and talking. It also allows a parent to get to know their child better.
- How many grains of sand do you think are on the beach?
- What would happen if it stopped raining?
- Do you think there is life on other planets?
- Should children be able to set their own bedtimes?
- How would you describe what a tree looks like without saying green or leaves?
- Can you name five different emotions?
- Can you talk for five minutes without uttering “um?”
What Are the Basic Principles of Critical Thinking?
Your critical thinking skills involve gathering complete information, understanding and defining terms, questioning the methods by which we get facts, questioning the conclusions, and looking for hidden assumptions and biases.
Additionally, we can’t expect to find all of the answers, and we need to take the time to examine the big picture of it all.
Here are the basic principles:
- Disposition: Someone with critical thinking skills is often skeptical, open-minded, and practices fair-mindedness. They can look at different viewpoints and change positions if the evidence and reason lead them to do so.
- Criteria: In order to think critically, one must also apply criteria. Certain conditions must be met before someone believes in something. The information needs to be from credible sources.
- Argument: An argument is simply a statement or proposition that is shown with supporting evidence. When you use your critical thinking skills, you identify, evaluate, and construct your argument.
- Reasoning: With critical thinking comes reasoning. You must examine logical relationships among the statements being made.
- Point of View: Critical thinkers can see things from different perspectives and different points of view.
What Are Good Analysis Questions?
Analysis is a part of critical thinking that allows you to examine something carefully. Someone with analytical skills can examine the information presented, understand what that information means, and then properly explain that information to others. Analysis in critical thinking provides more clarity on the information you process.
When analyzing, you may ask yourself, “how do I know this,” how would I solve this problem,” and “why does it matter?”
Why Is Critical Thinking an Important Skill?
Critical thinking skills allow you to express thoughts, ideas, and beliefs in a better way. It also leads to improved communication while allowing others to understand you better. Critical thinking fosters creativity and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. This is a skill that can be applied to many different areas of your life.
For example, knowing the answers to critical thinking questions for a job interview will better prepare you for the interview. Many employers, during questioning, are likely to ask you critical thinking questions to assess if you have the ability to evaluate information effectively so you can make more informed decisions.
Final Thoughts on Critical Thinking Questions
Although it's common to get torn between making two or more choices, nobody wants to make the wrong decision. The only thing you can do to avoid this is use critical thinking questions to examine your situation. The answers to these questions will help you make informed decisions and help you comprehend crucial matters in your life.
Want to learn more about critical thinking and decision-making using a real-life example? Here is how Jeff Bezos uses critical thinking to make some of the most challenging life decisions.
Finally, if you want to ask better questions, then watch this short, 20-minute course to learn how to have a great conversation with virtually anyone .
115 Critical Thinking Questions For Adults and Students
By: Author Tom
Posted on Last updated: January 31, 2023
Critical thinking questions are a great way to help you learn and get to the heart of many matters.
These fun critical thinking questions are what you should be asking if you want to learn more and challenge your own beliefs.
Questioning what you’ve read, what you’ve learnt and your own preconceptions is a useful way to remove your own ignorance on many topics.
As a child, we asked questions about critical thinking all the time. It’s how we learn right and wrong and a variety of other things. Curiosity and questioning what we know are some of the best ways to improve your knowledge.
Whether you want to use these questions with your students or to learn more yourself, they’ll help you develop a framework to learn more about almost anything.
Table of Contents
Critical thinking questions examples.
Critical thinking questions are easy to spot. They’re questions that are worded so you can take a more in-depth look at things.
They’re similar in nature to open-ended questions , in that it’s expected the person who’s being questioned will provide a substantive answer rather than a short one.
Here are a few examples so you get the idea:
- How do you know this?
- Why does it matter?
- What are the reasons for _____?
Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘What’
1. What do you think you would have done if you were the person in that position?
2. What did you think they meant when they said…?
3. What did you assume about them in the beginning that you were wrong about?
4. What do you think it meant when this happened…?
5. What did the evidence say about…?
6. What do you think would have happened if…?
7. What are your conclusions about…?
8. What do you think would have been a better ending to…?
9. What could have been a big twist in the story?
10. What do you think would have happened if…?
You might also like:
- Hardest questions to answer
- Ethical questions
- Philosophical questions
- Probing questions
- Questions that make you think
11. What were the strengths of this argument?
12. What do you think were the weaknesses about…?
13. What do you think that ___ meant?
You might also like: What if questions
14. What do you think made ___ do that?
15. What do you think the reasons are for it happening in that way?
16. What do you think would have changed if ___ did _?
17. What would have been a better option for…?
18. What do you think the problem was about…?
19. What do you think you could do to solve this problem?
20. What should have happened instead of…?
21. What do you think the biggest win about ___ is?
22. What do you think will happen when…?
23. What do you think that character’s motive was in the movie?
24. What makes you come to that idea?
25. What is the point of…?
26. What do you think you would say to ___ if you had the chance?
You might also like: Self-reflection questions
Questions For Critical Thinking Starting With ‘When’
27. When do you think that this became a problem?
28. When will you change your mind about…?
29. When do you think you will be ready to…?
30. When will you be able to tell if _ worked?
31. When is ___ ever acceptable?
32. When will be the right time to stop…?
33. When is the best time to start…?
34. When do you think the situation changed with…?
35. When will ___ ever happen?
36. When do you think you knew in the movie what the ending was going to be?
37. When will be the best time to have another think about…?
38. When shall we revisit…?
39. When did you realise that ___ hadn’t worked?
You might also like: Thought provoking questions
Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘How’
40. How do you feel about…?
41. How do you think _ could have been handled better?
42. How would you have responded to…?
43. How did you come to that conclusion about…?
44. How does doing ___ change…?
45. How would you feel if…?
46. How did you come to deciding…?
47. How do you think ___ might hurt..?
48. How else would you handle this in the future?
49. How do you think they ought to have responded to…?
50. How do you think you will feel when…?
51. How did this benefit you?
52. How would ___ benefit others?
Next: Mind blowing questions
53. How is this different from other situations?
54. How would you advise them to handle it in the future?
55. How do you think they will react when they find out…?
Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘Who’
56. Who will be affected when this happens?
57. Who is the person that you would call on for…?
58. Who do you think will be most impacted by…?
59. Who caused the problem in ___ this situation?
60. Who wrote…?
61. Who do you think is most likely to…?
62. Who do you think will most benefit from…?
63. Who do you think was the problem in ___ situation?
64. Who caused the most harm in…?
65. Who is responsible for…?
You might also like: Yes or no questions
66. Who do you think is the most crucial person for…?
67. Who would be the best person to call on for this problem?
68. Who can you count on …?
69. Who do you think would be best off staying out of…?
70. Who is the person you are most nervous about telling…?
71. Who was the happiest when they found out that…?
72. Who was the most important character in this story?
73. Who had the strongest argument for…?
74. Who do you feel was wrong in that situation?
75. Who would be the first person that you would tell about…?
Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘Why’
76. Why do you need to…?
77. Why do you think they chose to…?
78. Why do you think that ___ happened?
Next: Hypothetical questions
79. Why is it important to…?
80. Why do you think ___ is necessary?
81. Why do you think that they said?
82. Why do you think the author decided to add…?
83. Why is it a problem when…?
84. Why do we need to do…?
85. Why are you so…?
86. Why does this need to stop?
87. Why do you need to improve…?
88. Why do you think I am bringing this up…
89. Why do you think that ___ became a problem?
90. Why do you think it wasn’t rectified?
Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘Where’
91. Where has this happened before?
You might also like: Unanswerable questions
92. Where do you think we would be if…?
93. Where did the story begin to alter?
94. Where can we give our attention to…?
95. Where can you get more information about…?
96. Where do we need to improve?
97. Where would we find the solution for….?
98. Where did they find the solution?
99. Where do you think that ___ got complicated?
100. Where could we ask for help with…?
101. Where would you have done things differently?
102. Where would you seek answers to these problems?
103. Where do you think would have been the best place to stop?
104. Where would you advise we focus next time we…?
105. Where do you think it went wrong?
Critical Thinking Questions For Interviews
106. Tell me about a time you had to use your initiative to solve a problem
107. How would you handle a situation when you’ve noticed a superior makes an error?
108. What would you do if a colleague came to you with an unusual suggestion to improve the business?
109. Have you ever anticipated potential problems and stopped them before they became an issue?
110. How quickly do you make decisions?
111. How do you handle disagreements between colleagues?
112. Have you ever convinced managers or your superiors to take your approach on solving a problem?
113. How would you solve a disagreement between a customer and a colleague?
114. What would you do if a customer came to with an issue while you were talking to a colleague/superior?
115. What would you do if you had a deadline approaching you knew you wouldn’t be able to meet?
Looking For More Questions?
Existential Questions – Questions that will make you think about life, the universe and many other deep topics.
Trick Questions – If you want people to start thinking but in a fun way, these questions are perfect!
Tom is a travel writer and Co-Founder of Questions About Everything. He grew up in the UK and enjoys spending his time traveling to new places, supporting Liverpool FC, and blogging about his adventures. He spent two years teaching English in Barcelona and frequently utilized question games and conversation starters as part of his lesson plans. Learn more about Tom on our About page.
- Defining Critical Thinking
- A Brief History of the Idea of Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking: Basic Questions & Answers
- Our Conception of Critical Thinking
- Sumner’s Definition of Critical Thinking
- Research in Critical Thinking
- Critical Societies: Thoughts from the Past
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27 of the Hardest Riddles Ever—Can You Solve Them?
Who doesn't love brain teasers and challenging riddles? If you think you’re already a pro at solving tricky riddles, put yourself to the test with these and find out! (Don't worry, answers are included.)
Ready to be riddled?
Riddles are language brain teasers that use lateral thinking in order to come to a conclusion. They run the gamut from simple and easy to solve to serious brain-busters—and we’ve compiled several of the latter for your riddling enjoyment. The major head-scratchers in this list might take some big-time brain power to solve—but it sure feels great when you figure one out! Looking for some other riddles to crack? Try these brain games , trick questions , easy riddles , riddles for adults , or riddles for kids .
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Riddle: Say what?
I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?
This riddle relies on tricking you into thinking about ears and a mouth. You get a tiny hint about wind to encourage you to think broadly and avoid the literal.
Answer: An echo. Try solving these animal riddles —they’re serious mind benders!
Riddle: Match game
You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy.
Hard riddles want to trip you up, and this one works by hitting you with details from every angle. The big hint comes at the end with the wind. What does wind threaten most? You have to stretch your brain to come up with something tiny and unexpected.
Answer : A candle.
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Riddle: Hidden treasure
I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?
This riddle aims to confuse you and get you to focus on the things that are missing: the houses, trees, and fish. You might guess you need to think about something inanimate.
Answer : A map. Don’t forget to bookmark these Thanksgiving riddles and see how many you can solve.
Riddle: Spring ahead
What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
This riddle works by trying to get you to think about the weather or holidays or other events linked to a calendar. To get this one right you actually need to get super literal.
Answer : The letter “R.” By the way, can you solve this viral riddle about Teresa’s daughter ?
Riddle: Cruising along
You see a boat filled with people. It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?
Hard riddles like this brainteaser are tricky because they seem to invite straightforward, logical thinking. You may come up with answers like “they all went below deck” or “jumped overboard.” But you need to focus on the word “single” and think about its other meanings.
Answer : All the people were married.
RELATED: Long Riddles to Give Your Brain a Workout
Riddle: Wordplay
What word in the English language does the following: the first two letters signify a male, the first three letters signify a female, the first four letters signify a great, while the entire world signifies a great woman. What is the word?
This is hard because it gets you thinking about gender and the ways they’re different. You have to think of one word that holds the others. It’s easy when you think about it!
Answer : Heroine
Can you solve this riddle about Mr. Smith having four daughters ? It’s trickier than you think!
Riddle: Good with numbers
What English word has three consecutive double letters?
This one is pretty impossible but use the facts you know about English to get on track. First, think of words with double vowels. And you must know this is probably going to be a compound word. The first and last letters of those combined words will form one set of double letters. Now, just wrack your brain!
Answer : Bookkeeper.
Let’s see how long it takes you to solve this “ if I had four eggs ” riddle—don’t worry if you can’t solve it right away.
Riddle: Violent delights
A woman shoots her husband, then holds him underwater for five minutes. Next, she hangs him. Right after, they enjoy a lovely dinner. Explain.
This puzzle aims to throw you off balance with shock. But pay attention to the first verb, “shoots.” What else can you shoot with besides a gun? There lies the key to the whole thing.
Answer : She took a picture of him and developed it in her darkroom. Don’t forget to bookmark these free printable brain teasers that really bust your brain.
Riddle: The write stuff
I come from a mine and get surrounded by wood always. Everyone uses me. What am I?
The idea of a mine might lead you to coal or a diamond. The wood detail is your best hint. This riddle is a toughie, but wood might lead you to figure it out.
Answer: Pencil lead.
RELATED: Short Riddles That Will Stump You
Riddle: Sibling squad
A girl has as many brothers as sisters, but each brother has only half as many brothers as sisters. How many brothers and sisters are there in the family?
This trick question gives you a bunch of ways to get totally confused if you try to figure out the answer. The key is to keep it simple. Be sure to count the sisters and brothers in total and in terms of their own number of siblings. Then the answer gets a little easier.
Answer : Four sisters and three brothers.
RELATED: Hardest Tongue Twisters in the English Language
Riddle: Say my name
What disappears as soon as you say its name?
Hard riddles like this one require you to think logically or in a straightforward way. At the same time, it’s employing a conceptual metaphor with the notion of something disappearing. The answer seems so simple—but not until you’ve figured it out! Before that moment, it’s got your brain in a twist.
Answer : Silence
Riddle: Math time
How can the number four be half of five?
You might start doing some elaborate fractions but hard riddles like this are sometimes much more about wordplay than crunching the numbers. Think literally and the answer may just appear right before your eyes.
Answer : IV, the Roman numeral for four, which is “half” (two letters) of the word five.
RELATED: Riddles for Teens
Riddle: Find the key
I have keys, but no locks and space, and no rooms. You can enter, but you can’t go outside. What am I?
This one tricks you by having you think about space that can be entered. Then it gets you to merge that with a space without rooms where you can’t leave. You might even be hung up on those keys. That’s where you should linger. Think about that word. What are some other meanings of “keys”—especially those that don’t require locks?
Answer : A keyboard
Riddle: Beachy keen
What gets wet while drying?
This one has a simple answer even though it stumps most people who try to figure it out. Wet and dry seem like they always have to be opposite, so you might get tripped up. Think of an object that can, ahem (hint!) absorb or be both.
Answer : A towel.
Riddle: Literally speaking
How many letters are in the alphabet?
Some hard riddles trip you up by sending you to the easiest answer first. You got this one easy, right? Twenty-six—if you’re talking English alphabet. Not so fast. Take another look and get super simple and straightforward.
Answer : There are 11 letters in the words “the alphabet”
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Riddle: Family affair
A is the brother of B. B is the brother of C. C is the father of D. So how is D related to A?
Riddles try to send your train of thought off in scattered directions. Try to stay clear and just follow the logic. Using letters as placeholders for names like “Uncle Bob” or “Aunt Linda” makes straightforward relationships seem difficult.
Answer : A is D’s uncle.
Riddle: Line up
What are the next three letters in this combination? OTTFFSS
This super hard question asks you to determine the relationship between the letters. They seem random: a vowel, two consonants from the tail of the alphabet, two from the front, then two more. What could they mean? What’s the pattern? In this case, think of common strings of words to get you closer. But it still seems almost impossible to hit on the solution.
Answer : E N T (Each letter represents the first letter in the written numbers: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, etc.).
Riddle: Yours or mine
This belongs to you, but everyone else uses it.
The key to this riddle is to think of anything else but an actual object. Use your critical thinking skills to get conceptual on this one.
Answer : Your name.
RELATED: Bible Riddles
Riddle: Color test
First, think of the color of the clouds. Next, think of the color of snow. Now, think of the color of a bright full moon. Now answer quickly what do cows drink?
Some riddles work by getting your brain to go through a series of associations so you get locked in and can’t think of alternatives. Be careful with this riddle. Is the question really connected to that color you were asked to think about? Most folks say that cows drink milk because they’re fixated on the color white.
Answer : Water.
Riddle: Number line
How is seven different from the rest of the numbers between one and ten?
The math nerds may start thinking about prime numbers or whether seven is divisible by this or that or if it can be cubed and all that. Avoid thinking about math altogether and think about the literal quality of the words that signify the numbers. Remember that riddles play with the differences between the literal and the conceptual, or the straightforward and the complex. For this riddle, think simple, but pivot to a paradigm separate from numbers.
Answer: Seven has two syllables and the other numbers only have one syllable.
Riddle: Out to lunch
First you eat me, then you get eaten. What am I?
Hard riddles get you used to thinking about metaphors and concepts. Not this one; keep it simple and literal to get to the solution. But ask yourself who or what the “you” is.
Answer : A fishhook.
Riddle: Time bomb
What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
Again, riddles like this often have you crunching the numbers and stretching your brain cells thinking all about time and the way it works. By now, you might’ve figured out that number riddles rarely involve math.
Answer : The letter “M.”
Riddle: Easy peasy
Which word in the dictionary is always spelled incorrectly?
Hard riddles obsess over wordplay and word games. This one has such an easy answer that it trips you up by getting you to think in a complex way. Some riddles require that. Not this one.
Answer : “Incorrectly.”
RELATED: Only 2 Percent of People Can Solve Einstein’s Riddle—Can You?
Riddle: Hand in hand
What can you hold in your right hand, but never in your left hand?
Take it slow and easy with this one. Perhaps if take a look at your own hands, that might give you a clue based on logic.
Answer : Your left hand. Can you solve this riddle about someone’s mother having four sons ?
Riddle: Daddy issues
How can you physically stand behind your father while he is standing behind you?
For this kind of super tricky riddle, you might do best to actually map out the physical relationship in your head—if you can! This riddle works by tricking you into thinking about impossibilities.
Answer: You are standing back-to-back with your father.
rd.com, Getty Images
Riddle: up and down.
What is able to go up a chimney when down but unable to go down a chimney when up?
Try to think out of the box for this one. It may not be something you would normally find in your chimney.
Answer: An umbrella. Try to solve these love riddles all romantics will enjoy.
Riddle: What’s up, Doc?
Three different doctors said that Paul is their brother yet Paul claims he has no brothers. Who is lying?
Visualize your family tree. That may help with this one.
Answer: No one is lying because the three doctors are Paul’s sisters.
If you enjoyed being stumped by these riddles, test your smarts with these viral riddles you’ll want to share with everyone you know.
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The following quiz is designed to give an idea of Critical Thinking abilities. The reader is encouraged to spend as much time as possible on each problem to find the solution. The questions are designed such that the answers can only be gotten from considering multiple possibilities of the solution.
Try to find out what’s the best solution.
1) How to get exactly 4 liters of water if you have only an 8-liter jug and a 3-liter jug, and both containers are unmarked? You have a running tap handy.
2) What can you add to 1,000,000 and always get more than if you multiplied the 1,000,000 by the same value?
3) What are the common sayings that these words signify?
a. DECI SION
b. ANOTHER ONE
4) What is the 50 th number in this sequence?
5, 11, 17, 23, 29, 35, 41, …
5) Determine both one-word answers −
The floor of ship or boat,
They walk on me at sea;
Where there’s a C, make it an S,
At school you sit on me.
6) Determine both one-word answers −
Another word for sick,
Your forehead is quite hot;
Now put an H in front,
A mountain I am not.
7) Use the clues to solve the puzzle −
A duck, a goose, a goat, and a horse all entered the barn at different times one day last week.
A mammal entered the barn first.
The duck entered before the goose.
The goose entered ahead of the horse.
Who entered the barn first?
8) What are the common sayings that these words signify?
a. CHIEDITOREF
9) Use the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division symbols once each to make these equations true.
a. 600 __ 200 __ 400 __ 300 __ 200 = 200
b. 200 __ 300 __ 600 __ 400 __ 200 = 200
10) While relaxing on the deck outside her cabin one summer evening, Viva fell into a deep trance-like sleep. When she awoke, she felt as if she had slept only an hour or two, but it was now the middle of winter. How could this be?
1) Fill the 3-liter jug three times, each time dumping the water from it into the 8-liter jug. The third time, this will leave one liter of water in the 3-liter jug, and the 8-liter jug will be filled. Dump the water from the 8-liter jug down the drain, and then empty the one liter of water from the 3-liter jug into the 8-liter jug. Now fill the 3-liter jug again and dump the water into the 8-liter jug. The 8-liter jug now contains 4 liters of water. Various answers are possible.
2) zero, or any fraction less than a whole, or any negative number
3) a. split decision
b. one after another
4) Add 6 to 5, getting 11, then add 6 to 11, getting 17, then add 6 to 17, getting 23, etc., until 6 has been added 50 times, getting the final answer 299.
5) Deck, desk
7) the goat
8) a. Editor in Chief
b. Tea for two
9) a. 600 × 200 / 400 − 300 + 200 = 200
b. 200 / 300 × 600 − 400 + 200 = 200
10) Viva fell asleep just before the ship crossed the equator on a trip from Hawaii to New Zealand. She fell asleep north of the equator where it was the middle of summer, and awoke two hours later south of the equator where it was the middle of winter.
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7 Lateral Thinking Questions to Promote Out-of-the-Box Thinking
The term “lateral thinking” was coined in 1967 by physician and inventor Edward de Bono, to describe a kind of out-of-the-box reasoning and critical analysis of scenarios that call for more than just typical step-by-step logic to solve. Lateral thinking is related to creative problem solving and critical thinking, all valuable skills to have, and applicable to more than just creative or scientific endeavors.
So how do you improve your creative problem solving skills? Simply review the lateral thinking questions in this guide and refer to the very end of the article for answers. When we examine lateral thinking questions and scenarios, we’re forcing our minds to think critically about things that we might otherwise dismiss or fail to understand completely. In these challenges, our critical thinking strengthens.
Last Updated July 2020
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How to improve your grades, advance in your job and expand your mind — by learning how to think for yourself! | By Kevin deLaplante
What is Lateral Thinking?
Before we dive into the lateral thinking questions, it’s important to know exactly what lateral thinking is, and how it differs from critical thinking. While lateral thinking is certainly “critical,” as a specific train of thought, it is not the same as what we call “critical thinking.”
According to de Bono himself, while critical thinking is about examining the pieces in play in any given scenario, lateral thinking is about rejecting the “status quo” of ideas and conceiving entirely new ways of looking at a problem. It’s about bringing new pieces into the puzzle, rather than just working with what you have.
If you’re looking for a guide on critical thinking, check out these courses , or refer to this guide on critical thinking exercises .
Lateral Thinking Questions
Think about what we learned above as you consider the lateral thinking questions below. Each question will have a corresponding answer at the end of this article, where we’ll briefly explain how the thinking required to solve each scenario is uniquely “lateral.”
- Lateral Thinking Question #1
Someone falls out of a thirty story building, but lives. With luck and their landing pad not being factors, how could they have survived the fall?
- Lateral Thinking Question #2
There are a dozen eggs in a carton. Twelve people each take a single egg, but there is one egg left in the carton. How?
- Lateral Thinking Question #3
A boat has a ladder that’s ten feet long, and hangs off the side of the boat, with its last two feet submerged in water. If the ocean tide rises five feet, how much of the ladder will be underwater?
- Lateral Thinking Question #4
There are ten birds perched on a fence. A farmer aims his rifle and shoots one. How many birds are left?
- Lateral Thinking Question #5
What weighs more – 100 pounds of feathers, or 100 pounds of quarters?
- Lateral Thinking Question #6
Which countries have the 4th of July out of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, and Canada?
- Lateral Thinking Question #7
If you were alone in a dark cabin, with only one match and a lamp, a fireplace, and a candle to choose from, which would you light first?
Lateral Thinking Questions: Answers
The person fell out of the first-story window. A critical thinker might try to identify possible landing pads that would allow survival of a thirty-story fall, but the lateral thinker will realize that the story did not specify what floor the person fell out of. They can safely, within the logic of the story, conclude that the person fell out of a ground floor window.
The last person took the carton with the egg inside. This question challenges our ability to break outside of patterns, and introduce concepts not provided in the context of the story. Since everyone else in the story takes a single egg, the last person taking the whole carton is a new, but not impossible, scenario that the lateral thinker must conceive.
Two feet. If the ocean rises, so will the boat, and the amount of ladder under the water will remain the same. A critical thinker might be tempted to work out the math in this obvious trick question, but a lateral thinker will spot the attempt at misconstruction.
One – the dead bird that the farmer shot. This is another trick question. Some people might want to answer seven, since the farmer only shot one bird, while others might want to twist the story and suggest the farmer indirectly killed the others while just firing a single bullet. The correct answer is one, because after the farmer fires a single shot, the other birds fly away, startled.
They weigh the same – 100 pounds. This question is meant to trick the uncritical and unobservant listener from thinking that the material of the object affects its weight, even if there are 100 pounds of each.
They all have the 4th of July. This question is a trick that will likely work only on Americans, since in the United States, the “4th of July” is a holiday also known as Independence Day. Their first train of thought when hearing “4th of July” will likely equate it with the holiday, making the easy answer “the United States.” Really, all countries “have” the 4th of July, since it’s just another day on the calendar.
You would light the match first. Without it, you couldn’t light any of the other appliances. This is another question that encourages the thinker to break free of assumed patterns and think outside the box.
If you’re interviewing for a technology company, you might be asked lateral thinking questions to supplement questions on your engineering background. Check out these courses on how to prepare for an interview .
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Quiz: Test Your Knowledge On Critical Thinking!
How well do you understand critical thinking? You can take this quiz with critical thinking MCQs with answers to test your knowledge. Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue or situation in order to form an accurate or rightful judgment. A person with this skill is highly regarded and prospers under different conditions. Check out our critical thinking quiz with critical thinking MCQs with answers designed to test students' basic knowledge of critical thinking. It is worth giving a try!
Relativistic thinking
Completeness
They use logical skills in reasoning.
They refuse to recognize the limitations of his mind and consistently pursue excellence.
They think independently and do not always succumb to peer pressure.
He upholds the standards of critical thinking.
There is no problem at all.
Relativistic thinking always promotes group opinions.
Relativistic thinking promotes a view that something is the truth because it is the truth in my point of view.
Relativistic thinking promotes absolute truth.
Higher-level thinking that aims to solve a problem.
Finding faults and weaknesses in other people's arguments.
Logically analyzing arguments in a critical way.
Disciplined thinking and judgment.
Wishful thinking
Egocentrism
Self-confident thinking
Moral subjectivism
Self-serving bias
Is it current?
Is it complete?
Is it accurate?
All of the above
The topic is hot.
It is up to date.
It is complete information.
None of the above.
Thinking emotionally
Thinking logically
Think actively and be aware of potential problems in the information you encounter.
None of the above
A logical mind
An emotional mind
Reaching to conclusion too soon.
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48 Critical Thinking Questions For Any Content Area
What Are Critical Thinking Questions For Any Content Area?
by TeachThought Staff
Critical thinking is the heart and soul of learning, and–in our estimation anyway–ultimately more important than any one specific content area or subject matter.
It’s also an over-used and rather nebulous phrase — how do you teach someone to think? Of course, that’s the purpose of education, but how do you effectively optimize that concept into lasting knowledge and the ability to apply it broadly?
Looking for more resources to teach critical thinking? Check out our critical thinking curricula resources on TpT.
What Is Critical Thinking?
This question is what inspires the creation of seemingly endless learning taxonomies and teaching methods: our desire to pin down a clear definition of what it means to think critically and how to introduce that skill in the classroom.
This makes critical thinking questions–well, critical. As Terry Heick explains in What Does Critical Thinking Mean?:
“To think critically about something is to claim to first circle its meaning entirely—to walk all the way around it so that you understand it in a way that’s uniquely you. The thinker works with their own thinking tools–schema. Background knowledge. Sense of identity. Meaning Making is a process as unique to that thinker as their own thumbprint. There is no template.
After circling the meaning of whatever you’re thinking critically about—navigation necessarily done with bravado and purpose—the thinker can then analyze the thing. In thinking critically, the thinker has to see its parts, its form, its function, and its context.
After this kind of survey and analysis you can come to evaluate it–bring to bear your own distinctive cognition on the thing so that you can point out flaws, underscore bias, emphasize merit—to get inside the mind of the author, designer, creator, or clockmaker and critique his work.”
A Cheat Sheet For Critical Thinking
In short, critical thinking is more than understanding something — it involves evaluation, critiquing, and a depth of knowledge that surpasses the subject itself and expands outward. It requires problem-solving, creativity, rationalization, and a refusal to accept things at face value.
It’s a willingness and ability to question everything.
The Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Digital Thinking by Global Digital Citizen Foundation is an excellent starting point for the ‘how’ behind teaching critical thinking by outlining which questions to ask.
It offers 48 critical thinking questions useful for any content area or even grade level with a little re-working/re-wording. Enjoy the list!
48 Critical Thinking Questions For Any Content Area
See Also: 28 Critical Thinking Question Stems & Response Cards
About The Author
Teachthought staff.
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Critical-thinking interview questions and answers
Use these sample critical-thinking interview questions to discover how candidates evaluate complex situations and if they can reach logical decisions.
Christina Pavlou
Contributor
Are you a candidate?
Why test candidates’ critical-thinking skills
Critical-thinking skills allow people to evaluate situations through reasoning to reach logical decisions. Companies benefit from employees who think critically (as opposed to mechanically performing tasks) because these individuals use an independent mindset to seek ways to improve processes.
Critical thinkers are great assets in all teams and roles. They are:
- Responsible. You can count on them to make tough decisions.
- Consistent. They’re top performers who check their facts before acting.
- Unbiased. They keep their emotions in check to reach sound decisions.
- Creative. They suggest out-of-the-box solutions.
Challenge candidates with complex critical thinking questions to reveal their skills. But, present them with realistic problems related to the job. Brainteasers (e.g. some Google-type questions) are off-putting for candidates who already feel the pressure of the interview process. Questions like “How many haircuts happen in America every year?” are very popular online, but may not reveal much about their skills. Asking something like “How would you explain cloud computing to a 6-year-old?” will more accurately show you a candidate’s way of thinking.
Keep your challenging interview questions as job-related as possible. Sometimes it’s not important to assess whether the answer is right or wrong. Puzzling questions are your opportunity to evaluate how candidates react outside their comfort zone.
These critical-thinking interview question examples will help you identify candidates with high potential for future leadership positions. Combine them with various behavioral interview question types (like problem-solving and competency-based questions) to create complete candidate profiles and make better hiring decisions.
Examples of critical-thinking interview questions
- Tell me about a time you had to make a decision with incomplete information. What did you do?
- During a live presentation to key stakeholders, you spot a mistake in your manager’s report, but your manager isn’t at the presentation. How do you handle this?
- Describe a time when you had to convince your manager to try a different approach to solve a problem.
- You’re working on a project and you struggle coming to an agreement with your team about your next step. What would you do to make sure you choose the right direction and get your co-workers onboard?
- What’s the best sales approach: increase prices to achieve higher revenues or decrease prices to improve customer satisfaction?
How to assess critical-thinking skills in interviews
- Use hypothetical scenarios and examples from candidates’ past experiences to understand their mindsets. An analytical way of thinking (comparing alternatives and weighing pros and cons) indicates people who make logical judgments.
- When problems arise, employees don’t always have ample time to design a detailed action plan. Opt for candidates who strike a balance between good and fast decision-making.
- Critical thinking requires questioning facts and the status quo. Look for candidates who have implemented new procedures or applied changes to processes in their past positions. These are signs of professionals who actively seek ways to improve how things get done, as opposed to taking the “this is how we always do it” approach.
- Candidates who are intrigued by solving problems are more likely to effectively manage challenges and stressful situations on the job. During your interview process, keep an eye out for candidates who show enthusiasm and don’t easily quit when faced with problems, even if they can’t immediately find solutions.
- They don’t fact-check. If you present candidates with a hypothetical problem and they don’t ask for clarifications, it’s a sign they take information for granted. A critical thinker should always research data for accuracy before relying on it.
- They make assumptions. Beyond taking things for granted, employees who make assumptions tend to jump to rushed and often biased conclusions. Look for candidates who use logical arguments to justify their decisions.
- They don’t answer. If they don’t at least try to solve the problem, they’ll probably keep procrastinating when something goes wrong or push their work onto to someone else. Asking for help when you face a challenge is more than acceptable, but avoiding problems reveals irresponsible employee behavior.
- They give you the obvious answer. Tricky questions are tricky for a reason. Candidates who go with the first answer that comes in mind are more likely to approach challenges superficially and avoid using critical-thinking skills to come up with the best solution.
Related Interview Questions
- Problem-solving interview questions and answers
- Analytical interview questions and answers
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Related Topics
- How to assess soft skills in an interview
- A guide to interview preparation for employers
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Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers
We Are Teachers
100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students To Ask About Anything
Critical thinkers question everything.
In an age of “fake news” claims and constant argument about pretty much any issue, critical thinking skills are key. Teach your students that it’s vital to ask questions about everything, but that it’s also important to ask the right sorts of questions. Students can use these critical thinking questions with fiction or nonfiction texts. They’re also useful when discussing important issues or trying to understand others’ motivations in general.
“Who” Critical Thinking Questions
Questions like these help students ponder who’s involved in a story and how the actions affect them. They’ll also consider who’s telling the tale and how reliable that narrator might be.
- Is the protagonist?
- Is the antagonist?
- Caused harm?
- Is harmed as a result?
- Was the most important character?
- Is responsible?
- Is most directly affected?
- Should have won?
- Will benefit?
- Would be affected by this?
- Makes the decisions?
“What” Critical Thinking Questions
Ask questions that explore issues more deeply, including those that might not be directly answered in the text.
- Background information do I know or need to know?
- Is the main message?
- Are the defining characteristics?
- Questions or concerns do I have?
- Don’t I understand?
- Evidence supports the author’s conclusion?
- Would it be like if … ?
- Could happen if … ?
- Other outcomes might have happened?
- Questions would you have asked?
- Would you ask the author about … ?
- Was the point of … ?
- Should have happened instead?
- Is that character’s motive?
- Else could have changed the whole story?
- Can you conclude?
- Would your position have been in that situation?
- Would happen if … ?
- Makes your position stronger?
- Was the turning point?
- Is the point of the question?
- Did it mean when … ?
- Is the other side of this argument?
- Was the purpose of … ?
- Does ______ mean?
- Is the problem you are trying to solve?
- Does the evidence say?
- Assumptions are you making?
- Is a better alternative?
- Are the strengths of the argument?
- Are the weaknesses of the argument?
- Is the difference between _______ and _______?
“Where” Critical Thinking Questions
Think about where the story is set and how it affects the actions. Plus, consider where and how you can learn more.
- Would this issue be a major problem?
- Are areas for improvement?
- Did the story change?
- Would you most often find this problem?
- Are there similar situations?
- Would you go to get answers to this problem?
- Can this be improved?
- Can you get more information?
- Will this idea take us?
“When” Critical Thinking Questions
Think about timing and the effect it has on the characters or people involved.
- Is this acceptable?
- Is this unacceptable?
- Does this become a problem?
- Is the best time to take action?
- Will we be able to tell if it worked?
- Is it time to reassess?
- Should we ask for help?
- Is the best time to start?
- Is it time to stop?
- Would this benefit society?
- Has this happened before?
“Why” Critical Thinking Questions
Asking “why” might be one of the most important parts of critical thinking. Exploring and understanding motivation helps develop empathy and make sense of difficult situations.
- Is _________ happening?
- Have we allowed this to happen?
- Should people care about this issue?
- Is this a problem?
- Did the character say … ?
- Did the character do … ?
- Is this relevant?
- Did the author write this?
- Did the author decide to … ?
- Is this important?
- Did that happen?
- Is it necessary?
- Do you think I (he, she, they) asked that question?
- Is that answer the best one?
- Do we need this today?
“How” Critical Thinking Questions
Use these questions to consider how things happen and whether change is possible.
- Do we know this is true?
- Does the language used affect the story?
- Would you solve … ?
- Is this different from other situations?
- Is this similar to … ?
- Would you use … ?
- Does the location affect the story?
- Could the story have ended differently?
- Does this work?
- Could this be harmful?
- Does this connect with what I already know?
- Else could this have been handled?
- Should they have responded?
- Would you feel about … ?
- Does this change the outcome?
- Did you make that decision?
- Does this benefit you/others?
- Does this hurt you/others?
- Could this problem be avoided?
More Critical Thinking Questions
Here are more questions to help probe further and deepen understanding.
- Can you give me an example?
- Do you agree with … ?
- Can you compare this with … ?
- Can you defend the actions of … ?
- Could this be interpreted differently?
- Is the narrator reliable?
- Does it seem too good to be true?
- Is ______ a fact or an opinion?
What are your favorite critical thinking questions? Come exchange ideas on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .
Plus, check out 10 tips for teaching kids to be awesome critical thinkers ..
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Home » Riddles » 31 Tricky Lateral Thinking Puzzles (with Answers)
31 Tricky Lateral Thinking Puzzles (with Answers)
Lateral thinking is defined as the solving of problems by an indirect and creative approach, typically through viewing the problem in a new and unusual light. Lateral thinking is used to move from a known idea to create new ideas. The skill of thinking laterally can be acquired through practice and use. Doing so provides the key to innovative thinking and creativity.
Table of Contents
- 1 Lateral Thinking Questions
- 2 Lateral Thinking Questions
- 3.1 Adam and Eve in Heaven
- 3.2 Double Sons
- 3.3 The Man and the Elevator
- 3.4 The Man Who Hung Himself
- 3.5 A Deadly Dish
- 3.6 The Arm in the Parcel
- 4.1 The Carrot, the Scarf, and Pieces of Coal
- 4.2 Adam and Eve in Heaven
- 4.3 Double Sons
- 4.4 The Man and the Elevator
- 4.5 The Man Who Hung Himself
- 4.6 A Deadly Dish
- 4.7 The Arm in the Parcel
- 5.1 The Bus Driver
- 5.2 Harried Hens
- 5.3 Stolen Goods
- 5.4 Terrifying Tiger
- 5.5 The Stranger in the Car
- 5.6 Tube Torment
- 5.7 Smart Dad
- 5.8 A Jump Survived
- 5.9 Locked Out
- 5.10 Pile-up
- 5.11 Sunny Day Weather?
- 6.1 The Choice
- 6.2 A Deadly Decision
- 6.3 A Missing Man
- 6.4 Push the Car
- 6.5 The Clever Barman
- 6.6 Death and the Unopened Package
- 6.7 Related Posts
In this article, we provide some lateral thinking puzzles to help you begin to think laterally. First we will challenge you with some lateral thinking questions. Next, we will provide some lateral thinking questions and answers to give you a foundation for your own lateral thinking. Finally, we will enjoy some fun lateral thinking riddles to tickle your mind and get you to think outside the box.
Lateral Thinking Questions
Lateral thinking questions create a scenario that, at first reading, seems either confusing or impossible. They may also have multiple solutions, although there is one that is usually considered “the best.” We have chosen some rather well-known lateral thinking questions to get you started. We have listed the questions first, followed by a list of answers. Many times you will think, “Oh, that was obvious.” when presented with the answer. We have also started with those we believe to be the easiest and worked our way to the most challenging. Enjoy!
The Carrot, the Scarf, and Pieces of Coal
A carrot, a scarf, and five pieces of coal are found lying on the lawn. Nobody put them on the lawn, but there is a simple, logical reason why they are there. What is it?
Adam and Eve in Heaven
A man died and went to heaven where there were millions of other people. Everyone was naked and looked as they did at the age of 21. He looked around to see if he recognized anyone. He saw a couple and he knew immediately they were Adam and Eve. How did he recognize them?
Double Sons
A woman had two sons. They were born at the same hour on the same day of the same month in the same year. However, they were not twins. How could this be?
The Man and the Elevator
A man lived on the tenth floor of a building. Every day he took the elevator down to the ground floor to go to work or to go shopping. When he returned, he took the elevator to the seventh floor and then walked up the stairs to reach his apartment on the tenth floor. On a rainy day, he took the elevator all the way to the tenth floor. He hated walking, so why does he do so?
The Man Who Hung Himself
In a large, completely empty, wooden barn is a dead man hanging from the middle of the central rafter. He is hanging three feet off the ground by a rope ten feet long. The closest wall is 20 feet away from the hanging man. It would not be possible to climb up the walls or along the rafters. Below him is a puddle of water. How did the man hang himself?
A Deadly Dish
Two men ordered dinner in a restaurant. They both ordered the same items from the menu. After they both tasted it, one of the men went outside the restaurant and shot himself. Why did he do so?
The Arm in the Parcel
One day a man received a parcel in the mail. He found a carefully packed human arm inside. He examined it, repacked it, and sent it on to another man. The second man also carefully examined the arm and then took it to the woods and buried it. Why did they both do these things?
Lateral Thinking Questions Answered
The items were used by children to build a snowman that has now melted.
Adam and Eve were the only people without navels. They were not born of women, so they had never had umbilical cords and, therefore, they never had navels.
Her two sons were part of a set of triplets (or quadruplets, etc.).
The man is extremely short. He can only reach the button for the seventh floor. However, on rainy days, he uses his umbrella to push the tenth floor button.
The man stood on a block of ice and hung when it melted.
The food the two men ordered was swordfish. Many years earlier they had both been stranded on a desert island. When one of the men tasted the swordfish, he realized he had never tasted it before. This meant that the meat he had been given on the island was not swordfish as he had been told. He realized that he had eaten the flesh of his son who died when they first reached the island. The thought drove him to the brink and he killed himself.
Years earlier, three men had been stranded on a desert island. When they became desperate for food, they agreed to amputate their left arms in order to eat them. One of them, a doctor, cut off the arms of the other two men. Because they swore an oath to all have their left arm cut off, after they were rescued, the doctor had his arm amputated and sent to the other two men.
Lateral Thinking Questions and Answers
In this next section, we have listed lateral thinking questions and answers without separating the questions from the answer. You may find these considerably easier than those in the previous section. Again, we have started with those we believe to be easier and worked to those more challenging. You may find having the questions and answers together helps you to recall those listed quickly and easily so that you can share them with friends, family, and colleagues.
The Bus Driver
You are driving a bus. The bus is empty when you begin your route. At the first stop, four people get on. At the second stop, eight people get on and 2 get off. At the third stop, 3 people get off and 4 get on. What colour are the bus driver’s eyes?
You are driving the bus, so what colour are your eyes?
Harried Hens
A family had a chicken coop for their one dozen, egg producing hens. Late one night, a terrible storm came through their area and killed all but eight chickens. How many chickens did the family have in the next morning? The family still had twelve chickens, four dead and eight alive.
Stolen Goods
A woman who is in a department store fills her shopping cart to the top and leaves the store without paying. Although she is seen, no one calls the police or attempts to stop her. Why? The woman is an employee of the department store. She is filling the shopping cart with trash and taking it out to the dumpster.
Terrifying Tiger
On a hot Saturday afternoon, a woman was walking slowly through the savannah when she spotted a tiger in the distance. Instead of turning around, hiding, or seeking help, the woman began to run towards where the tiger was. Why wasn’t she afraid and run away?
The woman was visiting a zoo.
The Stranger in the Car
A man raced his car through the streets with his wife as his only passenger. When they stopped, the husband got out of the car. When he returned, his found his wife dead and a stranger in the car. What had happened? The wife was pregnant and they were racing to the hospital for the birth of the baby. The husband jumped out of the car to get help and a wheelchair. When he returned, his wife had given birth to the baby, but died in childbirth.
Tube Torment
A woman enters a large metal tube. She is overcome with fear and clenches her husband’s hand tightly. She is visibly shaken. Her husband gently rubs her arms and speaks softly to her, but is unaffected himself. A few hours later, the woman’s husband tells her that it’s time to go and her torment ends. What was happening to the woman?
The woman is terrified of flying, but must travel to see a dying relative; this adds to her emotional turmoil. Her husband does his best to comfort her during the few hours of the flight.
Jacob’s dad could not stop his son from playing video games. As soon as he wasn’t watching Jacob, he would be back on playing away. Jacob’s dad decided to fix the problem permanently. He grabbed his hammer and solved the problem. Jacob could not play anymore, however, Jacob’s dad could do so. What did Jacob’s dad do? Jacob’s dad used the hammer to install a shelf high up on the wall. He placed the video game console and the controllers up on the shelf out of Jacob’s reach; however, Jacob’s dad could still reach them.
A Jump Survived
A man who lives in a fifty-story building decides to jump out of his window. He survives his fall with no injuries. How did he do this?
The man jumped out of his first-floor window, which was only a few feet from the ground.
After a long night of partying with her friends, a woman arrives home and finds that she cannot enter the house. She’s certain that she’s at the right home, but she cannot get inside. What happened that makes entering her home impossible?
The woman’s keys were taken away from her by a concerned friend when she began to be inebriated earlier that night. The woman called and hired a driver to take her home, but did not have her keys to unlock the doors.
At the bottom of a large hill, more than 40 cars are involved in an accident. Some of the cars are overturned and others are resting on top of other cars. The pile-up is so large that a few military vehicles and a fire truck are also involved in the crash. What happened to cause this big wreck?
The cars, trucks, and other vehicles are toys being played with by a small child.
Sunny Day Weather?
A man is driving on a sunny day. He makes a turn and water suddenly starts to pelt his car very hard for about five minutes. Then the car is buffeted by extremely hard blowing. The car even begins to shake. The blowing stops, and the man makes another turn onto the main road and heads home safely. What is happening?
The man drove his car into a drive-through car wash. After about 10 minutes, he leaves and drives his clean car home.
Lateral Thinking Riddles
Lateral thinking riddles are similar to lateral thinking questions. However, the phrasing is a bit different, more like a riddle. We have chosen some lateral thinking riddles that may stump even the cleverest thinker.
A murderer is condemned to death. He must choose between three rooms after his sentence is passed. The first is full of raging fire. The second is full of assassins with their guns loaded. The third is full of lions that haven’t eaten in six months. Which room should he choose?
The third room, because lions who have not eaten in six months are dead.
A Deadly Decision
A man decided to open a door. He screamed and was found dead a few minutes later. No gunshots were heard in the area and no weapons were found. What happened?
The man was on an airplane. He opened the hatch and fell to his death.
A Missing Man
Three men enter a room, but only two walk out. The room is empty. Where is the third man?
The third man uses a wheelchair, so he rolls out of the room instead of walking out.
Push the Car
A man pushed his car. When he reached a hotel, he knew he was bankrupt. How did he know this and why was he bankrupt?
The man was playing Monopoly.
The Clever Barman
A man walked into a bar and asked the bartender for a glass of water. The bartender pulls out a gun and points it at the man. The man says, “Thank you,” and leaves. What really happened?
The man had hiccups. When the bartender recognized this, he drew the gun in order to give the man a shock. It worked and the man’s hiccups were cured. Then the man no longer needed water.
Death and the Unopened Package
A man is found lying dead in a field. Next to him is an unopened package. No other person or living thing is in the field with him. How did he die?
The man jumped from a plane with a parachute that failed to open. The parachute is the unopened package.
The classic method for problem solving is logical or vertical thinking – coming to a conclusion by working through a step-by-step process using given information. Lateral or horizontal thinking involves having many ideas and looking at alternative ways of solving a problem by viewing the information in a broader sense. Using lateral thinking puzzles can help you unlock your ability to approach many of life’s problems and challenges in new and exciting ways. It is our hope this article begins you on a path to productive lateral thinking. Puzzle on!
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Susan majored in English with a double minor in Humanities and Business at Arizona State University and earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Liberty University. She taught grades four through twelve in both public and private schools. Subjects included English, U.S. and world history and geography, math, earth and physical science, Bible, information technologies, and creative writing.
Susan has been freelance writing for over ten years, during which time she has written and edited books, newspaper articles, biographies, book reviews, guidelines, neighborhood descriptions for realtors, Power Point presentations, resumes, and numerous other projects.
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I really enjoyed these. Lateral thinking and puzzles that require thinking are not only fun but also helpful for approaching real life situations and jobs that seem almost impossible without a bit of thought. Thank you so much for this brain teaser
These puzzles are extremely suitable for a group people who are trying to brainstorm and have some fun. Thank you!
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5 Lateral Thinking Questions and Answers 5.1 The Bus Driver 5.2 Harried Hens 5.3 Stolen Goods 5.4 Terrifying Tiger 5.5 The Stranger in the Car 5.6 Tube Torment 5.7 Smart Dad 5.8 A Jump Survived 5.9 Locked Out 5.10 Pile-up 5.11 Sunny Day Weather? 6 Lateral Thinking Riddles 6.1 The Choice 6.2 A Deadly Decision 6.3 A Missing Man 6.4 Push the Car
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