Clever riddles

logicsimplecleanclever

Why are manhole covers round? Do manhole covers really need to be circular?
Manhole covers are round so that they won't fall through the hole into the sewer below them. No matter how you turn the cover, you won't be able to push the cover through the hole. However, if you were to have square manhole covers, you would be able to rotate the cover such that one of the edges of the square cover is lined up with the diagonal line of the square hole, which would allow the cover to fall through, causing countless problems that the general public would rather avoid.
73.93 %
55 votes
simplelogicmathcleverclean

An infinite number of mathematicians are standing behind a bar. The first asks the barman for half a pint of beer, the second for a quarter pint, the third an eighth, and so on. How many pints of beer will the barman need to fulfill all mathematicians' wishes?
Just one.
73.60 %
108 votes
logicsimplecleancleverstory

A woman who lived in Germany during World War II wanted to cross the German/Swiss border in order to escape Nazi pursuers. The bridge which she is to cross is a half mile across, over a large canyon. Every three minutes a guard comes out of his bunker and checks if anyone is on the bridge. If a person is caught trying to escape German side to the Swiss side they are shot. If caught crossing the other direction without papers they are sent back. She knows that it takes at least five minutes to cross the bridge, in which time the guard will see her crossing and shoot her. How does she get across?
She waits until the guard goes inside his hunt, and begins to walk across the bridge. She gets a little more than half way, turns around, and begins to walk toward the german side once more. The guard comes out, sees that she has no papers, and sends her "back" to the swiss side.
73.52 %
112 votes
cleanclever

There are five vowels in English language (a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y). Easy version: Can you tell us a word contains of these 5 vowels? Hard: Can you tell us a word contains of all these 6 vowels with y? Very difficult: Can you tell us a word contains of all these vowels with y in their alphabetical order?
Unquestionably In their alphabetical order: Facetiously Abstemiously Adventitiously
73.41 %
63 votes