How to Tell a Riddle

Riddles consist of a question and answer and rely on wordplay. One of the most famous riddles is the Riddle of the Sphinx. The Sphinx ate whoever couldn't answer her riddle: What has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed? (Oedipus finally got the answer - a man. A child crawls on all fours, an adult walks on two feet, and an old man uses a cane.)

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Breast Shields
• Hand Buzzers
• Joke Books
• Helmets
• Rubber Chickens

1. Ask the setup question, being careful not to give away the answer, but providing enough information for your audience to figure it out.
2. Ask it again if they don't answer.
3. Emphasize a word or two if they seem stumped. For example, if you said, "A plane crashed and every single person on it died, yet there were survivors. Who were they?" the audience may look at you blankly. If you emphasize the word "single," though, they should understand that you meant unmarried.

Tips & Warnings

• When a teller laughs at his or her own joke, the joke loses its effectiveness. This is especially true if the teller laughs before the punch line.