Verbal puzzles work great as time wasters, transitions, or puzzles of youth group tradition. Standing in line at an amusement park for three hours seems to fly by with a handful of these at your disposal. Most of them ask for a participant to repeat a relatively simple task that, to your observers, seems quite simple to duplicate. Usually the task carries with it some subtle verbal or nonverbal cue that is the key to true duplication. As much fun as these games can be to inflict upon campers, try not to present any more than two of these problems at a time. One could easily drag one of these puzzlers out over the course of an entire week of camp. Instruct campers who quickly pick up on the answers to these riddles not to share the answer. A few of your group who are part of the “Elite Knowledge Union” can greatly aid in the distraction of the other campers figuring out the answer.
Bang, Who’d I Shoot?
This is a classic stumper to bring out of the bag on occasion. Start by making a classic gun gesture with your hand and pointing it at someone close by. Say, “Bang,” and wait for a couple of seconds before asking, “Who did I shoot?” Usually the response will be that you shot the person you were aiming at, but most of the time it is not. Many times, the randomness of whom you shot causes most theories to be born and dashed in the time it takes to say, “Bang, Bang.” Vary the method by pointing, looking away, twitching a thumb, and saying “Bang” a number of different times.
The key to this wonderful puzzler is that the first person to talk at all after you say, “Bang,” is the one who has been shot. Therefore saying “Bang” and then waiting for a bit is both distracting and suspenseful all at the same time, because when you then say, “Who’d I shoot,” you have just killed yourself.
Bugs in My Cup
Hold up a cup; any cup will do, empty or full. Ask your group, “How many bugs do I have in this cup?” The answer, of course, is nine. You will have puzzled looks cross many faces, so ask again, “How many bugs are in this cup?” Some will shyly answer nine again; but, of course, the answer this time is seven. For the one who has guessed seven correctly, look him straight in his knowing eyes and ask, “How many do I have?” Of course the answer is now five. “How many?” Now perhaps you will have an ovation of correct answers shouted back at you, “Two!”
The key to joining this Elite Knowledge Union lies in the number of words that are in your questions. Be sure to have your words counted out ahead of time so you will not be noticed with that look on your face that screams to your group, “He’s counting something!” The amount of objects actually in the cup, the number of times you shake it, the number of times you touch it—all are distraction techniques you could try.
Got the Beat?
Using your fingers and a table top, establish a simple beat movement of ten to twelve beats. Perform the sequence of beats a couple of times in front of the group. After you have demonstrated your beat pattern a few times, announce to your group, “I have the beat.” Give them the chance to perform a duplicate beat pattern knowing that if it is simple enough, you should get a few quick volunteers.
Now as in most of these elements, the key to being part of the Elite Knowledge Union has little to do with the obvious task at hand. Be sure that each time you “have the beat,” you are completing your sequence of beats with a brief pause, a challenging look, and then the key to success: folding your hands in some subtle yet purposeful manner. Folding or clasping the hands together is really the only key; the beats are only a means of distraction. After a few failed attempts at duplication, make the key to success a little more obvious and distinct. It will surprise you how zoned in on the beat your audience is, even while you are trying to give away the key.
Hands Down or Chinese Writing
Scatter three or four pens, pencils, or spoons around a table and explain that you are going to teach the symbol for Chinese numbers. Scatter them in a pattern—any random pattern—and ask, “What number is this?” You will have some guesses, but very few will know why they guessed a number that they did. The key to this puzzler is paying attention to the number of fingers left either on top of the table or exposed on the floor by the leader. It is incredible how distracting four spoons on the center of a table can be to the obvious three or four fingers left peeking out from a devious fist of deception. If there are no fingers on the table, the number is zero, no matter what the symbol you have arranged looks like. An open hand resting naturally is a good deceiving five. Use two hands to create numbers higher than five. Have your group arrange the silverware for you, and you tell them what the number is.
Is This a Pen?
Hold a pen in one hand and state for your group: “This is a pen, this is a pen, this is a pen,” adjusting the direction and elevation of the pen every time you say it. Finish your series of statements with the question, “Is this a pen?” The answer will be no. Next time, start over. “Okay, this is a pen, this is a pen. Is this a pen?” The answer is yes but do you know why? Try again. “Okay, this is a pen, this is a pen, this is a pen. Is this a pen?” The answer is again yes; seeing it printed out, you might guess why very quickly. But with just hearing and watching, the physical gyrations become a huge distraction from the key.
The enrollment into this Elite Knowledge Union is based on whether your series of “This is a pen” statements begins with an okay or not. This can be an extremely deceiving puzzler, especially if you do a series of “no” answers early in the exchange.
Johnny Whoops
Hold out your hand in front of you so that your fingers are pointed straight up in the air and spread out. With your opposite pointer finger, point at your extended pinky and say out loud, “Johnny.” Now move your pointer finger off your pinky and point at the adjacent ring finger. As you touch it, say, again, “Johnny.” Moving across your row of fingers continue to say “Johnny” at each finger. When you are moving from pointing at your index finger to pointing at your thumb, slide your pointer down the side of your finger and back up the slope of your thumb while saying, “Whoops.” Simulate a mini ski jump with your pointer finger flying slightly into the air and coming to rest directly on top of your thumb and stating, “Johnny.” Reverse directions with another whoops down the side of your thumb slope and continue the “Johnny” hops all the way back to the pinky where you started.
Now that you have that simple action down to perfection, start each Johnny Whoops rendition with a small clearing of the throat. This subtle cough is the key to being a part of the Elite Knowledge Union. All of the rest of the Johnny and Whooping are merely elements of distraction.
Logical Sequence
What is the pattern that makes these numbers arranged in this order, a logical sequence?
8 5 4 9 1 7 6 3 2 0
Answer: These numbers are zero through nine placed in alphabetical order.
Molly Likes . . .
Here is a verbal puzzler that has the potential of lasting for days. Introduce to your group an imaginary friend named Molly. Molly is quite opinionated about certain things and has some unique preferences. For instance, Molly likes apples but not pears. She really enjoys swimming but hates water. She likes to wear boots, but she does not like leather. Strangely enough, she really loves puppies but does not like dogs. Now ask your group, “Does Molly like horses?” No, of course not. “Well, how does she feel about saddles?” She likes them, despite how she feels about leather. Even stranger yet, Molly hates emotion, while she enjoys feelings.
What is Molly’s key? The answer to being part of this Elite Knowledge Union is that Molly likes any word that has a double letter in it and dislikes any word that does not have a double letter. Meaning, Molly likes letters but hates words.
My Ship Has Come In
This one works best when a few others in the group already know its key. Start off by saying, “My ship has come in; it is carrying strawberries and bananas. Has your ship come in?” They may respond that it has. Ask, “What is it carrying?” Depending on their answer, they may or may not be able to have their ship come in. If they have suitable cargo, respond, “Your ship has come in!” If they are not carrying suitable cargo state, “I’m sorry. Your ship cannot come in.”
The key to this puzzler is based on the first letters of the first and last name of the person who is attempting to have his ship come in. Mr. Sam, being Sam Brock, can carry any cargo starting with an s and a b. But the cargo of John Smith cannot carry strawberries and bananas like Sam Brock can. John’s ship can come in if he chooses to carry something like Jell-O and silverware. The statement of “Yes, your ship can come in,” only adds to the feeling of this being some sort of an Elite Knowledge Union.
Next in Line?
Cerebral problems are best when the answer is staring you right in the face the whole time. The best ones elicit a response of, “Oh, Duh!!” The following is a good sequence that does that very thing.
Look at this list of letters and tell me what letter is next in line. O T T F F S S . . .
Answer: The next letter is E for eight, because the above letters are the first letters of numbers one through seven.
Polar Bears Around the Ice Holes
A pair of dice and a winter tale is needed for this little teaser. After you roll the dice and look down on life from your lofty perch, you can see polar bears in the arctic hunting for food. Sometimes they have found for themselves an ice hole to fish in, and sometimes they are just out in a snow bank. As dice are rolled, ask your campers from time to time what they see. When you roll a five and a three, they should see something like “a group of good hunting polar bears—six polar bears and two ice holes.”
Scissors
While holding a pair of scissors with two hands, say, “I am handing these scissors to you opened.” Hand them to one in your group with them opened. Now, taking them back, close the scissors and say, “I am handing them to you closed,” while they are, in fact, still opened. It quickly becomes apparent that it is no matter if the scissors are physically open or closed. The key is based upon another element.
To join the ranks of the Elite Knowledge Union, one must observe the feet or legs of the passer. To cross your feet or close your legs determines how you would comment on the passed scissors. While passing the scissors with your legs crossed, the scissors will always be “closed.”
