Unique Brain Teasers for Adults (With Answers) for 2023

Looking for brain teasers for adults? Brain teasers are puzzles that require logic and problem-solving skills. They can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and can help improve cognitive function. Some of the most famous brain teasers include the Eureka! Problem, the Tower of Hanoi, and the Russel Paradox.

brain teasers for adults

Benefits of Brain teasers for the Brain

There are a lot of benefits that can be achieved by doing brain teasers. For one, it helps improve your problem-solving skills. It also enhances your memory and concentration. In addition, brain teasers can also help prevent cognitive decline in adults.

One study even found that people who did brain teasers had significantly higher scores on tests measuring memory and executive function, compared to those who didn’t do any brain teasers.

Another study found that older adults who did a puzzle daily for six weeks improved their memory and thinking skills, compared to those who didn’t do the puzzle.

So if you’re looking for a way to improve your cognitive function, brain teasers are a great option.

brain teasers for adults

The Very Best Brain Teasers for Adults (Funny, Easy, Hard, and More)

What do you call a snowman with a six-pack?

Answer: An abdominal snowman!

What do you call an elf who doesn’t take a shower for a year?

Answer: Stinky!

How does Santa Claus take pictures?

Answer: With his North Pole-aroid camera!

How do you throw a space party?

Answer: You planet!

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

Answer: Pilgrims!

Why did the gym close down?

Answer: It just didn’t work out!

Why are ghosts, such bad liars?

Answer: Because they are easy to see through.

What do you call a reindeer with no eyes?

brain teasers for adults

Answer: No-eyed deer!

A man is looking at a photograph of someone. His friend asks who it is. The man replies, “Brothers and sisters, I have none. But that man’s father is my father’s son.” Who was in the photograph?

Answer: His son.

A man stands on one side of a river, his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who immediately crosses the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?

Answer: The river was frozen.

I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I?

Answer: A bank

The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it?

Answer: Darkness

A sundial has the fewest moving parts of any timepiece. Which has the most?

Answer: An hourglass

It stalks the countryside with ears that can’t hear. What is it?

Answer: Corn

brain teasers for adults

How can a man who shaves several times a day still sport a long beard?

Answer: He’s a barber

What coat goes on wet?

Answer: A coat of paint

A rancher had 500 cows and took one shot that got them all. How did he do it?

Answer: A panoramic photo

What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?

Answer: An echo

Who is bigger: Mr. Bigger, Mrs. Bigger, or their baby?

Answer: The baby because he is a little bigger.

Mike is a butcher. He is 5 foot 10 inches tall. What does he weigh?

Answer: Meat.

What can you keep after giving to someone?

Answer: Your word

A man dies of old age on his 25 birthday. How is this possible?

Answer: He was born on February 29th

Where does today come before yesterday?

Answer: The dictionary

I’m tall when I’m young and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?

Answer: A candle.

When you have me, you immediately feel like sharing me. But if you do share me, you do not have me.

Answer: A secret.

Always in you, Sometimes on you; If I surround you, I can kill you. What am I?

Answer: Water.

Which tire doesn’t move when a car turns right?

Answer:The spare tire.

A man pushes his car to a hotel and tells its owner that he is bankrupt. Why?

Answer: He is playing Monopoly

Railroad crossing, watch out for cars. Can you spell that without any Rs?

Answer:T-H-A-T.

Peter’s father has five sons. The names of the four sons are Fefe, Fifi, Fafa and Fufu respectively. What is the name of the fifth son?

Answer: Peter.

What does this mean? I RIGHT I

Answer: Right between the eyes.

Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?

Answer: Fire.

brain teasers for adults

A man left home running. He ran a ways and then turned left, ran the same distance and turned left again, ran the same distance and turned left again. When he got home, there were two masked men. Who were they?

Answer: The catcher and the umpire.

Mr. and Mrs. Mustard have six daughters and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the Mustard family?

Answer: There are nine Mustards in the family. Since each daughter shares the same brother, there are six girls, one boy and Mr. and Mrs. Mustard.

How do you make the number 7 even without addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division?

Answer: Drop the "S".

brain teasers for adults

What can you hold without using your hands?

Answer: Your breath!

What can someone who is blind see?

Answer: Darkness

Give an example of something that never decreases and always increases.

Answer: Age

Name a thing that is free outside but is costly in hospitals.

Answer: Oxygen.

brain teasers for adults

What letter is like New year’s day?

Answer: J ( of January)

Why does a young lady need a letter y?

Answer: Because without y she wouldn’t be young.

Why is the letter A like a flower?

Answer: Because the letter B (bee) is always after it.

A cow provides us with milk, and a hen provides us with eggs. Tell me who provides both of these?

Answer: A store owner.

Which makes you sweat very hard and that begins and ends with ‘N’.

Answer: Noon

A pair which you will cut and that begins and ends with ‘S’.

Answer: Scissors

Which question’s answers change with time?

Answer: What is the time now?

brain teasers for adults

What is such a thing that is long when young, short when old, long when new, and short when used?

Answer:  A Candle

What is such a thing, as if you put a finger in its eyes, it opens its mouth?

Answer: Scissors

What is that the more you have, the less you can see?

Answer: Darkness

What has to break before you can use it?

Answer: An egg.

What is the one question you can never answer?

Answer: “Are you asleep yet?”

What’s the one thing you can break without ever touching it?

Answer: A promise.

What goes up but never comes down?

Answer: Your age.

I shave every day, but my hair only grows longer. What am I?

Answer: A barber.

brain teasers for adults

What is the end of everything?

Answer: The letter “G.”

I come down, but I never go up. What am I?

Answer: Rain.

I am full of holes, but I can still hold a lot of water. What am I?

Answer: A sponge.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

Answer: The egg. Dinosaurs laid eggs long before there were chickens!

You're in a dark room with a candle, a wood stove, and a gas lamp. You only have one match, so what do you light first?

Answer: The match.

I have a money box that's 10 inches wide and 5 inches tall. Roughly how many bills can I place in my empty money box?

Answer: Just one, after which it will no longer be empty.

What makes this number unique: 8,549,176,320?

Answer: It contains each number, zero through nine, in alphabetical order.

What type of cheese is made backwards?

Answer: Edam cheese.

What is the longest fruit?

Answer: Longan.

brain teasers for adults

What can fill an entire room without taking up any space?

Answer: Light.

My name has ten letters. The first four letters represent power; you eat my fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth letters, and my last three letters represent a female. Also, I can fly. What am I?

Answer: A kingfisher.

A girl who was just learning to drive went the wrong way down a one-way street, but she didn't break the law. How is this possible?

Answer: Because she was walking.

I am heavy and hard to pick up, but backwards I am not. What am I?

Answer: A ton, which is equal to 2,000 pounds and spelled backwards is N-O-T.

The more there is, the less you see. What is it?

Answer: Fog

What is in the middle of America?

Answer: The letter ‘R.’

How many months have 28 days?

Answer: 12 months.

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?

Answer: They’re triplets—there is a third child.

brain teasers for adults

You’re stuck in an escape room with three doors. You’ll need to go through one of these doors to escape. The first door is filled with poisonous snakes. The second door has no floor and the third door has a tiger that hasn’t eaten in 2 months. Which door would you choose?

Answer: The third door. If the tiger hasn’t eaten in 2 months, it’s dead.

This goes up and down, but never moves? What is it?

Answer: A flight of stairs.

What starts with the letter T, is filled with T and ends in T?

Answer: A teapot.

Every year on Mars is double the length of a year on Earth, how old would you be if you lived on Mars?

Answer: Double your age.

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?

Answer: Everyone was at church!

A man has a bee in his hand. What is it?

Answer: A bumble bee.

I have a head and a tail but nobody. What am I?

Answer: A coin.

brain teasers for adults

A man walks into a bar and asks for a beer. He then leaves the bar, but returns to the bar and asks for another beer. He then leaves the bar again, but this time he doesn’t return. What is the man’s name?

Answer: The man’s name is Bill.

A woman has two sons who were born on the same hour of the same day of the same year. But they are not twins. How is this possible?

Answer: The woman is a twin herself and her sons are fraternal twins.

A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?

Answer: The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.

A bus driver and a doctor are both infatuated with the same woman, Sarah, who is beautiful. The bus journey would last a week before he had to leave. He handed her seven apples before leaving. What's the significance?

Answer: An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Answer:  To get to the other side!

A man was taking a walk outside when it started to rain. The man didn't have an umbrella, and he wasn't wearing a hat. His clothes got soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this happen?

Answer: The man was bald.

I have a large money box, 10 inches wide, and 5 inches tall. Roughly how many coins can I place in my empty money box?

Answer: Just one, after which it will no longer be empty.

In 1990, a person was 15 years old. In 1995, that same person was 10 years old. How can this be?

Answer: The person was born in 2005 B.C.

Conclusion:

Brain teasers are a great way to keep your mind sharp and have some fun at the same time. We hope you enjoyed our collection of brain teasers for adults. If you’re looking for more, be sure to check out our other articles on puzzles and riddles. 

Thanks for reading!

author: patrick algrim
About the author

Patrick Algrim is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), NCDA Certified Career Counselor (CCC), and general career expert. Patrick has completed the NACE Coaching Certification Program (CCP). And has been published as a career expert on Forbes, Glassdoor, American Express, Reader's Digest, LiveCareer, Zety, Yahoo, Recruiter.com, SparkHire, SHRM.org, Process.st, FairyGodBoss, HRCI.org, St. Edwards University, NC State University, IBTimes.com, Thrive Global, TMCnet.com, Work It Daily, Workology, Career Guide, MyPerfectResume, College Career Life, The HR Digest, WorkWise, Career Cast, Elite Staffing, Women in HR, All About Careers, Upstart HR, The Street, Monster, The Ladders, Introvert Whisperer, and many more. Find him on LinkedIn.

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