Do you know the answer to this classic riddle about a farmer, his house, land, and money? Give it a shot and let’s see how you do with today’s challenge!
It’s not every day you come across a classic riddle like this. So, although most people who attempt to solve it get it wrong, we have a feeling you might be able to figure it out. But, before we start with the nitty-gritty of the riddle itself, let’s take a look at why you should be practicing riddles every day.
Riddles Can Tell you a Lot About Someone
Besides this riddle about a farmer, other riddles can also reveal a few things.
How do you imagine scenarios in your head? Well, it turns out, the way you think of something might not be the way someone else does. As such, those differences can explain a lot about someone. Research from Yale University has raised a few questions about the benefits of riddles, and what they reveal.
For instance, when you read that two people are standing near each other and facing opposite directions, what comes to mind? Are they facing away from each other, or toward each other? Why? It also raises questions about whether representational flexibility is a skill distinct from intelligence, and whether techniques can be developed to help dislodge default representations when those prove unhelpful.
Yale
Riddles might also be used to gauge how effectively someone can understand the thinking of others. Much as Simon Baron-Cohen’s “mind in eyes” test is purported to measure your ability to ascertain others’ emotional states, This suggests that riddles might be used to assess someone’s “cognitive empathy.”
Yale
So, the riddle you will attempt today might show you a thing or two about your empathy as well.
Farmer Riddle
Correctly solving today’s farmer riddle is a challenge. However, you should be able to guess the answer if you think outside the box. Remember that people are usually quick to make the wrong guess first. So, think about your answer before writing it down. Then, when you are ready, scroll down to reveal the answer.
The riddle is as follows: “A farmer died and lost his house, land, and money. What did he lose first?” To find out how smart you are, simply solve the riddle in under 10 seconds. Think you can get it right? Start your timer and good luck!
Did you solve the farmer riddle successfully? Well, let’s see what you wrote down. If you got your answer in 10 seconds or less, you’re off to a good start!
Solution
The correct solution to the farmer riddle is: “is life.” The farmer lost his life first, before losing his house, land, or money. If you read the riddle properly, you will see the order in which the list of events is stated. He died first. Everything else that followed was after he lost his life.
Did you get it right? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to try these other riddles below!
