Do you have what it takes to join the FBI? The FBI has a rigorous testing process with a 30% passing rate. Their first test has five main sections. One tests logical reasoning, one tests figural reasoning, one tests situational judgment, one is a character assessment, and one analyzes preference and interests. [1] If you like taking these kinds of tests for fun, here are five riddles that test that first section of logical reasoning, which includes attention to detail. Can you solve these mysteries? Can you tell who is the real mother or determine if suicide was really a murder?
Test #1 Who is the Real Mother?
Here is an example of the sort of question on an FBI test. It requires logical reasoning and creative thinking. So take a few moments to examine this photo. There are two women sitting opposite each other while a child plays on the floor between them. Who do you think is the real mother and why?
Answer: The true mother sits on the left, wearing a green dress. There are two clues hinting that she’s the mother. One is her posture. She’s slightly bent forward in a protective stance. Two, the child is facing her. Children often face their parents when playing or doing an activity because they naturally seek their attention.
Test #2 Poisoned Drinks
Miranda and Jules went to a bar together. They ordered the same drink. Jules was really thirsty and finished five in the time it took Miranda to finish one. The drinks were poisoned, but only Miranda died. How?
Answer: The drink wasn’t poisoned; the ice was. Miranda’s ice had time to melt and seep into the beverage. Meanwhile, Jules drank hers before the ice had a chance to melt, sparing her from the poison.
Test #3 Suicide or Murder?
A witness discovered a dead body at the bottom of a tall building. It looks like the person had committed suicide by jumping from one of the top floors. When the detective arrives, he goes to the first floor to examine the closed window that overlooks the body. He opens the window and tosses a coin toward the pavement. He repeats this on every floor of the building. When he returns to the main floor, he states that this was a murder, not a suicide. How did he come to that conclusion?
Answer: He had to open the window on every floor to toss his coin. If the person had committed suicide, the window would have remained open. Someone else had to be there to close the window.
Test #4 Who Stole Her Mother’s Ring?
Georgina called the police to report a robbery. She stated that someone had shattered her window and took a vintage ring that had belonged to her mother. When the police arrived, they noticed the broken window with glass sprinkling the grass and muddy footprints all over the carpets. After surveying the scene, the police arrested Georgina for fraud. How come?
Answer: When the police looked at the crime scene, they noticed that the glass from the window was all over the grass, meaning it was broken from the inside, not the outside like Georgina had claimed, which meant she had set up the scene herself.
Test #5 Suicide or Murder 2.0?
A man was found dead in his office. He held a gun in one hand and a cassette recorder in the other. The police pressed play on the recorder to hear the message. They heard the man say, “I can’t go on. I have nothing to live for,” followed by a gunshot. The police turned off the tape and declared this case murder, not a suicide. How did they know?
Answer: If that gunshot killed the man, he wouldn’t have been able to stop the tape and rewind it for the police to be able to listen to. Someone else had to be there to rewind it.
More Riddles and Brain Teasers:
- If you are on fire with these test, try these 15 Brain Teasers That Will Awaken Your Inner Sherlock Holmes.
- You may not be applying to the FBI but you will want to try these 7 Brain Teasers You Might Be Asked During a Job Interview.
- Want some easier questions? Try these 10 Brainteasers for Children.
- If you like math, try solving This Math Problem Without a Calculator.
- If you like picture riddles like these ones, Can You Guess Which Family Is Poor?
Sources
- “FBI Phase 1 Practice Test.” TSA TEST PREP.
