Linear Thinking Riddle

There are four people in a house. A fireman, an athlete, an old woman, and a drunk guy. The house catches fire and before the fact is known, it is too late. All they know is that the entire house is in flames and it will collapse exactly after twelve minutes. Now they can move out of the house but for that, they will have to pass the hallway which is entirely blazing with flames. Thus to move, one must carry a fire extinguisher to keep the flames away. Seeking the burnt wooden floor, only two people can run through that hallway at one time. But for others to go, one must return back with the fire extinguisher. The fireman is trained for such tasks and can run through the hallway in a minute. The athlete can make it in a couple of minutes. The old woman can run slowly and will cover the hallway in four minutes. The drunk guy will take five minutes to run through it. If all of them can make it through the hallway in twelve minutes, all of them will be saved. When two move together, they will run at the speed of the slower ones.

How will all four of them manage to run to safety?




Similar Riddles

Jigsaw captured 100 people and make them stand in a circle and all these people are labelled as Person1, Person2, Person3... Person100. He made them play a crazy game in which Person 1 shot Person 2 and pass the gun to the next person and so on until one stands alive.

Which person will survive in the end?

Asked by Neha on 23 Sep 2025


An apple seller is hosting a competition. He offers 1000 apples and 10 boxes to the people who pass by. The challenge is to put those 1000 apples in the 10 boxes in such a manner that if he asks for any amount of apples, the person can directly give him the boxes or a combination of boxes. If the person can do it, he promises to give a thousand apples for free.

If you happen to pass by the apple seller, will you be able to win a thousand apples?

Asked by Neha on 10 Feb 2026

Bopanna was working on a murder case when he received a message about the location of the murder weapon.
The message was encrypted as below.

"deb mitciv eht edisni neddih si nopaew redrum ehT"

Tell me the location of the murder weapon.

Asked by Neha on 04 Jan 2026


We know that money can be names differently for the purpose it is used for. Some of the examples of money given at following places or for following activities:

In temple = Daan
In school = Fees
During marriage = Dowry
For divorce = Alimony
Paying government = Tax
In court = Fine
Employer to employee = Salary
To kidnappers = Ransom
For illegal reason = Bribe
To civil servant retirees = Pension

Do you know what do we call the money a husband gives to his wife?

Asked by Neha on 12 Jan 2021

Take away the whole and some still remain. What is it?

Asked by Neha on 19 Dec 2024

Which is the rope you never skip with?

Asked by Neha on 01 May 2024


It walks on 4 when its young, walks on 2 when it's older, and walks on 3 when its very old?

Asked by Neha on 17 Jul 2021

A brand new Mobile Phone was on sale at 20% as a promotional offer. By what per cent must the Mobile price be increased to sell it at the original price again?

Asked by Neha on 26 Oct 2023

Can anyone tell me a word in the English dictionary which has a silent 'z'?

Asked by Neha on 13 Jan 2024


Where do you go to learn how to make ice cream?

Asked by Neha on 07 Aug 2024

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Gamers

In 2011, people playing Foldit, an online puzzle game about protein folding, resolved the structure of an enzyme that causes an Aids-like disease in monkeys. Researchers had been working on the problem for 13 years. The gamers solved it in three weeks.