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

An evil man kidnapped someone and made them take one of two pills. One was harmless, but the other was poisonous. Whichever pill the victim took, the kidnapper took the other one. The victim took their pill with water and died. The kidnapper survived. How did the kidnapper get the harmless pill?

Asked by Neha on 27 Jun 2025


Below, you will find the mathematical proof that 10 equals 9.99999?. But is that possible or there is something wrong about it? Can you find the error?

x = 9.999999...
10x = 99.999999...
10x - x = 90
9x = 90
x = 10

Asked by Neha on 27 Aug 2021

I am a type of vehicle that has two wheels and is powered by humans. What am I?
Hint 1: You can ride me for exercise.
Hint 2: I am environment-friendly.

Asked by Neha on 01 Oct 2025


You have three orange, two pink and five purple balls in the drawer beside your bed. There is no electricity and the room is entirely dark. How many balls must you take out to ensure at least one ball of each colour at least?

Asked by Neha on 08 May 2025

If you remove one from eleven, it becomes ten. If you remove one from nine, it becomes ten.

How is this possible?

Asked by Neha on 25 Sep 2023

A seven-year-old kid challenged his classmates that he can make the number one disappear by adding something to it.

How can he do that?

Asked by Neha on 04 Apr 2024


What is greater than gold but cannot be bought. it can never be sold and can earn if its sought. though it can be broken, it can still be fixed. for by birth it can't start nor by death it is ended.what am i?

Asked by Neha on 19 Mar 2022

Can you solve the tricky chess rebus puzzle below by ciphering the hidden meaning?

Chess Rebus Riddle

Asked by Neha on 19 Dec 2020

When we see 2 but call 10?

Asked by Neha on 14 Oct 2023


Your job is to measure 45 minutes if you have only two cords and matches to light the cords.

1. The two cords are twisted from various materials, so their different segments can burn at different rates.
2. Each cord burns from end to end in exactly one hour.

Describe your way of measuring the 45 minutes.

Asked by Neha on 15 May 2024

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Challenging

There is a cryptic organization called Cicada 3301 that posts challenging puzzles online, possibly to recruit codebreakers and linguists.