Make the Line Sorter

Birbal was jester, counsellor, and fool to the great Moghul emperor, Akbar.
The villagers loved to talk of Birbal's wisdom and cleverness,
and the emperor loved to try to outsmart him.
One day Akbar (emperor) drew a line across the floor.
"Birbal," he ordered, "you must make this line shorter, but you cannot erase any bit of it."
Everyone present thought the emperor had finally outsmarted Birbal.
It was clearly an impossible task.
Yet within moments the emperor and everyone else present had to agree that Birbal had made the line shorter without erasing any of it.
How could this be?




Similar Riddles

You are on a Boat in the mid of a river. You have two cigarettes with you. One of these two you have to light, how will you light the cigarette?

Asked by Neha on 21 Jul 2024


A crime was committed at baker street. Ibrahim Dakota who was shot in the stomach was the main suspect. Sherlock questioned the suspect. The conversation started as:
Sherlock: What's your story, Ibrahim?
Ibrahim: I was walking around baker street and suddenly a man from the back shot me. I ran as fast as I could to save my life".
Sherlock: That is enough (and ask the police to arrest him).

Why does Sherlock think he is the murderer?

Asked by Neha on 25 Apr 2025

There is a box. The area of its top is 240 square units, the area of the front is 300 square units and the area of the end is 180 square units.

Can you calculate the dimensions of this box with the given data?

Asked by Neha on 19 Apr 2025


A man and a dog were going down the street. The man rode, yet walked. What was the dog’s name?

Asked by Neha on 10 Mar 2022

What does a man do only once in his lifetime, but women do once a year after they are 29?

Asked by Neha on 10 Aug 2025

In my garden, I have many trees but only one of them is the mango tree. In these mango trees, there are some mangoes(as expected).

But after a strong wind, there are neither mangoes on the tree nor on the ground. Explain?

Asked by Neha on 16 May 2024


A cat had three kittens: Snophy, Topsy and Jorden. What was the mother's name?

Asked by Neha on 27 Jun 2024

I am a three digit number.
My tens digit is five more than my ones digit.
My hundreds digit is eight less than my tens digit.
What number am I?

Asked by Neha on 17 May 2021

I am a normal creature, but I have five hands. I can even have more but even then I will be considered normal.

Who am I?

Asked by Neha on 26 Dec 2024


Twice ten are six of us,

Six are but three of us,

Nine are but four of us;

What can we possibly be?

Would you know more of us?

Twelve are but six of us,

Five are but four, do you see?

What are we?

Asked by Neha on 26 Dec 2020

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Jigsaw puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles soared in popularity during the great depression, as they provided a cheap, long-lasting, recyclable form of entertainment.