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

A game is being played where eight players can last for thirty-five minutes. Six substitutes alternate with each player in this game. Thus, all players are on the pitch for the same amount of time including the substitutes.

For how long is each player on the pitch?

Asked by Neha on 29 Aug 2023


How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you even if it doesn't hit anything there is nothing attached to it and no one else catches or throws it.

Asked by Neha on 06 Nov 2025

What can go through glass without breaking it?

Asked by Neha on 23 Aug 2025


Find the next number in the series?
2, 12, 36, 80, 150, 252, 392, _ ?

Asked by Neha on 22 Jan 2024

A man wants to cross the pit of fire which is 25 feet in length and he has 2 planks(fire resistant) 19 feet in length. How can he cross the pit of fire alive?

Asked by Neha on 02 Oct 2025

I have Rs.50 and I spend it in the way as below.

Fund and Spends

Asked by Neha on 01 Oct 2023


What's the best place to go shopping in the ocean?

Asked by Neha on 31 Oct 2024

Three playing cards in a row. Can you name them with these clues? There is a two to the right of a king. A diamond will be found to the left of a spade. An ace is to the left of a heart. A heart is to the left of a spade. Now, identify all three cards.

Asked by Neha on 17 May 2021

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?

Asked by Neha on 02 Jun 2023


While house hunting in London, I came across a very good leasehold property Discussing the lease the landlady told me:

'The property was originally on a 99 years lease and two-thirds of the time passed is equal to four-fifths of the time to come. Now work it out for yourself and see how many years are to go!

Asked by Neha on 18 Apr 2022

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Crossword

The day before the 1996 U.S. presidential election, the NYT Crossword contained the clue “Lead story in tomorrow’s newspaper,” the puzzle was built so that both electoral outcomes were correct answers, requiring 7 other clues to have dual responses.