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

I don't get anymore wetter, no matter how much rain falls on me.

Asked by Neha on 22 Jan 2025


You board a train. The train will have to enter a tunnel soon. You are claustrophobic. Which place is the best for you to sit?

Asked by Neha on 17 Nov 2024

Railroad Crossing, look out for the cars. Can you spell that, without any R's ?

Asked by Neha on 14 May 2021


What question can you never answer yes to?

Asked by Neha on 09 May 2022

There are two words one resembles the "state of rest" and the other is related to "writing/reading material".

Can you name these two words which also sound similar?

Asked by Neha on 21 May 2024

The more you take me, the more you leave me behind.
Who Am I?

Asked by Neha on 15 Jan 2025


In Greek mythology, the Sphinx sat outside of Thebes and asked this riddle of all travellers who passed by. If the traveller failed to solve the riddle, then the Sphinx killed him/her. And if the traveller answered the riddle correctly, then the Sphinx would destroy herself. The riddle:

What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?

Oedipus solved the riddle, and the Sphinx destroyed herself.

Asked by Neha on 26 Jul 2024

John can place six large boxes or nine small boxes into a carton.

Can you find out in how many cartons can he place sixty-six boxes in total?

Asked by Neha on 10 Jul 2023

Given below is simple addition with a defined pattern pattern:
7 + 7 = 2
8 + 8 = 4
8 + 5 = 1
6 + 9 = 3
10 + 11 = 9

Can you analyze the pattern and find out the answer for:

4 + 9 = ?

Solve the Addition

Asked by Neha on 05 Apr 2021


John asked Jack, "The time right now is 7 pm. Can you tell me what will be the time 23, 999, 995 hours later ?"

While Bella does not know the answer, do you ?

Asked by Neha on 22 Jun 2021

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Rubik’s Cube

The inventor of the Rubik’s Cube didn’t realize he’d built a puzzle until he scrambled it the first time and tried to restore it.