Tax Collection Custom

A research team went to a village somewhere between the jungles of Africa. Luckily for them, they reached the day when quite an interesting custom was to be performed. The custom was performed once a year as they confirmed and was performed in order to collect the taxes from every male of the region.

The taxes were to be paid in the form of grains. Everyone must pay pounds of grain equaling his respective age. This means a 20-year-old will have to pay 20 pounds of grain and a 30-year-old will pay 30 pounds of grain and so on.

The chief who collects the tax has 7 weights and a large 2-pan scale to weigh. But there is another custom that the chief can weigh only three of the seven weights.

Can you find out the weights of the seven weights? Also, what is the maximum age of the man that can be weighed for the payment of taxes?




Similar Riddles

I have thought of a number that is made up by using all the ten digits just once. Here are a few clues for you to guess my number:

First digits is divisible by 1.
First two digits are divisible by 2.
First three digits are divisible by 3.
First four digits are divisible by 4.
First five digits are divisible by 5.
First six digits are divisible by 6.
First seven digits are divisible by 7.
First eight digits are divisible by 8.
First nine digits are divisible by 9.
The number is divisible by 10.

Can you find out the number ?

Asked by Neha on 12 Mar 2023


A tourist visits a small town for his research. While in the town, he decides to get a haircut. Since the town is quite small, there are only two barbers in the town � one on the North Street and one on the South Street. The barbershop on the North Street is a mess and the barber has a weird and pathetic haircut. While the barbershop at the South Street is pretty tidy and the barber as well has an impressive haircut.

Which barbershop will the tourist visit for his haircut and why?

Famous Barber Haircut Riddle

Asked by Neha on 23 Jul 2024

The following question it puts forth you:

25 - 55 + (85 + 65) = ?

Then, you are told that even though you might think it's wrong, the correct answer is actually 5!

Whats your reaction to it? How can this be true?

Asked by Neha on 07 Jun 2024


Give it food and it will live; give it water and it will die.

Asked by Neha on 17 Dec 2023

If your uncle’s sister is not your aunt, what relation is she to you?

Asked by Neha on 28 Jul 2025

You are a thief and you are being punished for your crime. People have tied your head down on a tree with a rope that has been anchored in the ground. A candle is burning below the rope which is slowly burning it away. Just below your head, a Lion has been left loose and is waiting for you to drop down on the ground so he can have you as his lunch.

You have to survive the scenario. How will you do it?

Asked by Neha on 17 Dec 2025


You have two bottles of pills marked with labels A and B. The pills are identical. The doctor has asked you to take one A pill and one B pill daily. You cant take more or less than that.

While taking out the pills one day, you took out one pill from A and by mistake took out two from B. You have no idea which pill is which now.

You cant throw away the expensive pills. What will you do now?

Asked by Neha on 02 Jul 2023

A woman named Maria was at the funeral of her mother. She met a nice young man that she had never seen before and after the service, they spent a bit of time together. Then she got busy and didn’t get his name or phone number before he left. She tried to find him, but no one knew who he was or how to contact him. A few weeks later, Maria’s older sister dies and the police suspect murder. Who killed the sister?

Asked by Neha on 02 Jun 2025

John bought 150 chocolates but he misplaced some of them. His Father asked him how many chocolates were misplaced.
He gave the following answer to him:
If you count in pairs, one remains
If you count in threes, two remain
If you count in fours, three remain
If you count in fives, four remain
If you count in sixes, five remain
If you count in sevens, no chocolate remains.

Can you analyze the statements and tell us how many chocolates were lost?

Asked by Neha on 22 Dec 2024


Alex is stranded on an island covered in forest.
One day, when the wind is blowing from the west, lightning strikes the west end of the island and sets fire to the forest. The fire is very violent, burning everything in its path, and without intervention the fire will burn the whole island, killing the man in the process.

There are cliffs around the island, so he cannot jump off.

How can the Alex survive the fire? (There are no buckets or any other means to put out the fire)

Asked by Neha on 12 Sep 2021

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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.