The Waiter

Three men in a cafe order a meal the total cost of which is $15. They each contribute $5. The waiter takes the money to the chef who recognises the three as friends and asks the waiter to return $5 to the men.

The waiter is not only poor at mathematics but dishonest and instead of going to the trouble of splitting the $5 between the three he simply gives them $1 each and pockets the remaining $2 for himself.

Now, each of the men effectively paid $4, the total paid is therefore $12. Add the $2 in the waiters pocket and this comes to $14. Where has the other $1 gone from the original $15?




Similar Riddles

Two-person want to cross a river. Only one boat is present on the riverside that can carry only one person at a time.

However, they still manage to cross the river. How is it possible?

Asked by Neha on 18 Nov 2023


John gave half of the apples he had plus one more to Jacob. He gave half of the remaining ones plus one more to James. Now, John was left with just one apple.

Can you find out how many did he have in the beginning?

Asked by Neha on 13 Nov 2024

After a heavy Thanksgiving meal, the night watchman went to work. In the morning, he told his boss he had dreamed that a saboteur planted a bomb in the factory and that he felt it was a warning. The boss promptly fired him. Worker confused, Why boss fire him?

Asked by Neha on 28 Dec 2025


There are forty elephants and they have forty-fore heads. How can this be possible?

Asked by Neha on 16 Apr 2024

A tree doubled in height each year until it reached its maximum height over the course of ten years. How many years did it take for the tree to reach half its maximum height?

Asked by Neha on 07 Aug 2025

What number comes next in the series?

5 15 5 18 5 24 14 20 _

Asked by Neha on 15 Jun 2023


Two guards were guarding the camp.Guard-1 was looking towards the south to make sure no threat is coming from the road.Guard-2 was looking at the north to make sure no threat is coming from the top. Suddenly Guard-1 ask the Guard-2 why he is smiling?How Guard-1 knows that Guard-2 is smiling?

Asked by Neha on 30 May 2023

A man says, "Brothers and sisters, have I none, but that man's father is my father's son." Who is that man?

Asked by Neha on 03 Jul 2023

I am thinking of a five-digit number such that:
The first and last digits are the same, their submission is an even number and multiplication is an odd number and is equal to the fourth number. Subtract five from it and we obtain the second number. Then divide into exact halves and we get the 3rd number.

What number I am thinking of?

Asked by Neha on 16 Nov 2024


A hen, a dog, and a cat are stolen. Three suspects are arrested named Robin, Steve, and Tim. The police are sure that all of them stole one of the animals but they don't know who stole which animal.

Sherlock Holmes is appointed to identify and is provided with the following statements from the investigation.

Robin - Tim stole the hen
Steve - Tim stole the dog
Tim - Both Robin and Steve are lying. I neither stole a hen nor a dog.

Sherlock is somehow able to deduce that the man who stole the cat is telling a lie and the man who stole the hen is telling truth.

Can you help him find out who stole which animal?

Asked by Neha on 22 Jun 2024

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Crossword puzzles

In the 1920s, people feared that crossword puzzles would contribute to illiteracy.