Test Your Wits With These 5 Riddles from the Victorian Era

Victorians were fond of engaging parlor games. Activities like charades and blindman’s bluff were so beloved in the 1800s that they even appeared in the works of Charles Dickens. Games such as Are You There, Moriarty? and Reverend Crawley were perfect for whiling away dreary afternoons. Beyond these, Victorians also delighted in wordplay, riddles, and brain teasers, with numerous collections of such puzzles being published during that period.

How would you fare against these five timeless Victorian riddles? Answers are provided at the bottom, but resist the urge to peek.

1. The Riddle Posed by the Bishop of Winchester

Samuel Wilberforce, son of abolitionist William Wilberforce, was appointed Bishop of Oxford in 1845 and later became Bishop of Winchester in 1869. Renowned for his staunch opposition to Charles Darwin and his evasive debating style, which earned him the moniker “Soapy Sam,” Wilberforce was also a prolific creator of riddles. One of his most famous puzzles is as follows:

I possess a sizable Box, featuring two lids, two caps, three standard Measures, and numerous items essential to a Carpenter. Additionally, I always have a pair of fine Fish, a variety of smaller creatures, two majestic Trees, beautiful Flowers, and the fruit of a native Plant. A noble Stag, two lively animals, and a host of smaller, less domesticated beasts accompany me. I also boast two Halls or Places of Worship, several Weapons of war, and numerous Weathercocks. The Steps of an Hotel, the House of Commons on the brink of Dissolution, Two Scholars, and a few Spanish Grandees attend to me. Many marvel at my intricate design, yet few have fully cataloged the eclectic assortment that makes up my entirety.

Samuel Wilberforce

What is this describing?

2. "Leader of a Tiny Group"

A compilation of puzzles titled A New Riddle Book For The Amusement and Instruction of Little Misses and Masters was published in England during the mid-1800s by an anonymous author referred to as “Master Wiseman.” Among its many riddles is this timeless one about “the leader of a tiny group,” believed to have originated in the 1700s.

I lead a small group of five, Yet my deeds are vast and thrive. With Adam, I existed before sin, But with Eve or the serpent, I’ve no kin. I uphold the Savior’s laws with pride, Deceit and vice I swiftly deride. Patriots and Protestants I embrace, But Infidels I firmly displace. Matthew and Mark both hold me dear, Yet Luke and John do not appear, Though I’m found in every nation here.

Master Wiseman

What is this describing?

3. The Riddle of Hallam

Originally published in 1849, this renowned riddle was once attributed to many prominent 18th- and 19th-century writers, including Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Lord Byron. However, it is most commonly associated with the English historian and legal scholar Henry Hallam. Today, the puzzle is thought to have been crafted by Dr. Edward Denison, Bishop of Salisbury from 1837 to 1854. Due to its religious themes, it is also referred to as “the Bishop’s Riddle.”

I rest on a rock as I summon the gale, Yet calm and serene once the tempests prevail. Kings bow at my feet, awaiting my command, To kneel where I’ve tread on the dust of the land. Though visible to all, I’m known to but few, The Gentile rejects me, the Jew deems me taboo. Only once did I dwell in the dark of the night, With Noah alone in the Ark’s dim light. My weight is three pounds, my length spans a mile, And when you uncover me, you’ll smile— For my first and my last are this isle’s pride and guile.

What is this describing?

4. A Game of Chicken

Around 1900, an anonymous collection titled One Thousand And One Riddles With A Few Thrown In was published, featuring poems and logic puzzles. Many of these were concise, single-line questions, such as, “Which bird is believed to carry the heaviest load?” The answer, of course, is the crane.

Among the collection’s most perplexing and obscure challenges is this peculiar riddle. Solving it requires a deep familiarity with Shakespeare:

Who is responsible for the most chicken deaths?

5. The Enigma by Rossetti

Christina Rossetti, celebrated for her sonnet "Remember" and the lyrics of the Christmas carol "In the Bleak Midwinter," was also a prolific creator of riddles. Many of her puzzles appeared in children’s nursery books and anthologies during the mid-1800s. Among the numerous riddles she penned is this intriguing one:

One has a head but lacks an eye, Another has an eye but no head. The solution lies if you apply, And when all is read, Half the answer dangles by a thread!

Christina Rossetti

What is this describing?

ANSWERS

1. The human body. Each capitalized section in the Bishop’s riddle serves as a cryptic hint to a different body part. For example, the “large box” refers to the chest, while the “lids” and “caps” denote the eyelids and kneecaps. The “three established measures” are the nails, hands, and feet, each representing a unit of measurement. The “good fish” and “smaller tribe” allude to the soles and muscles. The “two lofty trees” symbolize the palms, and the “fine flowers” represent the irises and lips. The “indigenous plant” hints at the hips, the “handsome stag” at the heart, and the “two playful animals” at the calves. The “smaller and less tame herd” refers to hairs, while the “two places of worship” are the temples. The arms and shoulder blades are the “weapons of warfare,” and the veins are the “weathercocks.” The “steps of an hotel” are the insteps, and the “ayes” and “noes” of the House of Commons point to the eyes and nose. Finally, the “two students” are the pupils, and the “Spanish grandees” are the ten dons.

2. The letter A. The small group mentioned consists of the vowels A, E, I, O, and U.

3. A raven. The original solution to this riddle was lost, sparking debates for years. One theory suggested it referred to the Christian Church, with biblical verses explaining clues like “my weight is three pounds” and “my length is a mile.” However, this left some parts unresolved. In 1923, puzzle expert Henry Dudeney proposed the answer: a raven. Ravens were once thought to predict the weather, revered by ancient cultures, and rarely seen despite being widely recognized. They are forbidden as food in the Old Testament, and a pair accompanied Noah on the ark. Ravens weigh about three pounds and can fly a mile effortlessly. The first and last letters of “raven” are RN, the abbreviation for the British Royal Navy, the pride of the British Isles in the 1800s.

4. Claudius. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the spirit of Hamlet’s father reveals that Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, committed a “most foul murder.”

5. Pins and needles. One possesses an eye, while the other lacks one—only a needle can be threaded.