11 Fun Riddles That May Improve Focus and Cognitive Skills

Taking care of your mental health is essential, and daily word games offer a surprisingly powerful boost. Many psychologists recommend a daily puzzle as a tool for tangible memory improvement. If you’re already a fan of challenges like The New York Times crossword, you’re actively supporting your cognitive function. Just five minutes a day can lead to sharper cognition and a stronger memory.

Try these 11 fun riddles from the team at Bright Side to get started!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Answer: The woman was born in 1970 (in room number 2000) and passed away in 2015, making her 45 years old when she died.

8.

Why: Each block equals the absolute difference* of the two blocks beneath it.

|8 − 2| = 6, |2 − 3| = 1, |3 − 7| = 4 → so the answer is 4

|6 − 1| = 5, |1 − 4| = 3

|5 − 3| = 2

*The absolute difference is the magnitude or distance between two numbers, ignoring their order or sign, and is always a non-negative value.

9.

Answer: the word “yesterday.”

10.

Answer: WHAT is the name of the 4th cat.

11.

Think memory games are all crosswords and puzzle apps? Time to put that sharpened cognition to the test. Challenge accepted: try to solve these 20+ tricky riddles in less than five minutes, and see just how quick your memory really is.