Galactic Riddles

Marco Chiesi

  • On Polygon, an elderly hexagon-headed alien challenges the crew with six matches scattered on a small table

    Six Matches

    With six matches, and without bending or breaking them, can you make four equilateral triangles? A classic from Polygon.

  • On a mountaintop on Dynamos, a sweaty alien cyclist checks his bike computer, while Liz breaks into a dance step

    The Cyclist

    A Dynamos cyclist climbs at 10 mph and descends the same road at 30 mph. What’s his average speed? Beware the easy answer.

  • Nine glowing lanterns arranged in a three-by-three grid in a field on Polygon, with Liz wielding a giant pen and Dord sulking

    Nine Dots

    Nine dots arranged in a square and four straight lines drawn without lifting the pen: can you connect them all?

  • On Dynamos, two trains approach each other on the same track from opposite directions, while a fly wearing goggles zips back and forth between the locomotives

    Two Trains and a Fly

    Two Dynamos trains race toward each other while a fly zips back and forth between them. How far does the fly travel before they…

  • Two huge pitchers of water and wine at Staterion’s Banquet of Fairness, with an alien master of ceremonies pouring from a large measuring jug

    Water and Wine #2

    Ten gallons of water, ten of wine, and three-gallon transfers back and forth: can both carafes ever reach the same percentage of wine?

  • At Staterion’s Banquet of Fairness, an alien waiter uses an eyedropper to transfer liquid between a pitcher of water and a pitcher of wine, in front of the crew

    Water and Wine #1

    A teaspoon of water into the wine, then a teaspoon of the mix back into the water: is there more water in the wine…

  • At Staterion’s public fountain, next to a large balance scale, the caretaker lends Liz two empty jugs of different sizes, while M00N plays with the water

    Two Jugs

    On Staterion, water is dispensed to the exact gallon. With a 3-gallon jug and a 5-gallon jug, how do you get 4 in the…

  • A gigantic water lily spreads across the surface of a lake on Veritas, with the starship Kinesys hovering over the water and an alien fisherman on the shore

    The Water Lily

    A water lily that doubles in size every day covers a lake in 100 days. How many days does it need to cover half…

  • In an impossible café on Paradoxon, Liz, Dord, and M00N each hand a bill to the waiter after their drinks, with a few coins on the table

    The Missing Dollar

    Liz, Dord, and M00N pay $30 for drinks on Paradoxon, get a discount, leave a tip… and a dollar seems to vanish. Where did…

  • At a rental shop on Abakos, Liz shows a seven-link gold chain to the owner of a rocket sled, while the Kinesys smokes in the background

    The Gold Chain

    A seven-link gold chain, one link a day for seven days: what is the fewest links you must break? And with 30?