11 Entertaining Rubber Band Tricks to Impress Your Friends

A step-by-step rubber band trick guide for beginners

Rubber band tricks are a fun form of close-up magic that anyone can learn. All you need are a rubber band (or a hair tie) and basic dexterity. Ready to master some snappy tricks? Read on for detailed tutorials explaining 11 rubber band and hair tie finger tricks. With enough practice, you can pull off these moves like a pro magician.

Steps

Jumping Rubber Band Trick

1. Put a rubber band around your index and middle fingers. You can choose your dominant or non-dominant hand, whichever feels comfortable. Slide the band down so it’s at the base of your two fingers, just above your knuckles. Face the back of your hand to your spectator.^[1]
   
   • If you’re using a large rubber band, wrap it twice around your fingers to make the trick easier. The band should fit snugly around your fingers.
   • This is a classic magic trick invented by magician Stanley Collins in the early 20th century.
2. Stretch the rubber band against your fingers to show it’s securely positioned. Insert one finger from your free hand into the rubber band loop. Move that finger up and down to demonstrate that it’s secure—and distract your spectator from what you’re about to do.^[2]
   
   • Only let the spectator see the back of your hand.
3. Discreetly curl all your fingers and wrap the band around them. As you’re stretching the rubber band up and down, curl your fingers and stretch it around all four of them. Hide this from the spectator by pretending you’re still just stretching the band up and down. Be sure your fingers are curled toward your chest.^[3]
   
   • Place the band right below your cuticles.
4. Uncurl your fingers quickly and watch the band jump. Because of the way you wrapped the band around your fingers, when you uncurl them, the band “jumps” down to your pinky and ring fingers.^[4] As you uncurl them, say a phrase like “Voila!” for an added flourish.
   

Spinning Rubber Band Trick

1. Place a rubber band around your dominant thumb and middle finger. Slide the rubber band down so it’s at the first joint (bend), just below the tips of both fingers.^[5] Let your index finger (aka your pointer finger) rest behind the rubber band, not in front of it or between its loop.
   
   • TikTokers made this trick go viral, calling it the spinning hair tie trick or the hair tie challenge. They do the trick in time to a snippet of the song “peekaboo” by Kendrick Lamar.
   • While it’s possible to do the trick with a loose hair tie, it works better with a flexible rubber band.
2. Tuck your index finger over and through the band, removing your thumb. First, hook your index finger over the nearest side of the rubber band. Next, lift your index finger under the second side of the rubber band. Slip your thumb out of the band. It’s now twisted around your middle and index fingers in a figure-8 shape. ^[6]
   
   • If the band slips down your fingers, reposition it to be close to the fingertips.
3. Create tension by stretching the rubber band with your thumb. Move your thumb under the rubber band and between your middle and index fingers. Then, move your thumb back, pulling the rubber band in a “>” shape. Pull until you’ve created a good amount of tension.^[7]
   
   • It’s okay if your middle finger bends down when you do this—you’ll have to bend it down for the next part of the trick, anyway.
4. Curl your middle finger and release the band. If you haven’t already bent your middle finger down at the top joint, do so. Curl it down toward your palm. When you’re ready, slip the middle finger out to release the band. Watch in amazement as it spins around your outstretched index finger.^[8]
   
   • Once you slip your middle finger out of the band, lower your thumb so it’s out of the way during the spins.
   • Keep practicing the moves until you can execute this trick perfectly.

Teleporting Rubber Band Around Phone Trick

1. Place a rubber band around your wrist. Loop it around the wrist of either hand. Pull it to stretch it out, as you’ll need to be able to wrap it around your hand twice for the trick to work.^[9]
   
2. Pull and pinch the band between the thumb and index finger of your other hand. Grab it with your free hand, leaving it around your wrist. Tug one end of the band up and pull it down between your outstretched thumb and index finger.^[10] Pinch it by pressing your thumb against your pointer finger.
   
3. Wrap the band around your thumb, then around your fingers. First, pull the band down and back around your thumb. Once it’s around your thumb, curl your fingers in towards your palm. Pull the loop down from your thumb and wrap it around your four fingers.^[11]
   
   • At the end, check that you have only one loop going around your thumb and fingers. The band is also tight around your wrist.
4. Hold a phone up against your palm with your fingers outstretched. Uncurl your fingers. Face your palm toward your spectator. Hold your or their phone against your palm with your grip away from your tied wrist so you’re not obstructing the view. Press the phone against the band loop going down from your thumb.^[12]
   
5. Spread your fingers apart and watch the band jump. Lift your thumb away from your other fingers to release the loop. Because the phone is pressed against the loop, when you release the band from your fingers, it wraps around the phone. Ta-da!^[13]
   

Twisted Rubber Band Trick

1. Place a rubber band around your dominant index finger and thumb. Position your hands so your palms are facing each other and your thumb is pointing up toward you. Slide your rubber band so it’s pulled between your index (pointer) finger and thumb.^[14]
   
2. Pinch the middle of the band with your free index finger and thumb. While stretching the band between your thumb and index finger, pinch it at its center with your other thumb and index finger. Tug at it, if you’d like.^[15]
   
3. Move your dominant thumb in a circle to twist the band. Tightly grip the band with your free hand. Flick your wrapped thumb around in a complete circle. This move twists the band. You must do it quickly and discreetly while distracting your spectator by tugging on the band.^[16]
   
   • It’s easier if you tug the band away in a “<” shape (if pulling with your left hand) while rotating your thumb.
4. Let go of the band to reveal the magic twist. Release your hand that’s pinching the band. Watch as friends wonder how the twist appeared while the band never left your thumb and index finger.
   

Broken and Restored Rubber Band Trick

1. Slip the rubber band around your dominant ring finger and under your pinky. Simply slip it over your ring finger—no need to twist it or wrap it. Once it’s hanging over your palm at the base of your ring finger, pull it toward your pinky with your opposite hand. Curl your pinky down over the band.^[17]
   
   • Make sure you’re using a flexible rubber band for this trick. If it can’t be stretched very far, it won’t work.
2. Grab the remaining rubber band with your opposite hand. Grab the whole band that’s sticking out next to your pinky between your fingers. Instead of putting your fingers through the band, press the sides of the band together. Secure the end between the thumb and index finger of your opposite hand for now.^[18]
   
   • The easiest way to grab it correctly is to grasp it with your two pinkies touching. Then, rotate both hands inward so your fists are facing each other.
3. Pinch the end of the band with your other thumb and index finger. Right now, you only see the band going across the bottom of your fists where your pinkies are. To make it go over your thumbs as well, grab it with your free thumb and index finger. Adjust your grip so you’re also holding it with your other thumb and index finger. Now it appears like you’re holding a whole rubber band normally with both hands^[19]
   
4. Pretend to break the rubber band in front of a spectator. With your grip secured, stretch the rubber band as if you’re pulling it to its limit. When you’re ready to “break” it, release the taut end from your thumb and index finger. Let the band recoil to your other thumb and index finger and quickly pinch the end so no one sees the loop.^[20]
   
5. Open your dominant hand and catch the rubber band in your other hand. To magically restore the rubber band, you have to readjust it without the spectator realizing it never broke. Open your dominant hand while pulling the band with your other hand, and it should snap into your opposite palm. If it tangles around your index finger, quickly pull it away while trying to cover it with your hands.^[21]
   
6. Rub the rubber band as if you’re repairing it magically. Pinch one part as you re-wrap it around your hands so it looks like you’re holding the “broken” ends together. Rub the pinching fingers over the band as you pretend to magically rejoin the ends.^[22]
   
7. Show off the restored rubber band. Release your pinching fingers and exclaim, “Ta-da!” You’ve magically restored the band to wholeness. Let your spectator inspect the band so they see there’s no knot, tape, or glue.
   

Rubber Band Through Thumb Trick

1. Place a rubber band just below the fingertips of your non-dominant hand. Slide it down so it’s around all your fingers, from your thumb to your pinky. Face your palm up toward you.^[23]
   
2. Hook your other hand’s thumb through the band. Moving toward your palm, take your other thumb and hook it under the band’s nearest loop so it’s inside the band.^[24] Pull the band out away from your palm with your thumb so it’s stretched.
   
3. Reach over your palm and hook the band with your index finger. Without releasing your thumb, take the index finger that’s next to it and reach over the band. Hook the finger over the outside of the farthest band line (the one nearest your opposite thumb).^[25]
   
4. Bring your index finger back and put your dominant thumb in the large loop. Once you’ve hooked the band with your index finger, pull your index finger back by rotating your hand away from the other one. Make the band cross over itself as you do this. Finally, point your thumb (the one next to the index finger wrapped with the band) into the larger rubber band loop around your other hand.^[26]
   
   • When you move your index finger back, it should look as if you’re loading a slingshot.
   • Keep your index finger hooked (curled) for a secure grip around the band.
5. Carefully release your index finger from the band. Keep your thumb pointed into the large loop and gently uncurl your index finger so it slips out of the band. Watch the band shrink toward your thumb, leaving a small loop. You’ve created a slip knot.^[27]
   
   • This is the end of the set-up portion of the trick. You’re ready to perform!
6. Position your hand so the spectator sees the back of your thumb. Hide the slip knot by angling your hands so the spectator only sees the back of your thumb. Show them the loop going around the thumb, not the one on the inside.^[28]
   
7. Release the slip knot by pulling the band with your other hand. The rubber band is still looped around your non-dominant hand. To pull off the trick of making the band seem to go through your thumb, simply pull the band away from your thumb with that hand. The slip knot undoes itself, and the band magically leaves your thumb, making it appear to the spectator as if the rubber band has gone through your thumb..^[29]
   
   • Be careful not to leave the band wrapped tightly around your thumb for too long. It could cut off your circulation.

Gravity-Defying Ring Trick

1. Cut a rubber band and get a ring for this trick. Take scissors and snip the band anywhere along its loop. Don’t cut it in half entirely, just snip one spot. Take the resulting rubber string and use it for this cool trick. Either find a ring of your own or ask your spectator to borrow a ring if they’re wearing one.
   
   • Have the rubber band already cut when you go to perform the trick. That way, it’s harder for the spectator to guess how your magic works.
2. Thread the rubber band string through the ring. Pinch one end of the cut rubber band between your thumb and index finger. Thread the end of the band string through the ring. Grab the other side of the rubber band string about one-third of the way away from the end. Let the excess band on this side hang against your fingers so your spectator doesn’t see it.^[30]
   
   • Let the ring slide down so it’s against your pointer finger on the side with the excess string. This is important for the trick to work.
   • Show the backs of your hands to the spectator.
3. Stretch the band and slowly release the excess string. Tug at the band with your fingers that are close to the end, away from the ring. As you do so, slowly and carefully let the excess band slip through your opposite fingers. This creates the illusion that the ring is traveling along the band on its own.
   
   • Once the ring has traveled all the way (or you’ve run out of excess rubber band), let the spectator inspect the ring and band string to see that there’s no hidden wire.

Rubber Band Handcuffs Trick

1. Interlink two rubber bands around the thumbs and index fingers of both hands. Start by placing one rubber band around the thumb and index finger of your left hand. Place another band perpendicular to that one, underneath it. Slip your free thumb and index finger into it to link them together. Point your thumbs up and your fingers straight with your palms facing each other.^[31]
   • When you pull your hands away from each other, the bands are interlinked. They form an “X” shape from above.
   • The bands appear to cuff your two hands together, not around the wrists, but around your fingers.
2. Insert your right middle finger into the lower-right band loop. As you make a show of pulling the bands against each other, discreetly stick your right middle finger through the lower-right rubber band loop.^[32]
3. Pull your right index finger out of its rubber-band loop. In the same instant you insert your right middle finger, pull your right index finger away from the loop. This untangles the bands from one another.^[33]
   • Don’t move your hands apart yet. Hold the bands close together as if they’re still interlinked.
4. Rub the bands together to magically unlink them. Of course, you’ve already unlinked them by changing your finger positions. The spectator doesn’t know that. Impress them by rubbing the bands together until—“Abracadabra!”—you pull your hands apart and the link is undone.^[34]
   • Quickly slide the bands off your fingers so the spectator doesn’t have time to question how one band is now around your middle finger instead of your index finger.

Linked and Unlinked Rubber Bands Trick

1. Place a rubber band around your index fingers and one around your ring fingers. First, hook the top rubber band around each of your pointer fingers. Next, hook the lower rubber band around your ring fingers. Face your palms toward each other with your fingers curled, so that the bands are parallel, one over the other.^[35]
   • Pull your fists apart to create tension between the two bands.
   • Let the bands sit at the first creases below your fingertips.
2. Stretch both bands around your middle fingers twice. First, insert your middle fingers into the upper band. Then, insert them into the lower band. The lower band should be sitting in front of the upper band, with both bands overlapping now.^[36]
3. Lift the upper band and place it below your index fingers again. This makes the bands appear to no longer be overlapping, although they are twisted around each other. The easiest way to do this is to lift the bottom of the upper band with your thumbs and slide it between your middle and index fingers.^[37]
   • This is the end of preparing for the trick. You’re now ready to find a spectator and claim you can link and unlink the two seemingly unconnected bands.
4. Release one middle finger to link the bands. Tell the spectator you’re going to magically connect the upper and lower bands. Subtly slip one of your middle fingers out of the loop to link them.^[38]
5. Release your other middle finger to unlink the bands. Stretch your hands apart to hide the movement. Simply pull your remaining looped middle finger out of the bands. They now appear unlinked and normally wrapped around your index and ring fingers. Voila!^[39]

Disappearing Rubber Band Trick

1. Stretch a rubber band between your non-dominant thumb and index finger. Slide it over the top knuckles of your index (pointer) finger and your thumb, holding them apart so the band is taut. Make sure you have enough stretch to be able to reach through the band with your right hand.^[40]
2. Twist the band and slide it over your free thumb and index finger. Reach your free right hand through the top of the band loop. Grab the band and twist it over itself to make an “X” shape between your hands. Balance the new loop between your right-hand thumb and index finger, mirroring how you’re holding the other side.^[41]
3. Pinch your right thumb and index finger together between your left fingers. Bring your right-hand thumb and index finger together so that they touch behind the left rubber band loop. Place your fingers between your left-hand thumb and index finger as you do this.^[42]
4. Move the loop that’s around your right thumb to your left middle finger. Carefully poke your left-hand middle finger through the rubber-band loop that’s around your right-hand thumb. Slip your right thumb out as you do this. The result is a square in the middle of the rubber band configuration.^[43]
5. Insert your right thumb into the loop around your left index finger. Now that your right thumb is free, poke it through the loop around your left index finger. Pull your left index finger away as you do so. The one rubber band now looks like two that are pulled against each other.^[44]
   • This is the end of preparing for the trick. Go find a spectator who believes there are two rubber bands across your fingers, so they’ll be amazed when one “disappears.”
6. Pinch and ball up the “band” around your right-hand fingers. Bring your right thumb and pointer finger together at the center of the left-hand “band.” Coil the right-hand loop into a ball while rubbing the left-hand “band.” This undoes the crossed-over loops so one of your “bands” appears to disappear.^[45]
   • When you’re balling it up, slide it off your fingertips so it can unwind.
7. Pull the band apart, suggesting the other one disappeared. Unpinch your right thumb and pointer finger to reveal the singular band. Tug its ends and let the spectator inspect it and your hands. They’ll wonder where the other band went, not knowing there was only one to begin with.^[46]

Pencil Through Rubber Band Trick

1. Stretch a rubber band between your dominant thumb and index finger. Slide it over the fingers and spread them apart to create tension in the band. Twist your hand so the palm is facing down and your fingers are pointing forward and toward the left.^[47]
2. Hold a pencil against the band to show it can’t pass through. Your rubber band is just a regular rubber band, and your pencil is just a regular pencil. Rub them against each other to prove it, placing your pencil against the band and between your fingers (close to your palm). Doing this helps you gain your spectator’s trust—and sets up the next move.^[48]
3. Pinch your dominant middle finger against your index finger. This allows you to secure the band while you manipulate it further. Curl your middle finger slightly to press it against your index finger where the band is.^[49]
4. Move your index finger from the top to the bottom loop. As you press the pencil against the rubber band, you create top and bottom loops. While pinching the top of the band with your middle finger, slide your index finger out of its loop and poke it through the lower one. The original loop will remain pinched between your index and middle fingers.^[50]
5. Turn your hand upside-down so your thumb is pointing up. Leaving the pencil pointing along the bands, tilt your hand upside-down. Now, your fingers are on the bottom, the back of your hand is out, and your thumb is pointing upward. This helps you cover the new loops you’ve made.^[51]
   • Make sure you’re still pinching the band between your middle and index fingers.
6. Quickly move the pencil out of the upper loop. Near the pencil’s tip, it’s tucked under a loop between your thumb and index finger. Quickly pull it back and slide it out from under that loop. It still has a loop around it—the one coming from between your middle and index finger.^[52]
7. Angle your hand to hide the loops with your other fingers. To make your spectator believe the pencil has gone through the rubber band, reorient your hand back to its original position. It appears that the original loop is in place around your index finger and thumb.^[53]
8. Release your middle finger from your index finger. Stop pressing them together and let the rubber band’s tension release. Now, the pencil is between the loops—how did it do that? Slide the pencil out of the loops and offer up the band for your spectator to inspect.^[54]
   • Practice the moves by yourself until you can do them fast enough.
   • Film yourself or work in front of a mirror to learn how to position your hands so your trickery goes unnoticed by the spectator.

Video

References

1. ↑ https://www.magicianmasterclass.com/post/jumping-rubber-band-magic-trick
2. ↑ https://www.magicianmasterclass.com/post/jumping-rubber-band-magic-trick
3. ↑ https://www.magicianmasterclass.com/post/jumping-rubber-band-magic-trick
4. ↑ https://www.magicianmasterclass.com/post/jumping-rubber-band-magic-trick
5. ↑ https://youtu.be/HNA9w2A81Mw?t=148
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/HNA9w2A81Mw?t=151
7. ↑ https://youtu.be/HNA9w2A81Mw?t=154
8. ↑ https://youtu.be/HNA9w2A81Mw?t=157
9. ↑ https://youtu.be/SZsNDpsg-cU?t=204
10. ↑ https://youtu.be/SZsNDpsg-cU?t=208
11. ↑ https://youtu.be/SZsNDpsg-cU?t=211
12. ↑ https://youtu.be/SZsNDpsg-cU?t=220
13. ↑ https://youtu.be/SZsNDpsg-cU?t=220
14. ↑ https://youtu.be/HNA9w2A81Mw?t=40
15. ↑ https://youtu.be/HNA9w2A81Mw?t=44
16. ↑ https://youtu.be/HNA9w2A81Mw?t=55
17. ↑ https://youtu.be/zr9m51nOEyA?t=28
18. ↑ https://youtu.be/zr9m51nOEyA?t=39
19. ↑ https://youtu.be/zr9m51nOEyA?t=38
20. ↑ https://youtu.be/zr9m51nOEyA?t=66
21. ↑ https://youtu.be/zr9m51nOEyA?t=88
22. ↑ https://youtu.be/zr9m51nOEyA?t=92
23. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=587
24. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=589
25. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=592
26. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=598
27. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=604
28. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=610
29. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=611
30. ↑ https://youtu.be/SZsNDpsg-cU?t=143
31. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=524
32. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=549
33. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=553
34. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=561
35. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=55
36. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=60
37. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=65
38. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=72
39. ↑ https://youtu.be/xPOlPDmvjQg?t=80
40. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=607
41. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=610
42. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=618
43. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=620
44. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=625
45. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=638
46. ↑ https://youtu.be/isgJk7shU9c?t=643
47. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=173
48. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=181
49. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=195
50. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=242
51. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=250
52. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=264
53. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=295
54. ↑ https://youtu.be/RYh_JjvOjCo?t=308

source How to of the Day https://ift.tt/u2tjcX8

30 of the Hardest Riddles on Earth: The Harvard Riddle & Beyond

Try the world’s hardest brainteasers with strategies for riddle-solving

What is the world’s hardest riddle? Many suggest it’s the Harvard riddle, also known as the “I turn polar bears white” riddle. However, that’s not the only brainteaser renowned for its difficulty. Below, find 30 of the hardest riddles in the world, with answers and explanations for how to find their solutions. See how many you can solve!

Steps

What is the world’s hardest riddle?

1. The Harvard riddle is thought to be the hardest in the world. It’s gone viral several times, with people claiming that 98% of Harvard students failed to solve it, but 83% of kindergartners got it right.^[1] These claims lack a clear source, but the tricky riddle is one of the hardest in the world. Here’s the riddle:
   
   • “I turn polar bears white and I will make you cry. I make guys have to pee, and girls comb their hair. I make celebrities look stupid and normal people look like celebrities. I turn pancakes brown and make your champagne bubble. If you squeeze me, I’ll pop but if you look at me, you’ll pop. Can you solve the riddle?”
   • Answer: No.
   • Explanation: The riddle isn’t asking you to solve it, it’s asking if you can solve it. Only the last question matters. There’s no actual answer to who or what the “I” is, although many people guess water. In a nutshell, there’s not an answer to this riddle, so you can’t solve it, making “no” the answer!

Other Challenging Riddles to Solve

1. {endbold}Riddle: You see a boat filled with people, then look away. It has not sunk, but when you look again, you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?^[2]
   
   • Answer: All the people on the boat are married.
   • Explanation: This riddle plays on the word “single,” meaning not in a relationship, and “single” as in “one.”
2. {endbold}Riddle: You’re in a dark room with a candle, a wood stove, and a gas lamp. You only have one match. What do you light first?
   • Answer: The match.
   • Explanation: While most people try to solve this riddle by choosing from the candle, wood stove, and gas lamp, to light any of them, you must technically light the match first.
3. {endbold}Riddle: Two men are in a desert. Both are wearing backpacks. One man is dead, and the other is alive. The man who’s alive has his backpack open. The man who’s dead has his backpack closed. What’s in the dead man’s backpack?
   • Answer: A parachute.
   • Explanation: The riddle implies both men had parachutes in their backpacks, but only the living man deployed his parachute when they exited their aircraft. The other man’s backpack is closed, meaning his parachute didn’t deploy, which is why he died.
4. {endbold}Riddle: Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it, you die. What is it?
   • Answer: Nothing.
   • Explanation: Poor people have nothing (or close to nothing), while rich people need nothing because they can afford everything they need. If you eat nothing, you starve and die.
5. {endbold}Riddle: What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet in the afternoon, and three feet in the evening?^[3]
   
   • Answer: Man.
   • Explanation: As Oedipus explains in the myth, man crawls in the morning of his life when he’s a baby, walks on two feet in the afternoon of his life as an adult, and uses a cane (the third foot) in the evening of his life when he’s old.
   • The riddle of the Sphinx comes from Greek mythology. As legend goes, a famous sphinx posed it to Oedipus, who was the first person to solve it.
6. {endbold}Riddle: OTTFFSS. What are the next three letters in this combination, according to its pattern?^[4]
   • Answer: ENT.
   • Explanation: Every letter in OTTFFSS represents the first letter of a spelled-out number, starting with the number one. So after one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven, the next three letters should be E, N, and T to represent eight, nine, and ten.
7. {endbold}Riddle: You can ask this question all day long, but you always get a different answer. Yet all the answers will be correct. What is the question?^[5]
   • Answer: “What time is it?”
   • Explanation: Throughout the day, the time changes, so individual answers to the question of “What time is it?” also change. However, you always get the correct answer based on the time at that moment.
8. {endbold}Riddle: John is six feet tall, he works at a butcher’s shop, and he wears size 9 shoes. What does he weigh?
   • Answer: Meat.
   • Explanation: “What does he weigh?” refers to his job, not his own weight. Knowing John’s height and shoe size isn’t enough to calculate his weight. The riddle plays on the fact that butchers weigh meat as part of their daily tasks.
9. {endbold}Riddle: You throw away the outside and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside and throw away the inside. What is it?
   • Answer: Corn on the cob.
   • Explanation: You throw away the husk of the corn to cook the corn that’s inside the husk. You then eat the outside of the corn cob—the corn kernels—and throw away the cob when you’re done.
10. {endbold}Riddle: What is brown with a tail and a head, but no legs?
    
    • Answer: A penny.
    • Explanation: The two sides of a typical U.S. coin are called the “head” and “tail.” The head side features a portrait, while the tail side features a monument or other imagery. Pennies are brown because they’re made of copper, which oxidizes when exposed to air.^[6]
11. {endbold}Riddle: A cowboy rides into town on Friday. He stays for three days, then rides out of town on Friday. How is this possible?
    • Answer: Friday is the name of his horse.
    • Explanation: The riddle relies on the fact that you’ll probably assume Friday refers to the day he’s coming or leaving the town. This creates an impossible scenario. You have to consider the language carefully to realize the answer.
12. {endbold}Riddle: Two fathers and two sons go to the mall. When they come home, only three people get out of the car. Everyone came home. How is this possible?
    • Answer: The three people are a grandfather, his son, and his grandson.
    • Explanation: Two fathers and two sons can apply to three people if they’re all related. The grandfather is a father. His son is also a father. His grandson is a son. In total, two are fathers and two are sons—the father being the one with overlap.
13. {endbold}Riddle: A barrel of water weighs . Someone puts something in the barrel. Now it weighs . What did the person put?
    • Answer: A hole.
    • Explanation: While the barrel seemingly defies the laws of physics, it actually loses of water when someone puts a hole in the barrel. Most people assume it has to be an object that changes the barrel’s weight, making the riddle feel impossible.
14. {endbold}Riddle: It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after. It ends life, kills laughter. What is it?^[7]
    • Answer: Darkness.
    • Explanation: Darkness is intangible, meaning it doesn’t have a physical presence. The sky and the inside of the earth are dark, as is the empty space in holes. Before and after life is darkness.
      • Darkness kills laughter metaphorically, because “dark” or serious themes are nothing to laugh about.
    • This riddle comes from The Hobbit. Gollum poses it to Bilbo during a high-stakes riddle game.
15. {endbold}Riddle: A bus driver goes the wrong way down a one-way street. The police see him, but don’t stop him. Why not?
    
    • Answer: He’s walking.
    • Explanation: The wording of the riddle makes you assume the bus driver is driving the wrong way down the one-way street. Why don’t the cops pursue this obvious crime? Because it’s never specified that he’s in a bus. If he’s walking, there’s no crime.
16. {endbold}Riddle: What tastes better than it smells?
    • Answer: Your tongue.
    • Explanation: This is another challenging wordplay riddle. You might assume the riddle is asking about something you can taste and smell, like a food. However, “tastes” and “smells” refer to actions done by the object.
17. {endbold}Riddle: A hole measures . How much dirt is in the hole?
    • Answer: None.
    • Explanation: Holes are empty. The inclusion of the hole’s dimensions tricks you into thinking this riddle can be solved with math, but the answer relies on common sense.
18. {endbold}Riddle: George, Helen, and Steve are drinking coffee. Bert, Karen, and Dave are drinking soda. Following the pattern, is Elizabeth drinking coffee or soda?
    • Answer: She’s drinking coffee.
    • Explanation: The pattern is that George, Helen, and Steve all have two E’s in their name and all drink coffee. Bert, Karen, and Dave only have one E in their name and all drink soda. Elizabeth has two E’s in her name, so she’s in the former group.
19. {endbold}Riddle: A woman was born in 1975 and died in 1975. She was 22 years old when she died. How is this possible?
    • Answer: 1975 is her hospital room number.
    • Explanation: 1975 is a year, which makes the riddle seem impossible. However, it’s possible for the woman to be born and die in the same hospital room, 22 years apart.
20. {endbold}Riddle: Three different doctors say Paul is their brother. Paul claims he has no brothers. How is this possible?
    
    • Answer: The three doctors are Paul’s sisters.
    • Explanation: This riddle may stump you if you assume that the “their brother” refers to men, but since the pronoun is ambiguous, it’s possible that the doctors are women. Paul has no brothers, but he is the three doctors’ brother.
21. {endbold}Riddle: Turn me on my side, and I’m everything. Cut me in half, and I’m nothing. What am I?
    • Answer: The number eight (8).
    • Explanation: 8 on its side resembles the infinity symbol, which represents “everything.” 8 cut in half looks like a zero, which represents nothing.
22. {endbold}Riddle: One of these words doesn’t belong in the list, because it doesn’t follow the same pattern as the other words. Here are the words: brawl, carrot, change, clover, proper, sacred, stone, seventy, swing, travel. Which word doesn’t belong?
    • Answer: Carrot.
    • Explanation: Imagine removing the first and last letters from each word in the list. Brawl becomes raw, change becomes hang, clover becomes love, and so on. The only word that doesn’t become another word is carrot—it becomes “arro,” which isn’t a word.^[8]
23. {endbold}Riddle: A man goes for a walk during a rainstorm with nothing to protect him. He has no hat, hood, or umbrella. At the end of the walk, there isn’t a wet hair on his head. Why doesn’t the man have wet hair?
    • Answer: He’s bald.
    • Explanation: The wording of the language is meant to trick you into assuming the man has hair. However, there isn’t a hair on his head—wet or otherwise.
24. {endbold}Riddle: If an electric train is traveling north, which way is the smoke blowing?
    • Answer: Nowhere. Electric trains don’t have smoke.
    • Explanation: This riddle is a trick question. You have to remember that the train is electric, meaning it isn’t fueled by coal and consequently doesn’t produce smoke.
25. {endbold}Riddle: What we caught, we threw away; what we didn’t catch, we kept. What did we keep?^[9]
    
    • Answer: Lice.
    • Explanation: The fact that the ones posing the riddle are fishermen makes you think of catching fish. To solve the riddle, you have to assume what they were catching is something on them that they wanted to get rid of—like lice, the small bugs found in hair.
    • Legend holds that the poet Homer encountered a riddle so challenging he died before he could solve it. This is that riddle, which fishermen supposedly posed to Homer after he asked about their day.
26. {endbold}Riddle: What do the letter “t” and an island have in common?^[10]
    • Answer: They’re both in the middle of water.
    • Explanation: The letter “t” is found in the middle of the word water. An island is a land mass floating in the ocean. Thus, both are in the middle of water.
27. {endbold}Riddle: What fills a room, but takes up no space?
    • Answer: Light.
    • Explanation: Light is often said to “fill” a space by lighting up every corner, but it technically doesn’t take up any space. It’s immaterial. The wording of the riddle might trick you into thinking of other impossible answers.
28. {endbold}Riddle: What is taken before you can get it?
    • Answer: Your picture.
    • Explanation: Having your picture taken is a common phrase, but out of context, the phrase taken seems to imply an object being stolen from you. You have to “take” a picture to get it, whether you’re using film or a digital camera.
29. {endbold}Riddle: What do you buy to eat, but never eat?
    
    • Answer: Cutlery.
    • Explanation: This riddle sets you up to think of foods, since that’s what you buy for consumption. However, cutlery—forks, spoons, and knives—is used to eat. So, “to eat” means “to eat food,” while “eat” means “to eat as food.”

Riddle-Solving Strategies

1. Use strategies to make deciphering a riddle easier. Solving riddles isn’t just about what you know. It’s also about how you approach the puzzle, from reading it to evaluating possible answers. Hone your riddle-solving abilities by using the following strategies to help you work out the solution:
   • Read the riddle multiple times. That way, you take in the whole riddle and have all the clues at your disposal.
   • Consider each word in the riddle as you read. Look out for words that have multiple meanings or tricky verb constructions.
   • Look out for obvious answers. Many riddles throw irrelevant information at you to distract you from a simple or obvious answer. Approach each riddle as if it’s a trick question.
   • Understand what the riddle’s asking. In the case of the Harvard Riddle, the people who fail don’t understand the actual question the riddle is posing. Try to frame the riddle’s question in your mind so you know what possible answers can be.
   • Ask for help. Two heads are often better than one. Ask a friend or family member to take a crack at the riddle. They might notice something you missed or come up with a solution you wouldn’t have guessed.

Video

References

1. ↑ https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/2025-01-17-this-riddle-stumps-98-of-harvard-students-but-most-kindergartners-solve-it/
2. ↑ https://www.buzzfeed.com/carleysuthers/hard-riddles
3. ↑ https://uen.pressbooks.pub/mythologyunbound/chapter/sphinx/
4. ↑ https://bestlifeonline.com/hard-riddles/
5. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a41779999/riddles-for-adults/
6. ↑ https://www.lewislatimerhouse.org/tinkerlab/shiningpennies
7. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/math/a26477/riddle-of-the-week-26/
8. ↑ https://bestlifeonline.com/hard-riddles/
9. ↑ https://spyscape.com/article/can-you-solve-11-of-historys-famous-riddles
10. ↑ https://www.womansday.com/life/entertainment/a39225370/riddles-for-adults/

source How to of the Day https://ift.tt/9DwEzpu

A Guide to Almond-Shaped Eyes (and How to Accentuate Them)

Discover your eye shape & how to apply makeup to make them pop

Almond-shaped eyes are one of the common eye shapes people can have—they’re characterized by an oval shape, pointed ends, and a lifted outer corner. If you’re curious about your eye shape and think you might have almond-shaped eyes, read on! In this article, we’ll explain how to determine your eye shape and apply makeup to flatter almond-shaped eyes, all with help from professional makeup artists and aestheticians.

What do almond-shaped eyes look like?

Almond-shaped eyes are long and oval-shaped. The inner and outer corners of the eyes typically taper into points, just like an almond, with the outer corner slightly angled upwards. The irises rest between the upper and lower eyelids without showing the whites of the eyes, too.

Steps

What are almond-shaped eyes?

1. Almond-shaped eyes are slightly round and taper into sharp points. Almond-shaped eyes look similar to an almond: they are long, oval-shaped, and the inner and outer corners gently taper into points. The irises, or colored parts of the eye, typically touch the upper and lower lids without white space showing.^[1]
   
   • The outer corners of almond-shaped eyes are also usually upturned, giving the eyes a lifted look.
   • Celebrity examples: Beyoncé, Mila Kunis, Zayn Malik, Zendaya, Megan Fox, Kim Kardashian, Jesse Williams, Angelina Jolie, Rihanna, Ian Somerhalder

How to Tell You Have Almond-shaped Eyes

1. Examine your eye shape and irises in a mirror. Look straight into a mirror, keep your gaze relaxed, and inspect your eyes. Do they have an elongated oval shape that ends in points at the inner and outer corners? Do the outer corners angle upwards slightly? Do your irises rest between your upper and lower lids without exposing the whites of your eyes?^[2]
   
   • If you answered yes to the above 3 questions, you likely have almond-shaped eyes.
   • To help you confirm your eye shape, professional makeup artist Janet Miranda recommends searching for images and videos of almond-shaped eyes on Google and YouTube and comparing your eye shape to other people’s eyes.^[3]

Makeup for Almond-shaped Eyes

1. Apply eyeshadow primer all over your lid. Makeup artist Nini Efia Yang highly recommends starting with a base of eyeshadow primer to help your shadows stick and to prevent fading throughout the day. Simply swipe a dot of primer all over your lids and let it dry for 30 seconds.^[4]
   
   • Feel free to use your fingers or to apply the primer with a small brush.
   • If you have a deeper skin tone, pro makeup artist Alana Schober advises using a primer a few shades lighter than your natural skin tone to help your shadows “pop out a little bit more.”^[5]
2. Sweep a mid-toned shade across your lid. Select a mid-toned eyeshadow in your favorite everyday shade, like brown, taupe, or pink. Then, load an eyeshadow brush with the color and sweep it over your lid, from the lashline to your crease. Continue to move the brush back and forth to blend the eyeshadow and remove any harsh lines.^[6]
   
   • Alternatively, choose a color that complements your eyes, like purple for brown eyes and copper for blue eyes.
3. Apply a darker shade along your outer corner and crease. Grab an eyeshadow a few shades darker than the mid-toned shadow you applied. Then, dab an eyeshadow brush into the color. Start at your outer corner and sweep the shadow along your crease, taking it about halfway down your eye. Simply blend the shadow back and forth with your brush to diffuse any harsh lines.^[7]
   
   • When creating a smokey eye, makeup artist Alicia D'Angelo recommends using a light hand and slowly building up the darker color. She says, “It's easier for you to build it up than to try to remove the darkest color that you've already placed on your eyes.”^[8]
4. Add a light shade to your inner corner. To help make your eyes pop, select a shadow that’s a few shades lighter than the mid-tone shadow you used—this can be a matte or shimmery shadow. Then, dip your pinky or a brush into the shadow and dab the color onto the inner corners of your eyes.^[9]
   
   • For a lighter smokey eye look, feel free to bring the lighter shade onto the center of your eyelid.^[10]
5. Apply a thin line of eyeliner along your upper lash line. Use a liquid, gel, or cream eyeliner in black or brown, depending on what you prefer. Then, simply line your upper lash line with the product. Start at your outer corner and slowly bring the eyeliner in, keeping the line thin and neat.^[11]
   
   • For a softer look, use eyeshadow and an angled eyeshadow brush.
   • For a more dramatic look, apply a thicker line of eyeliner. Schober says almond-shaped eyes can handle thick, dramatic eyeliner looks.^[12]
6. Create a winged eyeliner look, if you’d like. For a bolder and more dramatic look, bring your outliner out into a wing. Schober suggests using eyeshadow and an angled brush to shape your wing and get the look you like before you go over it with liquid or cream eyeliner.^[13]
   
   • To create a wing, line your brush up with the tail of your eyebrow.
   • Then, stamp on a line extending from the outer corner of your eye.
   • Simply connect the tip of the wing to your upper lash line with a straight, angled line.
   • If your wings are uneven, licensed aesthetician Daniel Vann says to use a cotton swab and a bit of makeup remover to shape and clean up the lines.^[14]
7. Apply mascara. To finish off your look, sweep mascara onto your upper lashes. Start by curling your lashes with an eyelash curler. Then, brush on the mascara, starting from the base of your lash line and taking it up to the tips.
   

Is there a way to get almond-shaped eyes?

1. Non-surgical and surgical procedures can help you get almond eyes. While your eye shape is largely determined by your genetics, there are procedures that can help you achieve a more almond-shaped look. These procedures typically work by lifting the outer corner of your eyes to help elongate your eyes and make them look more pointed.^[15]
   
   • Botox: Botox can lift up the eye when placed around the corners of the eyes and brow.
   • PDO thread lift: Threads are placed under the skin around the temples to lift up the outer corner of the eye.^[16]
   • Lateral canthoplasty: A surgical procedure where a surgeon re-shapes the outer corner of your eye to lift and tighten it.^[17]
   • Blepharoplasty: A surgical procedure that removes excess skin along the upper or lower eyelid, which can make your eyes appear more lifted.^[18]

Other Eye Shapes

1. There are several other common eye shapes that people can have. If you’re not sure whether your eyes are almond-shaped, never fear—your eyes might actually be a different shape! There are a few other popular eye shapes, so check out their descriptions below:^[19]
   
   • Round: These eyes are more rounded than oval. You also see the whites of your eyes along the top or bottom of your iris.
   • Hooded: These eyes are characterized by the skin underneath your brow partially or fully covering the crease of your eye.
   • Monolid: These eyes do not have a distinct crease. Instead, the eyelid is flat between the upper lash line and brow.
   • Downturned: The outer corners of these eyes are angled downwards.
   • Prominent or protruding: These eyes are large and circular. They also stick out from the eye socket, giving them a more bulging or protruding look.
   • Deep-set: These eyes sit further inside the eye socket, which can make the brow bone look more prominent.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are almond-shaped eyes attractive? Yes, almond-shaped eyes are seen as attractive. These eyes are usually horizontally long and slightly upturned, giving you a lifted look that most people consider a desirable feature. These eyes are considered balanced, so they complement a wide variety of makeup looks, too.
2. Are certain ethnicities known for having almond-shaped eyes? People of all ethnicities can have almond-shaped eyes—they aren’t specifically unique to any ethnicity. However, they are often associated with people of East Asian descent. descent.^[20]
3. What is the rarest eye shape? Prominent/protruding eyes and downturned eyes are often considered the rarest eye shapes. On the flip side, almond-shaped eyes and round eyes are typically considered to be the more common eye shapes.
4. What genetic syndromes are associated with almond-shaped eyes? People with certain genetic syndromes often share physical features. Almond-shaped eyes can be a shared feature between people who have Prader-Willi syndrome, Down syndrome, and Baker-Gordon syndrome.^[21]

Video

References

1. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/eye-shape
2. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/eye-shape
3. ↑ [v161705_b01]. 11 Feb 2021.
4. ↑ [v161121_b01]. 27 August 2019.
5. ↑ [v161823_b01]. 15 June 2021.
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/bdT-jg_WnWg?feature=shared&t=269
7. ↑ https://youtu.be/bdT-jg_WnWg?feature=shared&t=288
8. ↑ [v161370_b01]. 10 April 2020.
9. ↑ https://youtu.be/C88hyfEBlQk?feature=shared&t=547
10. ↑ https://youtu.be/bdT-jg_WnWg?feature=shared&t=327
11. ↑ https://youtu.be/EFtgUnV6ORs?feature=shared&t=642
12. ↑ [v161823_b01]. 15 June 2021.
13. ↑ [v161823_b01]. 15 June 2021.
14. ↑ [v161021_b01]. 12 April 2019.
15. ↑ https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/articles/a-deep-dive-into-the-cat-eye-and-fox-eye-aesthetic-trend
16. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24581-thread-lift
17. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24828-canthoplasty
18. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/blepharoplasty/about/pac-20385174
19. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/eye-shape
20. ↑ https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/16/219402847/-almond-shaped-eyes-remarkably-exotic-yet-too-foreign
21. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prader-willi-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20355997

source How to of the Day https://ift.tt/Tr1c08j