Creating riddles is a riddle in itself, just one upside down. It is a fun activity, albeit a bit challenging, that forces the writer’s train of thought to go upstream rather than downstream toward the solution. The key to learning how to make riddles is to immerse oneself in a source of deception and trickery to force the players to take the wrong path to the answer. The further away they stray from it, the more fun it is! However, you need to ensure that the riddle is well-crafted and balanced. If it’s too nonsensical or the answer too far-fetched and without sound reasoning behind it, it can turn an enjoyable moment into a frustrating one.
How to make riddles
Making riddles can come naturally to some while others may struggle for ideas or a way to structure what they want to convey. Here are a few tips on how to write riddles that might help you.
1. Start with the answer
Writing a riddle follows the opposite path of solving it. So, if you learn how to solve riddles to reach an answer, you must start with the answer to create the riddle.
Choose the answer you want the players to achieve. Think of it as a theme - it can be a person, object, place, concept, or action, for example. Once you have decided, try to list the main attributes or characteristics of it: color, shape, taste, sound, uses, smell, etc. The list should include all the things that make it unique or recognizable. These will be the keys to your riddle.
2. Brush up on your figurative language
Figurative language is a key feature of enigmas. It includes, for instance, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, or simile. You can try to create your own or use those from famous idioms or expressions to provide a few clues to the players. For example, “Time flies,” “He is brave as a lion,” or “She is the star of the show” are common expressions that employ figurative language.
Be creative and think outside the box!
3. Play with words
As soon as you start thinking about figurative language related to your answer, this step will hopefully come naturally to you. Elements like wordplay, puns, or double meanings, for example, add complexity to your riddles while making them more interesting and fun.
Here is an example:
Riddle: “Who's always brave enough to tell you where the pride is?”
Answer: A lion.
In this riddle, the adjective “brave” comes from the common simile “brave as a lion” and works as a clue for the players trying to solve it. The funny aspect of this riddle is the wordplay with “pride,” a word with a double meaning that can also refer to a group of lions belonging to the same social unit.
4. Write, rewrite, and test it out
At this stage, the foundation of your riddle is complete. Now it is time to shape it into a proper enigma. Grab the scraps of innuendos, wordplay, and metaphors that you created, and try to decide what kind of riddle you ultimately want to create. Do you want to make it long or short? Do you want to make it rhyme? Should it follow a ‘What am I?’ structure? Do you want to make it suitable for kids?
Once you have a clear idea of what you want, just give it a go. Maybe your scraps are already great, and you don’t need to do anything. Or maybe it will take you some time to jot down the perfect riddle. It’s all part of the process.
Remember to test your riddles with friends and family. Their reactions can help you gauge if they are too easy or too hard, so you can rewrite and improve them accordingly.
5. Still out of ideas? Edit and customize!
If you are drawing a blank and cannot come up with anything or are finding it hard to be satisfied with what you have, then it might be time to look for an external source of inspiration. For example, you can search for specific types of riddles, like dark riddles, math riddles, riddles for adults, etc. to find some that you like and try to adapt them. In other words, you can use existing riddles as your source and try to customize them to fit your answer and/or audience.
Nowadays, there is another precious help: AI tools. These can help you write anything instantly, without even having to learn how to make riddles in the first place. However, beware of the results. Some might be good, but many will also read bland or soulless. Put a little effort into it and try to give your personal touch to all of them. Part of the fun of writing riddles is to try to match the challenge to the person or persons you are writing them for. Otherwise, it is just another task to be completed.
A final word
Solving riddles is fun but creating them can also be a pleasant activity as you anticipate the player’s reaction to the pitfalls you created and their surprise when they discover the answer. There are many reasons why you would need to learn how to make a riddle. Perhaps you’re organizing a scavenger hunt, writing an adventurous novel, or planning a family game, for example. Whatever your reason, we hope these tips will help you succeed in baffling everyone with your amazing enigmas and conundrums!
