Rigged Riddle: Difference between revisions
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== [[Comic Books]] ==
* [[The Riddler]], alias Edward Nygma, naturally tends towards this type of riddle when he really wants to humiliate someone. His original origin story shows he used to be a carnival barker who challenged customers to solve a puzzle before he could, the puzzles having instructions printed on the pieces that only he could see using specially tinted glasses. Unfortunately for him, he often sets his sights on [[Batman]], by whom he is frequently [[Out-Gambitted]] and humiliated. Bats ain't the World's Greatest Detective for nothin'.
== [[Literature]] ==
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== [[Oral Tradition]], [[Folklore]], Myths, Religion, and Legends ==
* Odin did this a couple of times in [[Norse Mythology]] - once in ''Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks'' (The Saga of Hervör and Heidrek), where a disguised Odin asked numerous riddles of King Heidrek, and again in the poem ''Vafþrúðnismál'' with Vafþrúðnir, who exchanged riddles with Odin. On both occasions, he used the same question: "What did Odin speak into Baldr’s ear before he was placed on the pyre?"
* [[The Bible]]'s [[The Bible/Source/Judges|book of Judges]] has Samson tear apart a young lion on the way to wed his first wife (a Philistine woman); when he later came across the corpse, a beehive filled with honey was inside. Samson used that as the basis of
* What is [[Rumpelstiltskin]]’s name? Indeed, the protagonist only guesses correctly because one of her messengers lucked out.
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'''Riddler''': Easily, Doctor. [[Dead Baby Comedy|It’s not my baby]].}}<!--https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps3/952338-batman-arkham-asylum/faqs/57651-->
:* Also particularly evident in ''[[Batman: Arkham City]]'' when Batman rescues one of his hostages: {{spoiler|using Detective Vision on the [[Shell Game]]-style trap they're contained in reveals a mechanism designed to swap their position without its viewer noticing}}.
* In ''[[Planescape: Torment]]'', Raviel Puzzlewell's riddle was "What can change the nature of a man?" Most who tried to answer failed and became her slaves forever, but the answer the Nameless One gave {{spoiler|("regret")}} seemed to be correct, resulting in her granting his wish to be immortal - [[Who Wants to Live Forever?|which he now views as a curse]]. When encountered in the present day, Raviel admits this riddle has no true definite answer, but the Nameless One passed her test because the answer he gave was the answer he sincerely believed was true, rather than the most "right". Reflecting this, many fans of the game have debated what a "true" answer might be, with even the common answers being as various as "time", "love" and "nothing".
** Further emphasizing Raviel's point, the Nameless One came to doubt his answer and in turn posed the question to several people he met in his numerous lives. His final interpretation is:
{{quote|'''Nameless One:''' If there is anything I have learned in my travels across the Planes, it is that ''many'' things may change the nature of a man. Whether regret, or love, or revenge or fear - whatever you believe can change the nature of a man, can. I’ve seen belief move cities, make men stave off death, and turn an evil hag's heart half-circle. This entire Fortress has been constructed from belief. Belief damned a woman, whose heart clung to the hope that another loved her when he did not. Once, it made a man seek immortality and achieve it. And it has made a posturing spirit think it is something more than a part of me.}}
* In ''[[Monster Girl Quest]]'', [[Riddling Sphinx| Sphinx Girl's]] third riddle is this, but due to [[Gameplay and Story Integration]], it can be solved. {{spoiler| Sphinx asks, "Why are you taking this trial?" Two of Luka's options are, "Because I got roped into it" (an honest answer, but incorrect) and "For love and peace!" (Clearly a lie, and also incorrect.) Seeing as Luka has no way of knowing the answer (because he came here for another reason and "got roped into it") he cannot answer, but he can ask Sara to answer for him, and she does indeed give Sphinx the right answer.}}
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* In ''[[The Powerpuff Girls]]'' episode “Power-Noia”, HIM tries to fool Blossom with this version of the [[Train Problem]]: "If a train leaves Boston at 12:30 PM traveling at 70 miles per hour and another train leaves Los Angeles at the same time traveling at 90 miles per hour, which one will get to Cuba first?" Blossom quickly realizes the answer is neither: Cuba is an island in the Gulf of Mexico, and cannot be reached by train.
* In Riddler’s first appearance in ''[[The Batman]]'', Nygma challenges Detective Yin and Batman (whom he realized has been helping Detective Yin) to a series of riddles that seem deceptively easy, claiming she must solve them to defuse several bomb. But his last riddle is: "A man builds a house where all four sides face north. A bear walks by the house. What color is the bear?" This is a variation on the original riddle, which uses “south” rather than north - the answer would be “white”, as the house could only be at the North Pole where polar bear habitats are found. In this case, the house would be at the South Pole, and there are no bears in Antarctica - the riddle has no answer, and is intended to keep Detective Yin and and Batman occupied while he robs the bank where the first riddle was. Of course, Batman is keenly aware of the Riddler's obsession with planting riddles ''within'' riddles, and figures this out in time to stop him.
{{reflist}}
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