Brain Teasers
The Osteon Factor
Riddle
Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.Riddle
I am alive and growing and am used mainly for support;
but when I die I can be used in a variety of ways.
I am a protector of important parts.
What am I?
but when I die I can be used in a variety of ways.
I am a protector of important parts.
What am I?
Answer
A bone.The bone is the hard form of connective tissue that constitutes the majority of the skeleton of most vertebrates. It is a living tissue that not only supports the body, it also protects the major organs. Some communities, such as native Americans have used bone for many tools and ornaments.
The title (osteon) is the Greek word for 'bone'. So I gave you the answer!
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Comments
dog-gone good riddle
This was a great riddle! Very good!
cool riddle. but i don't get the last line. it doesn't make sense to me unless teeth are considered bones.
Thanks for the comments; and yes, teeth are certainly bones.
Great!
And nice to see you boning up on your anatomy!!
And nice to see you boning up on your anatomy!!
My pleasure Lorpen
Really a super-neat teaser! Great explanation too!
Thanks mosca
Easy peasy. I read the title and first line and knew the answer. Title gave it away. Nice riddle anyway!
Mmm... teeth aren't actually bones. Teeth do not have marrow and cannot heal if broken. There are 206 bones in the human body, and that number excludes teeth. Nice try though.
Great teaser! @ hip2b2: those are true points. Out of the 206 bones listed for our human body, teeth aren't included. But still others consider teeth to be bone because of the role of calcium, despite the fact that there is pulp and not marrow. They are considered the hardest bone in the body.
I have to back up hip2b2 on this one. Teeth may be somewhat similar to bones in that they are hard and contain calcium, but that is about where the similarities end. You will not find any scientific definition that equates the two and they are structurally very different.
Teeth are definitely not bones,which shoots down this teaser. My grandma had falseteeth, not falsebones!!!
I'll have to agree with the other comments. Teeth are most definitely NOT bones. Take a look at any medical reference book, or even wikipedia.
It is a common misconception as i've heard a few elementary school teachers tell their students that teeth are the only bones you can see.
It is a common misconception as i've heard a few elementary school teachers tell their students that teeth are the only bones you can see.
i cameup with teeth/bones but i dont totally agree with this teaser. teeth are not bones. Bones are rarely used in todays world as tools/ornaments (even by native americans)
Not too bad of a puzzle, pretty easy.
The title gave it away.
I decided it was bones, but I really don't know why, and wasn't sure about it. But, I don't care. I got it, and that's enough!
Title gave it away but great teaser! though I was thinking cheekbone for a sec cos I never thought of teeth being bones... at least uni doesn't teach us teeth are bones! hehe
I guessed bones but I got stuck on the teeth as well.
So why has this one still not been corrected (remove the last line?) about teeth being bones. They simply aren't classed as bone by any reputable source.
This isn't a spelling or grammar issue, it's plain WRONG and an unnecessary detail in the puzzle. Just remove the teeth references and a decent enough little puzzle remains.
This isn't a spelling or grammar issue, it's plain WRONG and an unnecessary detail in the puzzle. Just remove the teeth references and a decent enough little puzzle remains.
I didn't notice the Osteon Factor hint. And I dismissed bone as not being used after death.... Oh, well. Maybe I'll do better tomorrow.
Very misleading. Thumbs down on this one..
Not very good; Teeth are absolutely and definitely not BONES; check your physiology
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