Brain Teasers
Most Vivid
Most vivid of legerdemain,
This union of forces does refrain.
Bows to no one,
Leaves purity broken,
And only a promise remains.
This union of forces does refrain.
Bows to no one,
Leaves purity broken,
And only a promise remains.
Hint
The answer to this riddle, untold,Is like searching for a big pot of gold.
Answer
A rainbowThis riddle was written by my friend Philip H. Donald.
Explanation:
'Most vivid' - It's colourful.
'Legerdemain' (an artful or illusory trick) and 'does refrain' refers to the fact that rainbows appear to end at a particular place; however, that spot can never be reached, a trick of the eye.
'This union of forces' - A rainbow is created by the diffraction of light through water (rain), thus, the combination of these forces.
'Bows to no one' - Of nature; rainbows happen irrespective of humankind.
'Leaves purity broken' - A rainbow is white light (purity) broken into all the other colours.
'And only a promise remains' - A reference to the Biblical account of Noah and his sighting of a rainbow.
Also, if you study the rhythm of this riddle (in limerick form so lines 1,2 and 5 the same and lines 3 and 4 the same) you'll notice that line 2 is long and line 3 is short. This is deliberate to draw attention to the fact that the word 'rainbow' is broken over these two lines, as alluded to by the use of the word 'broken' in line 4.
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Comments
cool one it was very colorful of you to write this teaser
excellent teaser
excellent teaser
easy after the teaser.
im mean hint
hint gave it away, but still a fun teaser.
I'm sorry this just was not my cup of tea.
thanks for the explanation
Very well written! I didn't notice the subtle hint within the riddle. The normal hint, however, gave the answer away too easily.
Lovely thoughts. I like the "broken purity"part which led me down the wrong alley.
Only after the "pot of gold" hint did I get the answer.
Can't say I followed the Noah explanation though.
Thanks!
Only after the "pot of gold" hint did I get the answer.
Can't say I followed the Noah explanation though.
Thanks!
Aha, the Noah reference refers to God's promise to never attempt to destroy the world's people again (?)
But now I'm wrestling with what all that reference to a broken limerick is about.
But now I'm wrestling with what all that reference to a broken limerick is about.
OK, now I see it.....refRAIN and BOWs ....a little different pronunciation: bow(o) and bows(ow)
BUT STILL VERY CLEVER!
very beautiful thoughts! Thanks again for the mental exercise.
BUT STILL VERY CLEVER!
very beautiful thoughts! Thanks again for the mental exercise.
Glad you worked it all out GrandmaB. Thanks everyone for your kind comments.
i got it, though i'm not sure why, but i guessed right, and the hint confirmed it. but i thought the riddle itself wasn't real clear.
I am glad every one else got it, because I had no idea legerdemain was a word . But, I read the answer and it was very clever ,verybeautiful wording. Thx.
Well written, good teaser!
Ditto Trishgal.
I've never heard of that word leger???? So, I didn't think I knew the answer, but the hint of pot of gold made me think rainbow. I looked at the answer, and I was right. Didn't really care for this teaser. I just didn't think it was written very well. Just my simple opinion though.
way too sublimal for this early in the morning...I never look at the hints, may have got it that way
Nice. I didn't get it but it is a good poem. I had no idea what legerdemain was though.
good one,
but i'm rethinking this website. between people commenting negatively on people trying to give alternate answers and puttemup's completely inappropriate comments, I may need to find a different website for my daily dose of fun......
but i'm rethinking this website. between people commenting negatively on people trying to give alternate answers and puttemup's completely inappropriate comments, I may need to find a different website for my daily dose of fun......
Great -Got it with the hint.
Puttumup,what is your problem?
Puttumup,what is your problem?
Loved it, got it, good one and I learned a new vocabulary word too
that was a pretty good teaser! granted, if i had looked at the hint a little better i prob would have got it. and i feel sorry for the people who also didnt get it, and have to resort to calling this teaser childish names. i didnt get it, and u dont see me calling this teaser "stupid and gay." seriously, dont be a sore loser!
The last line gave it away, but I disagree with your use of legerdemain. It really refers to a slight of hand, like a magician's trick. I don't see how that applies to rainbows.
had to look up legerdemain and still didn't get it! Oh well!
Sorry for the double post, but forgot to say, this was a good one!
Great Teaser !!! I suspected it
had to do with the weather, but not a Rainbow till I read the hint.
THANKS for the explanation , very
enlightening.
Another Comment: Can we all just
read the" comments " 'TAKE WHAT WE LIKE' & IGNORE THE REST !??
had to do with the weather, but not a Rainbow till I read the hint.
THANKS for the explanation , very
enlightening.
Another Comment: Can we all just
read the" comments " 'TAKE WHAT WE LIKE' & IGNORE THE REST !??
This was an interesting teaser. I've never come across anything like it. Please continue creating more teasers like this! They really challenge you.
I would never have figured that out without the hint. Nice job
Great thought was put into this teaser...
I wasn't able to solve it, but I enjoyed it and can appreciate the work it took to make it. Thanks for a good morning tease!
By the way, I had no idea what legerdemain was either!
2nd hand Rose: "TAKE WHAT WE LIKE & IGNORE THE REST!" Well said.
I ignore the fools that post negatively. Their posts will be removed once several people have marked them as "offensive".
I wasn't able to solve it, but I enjoyed it and can appreciate the work it took to make it. Thanks for a good morning tease!
By the way, I had no idea what legerdemain was either!
2nd hand Rose: "TAKE WHAT WE LIKE & IGNORE THE REST!" Well said.
I ignore the fools that post negatively. Their posts will be removed once several people have marked them as "offensive".
wow I loved this one. I looked up legerdemain before going any further, and it def. helped.
It was so beautifully and creatively written as well -- mucho applause to your friend Philip.
And I did get it once I saw the word "bows", but was blown away by how "refrain" was there too once I read your explanation (which was also great!).
Would love to see more these!!!
It was so beautifully and creatively written as well -- mucho applause to your friend Philip.
And I did get it once I saw the word "bows", but was blown away by how "refrain" was there too once I read your explanation (which was also great!).
Would love to see more these!!!
Aug 21, 2007
I have to disagree with this teaser being well written.
"legerdemain" means "sleight of hand". The suffix "main" translates directly into "hand". These kind of tricks refer to pick pockets, card tricks, and close up street magic - not illusory images.
"Union of forces does refrain" - I realize that the whole point of a riddle is to use arcane language. But that language also needs to be designed to lead the subject to a partial conclusion.
"Bows to no one" - except that they really bow for everyone. That they happen regardless of humankind can be said of so many things that this line of the riddle can be thrown out entirely - it's only there to provide the second half of the contrived "broken" clue and only serves to muddle the riddle further.
"Leaves purity broken" - white light is more pure than colors of different wavelengths? That's subjective and again only muddles the riddle.
"And only a promise remains" - a sudden biblical reference with no other language in the riddle that leads in this direction? Clumsy.
And the whole "broken limerick" clue is also contrived. This riddle was written the wrong way around in my opinion.
"legerdemain" means "sleight of hand". The suffix "main" translates directly into "hand". These kind of tricks refer to pick pockets, card tricks, and close up street magic - not illusory images.
"Union of forces does refrain" - I realize that the whole point of a riddle is to use arcane language. But that language also needs to be designed to lead the subject to a partial conclusion.
"Bows to no one" - except that they really bow for everyone. That they happen regardless of humankind can be said of so many things that this line of the riddle can be thrown out entirely - it's only there to provide the second half of the contrived "broken" clue and only serves to muddle the riddle further.
"Leaves purity broken" - white light is more pure than colors of different wavelengths? That's subjective and again only muddles the riddle.
"And only a promise remains" - a sudden biblical reference with no other language in the riddle that leads in this direction? Clumsy.
And the whole "broken limerick" clue is also contrived. This riddle was written the wrong way around in my opinion.
didnt like it tbh - but still good taser
wahhh too hard
Wow, kudos to Philip
very vivid and well written
Thanks for all your comments. I'm glad that this teaser can generate so much debate and get people thinking.
I enjoued this one (get a life, Sven ) Don't know that I'd have gotten it without reading the hint...but that's what a hint is supposed to do..give you a hint
Clever teaser...
Wow, wouldn't have gotten it without the hint!
Legerdemain, in this teaser, refers to the "artful deception" of a rainbow. That it looks like it has a definitive start and end point and exists as a whole thing, when it's just an optical illusion of light refracting through water at 42 degrees above the horizon.
Legerdemain, in this teaser, refers to the "artful deception" of a rainbow. That it looks like it has a definitive start and end point and exists as a whole thing, when it's just an optical illusion of light refracting through water at 42 degrees above the horizon.
very nicely done!!!
I'm getting worse instead of better. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
Monday~
Monday~
Good.
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