Brain Teasers
The Psychic Hobo
Situation
Situation puzzles (sometimes called lateral thinking puzzles) are ones where you need to ask lots of yes or no questions to figure out what happened in the situation. These are good puzzles for groups where one person knows the puzzle and answers the questions.Situation
One day, I was waiting to get on the subway. I was eating the apple I always have for breakfast, and I decided to sit next to a homeless man on the bench. While waiting, we saw a fat man walk by us. The hobo then muttered, "Pig."
I didn't give it a second thought, except that the comment was rude. There were still a few minutes until the next subway train arrived, and another man walked past us. He was tall, wearing a business suit. As he walked past, the hobo said, "Human." I thought nothing of this remark, other than he was, obviously, a human. The subway finally arrived, and I left for work.
The next day, the hobo was still there at the subway station. Today I watched from a distance. Several people walked past him; a skinny woman, a muscular man, and an old lady. In turn he muttered, "Soup," "Pork," and "Cookie."
Odd labels, I thought, because obviously none of them was a cookie. I got on the subway again, and proceeded to work. I could not stop thinking about the odd man at the subway station.
I observed him for days to come, and he continued this odd behavior. He would call people bread, carrot, rabbit, milk, and other strange things.
The next day, I walked by the homeless man once again, and he silently muttered, "Apple."
At that point, I finally recognised what was going on. Then, remembering something, I was stricken with horror.
What was the hobo's ability, and why was I horrified?
I didn't give it a second thought, except that the comment was rude. There were still a few minutes until the next subway train arrived, and another man walked past us. He was tall, wearing a business suit. As he walked past, the hobo said, "Human." I thought nothing of this remark, other than he was, obviously, a human. The subway finally arrived, and I left for work.
The next day, the hobo was still there at the subway station. Today I watched from a distance. Several people walked past him; a skinny woman, a muscular man, and an old lady. In turn he muttered, "Soup," "Pork," and "Cookie."
Odd labels, I thought, because obviously none of them was a cookie. I got on the subway again, and proceeded to work. I could not stop thinking about the odd man at the subway station.
I observed him for days to come, and he continued this odd behavior. He would call people bread, carrot, rabbit, milk, and other strange things.
The next day, I walked by the homeless man once again, and he silently muttered, "Apple."
At that point, I finally recognised what was going on. Then, remembering something, I was stricken with horror.
What was the hobo's ability, and why was I horrified?
Hint
I wonder what I'm going to eat for breakfast...Answer
He was able to tell what people last ate. I told you in the beginning of the teaser that I ate an apple every day before work, and at the end he said "Apple" to me.The reason I was horrified was because the first day I saw him, he had said "Human" to somebody, implying that they were a cannibal.
Hide Hint Show Hint Hide Answer Show Answer
What Next?
View a Similar Brain Teaser...
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
Solve a Puzzle
Comments
Good teaser! Figured it out, though. Now I want a cookie.
Too bad. No coookies for you. I can give you a virtual pancake though...would that be aceptable?
Hm... Wonder what the hobo would say bout himself.
Wow! A brilliant teaser with a hint of horror! Love it!
That's a pretty weird ability haha
You are amazing! I love this teaser! I added it too my watch list!
Why "physic"? Are you saying he was a doctor? Or were you trying for "psychic"?
OMG!!!!! What!?!
I really liked this one.
I started off wondering, why the hard rating, i'm not that brillaint and i was on the right path, then i read the answer to realzie it had to do with the second guys comment, that made the man feel horror, and i said woah, that's why it has sucha high rating.
Sweet teaser!
I started off wondering, why the hard rating, i'm not that brillaint and i was on the right path, then i read the answer to realzie it had to do with the second guys comment, that made the man feel horror, and i said woah, that's why it has sucha high rating.
Sweet teaser!
I liked this! Good job
Oh my gosh! Tricky but So easy, because they said at first the businessman was "human". When I concluded that the hobo had x ray food vision, I was still like "but it doesn't fit w/ "human"" But I was right!
I know this one because I read it on a scary stories website, but it's till creepy!
got it but this is sort of disturbing.... nice teaser though!
HAHA! I LOVE this one! Just the feeling you get when you realize it! Amazing teaser, it's one of my favorites! Great job!
This scared me so much at first
Good one I got it after a little bit of thought. Disturbing too (bonus points).
I got the answer and I didn't even think about the "Human" remark.. Great teaser!
Yummy yummy human flesh!!! Great teaser
Ha ha funny human nah I'm good
Nice teaser, DP! But sort of disturbing...I'M INNOCENT!
This one was great! "Human" threw me off...until he said "apple". Then I knew!
This would be a great premise for a detective show. The protag tracks down the cannibal businessman, and then ends up meeting other strange people and discovering and solving other crimes and mysteries...
This would be a great premise for a detective show. The protag tracks down the cannibal businessman, and then ends up meeting other strange people and discovering and solving other crimes and mysteries...
I LOVE IT! The first time I read this was on The Scaryforkids site just 'cause I love creepy stuff XD More like this please?
I got the answer straight away. For the breakfast thing, it was easy. For the horror, I had been horrified too so I knew exactly why.
Good teaser. But why did he say "pig" for one guy and "pork" for another guy?
Cool! And SCARYYYYYYYYYYYY too!
Oh god oh jeez oh golly gee my breakfast hit the floor oh no help gosh darn
So wow that is a good one I have seen it before but I loved it for its simplicity.
I want to have lunch with the second guy
I never expected the ending, but the riddle is great!
To post a comment, please create an account and sign in.
Follow Braingle!