The Curious History of the Riddle

The Curious History of the Riddle

Author: Marcel Danesi

Publisher: Wellfleet Press

Published: 2020-05-26

Total Pages: 155

ISBN-13: 0760367329

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Part history book, part puzzle book, The Curious History of the Riddle is fully illustrated with over 250 riddles interspersed throughout the text for solving, so get ready to put on your thinking cap! The Curious History of the Riddle investigates the fascinating origin and history of the riddle, from the very first riddle (the Riddle of the Sphinx) to the twenty-first century, with riddles found in pop culture, including movies, books, and video games. Riddles are ageless, timeless, and so common that we hardly ever reflect upon what they are and how they originated. Riddles come in all languages and from all eras of human history, making them a truly “curious” history. In The Curious History of the Riddle, puzzle expert Marcel Danesi delves deep into the riddle's origin and offers a concise snapshot of riddles throughout time—from the Riddle of the Sphinx, to the riddles in Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack and Lewis Carroll’s Alice books, to those found in the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings book series, and much more—covering these fascinating topics: Ancient riddles Medieval riddles Riddles in the Renaissance Riddles as part of leisure culture Riddles in literature Riddles in popular culture Rebuses as visual riddles The Puzzlecraft series from Wellfleet Press tackles some of the greatest conundrums of our time. Learn how to navigate the world’s trickiest mazes, solve the most complex crosswords, and finally get the answer to “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” Follow literature’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, as he guides you through hundreds of challenging cross-fitness brain exercises inspired by his most popular cases and adventures. You can also train your memory to perform better and learn the meanings behind your own personality traits or the traits of others. These handy and portable paperbacks are sized perfectly to travel, whether on vacation or just for your daily commute. The intricately designed covers and bold colors will capture your attention as much as the engaging content inside. Other titles in the series include: The Curious History of Mazes; The Curious History of the Crossword; Escape from Sherlock Holmes; Sherlock Holmes Puzzles: Code Breakers; Sherlock Holmes Puzzles: Math & Logic Games; Sherlock Holmes Puzzles: Visual Puzzles; Sherlock Holmes Puzzles: Lateral Brain Teasers; Solving Sherlock Homes; Solving Sherlock Holmes Volume II; Maximize Your Memory; and The Book of Personality Tests.


The Curious History of the Riddle

The Curious History of the Riddle

Author: Marcel Danesi Ph.D.

Publisher: Wellfleet Press

Published: 2020-05-05

Total Pages: 155

ISBN-13: 1577151984

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The Curious History of the Riddle investigates the fascinating origin and history of the riddle, from the very first riddle (the Riddle of the Sphinx) to the twenty-first century, with riddles found in pop culture, including movies (Us), television shows (Game of Thrones) video games, and escape rooms. Riddles are ageless, timeless, and so common that we hardly ever reflect upon what they are and how they originated. Most importantly, their invention helped in the development of lateral thinking, the form of thinking that is the foundation of all kinds of discoveries, from mathematics to science and beyond. In The Curious History of the Riddle, puzzle expert Marcel Danesi delves deep into the riddle's origin and history and covers these fascinating topics: 1. The Riddle of the Sphinx: Origins, Legends, Patterns What creature walks on all fours at dawn, two at midday, and three at twilight? (answer: man) 2. The Greek Anthology and the Exeter Book: Medieval Views and Uses of Riddles This chapter looks at the spread of the riddle in recreational and educational contexts. 3. The Merry Book of Riddles: Riddles in the Renaissance By the late Renaissance, riddles were being tailored more and more to produce humorous or whimsical effects. 4. Enigmas, Charades, and Conundrums: Riddles from the 1600s to the Twentieth Century After the Renaissance, riddles had become virtually every literate European person’s favorite form of recreation, and were included as regular features of many newspapers and periodicals 5. The Twentieth Century: Riddles as Children’s Literature In the twentieth century, riddles became specialized for children, spreading throughout children’s literature and educational manuals. 6. The Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries: Riddles Go to the Movies and Online In this chapter, the focus is on riddles in various entertainment media, from best-selling novels such as Harry Potter, to movies, such as the Batman series. 7. Connections: Riddles and Rebuses This chapter explores the structure of rebuses as visual riddles, connecting them historically. Part history book, part puzzle book, The Curious History of the Riddle is fully illustrated with over 200 riddles interspersed throughout the text for solving.


The Curious History of the Crossword

The Curious History of the Crossword

Author: Ben Tausig

Publisher:

Published: 2013-11-27

Total Pages: 195

ISBN-13: 1937994457

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Discover the curious history of the world's most addictive game and its unusual upbringing. Celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the beloved crossword puzzle, readers can solve over 100 different puzzles from top constructors.


The Friendship Riddle

The Friendship Riddle

Author: Megan Frazer Blakemore

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2015-05-05

Total Pages: 325

ISBN-13: 161963631X

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With nods to classic fantasy expertly woven into this surprising and emotionally-charged journey through the ups and downs of middle school, Megan Frazer Blakemore proves that even the bravest heroes need true friends by their side. Ruth Mudd-O'Flaherty has been a lone wolf at her new middle school ever since her best friend, Charlotte, ditched her for “cooler” friends. Who needs friends when you have fantasy novels? Roaming the stacks of her town's library is enough for Ruth. Until she finds a note in an old book...and in that note is a riddle, one that Ruth can't solve alone. With a tantalizing set of clues before her, Ruth must admit she needs help, the kind that usually comes from friends. Lena and Coco, two kids in her class could be an option, but allowing them in will require courage, and Ruth must decide: Is embarking on this quest worth opening herself up again?


Riddle of the Runes

Riddle of the Runes

Author: Janina Ramirez

Publisher: Oxford University Press - Children

Published: 2018-07-05

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 0192766341

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Alva rushes through the trees in the dead of night with her sniffer wolf, Fen. Being out alone when there's a kidnapper on the loose is reckless, but if she ever wants to be an investigator like her Uncle Magnus, she'll need to be first to the crime scene. But what Alva discovers raises more questions than it answers, drawing her into a dangerous search for truth, and for treasure.


Difficult Riddles for Smart Kids

Difficult Riddles for Smart Kids

Author: M. Prefontaine

Publisher:

Published: 2017-05-17

Total Pages: 78

ISBN-13: 9781546595908

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Brain Teasers for Kids - Riddles for the Whole Family "The mind once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions." Ralph Waldo Emerson This kids book is a collection of 300 brain teasing riddles and puzzles. Their purpose is to make children think and stretch their minds. They are designed to test logic, lateral thinking as well as memory and to engage the brain in seeing patterns and connections between different things and circumstances. They are laid out in three chapters which get more difficult as you go through the book, in the author's opinion at least. The answers are at the back of the book if all else fails. These are more difficult riddles for kids and are designed to be attempted by children from 10 years onwards, as well as participation from the rest of the family. It is a perfect activity book for kids who like problem solving. These activities can be shared with the whole family. This book is one of a series of puzzle books for kids. The aim of all of them is to stretch children's brains through kids riddles and puzzles. They are kids books designed to challenge children to think laterally and more creatively. Tags: Riddles and brain teasers, riddles and trick questions, riddles book, riddles book for kids, riddles for kids, riddles for kids aged 9-12, riddles and puzzles, jokes and riddles, jokes book, jokes book for kids, jokes children, jokes for kids, jokes kids, activity book, activities


The Riddle of Penncroft Farm

The Riddle of Penncroft Farm

Author: Dorothea Jensen

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2014-02-11

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 0547544308

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Lars Olafson moves with his parents to the old family farm near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to live with his aged aunt Cass. Lars is miserable—until he meets Geordie, a ghost whose stories of the Revolutionary War are as exciting as those of an eyewitness. When Aunt Cass dies suddenly, Lars is faced with a mystery linked to the Revolutionary War—and Geordi’s ghostly stories are his only chance of solving it.


The Riddle of the Labyrinth

The Riddle of the Labyrinth

Author: Margalit Fox

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2013-05-14

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 0062228889

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The discovery and deciphering of Europe’s earliest known written language is recounted with “almost nail-biting suspense” in this prize-winning account (Booklist, starred review). In 1900, famed archaeologist Arthur Evans uncovered the ruins of Knossos, a sophisticated Bronze Age civilization that flowered on Crete 1,000 years before Greece’s Classical Age. The massive discovery included a cache of ancient tablets, Europe’s earliest written records. For half a century, the meaning of the inscriptions, and even the language in which they were written, would remain an enigma. Award–winning New York Times journalist Margalit Fox follows this intellectual mystery from the Bronze Age Aegean to a legendary archeological dig at the turn of the twentieth century, and on to the brilliant decipherers who finally cracked the code in the 1950s. These include Michael Ventris, the amateur linguist who deciphered the script but met with a sudden, mysterious death that may have been a direct consequence of his findings; and Alice Kober, the unsung heroine of the story whose painstaking work allowed Ventris to crack the code. Winner of the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing


The Grub Street Journal, 1730-33 Vol 4

The Grub Street Journal, 1730-33 Vol 4

Author: Bertrand A Goldgar

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2024-10-28

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 1040235417

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The Grub Street Journal was perhaps the most widely-read weekly journal in England of its period. The first four years are reprinted here, representing the journal in its prime in terms of quality and popularity. This edition is enhanced with a general introduction and comprehensive annotation.