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Can someone please help me solve this riddle?

194 replies

foreverold · 02/03/2021 19:22

Was put on parents group chat and driving me mad. Person posting says it's so easy that even 'toddlers could work it out if they read it properly'. Confused

Riddle - there are three tarantulas in a round tank and five tarantulas in a rectangle tank. How many legs are in the rectangle tank?

I did the obvious 5x8 = 40 but obviously that's not it...anyone any idea?

OP posts:
Bunnybigears · 02/03/2021 19:23

No idea but I'm posting so I can see the answer

ChelseaCat · 02/03/2021 19:25

Is the round tank inside the rectangular tank?

Hont1986 · 02/03/2021 19:26

Is the round tank supposed to be inside the rectangle tank or something? Is there an accompanying picture? From what you've posted, 5x8=40 is correct.

the80sweregreat · 02/03/2021 19:26

Placemarking. I've no idea 🤷‍♀️

HerringGull · 02/03/2021 19:26

Is it one? There's an L, an E, and a G in the phrase 'rectangle tank'.
??

bearlyactive · 02/03/2021 19:27

Please don't let this be another Boswell... Grin

iklboo · 02/03/2021 19:27

None. The tarantulas self identify as snakes.

CatsForLife · 02/03/2021 19:27

Is the answer 1? As there is one l-e-g in the words rectangle tank?!

Bunnybigears · 02/03/2021 19:27

Is there a posh name for spider legs that isn't legs so the answer would be 0

foreverold · 02/03/2021 19:28

No picture accompanying it.

Ohh that might be in @HerringGull, will check with him

OP posts:
RuddyHellItsSoftCell · 02/03/2021 19:28

rectangle tank? Is it something to do with the wording? Wouldn’t it be more common to say rectangular?

Daisydoesnt · 02/03/2021 19:29

Shouldn’t it be rectangular? Not rectangle?

AfterEightsBeforeEight · 02/03/2021 19:30

Without sounding daft, have you definitely copied the riddle word for word... because I can't see anything to suggest anything other than 40. "How many legs does the rectangle tank have?", for example, would be zero... The tank doesn't have legs.

OytheBumbler · 02/03/2021 19:31

There's no 's' in 'rectangle tank' so how many legs doesn't make sense or maybe I'm overthinking it.

foreverold · 02/03/2021 19:32

Yes I copied it word by word - rectangle tank rather than rectangular tank. Awaiting his response if he could hurry Grin

OP posts:
FrontRowSeat · 02/03/2021 19:33

I hope he hurries - I can’t concentrate until I know the answer Grin

HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 02/03/2021 19:34

Even Google doesn't have a clue!!

soundsystem · 02/03/2021 19:35

Oh I really don't want to become invested in this in case it turns out to be another Boswell...

RuddyHellItsSoftCell · 02/03/2021 19:37

If it is one l,e and g I’m not going to be happy! It’s a bit of a disappointing riddle answer.

WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo · 02/03/2021 19:37

Just place marking for the answer. Add long as it's not Boswell

Puzzledtenant · 02/03/2021 19:37

I'd say 8, at best, as tarantulas are cannibals, but that's a bit grim of an answer when the question is referring to toddlers working it out!

Donteatpurplebroccoli · 02/03/2021 19:37

No idea but want to find out! Grin

AntigoneLost · 02/03/2021 19:38

Or 8 legs, because tarantulas eat each other? So there would only be 1 left?

boppityboop · 02/03/2021 19:38

None, a rectangle tank has no legs, I think I've seen this somewhere before.

RuddyHellItsSoftCell · 02/03/2021 19:39

Would there be more legs if they’d shed? #overthinking

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