The following is a riddle. Do not solve the riddle. Instead, explain the title.
My top is tilted to the light, A trumpet, almost, in its form. You court a woman? There I am. I please, palliate, perfume and mourn. Your grief I lament. Slay me and I will you last amen adorn.
SOLUTION
The riddle is about a (dismembered) flower. Its different parts are hidden within the words of the riddle:
My top is tilted to the light, -> pistil A trumpet, almost in its form. -> petal You court a woman? There I am. -> anther I please, palliate, perfume and mourn. -> sepal Your grief I lament. Slay me and -> filament I will your last amen adorn. -> stamen
The key to this riddle is only for you Below are instructions, above this the clue First strike the one near the head of a year Then remove he who begins a cheer Next take away the end of a tunnel Then let us go to solve this puzzle What you first took you must now take again With three you are left, but fret not dear friend Fattest to front and thinnest to rear Add in two “eyes” and all becomes clear
Remark: The instructions in this riddle are quite literal.
SOLUTION
The answer is XVIII, or 18 in Roman numerals.
The key is “only for you” – EXCLUSIVE. Remove “the one near the head of a year” – E. Remove “he who begins a cheer” – C. Remove “the end of the tunnel” – L. Remove “us” – U and S. Remove again E. Now you are left with X, I, V. Arrange them “fattest to front and thinnest to rear” – X > V > I. Add “two ‘eyes'” – I and I, so you get XVIII=18.
One early morning, a group of friends meets in their favorite café.
Ash, the biggest in the group, remarked :
“Must have been millions of years since we were all together, uh?”
Affie, who was wearing her brand new elephant pants, nodded. Anthony kept on complaining about the weather back home.
“Yeah, I am glad to be here with you, it is so cold at my place!”
Eugenie, who was saddened by the loss of a friend, was looking at Samuel and Namur, who were arguing about the possible future election of Donald Trump.
“These two are really inseparable”, she said to herself.
Octavia, the smallest among her friends, stood and spoke :
“Guys, I have a surprise for you! We’re going to the opera tonight!”
The waiter, waiting for the orders, wondered why these customers reminded him of something. But all of a sudden, he said:
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I suggest some sliced bread with butter, slices of cheese and ham? We also have croissants and other pastries. And for drinking, is coffee fine? We also have tea, of course, and orange and apple juice for you.”
Which is this group of friends, and what came to the waiter’s mind?
SOLUTION
These are the seven continents – Ash (Asia), Affie (Africa), Anthony (Antarctica), Eugenie (Europe), Samuel (South America), Namur (North America), Octavia (Oceania). Their entire conversation consists of various hints. In the end, the waiter was thinking about bringing them Continental Breakfast.
