Riddle 1:

Toujours le premier, jamais le dernier,

Rien sans lui n’est jamais fini
Car rien ne peut commencer sans lui.
Qui est-il?
Always the first, never the last,
Nothing can finish without it
Because nothing can start without it.
What is it?
Riddle 2:
J’ai un chapeau mais pas de tête.
J’ai un pied mais pas de jambe.
Qui suis-je?
I have a cap but no head.
I have a foot but no leg.
Who am I?
You’ll need to think about the French words for this one, as their English
equivalents don’t really match up.
Riddle 3:
On en jette l’extérieur et on en cuit l’intérieur.
Ensuite, on mange l’extérieur et on jette l’intérieur.
De quoi s’agit-il?
You throw away the outside and cook the inside.
Then, you eat the outside and throw away the inside.
Of what am I speaking?
Riddle 4:
Je suis ce que je suis.
Mais je ne suis pas ce que je suis.
Car si j’étais ce que je suis,
Je ne serais pas ce que je suis.
Que suis-je?
This particular riddle is difficult to translate because it has to do with French
wordplay. If I translate it with the answer in mind, I’ll give it away! Instead,
really focus on the French version—we’ll give you the translation and
answer below.

Answer 1:
Le début (the beginning)
Answer 2:
Un champignon (a mushroom)
Here, the answer makes sense only in French, as pied (foot) can also be
used to refer to the stalk of a mushroom.
Answer 3:
Un épi de maïs (a corncob)
Answer 4:
Okay, here’s that translation we promised:
I am what I am.
But I am not what I follow.
Because if I were what I follow,
I would not be what I am.
What am I?
Un berger (a shepherd)
The key to understanding this riddle is in the word suis, which can be either
the first-person conjugated form of être (to be) or suivre (to follow).
At first glance, one believes the riddle to simply use je suis (I am)
repeatedly, but the key is figuring out that sometimes je suis means “I am”
and sometimes it means “I follow.”

Riddle 5:
Qu’est-ce qui a des ailes et ne vole pas?
What has wings but doesn’t fly?
This is another one where only the French version will help you.
Riddle 6:
Qu’est-ce qu’un hippopotame qui fait du camping?
What is a hippopotamus who camps?
Riddle 7:
Qu’est-ce qui sépare l’eau de l’air?
What separates water from air?
Hint: focus exclusively on the French version, listening rather than
reading!
Enigma Answers
Answer 5:
Un moulin (a windmill)
While in English, we refer to vanes, sails or blades on a windmill, in French,
they use ailes (wings).
Answer 6:
Un hippocampe (a hippocampus)
Answer 7:
Le papier toilette (toilet paper)
This one requires an explanation, as you’ll only understand it using French.
In the riddle, l’eau (water) and l’air (air) are actually meant to be thought of
by their sounds, which makes them the letters O and R, respectively. The
letters between O and R are of course P and Q. And in French, PQ is
sometimes how one refers to papier toilette (toilet paper).
It’s truly necessary to think in French when solving French riddles!
Elementary, Watson!
The last several riddles are set up as mysterious scenarios that only the
next Sherlock Holmes can solve!
Riddle 8:
Avant-hier, Catherine avait 17 ans.
L’année prochaine, elle aura 20 ans.
Comment est-ce possible?
The day before yesterday, Catherine was 17-years-old.
Next year, she will be 20-years-old.
How is this possible?
Riddle 9:
J’ai quelque chose dans ma poche mais ma poche est vide.
Qu’est-ce que c’est?
I have something in my pocket but my pocket is empty.
What is it?
Riddle 10:
Il y a une prêtresse de la tribu. Elle répond toujours clairement par oui ou
non. Quelle question pourriez-vous poser pour qu’elle se trompe?
There’s a tribe priestess. She always responds with either a “yes” or a “no.”
What question can you ask her to cause her to make a mistake?
Elementary Answers
Answer 8:
It’s possible because her birthday is December 31.
Yesterday was December 31. She turned 18-years-old. This year, she will
turn 19-years-old and next year, she will turn 20-years-old.
Answer 9:
Un trou (a hole)
Answer 10:
Est-ce que le prochain mot que tu vas dire “non?”
Will the next word that you say be “no?”