THE INKLINGO LANGUAGE GUIDES
20 Spanish Riddles with Hints and Answers
Try twenty traditional riddles recorded by Fernán Caballero. Each answer was checked against the collection’s own answer key. Start with the short picture clues, then test the letter puzzles that only work in Spanish.
Start here
- Un platito de avellanas, que de día se recoge y de noche se derrama.A little dish of hazelnuts that is gathered up by day and scattered at night.
- Un barrilito de pon pon, que no tiene agujero ni tapón.A little barrel, pon pon, with neither a hole nor a stopper.
- Más alto que un pino, y pesa menos que un comino.Taller than a pine tree, and lighter than a cumin seed.
- ¿Qué cosa es que mientras más grande, menos se ve?What is it that, the greater it is, the less you can see?
- Un cántaro lleno, ¿de qué pesa menos?A jug full of what weighs less?
- Tamaño como una nuez, sube al monte y no tiene pies.As small as a walnut, it climbs the hill without feet.
- En alto vive, en alto mora, en alto teje, la tejedora.Up high she lives, up high she stays, up high she weaves, the weaver.
- Blanco como el papel, colorado y no es clavel, pica y pimienta no es.White as paper, red but not a carnation; it bites, but is not pepper.
Easy Spanish Riddles for Kids and Beginners
Start with short clues and familiar shapes. A metaphor may describe something you can see rather than a literal object.
Un platito de avellanas, que de se recoge y de noche se derrama.
A little dish of hazelnuts that is gathered up by day and scattered at night.
Easy
Source noteUn barrilito de pon pon, que no tiene ni tapón.
A little barrel, pon pon, with neither a hole nor a stopper.
Easy
Source noteMás alto que un pino, y pesa menos que un .
Taller than a pine tree, and lighter than a cumin seed.
Easy
Source note¿Qué cosa es que mientras más grande, se ve?
What is it that, the greater it is, the less you can see?
Easy
Source noteUn cántaro lleno, ¿de qué ?
A jug full of what weighs less?
Easy
Source noteExplore these words: Quantities & measurements (flashcards) · Food & cooking (flashcards) · Time & dates (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Spanish storiesSpanish Animal Riddles
Look for body parts, movement and clothing metaphors. These clues describe animals through familiar human objects.
Tamaño como una nuez, sube al monte y no tiene pies.
As small as a walnut, it climbs the hill without feet.
Easy
Source noteEn vive, en mora, en teje, la tejedora.
Up high she lives, up high she stays, up high she weaves, the weaver.
Easy
Source noteandantes, mamantes, un quita moscas y dos apuntantes.
Four walkers, four milk-givers, one fly-swatter and two pointers.
Intermediate
Source notealtero, gran caballero, gorro de grana, capa y espuela de acero.
Tall and proud, a grand gentleman: a scarlet cap, a golden cloak and a steel spur.
Intermediate
Source noteEs tan grande mi , que estreno todos los años un sin costura de colores salpicado.
My good fortune is so great that every year I wear a new seamless dress speckled with colors.
Intermediate
Source noteExplore these words: Shapes, sizes & materials (flashcards) · Animals (flashcards) · Numbers (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Spanish storiesSpanish Riddles About Everyday Objects
Pens, scissors, candles and food become fields, travelers and clothing. Picture each comparison before reading the answer.
Campo blanco, , un arado y yeguas.
A white field, black flowers, a plow and five mares.
Intermediate
Source noteDos , van a compás, con los pies delante y los .
Two companions move in time, with their feet in front and their eyes behind.
Intermediate
Source noteVela, vela, vela. La por dentro, la carne por fuera.
Watch, watch, watch. The shirt on the inside, the flesh on the outside.
Intermediate
Source noteTamaño como un pepino, y tiene barbas como un capuchino.
As big as a cucumber, with a beard like a Capuchin friar.
Intermediate
Source noteBlanco como el , colorado y no es , pica y pimienta no es.
White as paper, red but not a carnation; it bites, but is not pepper.
Easy
Source noteExplore these words: Plants & trees (flashcards) · Colors (flashcards) · Numbers (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Spanish storiesSpanish Wordplay Riddles Explained
These puzzles depend on spelling, double meanings or an older regional word. The English explanation shows exactly where the trick happens.
¿Qué es lo que se dice, una vez en un y dos en un momento?
What is said once in a minute and twice in a moment?
Intermediate
Source noteRedonda soy como el mundo; sin mí no puede haber Dios, Papa y Cardenales, ; pero Pontífices, no.
I am round like the world. Without me there can be no Dios; Papa and Cardenales, yes, but Pontífices, no.
Hard
Source notesoy, como el mundo, pero mucho más pequeño; soy de natural, que mi «».
I am round like the world, but much smaller. I come from Ronda; I “hope” you will know my name.
Hard
Source noteAna me llaman por , y por Fe; aquel que esto no acertase es un borriquito en .
They call me Ana by first name and Fe by surname; anyone who cannot guess this is a little donkey standing up.
Intermediate
Source noteEn el soy de , en la tierra soy de , en las iglesias de , y una telita en los .
In the sky I am made of water, on the ground of dust, in churches of smoke, and I am a little film over the eyes.
Hard
Source noteExplore these words: Books & writing (flashcards) · School & university (flashcards) · Drinks (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Spanish storiesGuess, Check and Explain
- Read one riddle aloud before opening a hint.
- Name two possible answers and test both against every clue.
- Reveal the answer and read why it fits.
- Repeat the riddle later and explain the answer in your own words.
Spanish riddles: frequently asked questions
What is a riddle called in Spanish?
Adivinanza is the usual word for a riddle; acertijo can emphasize a puzzle or problem. This historical collection uses the shorter label adivinas.
Are these Spanish riddles traditional?
Yes: each is recorded in Fernán Caballero’s collection and checked against its answer key. That documents a historical version without claiming that Caballero invented it.
Which riddles are easiest for children?
Try the stars, egg, smoke and snail clues first. Their concrete images are easy to discuss, although a child may still need help with an older word or a metaphor.
Do the riddles work in English?
Many picture clues do. Letter counts and hidden word divisions often do not, so the explanation keeps the relevant Spanish spelling visible.
Why are some answers surprising?
Traditional riddles can use older objects or regional words. For example, pero can name an apple variety, and anafe is a portable cooking stove. The answer key, not a modern guess, determines these answers.
Can I see a hint before the answer?
Yes. Try the hint first; the answer remains behind its own reveal control until you choose to open it.
Which Spanish pronunciation is used?
The recordings use es-ES, Spanish from Spain. No English phonetic respelling is needed because the original Spanish spelling is shown.
How should I practice with Spanish riddles?
Read one aloud, solve it, and explain the clue using a few saved words. Returning to the same riddle later tests recall more usefully than racing through every answer.
Make these words part of your day
Explore Spanish stories, listen along, and save vocabulary as you go.
Find a story at your levelSources and verification
English translations and examples were written for this guide. Source notes distinguish documented expressions, original practice sentences, and literary quotations. Literary excerpts retain the language of their original period.
- Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles: 1, nos. 1–50 — Opened primary collection transcription and checked the numbered text or answer. The collection preserves older wording and regional vocabulary.
- Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles: 2, nos. 51–100 — Opened primary collection transcription and checked the numbered text or answer. The collection preserves older wording and regional vocabulary.
- Fernán Caballero, Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles — Opened primary collection transcription and checked the numbered text or answer. The collection preserves older wording and regional vocabulary.
Source notes for all 20 entries
- Un platito de avellanas, que de día se recoge y de noche se derrama.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 1; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Un barrilito de pon pon, que no tiene agujero ni tapón.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 27; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Más alto que un pino, y pesa menos que un comino.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 32; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- ¿Qué cosa es que mientras más grande, menos se ve?: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 24; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Un cántaro lleno, ¿de qué pesa menos?: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 4; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Tamaño como una nuez, sube al monte y no tiene pies.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 7; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- En alto vive, en alto mora, en alto teje, la tejedora.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 52; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- Cuatro andantes, cuatro mamantes, un quita moscas y dos apuntantes.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 78; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- Alto altero, gran caballero, gorro de grana, capa dorada y espuela de acero.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 81; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- Es tan grande mi fortuna, que estreno todos los años un vestido sin costura de colores salpicado.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 98; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- Campo blanco, flores negras, un arado y cinco yeguas.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 10; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Dos compañeras, van a compás, con los pies delante y los ojos detrás.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 26; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Vela, vela, vela. La camisa por dentro, la carne por fuera.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 29; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Tamaño como un pepino, y tiene barbas como un capuchino.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 36; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- Blanco como el papel, colorado y no es clavel, pica y pimienta no es.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 49; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-1] [caballero-answers]
- ¿Qué es lo que se dice, una vez en un minuto y dos en un momento?: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 55; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- Redonda soy como el mundo; sin mí no puede haber Dios, Papa y Cardenales, sí; pero Pontífices, no.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 69; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- Redondo soy, como el mundo, pero mucho más pequeño; soy de Ronda natural, que sepas mi nombre «espero».: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 79; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- Ana me llaman por nombre, y por apellido Fe; aquel que esto no acertase es un borriquito en pie.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 80; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]
- En el cielo soy de agua, en la tierra soy de polvo, en las iglesias de humo, y una telita en los ojos.: Fernán Caballero, Adivinas infantiles, no. 65; answer checked against Solución a las adivinanzas infantiles, same number. Punctuation and line breaks lightly normalized. [caballero-riddles-2] [caballero-answers]