34 picture riddles and rebus puzzles with answers

Each picture is made of letters, words and numbers. Where a word sits, how often it repeats and which way it reads spell out a word or phrase. Name it, then reveal the answer.

Updated 27 Sept 2026 · 34 riddles

34 riddles · Picture riddles and rebus puzzles with answers · answers included

DifficultyWhat the difficulty bands mean

Showing 34 of 34

Over, under and on

Which saying does this picture show?
```
MIND
MATTER
```
easy
Answer
Mind over matter.
MIND is written over MATTER. The saying means your will can win over a physical problem.
Why was this person late?
```
I
SLEPT
```
easy
Answer
I overslept.
The letter I sits over the word SLEPT.
How do many fairy tales begin?
```
ONCE
A TIME
```
easy
Answer
Once upon a time.
ONCE sits upon A TIME.
Which saying does this picture show?
```
BRIDGE
WATER
```
medium
Answer
Water under the bridge.
WATER is under BRIDGE. The saying means an old problem that no longer matters.
What kind of spy is this?
```
COVER
AGENT
```
medium
Answer
An undercover agent.
AGENT is under COVER.
What do people wear on a very cold day?
```
WEAR
LONG
```
medium
Answer
Long underwear.
LONG is under WEAR.
How would you like your eggs cooked?
```
EGGS
EASY
```
medium
Answer
Eggs over easy.
EGGS is over EASY. Eggs over easy are fried on both sides and keep a runny yolk.
What is this worker doing wrong?
```
SLEEPING
JOB
```
easy
Answer
Sleeping on the job.
SLEEPING is on top of JOB.
How did the train arrive?
```
RIGHT
TIME
```
easy
Answer
Right on time.
RIGHT is on top of TIME.
Where is this trip going?
```
TRAVEL
C C C C C
```
hard
Answer
Travel overseas.
TRAVEL is over the C's, and C's sounds like seas: travel over seas.

Inside

Who do people say they can see in the night sky?
```
moMANon
```
medium
Answer
The man in the moon.
MAN is inside MOON: MO, then MAN, then ON.
Which phrase means that something is very easy?
```
paWALKrk
```
medium
Answer
A walk in the park.
WALK is inside PARK: PA, then WALK, then RK.
What do we say about someone who is always daydreaming?
```
cloHEADuds
```
medium
Answer
Their head is in the clouds.
HEAD is inside CLOUDS: CLO, then HEAD, then UDS.
What is the best shot in golf?
```
HO1LE
```
easy
Answer
A hole in one.
The number 1 is inside HOLE.
Which saying about an important person does this picture show?
```
poFISHnd
```
hard
Answer
A big fish in a small pond.
FISH is in big capital letters inside the word pond, which is written small. The saying means someone who matters a lot in a small group.
What do we call two friends who are always together?
```
poPPd
```
medium
Answer
Two peas in a pod.
Two P's, which sound like peas, sit inside POD.

Shapes and lines

What kind of meal is this?
```
+------+
| MEAL |
+------+
```
easy
Answer
A square meal.
MEAL is inside a square. A square meal is a full, filling one.
What advice does this picture give?
```
+-----+
|     | THINK
+-----+
```
easy
Answer
Think outside the box.
THINK is written outside the box. The saying means look for a new way to solve a problem.
What kind of puzzle is this?
```
 W
WORD
 R
 D
```
easy
Answer
A crossword.
Two copies of WORD cross each other at the O.
Which phrase means finding a meaning nobody said out loud?
```
R|E|A|D|I|N|G
```
medium
Answer
Reading between the lines.
The letters of READING sit between lines.
What are you doing when you avoid saying what you mean?
```
     BEAT
BEAT BUSH BEAT
     BEAT
```
medium
Answer
Beating around the bush.
BEAT is written all around BUSH.

Which way it reads

Which part of a city is this?
```
T
O
W
N
```
easy
Answer
Downtown.
TOWN is written going down.
Where should you turn your eyes?
```
K
O
O
L
```
easy
Answer
Look up.
LOOK is spelled from the bottom going up.
What did the old car's engine just do with a loud bang?
```
ERIF
```
medium
Answer
Backfire.
FIRE is written backward.
What happens right before a rocket launch?
```
3
2
1
```
easy
Answer
A countdown.
The numbers count down from 3 to 1, and they run down the page.
Which greeting is this?
```
NOON GOOD
```
medium
Answer
Good afternoon.
GOOD comes after NOON.
What is for breakfast?
```
GESG
```
easy
Answer
Scrambled eggs.
The letters of EGGS are scrambled.

Counting and sounds

How long does this picture say something lasts?
```
EVER EVER
EVER EVER
```
easy
Answer
Forever.
There are four EVERs, and "four ever" sounds like forever.
What is this an invitation to?
```
T 4 2
```
medium
Answer
Tea for two.
T sounds like tea, 4 sounds like for and 2 sounds like two.
What does this picture warn you about?
```
TROUBLE
TROUBLE
```
easy
Answer
Double trouble.
TROUBLE is written twice, so it is doubled.
Which saying about the past is this?
```
HISTORY
HISTORY
HISTORY
```
medium
Answer
History repeats itself.
HISTORY is written again and again: it repeats itself.
What is wrong with this person's eyesight?
```
SSEEEEIINNGG
```
easy
Answer
Seeing double.
Every letter of SEEING is written twice.
Which perfect place is this?
```
DICE DICE
```
hard
Answer
Paradise.
Two DICE make a pair of dice, which sounds like paradise.
Which nursery rhyme is this?
```
MCE MCE MCE
```
hard
Answer
Three blind mice.
There are three MICE, each missing its I, so the mice have no eyes.

Plan the round and team scores

Seconds per turnTurns in the session

8 turns × 60 seconds = 8 minutes of play, plus instructions and breaks.

Pause whenever the group needs more time.

Teams

Team Lime is acting

Team Lime: 0

Team Violet: 0

Use this set with a group

Read a prompt, allow thinking time, then invite an answer or a pass. For a timed round, choose a turn length before starting. A host can keep the printed answers out of view until the round ends.

Games and printables

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