Real Riddles

Riddle is a vague term.

Sometimes, when someone says riddle, they mean joke. Like, "Why did the chicken cross the road?...To get to the other side!...Ha ha ha!"

Sometimes riddles are puzzles, like the things The Riddler from Batman does.

I'm not sure what riddles really are, but for the purpose of this post, "Real Riddles" have the following qualities:

1. They pose a question, or other such device, that elicits a solution.
2. The solution is not ambigous, usually it's unique, and once discovered, the solution is clearly correct without the need for further verification (99.9% of the time.)
3. A real riddle can be solved with only the information provided in riddle.
4. A real riddle is not a trick question.

Here's a Real Riddle:

Your lost in a forest, and walking along a path when you come across a fork in the road. Somehow you know that one way leads to a certain, painful death and the other way leads to safety and your way home. Once you head down one path, there is no turning back. How will you ever choose a path that will lead to safety? Luckily for you, there are two guides at the fork to help you. But, they will not be as helpful as you'd like.

Here's how they will help:
-You may ask them one question, and only one question.
-Only one of the two will answer you.
One of the guides will deliberately lie to you.
One of the guides will deliberately be honest to you.
-Unfortunately, you have no idea which guide is which, so you may get an answer from the liar or you may get an answer from the honest guide.
-It's perfectly exceptable for the answer to be, "I have no idea what you are asking me." Therefore, your question to them must be simple enough to be easily understood.

What one question can you ask that will point you in the correct direction?

I may have asked this of some of you in the past. If not, try to figure it out. You might start by thinking, "What kind of question do I ask to determine if the guide answering me is honest or a liar?" But step back an think about it, do you really need to know which guide is honest and which guide is a liar to know which path leads to safety? Okay, enough hints. I'll post an answer in the comments to this post.

So, where have I found some real riddles?

At Brent R. Reeves Real Riddle site.

For the most part, the riddles here are in line with the conditions for real riddles that I outlined above. The best part is, he doesn't provide answers!

Next time you need a challenge, or need to feel stupid, try one out.

Good luck.