
Isolated chambers that can go wrong,
Has a chain but not of mail,
Moves around not on a rail?
What holds one, two or more,
Elevates one above the floor,
Offers trades of motion for motion -
Maybe a little helpful inflation?
A bicycle has handlebars.
Isolated chambers that can go wrong,
The inner tube of each tyre is atmospherically isolated in its own rubber chamber.
Has a chain but not of mail,
A bicycle has a chain between its gearwheels.
Moves around not on a rail?
A bicycle's very purpose is to move around, and it's not on a rail like a train.
What holds one, two or more,
Most bicycles hold one person, but tandems can hold two or more.
Elevates one above the floor,
When riding a bicycle, a person is elevated above the floor.
Offers trades of motion for motion -
Motion of your feet round and round is traded for forwards motion of the bicycle.
Maybe a little helpful inflation?
You need to inflate the bicycle tyres in order to get anywhere.
Yet as long as a road.
It can't be resized, only broken,
But can deform to all sorts of shapes.
Has no volition, needs no fuel,
But gives you heat on winter days.
When rolled up, a ball of wool is only as large as your fist.
Yet as long as a road.
When unrolled and stretched it, it can be as long as a road.
It can't be resized, only broken,
You can't change the shape or structure of a strand of wool much.
But can deform to all sorts of shapes.
Knitting allows a single strand of wool to deform into the shape of a sock, a jumper, a scarf, etc.
Has no volition, needs no fuel,
It's not alive and can't do anything of its own accord.
But gives you heat on winter days.
Knitted clothes for warmth.
This is quite rare, so do not frown.
Trust me, let me stand watch.
Count on me and you will botch,
For I'm neither enemy nor ally,
But surrounding you in peace I lie.
Betwixt your nation and the void
Is where I ought to be enjoyed.
"Quick" is a reference to quicksand. You suffocate in quicksand.
This is quite rare, so do not frown.
Quicksand and deaths therein are rare.
Trust me, let me stand watch.
A reference to the "sandman", or to an hourglass being used instead of a watch.
Count on me and you will botch,
You wouldn't want to count grains of sand.
For I'm neither enemy nor ally,
Sand is neutral regarding politics.
But surrounding you in peace I lie.
A country or island could be totally surrounded by sand.
Betwixt your nation and the void
Refers to the land and ocean.
Is where I ought to be enjoyed.
We like playing on the beach (in the sand).
You do it for a living, too bad it's confined.
The Fifth and the First in a literal link,
Represented by wealth and weakness but not by stink.
I may differ in colour, kill foes with strength,
But I really show advantage within children's hands.
You already got three but there's more you need!
Be confident and proceed, use lad instead of lead.
You do it for a living, too bad it's confined.
We EAT daily as a way of consumption. "Grind" seen literally here. We also need to eat in order to live. Sometimes we have very delicious food so it's annoying that we get full when we want to eat more.
The Fifth and the First in a literal link,
Represented by wealth and weakness but not by stink.
The Fifth and the First are the letters E and A. They can be found in the words "wEAlth" and "wEAKness" but not in "stink".
I may differ in colour, kill foes with strength,
But I really show advantage within children's hands.
The third verse describes a BEAR which can be brown, black, or white and kill foes using bear hugs. If seen as a pet or toy it brings itself to bear when children play with it.
You already got three but there's more you need!
Be confident and proceed, use lad instead of lead.
The last verse tells you about the number of words you get out of the other verses (three) and what to do with them. One is supposed to change the letters "EA" into "A" like "lEAd" becomes "lAd". So it's just another hint to know that all words must contain "EA".
Back when skills with it would grant you fame?
It can be great, a bastard or green.
Brandish it to show you're mean!
What spins in unison with uniform friends,
Putting warm air on cooler trends?
Walk on its green of many heights;
Look to the chuck cut for delicious bites.
To fall on your sword is to take the blame.
Back when skills with it would grant you fame?
Skills with a sword back in the day granted you fame by status such as knighthood.
It can be great, a bastard or green.
Greatswords, bastard swords, and blades of grass.
Brandish it to show you're mean!
Revealing your sword a little whilst in a confrontation was a sign you were ready to fight.
What spins in unison with uniform friends,
Putting warm air on cooler trends?
Fan blades spin in unison, putting air in a new direction and cooler than previously.
Walk on its green of many heights;
Blades of grass are traversable, as well as being different heights.
Look to the chuck cut for delicious bites.
A chuck cut is where you will find the blade steak on a cow.
What's bracing kills me.
I might go to school,
But never do I learn.
I vary a lot in size,
From little ones in groups
To massive hulking killers
Sometimes used on nails.
A fish's gills look like cuts in its body and are essential for it to live.
What's bracing kills me.
Bracing sea air will asphyxiate a fish.
I might go to school,
But never do I learn.
A group of fish is often called a school, but it's nothing to do with learning.
I vary a lot in size,
From little ones in groups
Fish are indeed variable in size, and small ones often band together.
To massive hulking killers
Sometimes used on nails.
Sharks are the largest kind of fish, and there's one variety called the *hammer*head shark.
The other might make you tall,
Or even make you nothing at all.
I rest in the waters,
I rest in the coppers,
Ancient volcano's old blood,
Never in the haze of mud.
Man should know the soul of the sky,
And anything he can hold in his eye,
Worthless and a wonder,
One mistake, what a blunder!
The other might make you tall,
This refers to a mirror that has been bent - one side would give the illusion of shortness and the other,the illusion of tallness.
Or even make you nothing at all.
Magicians use mirrors to give the illusion of disappearance.
I rest in the waters,
You can see your reflection in the water.
I rest in the coppers,
Ancient volcano's old blood,
Copper has been used as a mirror and obsidian has been used as a mirror in ancient times. It naturally occurs from settled lava.
Never in the haze of mud.
You will not see your reflection in muddy water.
Man should know the soul of the sky,
And anything he can hold in his eye,
Telescopes have mirrors in them. You can often see your reflection in someone else's eyes.
Worthless and a wonder,
Mirrors are a beautiful phenomenon - however a particular mirror is quite worthless.
One mistake, what a blunder!
If you break a mirror - prepare for 7 years of bad luck.
Caged under two roofs,
In a moist cramped prison
With a door that proofs.
A big fence to stop her,
To keep her inside;
A deep hole to jump
Where others have died.
White soldiers around her
Sometimes pinching her head,
Unless on yard exercise
During times she gets fed.
She is walking softly,
Doesn't like to get hurt.
Strapped with a soft chain,
Working all we insert.
Caged under two roofs,
When sleeping, people are usually at home; a tongue is under both the actual roof of the house (head) and the roof of the mouth.
In a moist and cramped prison
With a door that proofs.
A mouth is moist and there is not too much space inside. The door (lips) prevents the passage of liquids.
A big fence to stop her,
To keep her inside;
A metaphorical fence made out of teeth.
A deep hole to jump
Where others have died.
At the back of the mouth is the throat which looks like a deep hole and leads to the stomach, where food is digested.
White soldiers around her
Sometimes pinching her head,
Another reference to teeth. You sometimes bite your own tongue.
Unless on yard exercise
During times she gets fed.
While eating or licking, for example, a lollipop, the tongue is allowed to leave her chamber and get fed.
She is walking softly,
Doesn't like to get hurt.
Strapped with a soft chain,
Working all we insert.
A tongue is soft and attached to the lower part of the mouth. It also touches everything that enters the mouth.
Grows only for food and others to own,
Has a skin to survive the cold,
Nestles betwixt the cheeks of old?
What breaks to reveal nutrients within,
Cracks to release a life of kin?
Used in insults the intelligent will catch
And for breakfast with B. Cumberbatch.
It will cease to be just an egg when wild oats are sown (i.e. sexual intercourse).
Grows only for food and others to own,
Chicken eggs are only for food, or even if left to hatch it's for the meat. Some people own an egg statue which symbolises rebirth.
Has a skin to survive the cold,
Nestles betwixt the cheeks of old?
Eggs are shielded from the forces of nature; lots of animals sit on their eggs, nestling them between their soft bum cheeks.
What breaks to reveal nutrients within,
Cracks to release a life of kin?
You can break an egg for the nutrients, e.g. to scramble it. It cracks for a new chick to pop out.
Used in insults the intelligent will catch
'Eggheads' is known as a slur to the intelligent.
And for breakfast with B. Cumberbatch.
Eggs Benedict is a breakfast dish and Benedict Cumberbatch is a well-known actor.
Like all the others,
And end up less tall
Than my brothers.
Joy's all around
When I bifurcate.
Listen to the sound
As our O becomes I.
Like all the others,
Like men, women start off as tiny babies.
And end up less tall
Than my brothers.
On average women are less tall than men.
Joy's all around
When I bifurcate.
When a pregnant woman bifurcates - i.e. gives birth - it's usually a cause for joy.
Listen to the sound
As our O becomes I.
In the plural "women", the letter O denotes a phoneme more commonly denoted by I.
Earth, ether, or machine,
I can strike the fatal blow -
Blood will on the tiles flow.
I defend my master to the end,
I'll throw my life down in his stead.
My race is founded by the octopox;
Our enemy is equally cursed.
Don't let my size fool you any more:
My unique weakness might just end the war.
A chess piece can be made from anything: metal, stone, or the workings of a computer. "Ether" refers to the mind, i.e. an imaginary pawn.
I can strike the fatal blow -
Any piece can checkmate.
Blood will on the tiles flow.
There is hardly ever a game that results in no pieces lost and no checkmate. The "tiles" refer to the squares on the board.
I defend my master to the end,
The only purpose of any piece is to protect the king - there is no other purpose.
I'll throw my life down in his stead.
Because the only goal in chess is checkmate, sacrificing any piece to prevent checkmate is perfectly logical.
My race is founded by the octopox;
"Octopox" is meant to refer to "8" - there are eight pawns on a side. "Race" refers to the fact that they are white or black. "Pox" refers to the fact that they are "cursed" - they cannot change their colour.
Our enemy is equally cursed.
The other side - black or white - is in the same position.
Don't let my size fool you any more:
My unique weakness might just end the war.
A pawn may be the "weakest" piece but it can not only change into a queen but it can also checkmate or be instrumental in checkmate.
Pleasant soft, a silky fur.
An entity of many guises,
Summoner of bad surprises.
I stay where I want, no invitation,
Until I face elimination.
What you don't like, I'll eat for sure.
You'll be repelled unless I'm pure.
Mould can (like most fungi) grow almost everywhere.
Pleasant soft, a silky fur.
Many kinds of mould look like soft, silky fur - for example, on fruit or bread.
An entity of many guises,
There are many different kinds of mould/fungus.
Summoner of bad surprises.
You are usually unpleasantly surprised when finding mould on your food.
I stay where I want, no invitation,
Until I face elimination.
Usually one is surprised to find mould and doesn't invite it, but then has to eliminate it.
What you don't like, I'll eat for sure.
Often mould grows on old food - leftovers no one ate.
You'll be repelled unless I'm pure.
People are disgusted by seeing mould, unless it's in cheese which can be seen as delicious.
To relinquish possession of innocent bones?
Tremendous upheaval, deployment of hate,
Most caused by tyrants of God's mate.
The clash of materials and elements
Upon dismissal of others' sacraments.
What causes this yet is stated as great?
Those who take part do protect our fate.
To relinquish possession of innocent bones?
War displaces everyone, e.g. by evacuations and militarised zoning. It causes the loss of countless innocent lives rather than those of the people causing the wars.
Tremendous upheaval, deployment of hate,
Most caused by tyrants of God's mate.
The upheaval and loss of possessions, and all other losses involved in war, cause hatred to fester in the subjected parties. Far too many wars are caused by religious arguments.
The clash of materials and elements
Upon dismissal of others' sacraments.
Materials clash in war: bullets to clothes, bombs to buildings, swords to shields.
What causes this yet is stated as great?
Those who take part do protect our fate.
What is now known as WW1 was called the Great War. The soldiers that participate decide the outcome of their country's citizens.
One of us is most important, but
His wife's the one who calls the shots.
A strange couple, they never even rut.
We have a fierce feud with our neighbours:
Like Montagues and Capulets we vie.
Into our war we put such labours;
Purely for racism we fight and die.
Our garden fence protects us at first,
Since only two of us can then pass it.
But when the worst comes to the worst,
Part of the fence can save our arse-zits.
Chess pieces all standing together in a row.
One of us is most important, but
His wife's the one who calls the shots.
The king is the most important piece, as its capture means the loss of the game; but the queen is the most powerful piece.
A strange couple, they never even rut.
They're inanimate objects, despite their names.
We have a fierce feud with our neighbours:
Like Montagues and Capulets we vie.
Chess is a game of war between two sides.
Into our war we put such labours;
Purely for racism we fight and die.
The two sides are distinguished only by colour.
Our garden fence protects us at first,
Since only two of us can then pass it.
At the start of the game, all the pieces are sheltered behind a 'fence' of pawns, and the knights are the only two pieces which can pass this fence.
But when the worst comes to the worst,
Part of the fence can save our arse-zits.
Towards the end of the game, a single pawn can mean victory if it reaches the back row.
People kill for me, though I give them no joy.
Keep me from others, but not yourself;
Hide me carefully but not in a safe.
If you let me free, cast me in the wind.
Don't worry, you can never lose me -
But be careful where the wind blows.
Though I belong to no one,
The strong have the advantage,
For I can be quite heavy.
Hush now, tell me what I am.
A secret can cause calamity. Military intelligence is based on secrets. A scandalous secret can cause families to divide.
People kill for me, though I give them no joy.
A spy, for example, will kill to contain a secret. But bearing a secret in and of itself does not bring joy.
Keep me from others, but not yourself;
You can keep a secret from others, but you cannot lie to yourself.
Hide me carefully but not in a safe.
Often you need to be careful not to expose a secret - you must also avoid implying that you know the secret or acting as though using that knowledge. A secret is only safe in your mind.
If you let me free, cast me in the wind.
If you release a secret, you probably do so vocally ("cast it in the wind")
Don't worry, you can never lose me -
Once spoken, you still carry the information.
But be careful where the wind blows,
If you speak to the wrong person or in the wrong place you may blow your secret.
Though I belong to no one,
A secret does not really have an owner. A secret has some people it involves directly and some people that know about it.
The strong have the advantage,
It takes a strong will to keep a secret hidden and to bear the pressure of knowing something - i.e. guilt perhaps.
For I can be quite heavy.
The guilt of a personal secret can break minds.
Hush now, tell me what I am.
Stylistic - "hush" refers to keeping quiet, i.e. keeping a secret.
Who's guiding you all.
I force directions,
Caning the small.
A lesser tool I seem,
Yet indispensable.
Keep things straight -
It's only sensible.
A person in charge is known as a ruler.
Who's guiding you all.
A ruler should guide the people; a ruler is also a tool for guiding your pen or pencil.
I force directions,
A ruler forcing directions when drawing, or a dictator passing laws and commands.
Caning the small.
Teachers hit pupils with their rulers in the past.
A lesser tool I seem,
Yet indispensable.
Rulers are simple but very useful tools. Some monarchs (e.g. Louis XIV) think of themselves as "God's tool".
Keep things straight -
It's only sensible.
A ruler keeps drawn lines straight, and so should a sovereign do with regard to honesty and trust etc.
Within the scape of the ocean breeze.
A scorpion tail I have - but wait:
No venom, no needle - don't aggravate.
Like fine wine I improve with age;
My body's cursed to shed my cage.
I fight my kin, not by my whim;
Battle decays me, I may lose limbs.
Lay me down in death for diner;
Save me for the best of china.
Put me in my watery grave:
Hostile waters, I will be brave.
Within the scape of the ocean breeze.
Lobsters are caught out at sea using cages.
A scorpion tail I have - but wait:
No venom, no needle - don't aggravate.
It has a tail similar to a scorpion's, which it can raise high above its own body, though no venom and no needle-like stinger. However don't aggravate one as it has other weaponry.
Like fine wine I improve with age;
My body's cursed to shed my cage.
A lobster is only allowed to be farmed if over 11 years old, and tastes better with age. It will shed its skin when it has outgrown it.
I fight my kin, not by my whim;
Battle decays me, I may lose limbs.
Lobsters have territorial fights, often to gain ground. Limbs and lives may be lost in these battles.
Lay me down in death for diner;
Save me for the best of china.
When dead they are dinner, rather posh (although abundant in the 80s) and usually quite expensive.
Put me in my watery grave:
Hostile waters, I will be brave.
Watery grave can mean two things: the fisherman who lose their lives catching lobsters, or the lobsters being put into boiling pots. Hostile waters are present in both instances.
If seen all the way from Greece,
In little bits 'twixt which you tack;
Of each word I'm the second piece.
Remove my last,
Reform the rest,
And apply to a pie.
What do you have?
If seen all the way from Greece,
Translate "many", "a millionth", and "black" into (ancient) Greek prefixes to get "poly-", "micro-", and "mela-".
In little bits 'twixt which you tack;
This suggests islands.
Of each word I'm the second piece.
We want something that can be preceded by "poly-", "micro-", or "mela-" to give meaningful words that are something to do with islands. Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia are island groups, so let's go with "-nesia".
Remove my last,
Removing the last letter of "nesia" gives "nesi".
Reform the rest,
An anagram of "nesi" is "sine".
And apply to a pie.
Pie sounds like pi - Greek again, and also a mathematical constant. Apply the sine function to this constant and you get zero.
What do you have?
The answer is zero.
You'll know me when you see the light.
But don't look up, don't mess around -
In these words is where I may be found.
Through eternity ever I flowed,
Beyond the marble you call your abode.
I am warm and I am cold;
Visit me if you are bold.
If you are confused sometimes,
Just relax, read between the lines.
In space there is not really a concept of day as opposed to night.
You'll know me when you see the light.
"See the light" simply refers to the normal aha! moment of riddles.
But don't look up, don't mess around -
Space is not only "above" us.
In these words is where I may be found.
This refers to the space character on a keyboard, appearing in between every pair of words.
Through eternity ever I flowed,
There has been space as long there has been time.
Beyond the marble you call your abode.
The "marble" refers to Earth.
I am warm and I am cold;
The light in space will cause burns but space is cold.
Visit me if you are bold.
Some brave astronauts and other crazy voyagers have gone into space.
If you are confused sometimes,
Just relax, read between the lines.
There is space between each and every line of text.
I'm with the ruler of the sea.
I double with speed,
Growing twice from a seed.
As the main part of the freight,
I cause most of the weight.
With the speed of light,
A hex must be nullified.
Tell me what you see.
How old are we?
I'm with the ruler of the sea.
Age sounds like H, and an H-ed tree is a three. A trident is with the ruler of the sea. So this verse gives the number 3.
I double with speed,
Growing twice from a seed.
Double with spEEd and twice from a sEEd, giving the letter E.
As the main part of the freight,
I cause most of the weight.
The biggest part of the words freight and weight is obviously "eight", so here we get the number 8.
With the speed of light,
The speed of light is 3e8 m/s. So this is only to confirm what we've got so far.
A hex must be nullified.
Now the hex(adecimal) number 3E8 needs to be transformed into a more common numerical system; the decimal form is 1000.
Tell me what you see.
How old are we?
1000 (years).
Wheels of old I surely twist.
Swarm the cold, attach and stay:
A stem of this snake is where I play.
Teams in white create me;
Through steel extractions I flee.
I travel further above the ground,
Until at my limit I am drowned.
Steam slowly rises as a mist (homophone of missed).
Wheels of old I surely twist.
Steam pushing pistons and turning wheels of an old locomotive.
Swarm the cold, attach and stay:
It condensates on the cold tap.
A stem of this snake is where I play
"A stem" is an anagram of steam; a stem of the train is where it's released.
Teams in white create me;
Chefs boiling the broth.
Through steel extractions I flee.
Extractor fans take away the steam so the chefs don't die of heat.
I travel further above the ground,
Until at my limit I am drowned.
It rises until it cools and falls again, 'drowning' so to speak.
So now you're going to get a gift.
But not a plaything, not a toy;
To evade me you must be swift.
From behind I seem quite nice,
More than e'en a friend to you.
But if you'll take a pal's advice,
To run in fear I am your cue.
Elevated, I become quite excellent;
Not, as first you thought, repellent.
On a pole, I'll make you laugh
With many a funny slip and gaffe.
So now you're going to get a gift.
A slap is a 'gift' doled out to naughty children.
But not a plaything, not a toy;
It's not a physical object.
To evade me you must be swift.
You have to be quick to dodge a slap when it's coming.
From behind I seem quite nice,
More than e'en a friend to you.
The word "slap" reversed is "pals" - more than one friend.
But if you'll take a pal's advice,
"Pals" again.
To run in fear I am your cue.
A child about to be slapped might run away.
Elevated, I become quite excellent;
Not, as first you thought, repellent.
"Elevated" suggests upwards, so this gives us "slap-up", meaning excellent. Cf. a slap itself, which is repellent.
On a pole, I'll make you laugh
With many a funny slip and gaffe.
A pole is a stick, so this gives us "slapstick": humour involving slips and gaffes.
I have no tongue yet I can speak,
To the heavens or to the earth,
My only mission is to fix.
A zip has "teeth".
I have no tongue yet I can speak,
A zip makes noise when it is used, however the noise is not that of a voice.
To the heavens or to the earth,
A zip moves upwards (to the heavens) and downwards (to the earth).
My only mission is to fix.
The sole purpose of a zip is to fasten together two pieces of fabric.
Almost everywhere
Almost everywhere
Rarely seen
Always on the run
Stay where I want
I'm the count
I'm death
I'm immortal
I'm free
I flee
I see
By changing some, you get three.
In a cave
Rarely seen
I'm the count
I'm free
These lines describe a bat. It lives in caves, and is rarely seen since it's nocturnal. Count Dracula can take the form of a bat. It's not held as a pet, thus free.
Almost everywhere
Always on the run
I'm death
I flee
These lines describe a rat, which can be found almost everywhere. It is always on the run and fleeing because no one likes rats usually. It spread the Black Death plague through its fleas (homophone of flees).
Almost everywhere
Stay where I want
I'm immortal
I see
These lines describe a cat. It's one of the most common pets and therefore can be found almost everywhere. Cats are said to be stubborn and do whatever they want. Also they are said to have 9 lives, and they can see in the dark pretty well (their eyes are even used metaphorically to help others see in the dark: cats' eyes in roads).
By changing some, you get three.
This is a hint towards the solution(s) since "cat", "bat", and "rat" all share the same letters but one. It is also a hint to change line order.
Reminiscent of those of Nazism:
The power of white to defeat all,
With scorched earth not front crawl.
You get 50% through binocular lenses.
Strike with a pike - the judge commends us.
If an answer by now you cannot force,
Get another to share their resources.
Reminiscent of those of Nazism:
The power of white to defeat all,
The aim of the game pool is to use the white ball, which is not allowed to fall, to knock down every other colour on the table in a predetermined order. Racist much?
With scorched earth not front crawl.
Scorched earth was used during WW2 by the Soviets, to destroy all caches or POOLS of resources the Germans might have been able to use. Front crawl is a way of swimming in a pool of water.
You get 50% through binocular lenses.
OO is what you see through binocular lenses and also indicates the middle 50% of the word POOL.
Strike with a pike - the judge commends us.
Pike is a type of dive into a pool, and judges like this.
If an answer by now you cannot force,
Get another to share their resources.
If you don't know the answer by now, how about pooling your resources with others to figure it out?
Pick the season carefully,
For flowers will be used,
And they need watering too.
Later on you really need me;
With bared fists you pound me.
Then, abandoned, left alone,
My chest swells up in lonely pride.
You surrender me to flames:
I think you really hate me.
Heat enough to kill a man,
But I emerge triumphantly!
Pick the season carefully,
For flowers will be used,
And they need watering too.
Yeast, seasoning, flour, and water are among the ingredients of bread.
Later on you really need me;
With bared fists you pound me.
Need is a homophone of knead (and bared is an anagram of bread).
Then, abandoned, left alone,
My chest swells up in lonely pride.
You leave the dough to rise after kneading it.
You surrender me to flames:
I think you really hate me.
Heat enough to kill a man,
But I emerge triumphantly!
Then you put the bread in the oven, and it comes out ready to eat.
All alone and broken.
You need some light for me,
To sort me out uniquely.
I can be big or small,
I can be fat or flat,
I can be almost anything.
What I am is your reward,
Then back to my coffin I go.
All alone and broken.
A puzzle is comprised of pieces contained in a box.
You need some light for me,
You need to see a puzzle and the cover to complete it (practically).
To sort me out uniquely.
There is only one valid solution for a puzzle.
I can be big or small,
They can be 1000s of pieces or maybe just 10.
I can be fat or flat,
There are 2D and 3D puzzles.
I can be almost anything.
A puzzle can have any image on it.
Normally I must be something,
A puzzle is rarely blank.
What I am is your reward,
When you see the image complete, that is what you get as a result of finishing the puzzle.
Then back to my coffin I go.
You break the puzzle apart and put it back in the box normally after completion.
People will die.
But no necessity
To justify.
Follow the letters
And enter my Reich.
Absolute commitment
Is what I like.
I may seem almighty,
But watch my back.
Wards can show
One who's not a quack.
Held captive with care,
Imprisoned he grew.
No hands at all,
Yet he waves to you.
People will die.
Religious people follow their God, and many die in wars about religion.
But no necessity
To justify.
"God moves in mysterious ways."
Follow the letters
And enter my Reich.
Absolute commitment
Is what I like.
Religions usually have a book: the Bible, the Koran, the Talmud, etc. God doesn't want us to have other gods than himself.
I may seem almighty,
But watch my back.
Wards can show
One who's not a quack.
"watch my BACK WARDS can show" ... not a GOD but a DOG.
Held captive with care,
Imprisoned he grew.
No hands at all,
Yet he waves to you.
Dogs grow up and are cared for in captivity, and wave at us with their tails.
Sound localisation of a rusted pen:
Scurry to immortalise my word.
A familiar hurt me, how absurd!
A soft limestone came aboard,
Made a noise not oft ignored.
The screech of such a verb
Is the word you must disturb.
It leaves a visible scar -
A noun makes it this far.
End game might need a stitch.
Incoming verb to kill that itch.
To begin again is to start from scratch.
Sound localisation of a rusted pen:
Scurry to immortalise my word.
A rusted fountain pen scratches as it writes, perhaps scratching down spoken words to immortalise them.
A familiar hurt me, how absurd!
A cat, often a witch's familiar, scratches, and the absurdity of witches.br>
A soft limestone came aboard,
Made a noise not oft ignored.
Limestone makes part of chalk, which when scratched on a blackboard (a board) makes a noise that can't be ignored.
The screech of such a verb
Is the word you must disturb.
The verb used to make the noise “scratch� is what you are looking for here.
It leaves a visible scar -
A noun makes it this far.
End game might need a stitch.
A scratch is visible, may leave a scar, and refers to that in its noun form. The conclusion of a severe scratch might need stitches.
Incoming verb to kill that itch.
Scratch as a verb is used to describe what you do to get rid of itches.
Original title: "Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle." (!)
But however much you push me,
I'll give you nothing physical.
Together with my murine colleague,
I am to you a great essential.
Shift over now and give me space!
I control you: you can't escape.
You can enter me, but beware:
I may return you whence you came.
Now use me, tell me: what am I?
A keyboard has many keys.
But however much you push me,
I'll give you nothing physical.
You press the keys but all you get is pixels on a screen.
Together with my murine colleague,
The mouse.
I am to you a great essential.
You wouldn't have been able to submit the answer to this riddle without a keyboard!
Shift over now and give me space!
The shift and space keys.
I control you: you can't escape.
The control and escape keys.
You can enter me, but beware:
I may return you whence you came.
The enter/return key.
Now use me, tell me: what am I?
You need to use it to type the answer!
Old and varied in a pile.
I can teach and am for play,
Up to you which way,
A child of the tongue,
I am a song being sung.
Our father is lost forever without me.
Though many and opposed I may be,
Lean me against my brothers -
There will always be others.
To face me away is a shame;
You have only yourself to blame.
If you've a soul, I have many uses;
If not, I have many abuses.
Silent cymbals tell my story -
Now, tell me all about my glory.
Books come in soft and hard covers - also refers to audio book vs solid book.
Old and varied in a pile.
Books have been around for a long time, they come in many varieties, and they can be stacked.
I can teach and am for play,
Up to you which way.
One can use books for education or merely for leisure.
A child of the tongue,
Books require the use of language which developed from speech.
I am a song being sung.
The book is words in physical form.
Our father is lost forever without me.
History and religion are recorded in books.
Though many and opposed I may be,
Books contradict each other and can be used for propaganda: they are competing forms of truth.
Lean me against my brothers -
Books are stacked together.
There will always be others.
There are plenty of books.
To face me away is a shame;
You have only yourself to blame,
If you stack a book with the spine facing away from you, you will not know what the book is. It is easy not to do this.
If you've a soul, I have many uses;
Good people can use the information contained in a book for ethical practices.
If not, I have many abuses.
Without ethical practises the information can be used for atrocity.
Silent cymbals tell my story -
"Cymbals" is a homophone of "symbols". The book is built of letters which are symbols; they are silent in that they are printed on the page.
Now, tell me all about my glory.
Stylistic - no riddlish content aside from that books are glorious.
Feel the thrill -
I'm the envoy of death,
With the power of will.
The life that I steal
Is the life I rend.
I enable new birth,
With the power to end.
I make you sweat -
Feel the chill -
I'm the envoy of life,
With the power to kill.
The life that I steal
Is the breath I take.
I enable new birth,
With the power to wake.
Feel the thrill -
Fire is hot and makes you sweat.
I'm the envoy of death,
With the power of will.
Fire is often associated with evil and destruction, but also used to symbolise passion and willpower.
The life that I steal
Is the life I rend.
Fire can kill.
I enable new birth,
With the power to end.
Burning something, i.e. ending its life, will create ashes. Ashes make a great fertiliser, and the soil around volcanoes is said to be very fertile.
I make you sweat -
Feel the chill -
Sweat is mainly made of water, and is to cool your body down.
I'm the envoy of life,
Water represents life and healthiness; humans and animals are mainly made out of water.
With the power to kill.
Water can be very destructive: tsunamis or strong currents can kill.
The life that I steal
Is the breath I take
When drowning water takes your breath and thus your life.
I enable new birth,
The theory of evolution says life began in the water.
With the power to wake.
When waking someone up people often use, for example, a bucket of water. Others wake themselves up in the morning by washing their face with cold water.
Until steak they meat or even fired.
Impaled in the annals of history,
Truth we seek of this mystery.
Aural conduct of its second life,
Free to hunt till the heat is rife.
Revamp of ire of the classic one:
No longer feared but lustful fun.
Until steak they meat or even fired.
Vampires are stuck in time's grasp, unable to age, with their shadows left behind. A wooden stake (homophone of steak) or fire is the only way out. (Typos instil a sense of metamorphosis of words, which fits with the topic.)
Impaled in the annals of history,
Truth we seek of this mystery.
Vlad the Impaler is probably the most prominent historical origin of the vampire story, but no one knows for certain what he did and why.
Aural conduct of its second life,
Free to hunt till the heat is rife.
Aural conduct is how bats (believed to be a metamorphosis of vampires) operate, and also is an anagram of Count Dracula.
Revamp of ire of the classic one:
No longer feared but lustful fun.
Classics such as Bram Stoker's Dracula have been replaced with glistening teenage versions of the creature, more romance than fear. Being the subject of lust is not a welcomed revamp of the vampire's core reason for invention; also the word vampire is almost given by 'revamp of ire'.
