Riddles Personified

By William F. Bultas

Each of the riddles below conceals the name of a famous person. Feel free to use books, the internet, & whatever else when working on the riddles, but don't get help from anyone else if you plan to use the ranking scale below. If you like riddles, you should also try the CHART & the CORE. Happy riddling!

Number Correct         Riddler Rank
0-2                    Riddled 
3-4                    Dilettante 
5-6                    Riddler 
7-8                    Riddle Expert 
9-10                   Riddle Master
11-12                  Riddler Par Excellence 

1. My first name is (by at least one account) the same as the slayer of Goliath. The first two thirds of my last name are something that you send to someone. My last third is what I am. Who am I?

2. I am a German economist & historian. Remove my last two letters, & you have a word that denotes something similar to a net that is used by a certain type of creature. Who am I?

3. My first three letters are the original first name of a famous athlete. Remove my first five letters, & you have something above you. Sadly, most people only know my name for one reason. Who am I?

4. Remove my first letter & read me backward, & you have a number. I am known for making fun of others, & for my rather large chin. Who am I?

5. I was well known in the heavy metal world of the 80's for yelling at Satan. My name backward is a right to hold another's property. Who am I?

6. I wrote something that was similar in meaning to 'Devilish Poems,' & proved to be controversial for some, & unacceptable for others. Remove my last three letters, & you have the name of a band, & the name of a well known conservative. Who am I?

7. I wrote something that distantly resembled 'Town of Zeus,' although I did not believe in that deity, & my work had nothing to do with him. I was a philosopher & theologian. Remove my last three letters, & you have a month. Who am I?

8. Remove my first two letters & replace them with an 'o,' & then read me backward, you have a type of car. I performed experiments that involved sounding a bell. Who am I?

9. I share the name of two former American Presidents. According to my humorous works, the number 42 is extremely important. Who am I?

10. You may know me as an actor, but even if you don't, you probably know my voice. My middle name was a class in Ancient Britain, & I was in a play that is also the name of a game. Who am I?

11. Change one letter in my name, & you have a city. I wrote of manners & customs, & am well known for my use of gentle satire. Who am I?

12. My last name contains a hyphen, & if you remove the first & last letters from the second part of it, you have a word meaning "Scottish Gaelic." I am an Olympic athlete. Who am I?

ANSWERS