hardlogic

A man is trapped in a room. The room has only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door there is a room constructed from magnifying glass. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone that enters. Through the second door there is a fire-breathing dragon. How does the man escape?

He waits until night time and then goes through the first door.

Why this works

This riddle plays on the concept of time and the properties of light. During the day, the room made of magnifying glass would indeed concentrate sunlight and create extreme heat, making it deadly to enter. However, at night, the sun goes down, and the magnifying glass becomes harmless—allowing the man to safely pass through that door. Thus, the clever twist is that the man can escape by simply waiting for nightfall, making the seemingly dangerous option viable.

Common Wrong Answers

“He fights the dragon.”

Fighting the dragon is likely to be fatal, as it is fire-breathing and presents an immediate lethal threat.

“He breaks a window.”

The riddle states there are only two exits (the doors), so breaking a window is not an option given the constraints of the scenario.

“He uses ice to cool the room down.”

Using ice would not change the conditions of the magnifying glass room, as it would still be deadly during the day when the sun is out.

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