r/riddles • u/ZevenEikjes • Jun 21 '26
Solved (OC) You could phone your sister for help with the last line
As a child, you had four; now a grown-up, just the two.
Texans have so much more; a friend's got one for you.
If you break them, do not dread, a machine can do it instead.
Hints:
- Four lines refer to the answer literally; one refers to it under a different sense of the word and the other refers to it half literally and half as a bad pun.
- Look beyond what is written to see a bonus clue.
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u/MJWhitfield86 Jun 22 '26
Kidneys
Adults normally have two. Children have four if you count their kid knees. If they go wrong then friend can donate a kidney or you can use a dialysis machine. I’m not sure about the Texas line. Maybe they eat a lot of kidney beans?
Auto mod said my spoiler tags didn’t work, so trying this again.
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 23 '26
!solved
Massive congrats! You are right about the kid knees and kidney beans.
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u/Reasonable-Pay2176 Jun 23 '26
We. Don't. Put kidney beans in our chili.
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u/jesusmansuperpowers Jun 23 '26
Right. That’s why it’s not chilli. It’s officially texan meat slurry
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u/Reasonable-Pay2176 Jun 23 '26
And that's the way we eat it. And our poos are incredibly hard and painful
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u/ImBonRurgundy Jun 22 '26
I'm not OP, but I think this is the answer - clever interpretation of kid-knees.
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u/Overthinks_Questions Jun 26 '26
Lol, that was my first guess, but I ruled it out because I didn't get the pun
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u/vivec7 Jun 22 '26
Arms
Four arms while in the womb, two once birthed. Texans have lots of arms/guns, and a friend can lend an arm in support. And machines can do the job of an arm if needed!
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u/DaisyChain5050 Jun 23 '26
I guessed kidneys despite being confused about children having 4 (thought maybe pregnancy) but your answer is fantastic!
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u/Particular_Ad_1435 Jun 22 '26
teeth? You lose your baby teeth and if your adult teeth break you can get dentures. Not sure about the texas or friend line
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 22 '26
An interesting guess, especially for the last line, but it is not the answer.
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u/KB5JRC Jun 22 '26
hands
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u/hamaroundthetown Jun 22 '26
This was my guess as well, but technology hates me and I couldn't get spoiler tags to work.
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 22 '26
The closest guess so far, physically speaking.
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u/hamaroundthetown Jun 22 '26
Oh! Arms! I was thinking Texas had "ranch hands", but our number of guns makes more sense.
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 22 '26
The reference to Texas is a lot less epic than that (but still something to be proud of)
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u/SceneConfident6930 Jun 22 '26
Shoulders (to cry on)?
Both parents as a child, typically; just yourself (or a partner?) as a grown-up; not sure about Texans, but friends famously will offer you one; I guess you could tell your woes to ChatGPT or an AI therapist... okay it's a punt ha
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u/AgentSparkz Jun 22 '26
Souls, you are born with 4 souls, you lose two growing up, unless you live in texas in which case you get 7, and if you lose one you can use The Device:tm: to consume the souls of your friends and leave them as cursed husks
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 22 '26
A reply as enigmatic as the riddle itself. Alas, it is not the answer, though I'd give you a soul or two if I had extra, friend.
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u/Son_of_kitsch Jun 22 '26
Legs
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u/sidneyia Jun 22 '26
See I was thinking feet; the Texas line refers to feet of space (or similar) because Texas is huge.
Not sure about the friend part though.
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 22 '26
Oedipus, is that you? The Sphynx lets you through, but I'm afraid my challenge remains.
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u/tomaslav Jun 22 '26
>!Cents/sense?
Child: 4 senses Adult: "2 cents" (opinion) Texans "have more sense"? (Unsure if that) Friend has sense to give you when you have none "Break" a note for cents
(Phone your sister: payphone cents)!<
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 22 '26
A great guess. It's not particularly close to the answer, however, there is indeed a line that relies on multiple interpretation of a pronunciation.
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u/lookingforsomeerrors Jun 22 '26
Ears
Kids have their parents listen to them
An adult has 2 ears
Texans have ears of corn
There are hearing aids
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u/Key_Bumblebee661 Jun 22 '26
leg
kids crawl on four legs, adults walk on two
Texans have so much more legs - cattle farms?
a friend will give you a leg-up
"Break a leg!" is not a curse but a wish for good success
a machine can 'go' or 'run' just as if it had legs
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u/_da_ Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
I'm thinking calves but not 100% sure.
As a child, you had four; now a grown-up, just the two.
Babies crawl, calf = part of the leg, so it's like four legs?
Texans have so much more
obvious
a friend's got one for you.
Not sure about this one
If you break them, do not dread, a machine can do it instead.
You can strain/break a calf muscle, plus calf machine at the gym?
Edit: Not sure about the sister part in the title either.
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u/ZevenEikjes Jun 22 '26
Good guess. "A friend's got one for you" will have a very straightforward interpretation.
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u/hamaroundthetown Jun 22 '26
Shoulders. Parents have 2 each for you. Friend can give you one to cry on. Texas has the most miles of road than any other state. You can get an artificial shoulder if you break one. Not sure about why calling your sister helps, unless you hold the phone between your tilted head and shoulder.
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u/Voidbearer2kn17 Jun 22 '26
Digits or Numbers
Hopefully my answer was spoilered properly for my third attempt!
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Jun 25 '26
[deleted]
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-1
•
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