Riddles & brain-teasers
Lantern riddle — rules and where to play
LANTERN RIDDLE · Dengmi / Wenhu — Chinese-language word riddle
A Chinese-language word game: characters are split and recombined by sound, shape and meaning; the clue locks onto the answer instead of stating it. Expect a Chinese reading barrier.
- Origin
- — · China
- Difficulty
- ★★★★★ 2–4 / 5
- Time
- 3–15 min
- Grid
- —
- Sites
- 2
Rules
- The clue binds to the answer (a word or character) by association, character-splitting, homophone or metonymy.
- Common forms: meaning riddles, character-splitting (radicals), homophone riddles.
- Naming the answer wins; traditionally hung on lanterns for festival guessing.
How to start
Judge the form first
"add/subtract" or "split" means character-cutting; "like" means association.
Split the radicals
Splitting riddles scatter the answer's components across the clue — align them.
Use homophones and metonymy
"sounds like X" or "another name" flags a pun or stand-in.
Where players get stuck
- Reading the clue literally and missing the lock-on turn.
- Trying neither association nor splitting — do both to be safe.
Play Lantern riddle
2 sitesRelated puzzles
About this page
- Last updated 2026-09-22
- Source Curated compilation of established puzzle rules and listed third-party play sites
- Audience Players learning Lantern riddle rules or looking for online sites to play
- Covers Rules summary, how to start, common pitfalls, and the dedicated play sites listed on this page
- Does not cover Hosted puzzles, worked solutions, official contest rankings, third-party uptime or pricing guarantees
- Not advice This page is puzzle reference content only. It does not constitute financial, legal, medical or other professional advice.
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