[For Seniors] Have Fun with Wordplay Characters! A Collection of Funny Puzzles
We’ve put together a collection of brain teasers that people of all ages can enjoy.
For seniors, they can also serve as brain training, so this might be a popular idea.
These riddles range from ones that use kanji and hiragana to questions that make you think about what’s being described, such as “Where is the highest-altitude train station in Japan?” and “What vehicle occasionally eats bread?”
The nice thing about brain teasers is that you don’t need prior knowledge—if you twist your thinking a bit, you can figure them out.
Thinking them through together with seniors around you can spark interaction and make things lively!
Be sure to take this opportunity to give them a try.
- [Riddle Quiz for Seniors] Brain Training Perfect for Mental Exercise
- [For Seniors] Recommended and Exciting! Brain-Teaser Quiz Collection
- [For Seniors] Fun! Let’s Get Excited with Japan’s Number One Quiz
- [For Seniors] Fun and Lively! Recommended Quiz Questions
- [Brain Training] Lively Word Quiz for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Lively Mind Exercises
- [For Seniors] Liven Things Up with Trick Riddles You Answer!
- [For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Prefecture Quiz
- [For Seniors] Today’s recommended quiz. Daily brain-training quiz!
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Liven Up with a Local Three-Choice Quiz
- [For Seniors] Fun Riddles That Stimulate the Brain
- [For Seniors] January Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts. Brain training with quizzes about New Year and winter.
- [For Seniors] Sports Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts. Easy and Entertaining
[For Seniors] Let’s Have Fun with Brain-Teaser Characters! A Collection of Funny Puzzles (1–10)
A wordplay riddle using the character “sky”
Let's use the hints to figure out the answer! This is a word puzzle using the character for 'sky' (空).
The simple character 空 turns blue, and its corners are rounded off.
These two points are your clues! The time limit is 30 seconds.
If having a time limit makes it hard to think carefully, try removing the limit and giving it a go.
The answer is “a clear, blue sky.” It’s a clever and funny wordplay puzzle where a single character can express a whole scene.
A wordplay lettering using “u” and “shi.”
Let’s figure out the correct answer from the combined characters.
Here’s a wordplay puzzle using the Japanese characters “う” (u) and “し” (shi).
The character “u” forms a ring encircling “shi.” It’s a unique arrangement, and some people might have no idea what the answer could be.
The hints are that there are ten “う” characters and that “し” is placed in the center.
The answer is “雨天中止” (canceled due to rain).
ポイントは、数字の10を「ten（テン）」と読むことで、日本語の読み「テン」と同じ音になり、その結果としてそのフレーズにつながるということです。
‘Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti’ riddle letters
Carefully observe the characteristics of the characters given and answer.
This is a wordplay puzzle using the phrase “Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Ka.” The key point is that the characters “Mi” and “So” are displayed larger.
Another hint is that it seems to be a special day.
The answer is “Ōmisoka” (New Year’s Eve).
Many people might catch on from the large “Mi” and “So.” If you present this around the end of the year or when it gets cold, the correct answer rate might go up.
[For Seniors] Have Fun with Wordplay! A Collection of Funny Puzzles (11–20)
Witty calligraphy using the characters ‘parent’ and ‘se’
After taking a quick breather, let’s give our brains a little workout.
Here’s a wordplay riddle using the characters “親” (parent) and “せ.” You can see the character “せ” placed between the two parts that make up “親,” right? The hints are that it’s a word meaning to cause someone trouble, and that “せ” is inside “親.” With those hints, many of you have probably figured it out already.
The answer is “oyanakase” (a child who causes their parents grief).
Oyanakase refers to behavior by a child that causes their parents distress or makes them lament.
A wordplay using the letters “BC”
Let’s combine symbols and letters to think it through! This is a wordplay puzzle using “BC.” It shows the characters “Star BC,” which don’t have motion or color, so it might be hard to find the answer from that alone.
The hints are that it refers to an actor and that the “A” in “ABC” has been replaced by a star.
The answer is “movie star.” It’s a clever twist where the “A” becomes a “star,” so it makes sense once you hear it! Bursts of insight stimulate the brain, so try posing it to people around you.
A wordplay character using “riken” (vested interests) and the katakana “mo.”
Let’s think it through with a relaxed, free mindset! This is a wordplay riddle using “riken” (利権) and the katakana “モ.” Inside the characters for “利権,” a blue “モ” is displayed.
The hints are that the ‘モ’ is blue and that the answer is the name of a prefecture.
With those clues, many of you may have had a flash of insight.
The answer is Aomori Prefecture.
It’s a unique puzzle that combines the blue “モ” (ao + mo) with “利権” (ri + ken) to form Aomori-ken.
It’s so satisfying once you figure it out!
Trick character: Ki
See the answer
weather
There are ten instances of the kanji 気 lined up. There isn’t any strange pattern to their arrangement, so you just stare at the characters as they are and derive the answer… If you can convert the reading of the ten “10”s into the English “ten,” the answer is easy: “ten + ki” → “tenki,” which means “weather.” The trick of reading 10 as “ten” is often used, so quiz lovers should remember it!