Riddle Me This

I have one of the greatest jobs in the world. I am a Riddle Master. How does that happen? Here's one way it happens...

Once while sitting in traffic with my husband and I see the back of someone's car. I see a word on it that strikes me, and I start crafting in my brain.

A better body of water,

Better, by definition.

A man(Or nova or star), a moon, the 18th.

What is it?

You like my riddle? Great. But, here's the rub, I'm not going to tell you the answer. I will drag you there kicking and screaming, but I will not tell you, ever. Because I am a Riddle Master. I have been dubbed this title by another Riddle Master. It's a bit like Knighthood. It's an honor and a gift.

As a professional Riddle Master who performs at a Renaissance Faire environment, there are rules to what we do.

1) We will never give you the answer. As I mentioned before, we will drag you there by giving you clues, but we would never give you the answer. Except to one riddle imparticular. Which will not be listed here. You can't ask questions. This isn't 20 questions. You can make all the wrong guesses you want, we'll let you know when you are right, and then explain why you are right.

2) All our riddles are vetted by fellow Riddle Masters. This means any riddle we do must be logical, solvable, and our rule, the answer must have existed during the time of the renaissance. One of the earliest riddles I wrote had an answer of "The Board Game Clue." It was immediately vetoed as a viable riddle. That riddle is dead even to me.

Riddle writing has become such a gift because it is one of the oldest forms of writing and storytelling. It's found in all types of games. It's an exercise often in poetry. Inspiration can come from anything. My 'muggle' job is often a lot of the same kinds of research; to get through the day, I try to look at any kind of phone call or piece of research as a riddle to be solved. It's why I stick with it. The perspective alone keeps me happy.

One of my favorite riddles I wrote came from a friend of mine who is a magician.

On most men, I tend to grow,

He might or might not let me show,

Under his collar is where I am,

Narrow or wide on him I span.

What is it?

If you figured it out, I hope I made you laugh. It made me laugh. It made the man who inspired it laugh. It made his friends and wife laugh. It makes other men laugh. It makes me smile and swoon. A-wink.

What I love about my chosen job is that it is meant to be performed. It is meant to be shared. So many jobs shut out the world, isolate. We have spent the last year and a half doing that. I am ready to share my gift with the world again. I want to see the glow on the face of a person who figures out a riddle for the first time. I want to giggle when my fellow Masters and I give out heavy handed clues and no one notices it. I want to share riddles with children and watch the intrigue in their minds and hearts be born when they shout out a correct answer and say, "I can't wait to come back again!" My job is a gift. Being a Riddle Master brings joy to hundreds if not thousands when I get the opportunity to do so.

I leave you with one more riddle.

I come in many shapes, but usually flat and round.

I have had many faces: animals, plants, and crowns.

Flip me or spin me, resulting in a smile or frown.

Make a wish, throw me. Then watch me drown.

What is it?

Figure it out and leave the answer below.

Contact Tinka Boudit on Facebook if you wish to tell me the answers.