puzzles

Scripture Riddle

38 Comments

The following two riddles are from a church magazine; I’ll give the citation after we’ve played around a while.

The rules are that you can answer as many parts as you want to, but please give a scripture citation for each part you do answer. Online scriptures are here.

A couple of answers I think are misleading: The Book of Mormon flower doesn’t begin with “F” – the word “flower” does; and the Book of Mormon queen and Biblical widow are “Queen of —” or “Widow of —” followed by the name of the king or location; the women’s personal names don’t begin with “Q” or “W” so far as we know.

So – how fast can we solve it, and which one is easier?

Book of Mormon Alphabet

A was a martyr for God and the truth.
B was a prophet-king, righteous from youth.
C was a Jaredite king left alone.
D was a land of which little is known.
E, while around him his people were killed, lived to see all his prophesies fulfilled.
F, of all the flowers that bloomed ‘neat the sun, but one is mentioned – found out which one.
G was a robber band, wicked and vile.
H was a builder whose ships reached far isle.
I was an Ephraimite, from land far away.
J was so faithful, the waves did obey.
K was an anti-Christ seeking a sign.
L was an Israelite patriarch benign.
M gave a nickname to the people of God.
N in a vision saw the “Iron rod.”
O was a righteous king with thirty-one offspring.
P was chief judge when the Nephites were warring.
Q was a queen converted by dream.
R was a hill where records were seen, his people all murdered.
S lost his head.
T might general the Lamanites’ dread.
U was a Bible king known by Isaiah.
Z mighty city burned up with fire.

Bible Alphabet

(The parts that have already been solved are italicized)

A was a traitor hung by the hair.
B was a folly built high in the air.
C was a mountain o’erlooking the sea.
D was a nurse buried under a tree.
E was a first born, bad from his youth.
F was a ruler who trembled at truth.
G was an angel sent with good word.
H faithful mother, gave her son to the Lord.
I was a new name received at the ford.
J was a shepherd in Arabian land.
K was a place near a desert of sand.
L was a pauper begging his bread.
M was an idol, object of dread.
N was an architect ages ago.
O was a rampart to keep out the foe.
P was an isle, where a Saint looked above.
Q was a Christian saluted in Love.
R was obscure yet a mother of kings.
S was a Danite who did wondrous things.
T was a city that had a strong hold.
U was a country productive of gold.
V was a queen whom a king set aside.
W was a widow whose cruse was supplied.
Z was a place where a man wished to hide.

Cite Keepa

Regrettably, meanies have stolen content from Keepa in the past! I'm confident you will choose honesty and cite this page like this:

MLA: Parshall, Ardis E. "Scripture Riddle." Keepapitchin.org, 26 Sep 2008, https://keepapitchinin.org/2008/09/26/scripture-riddle/.

APA: Parshall, A. (2008, Sep 26). Scripture Riddle. Keepapitchinin.org. https://keepapitchinin.org/2008/09/26/scripture-riddle/

HTML: <a target="_new" href="https://keepapitchinin.org/2008/09/26/scripture-riddle/">Scripture Riddle</a>

38 thoughts on “Scripture Riddle”

  1. The Book of Mormon one is MUCH easier–I only cracked open my scriptures to double-check on the flower. I will leave someone else to figure out the Bible one:

    Abinadi
    Benjamin
    Coriantumr
    Desolation
    Ether
    Flower = Lily
    Gadianton
    Hagoth
    Ishmael
    Jesus
    Korihor
    Mormon
    Nephi
    Orihah
    Pahoran
    Queen of Limhi (I would argue it was her maidservant’s father who had the dream… )
    Ramah
    Shiz
    Teancum
    Uzziah
    Zarahemla

  3. A vivid proof of which riddle was easier!

    The Committee of Distinguished Judges has convened and awards double points for Orihah and triple points for Uzziah inasmuch as Coffinberry knew/could spell them without looking them up … unfortunately, the Committee of Distinguished Judges — crackpots and arbitrary as I am they are — withhold laurels on grounds that the requested scripture citations have not yet been provided.

    Also, there is a single difference between this list of answers and the one provided in the original source. The difference is understandable but material, since the riddle is identified with the Book of Mormon rather than the New Testament. With that clue, can you identify the difference and figure out the Book of Mormon character — and scripture — to support it?

  4. No need for anyone to try to duplicate the feat of single-handedly solving all of the Biblical riddle — identify a couple of easy ones, announce that of course you could solve more … then stick Ray with answering the tough ones!

  5. Well, I’m glad I don’t have to solve these myself (my brain might explode, since it is Friday) but I’m thinking of printing them out for the kids to do. A great Sunday or FHE idea!

  6. A
    Babel
    c
    D
    Esau
    f
    Gabriel
    Hannah
    Isreal
    Jacob
    k
    Lazarus
    M
    N
    O
    Patmus?
    Q
    Ruth
    Samson
    T
    U
    Vashti
    Widow of Zarephath
    Zarephath, the city, kind of near Tyre where Jonah tried to hide? Or perhaps Zephaniah which means the Lord hides.

    I’ve got to go be the mom, but that’s as far as I gone so far. Fun

  7. I just got back from the doctor, and came across this riddle.

    Rather than doing it, I think I’ll go back and tell the doc I’m ready to go another round with him.

  8. I’ll italicize the Biblical ones as they have been solved (most of Jami’s are right on — but where are the citations?) so everybody knows which ones are still open.

    (Zarephath? Jami gets Zarephath without breaking a sweat, and Coffinberry gets Uzziah?? I feel so dumb.)

  9. I think I’ll keep Mark company — maybe the doctor wants to practice taking out a kidney or something.

  11. I think I can get at least one without breaking a sweat: is the second “A” Absalom? (Will Faulkner suffice for a citation?)

  14. The Distinguished Committee of Judges congratulates Last Lemming on his success both at correctly identifying the last remaining piece of the Book of Mormon riddle AND in providing the obscure reference!

  15. For the Bible ones that have not been answered yet:

    D was a nurse buried under a tree. (Deborah – Genesis 35:8)
    F was a ruler who trembled at truth. (Felix – Acts 24:25)
    K was a place near a desert of sand. (Kadesh – Numbers 20:1)
    M was an idol, object of dread. (Molech – 2 Kings 23:10 mentions Molech by name, but the fire god to whom people sacrificed children is mentioned in multiple places without naming Molech)
    N was an architect ages ago. (Noah? – Genesis 6)
    Q was a Christian saluted in Love. (Aquila – 2 Timothy 4:19)
    T was a city that had a strong hold. (Tyre – 2 Samuel 24:7)
    U was a country productive of gold. (Uphaz – Jeremiah 10:9)

    I had to look up the references, since I’m terrible at remembering exact citations. I can’t think of “C” and “O”.

  16. Lots of bonus points to Ray, both for coming up with the scriptures and for solving some toughies (“Noah” as an “architect” f’rinstance).

    While Aquila is accurate, there is another whose names actually begins with Q for that one.

    So I think we’re down to C, J, O, Q, Z.

    Somebody in northern California should tackle C, and if anybody is canning peaches this week, you take Q.)

  19. Isn’t C Mount Carmel? Overlooking the Sea of Galilee?

    J must be Jethro, Moses’s father in law.

    You can look em up.

  20. OK Q is a stretch

    Queen Athaliah – 2 Kings 10:13 where the brethren of Ahaziah go to salute the … children of the queen, who in chapter 11:3 we learn in Athaliah.

    OK I know its a stretch, but its all I’ve got

  22. Carmel it is — and Jethro, too. More gold stars and Keepa points redeemable for fabulous prizes!

    O, Q, and Z remain (your queen is no more of a stretch than some, but is not the Roman mentioned in, well, Romans, by the ladies of the Relief Society.)

  26. 24-25: These would work in a pinch, but the ones named in the RS Magazine are a little more on point.

    Lot was the man who wanted to hide.

    Manasseh built the “O” place, and there’s a fish gate involved.

    Your incentive for finishing these last bits is that I have another “Ads You’re Not Going to See Again Anytime Soon” post ready to put up, in honor of Mark B.’s trip to the doctor this morning.

  27. Oh my goodness. For another “Ads” post, I’ll go find an actual paper copy of the Bible to see where Lot hid.

  32. …and it’s found in Gen 19, as unsavory a reputation as that book gives it. 🙂

    Do you mean Manasseh the son of Joseph or Manasseh the son of Hezekiah?

Comments are closed.