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I'm the shortest of all my brothers and sisters

I've never won first

I'm known to love the water

And I leap with a burst

In the north I like it colder

And I have a heart that can be versed

What am I?

Hint:

I don't leap far

Edit with @Keeta - reinstate Monica suggestion

Jason_
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  • Reminds me of this riddle that I posted a few months ago. (No I'm not considering your's to be a duplicate, just a very clever re-imagining) – dcfyj Aug 18 '16 at 12:20
  • Does the underscore in your name happen to represent a D? – Gareth McCaughan Aug 18 '16 at 12:45
  • Maybe you should finish it into a six line poem with something like "And my heart is often versed." or "Yes cold, but not the worst." – Keeta - reinstate Monica Aug 18 '16 at 14:06
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    I have a suggestion >The weather factor should be removed as it doesn't apply to everyone. Southern Hemispheric countries have their summer in December, January and February, therefore 'I also like it colder' will make it almost impossible for the riddle to be solved down there. –  Aug 19 '16 at 02:56

3 Answers3

43

I think you are

February

I'm the shortest of all my brothers and sisters

February is the shortest month of the year.

I've never won first

It's also the second month.

I'm known to love the water

In astrology, the star signs Aquarius and Pisces overlap in February - both water signs.

And I leap with a burst

Every four years an extra day gets added for a leap year.

I also like it colder

February is usually counted as being at the end of Winter/beginning of Spring so is a bit colder (in the Northern hemisphere at least).

Title

February was one of the last months to be added to the Roman calendar

hexomino
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  • (Trying to phrase this without giving anything away...) I'm not sure if it's the last one added, but it's the last one in their cycle. (That is, theirs started two after ours.) –  Aug 18 '16 at 16:40
  • Yup yup! Correct – Jason_ Aug 18 '16 at 22:55
6

Are you

Oxygen?

I'm the shortest of all my brothers and sisters

I guess it's rather light / small / whatever

I've never won first

Second common atom (after Iron (FE))

I'm known to love the water

H2O as common join

And I leap with a burst

Big blast when ignited

I also like it colder

Probably something I missed out in chemistry classes

As for the title:

I can't find a match there, since it was probably discovered early

Peter
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    Welcome to Puzzling. This is a really good answer. Trying adding smallest chalogen( to second hint), and for 'colder' look for cryogenic plants. – ABcDexter Aug 18 '16 at 13:37
3

Are you...

An icicle?

I'm the shortest of all my brothers and sisters

Icicles are different lengths.

I've never won first

The shortest icicle will be the last to fall.

I'm known to love the water

It's made of it!

And I leap with a burst

When icicles fall, they certainly burst

I also like it colder

Icicle wouldn't exist if it wasn't cold

Spoiler

Basically falls straight down.

Sandy Chapman
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