I am thin and frail.
Scratching my head can kill me.
When abused, I can also kill you.
Usually, I'm helpful.
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30
Michael Rize
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Usually riddles rhyme. – Tyler Durden Feb 19 '15 at 14:44
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Sounds kind of threatening also. – Tyler Durden Feb 19 '15 at 14:44
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14I was gonna say "a cat", but cats are never helpful. – istrasci Feb 19 '15 at 16:51
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1@TylerDurden Why must it rhyme? There are plenty of riddles that don't. Even more so when translating riddles from a different language. – FreeAsInBeer Feb 20 '15 at 13:54
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1All I know is what I read in The Hobbit. – Tyler Durden Feb 20 '15 at 15:55
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@istrasci Scratching a cat's head doesn't kill it. – ʇolɐǝz ǝɥʇ qoq Mar 18 '15 at 23:36
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1@FollowMyProposals: Well, kills it with relaxation. – istrasci Mar 19 '15 at 01:57
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@istrasci OK then. – ʇolɐǝz ǝɥʇ qoq Mar 19 '15 at 02:06
7 Answers
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Answer:
You are a match -
My body is thin and frail:
Matches are thin. Wooden matches are easy to snap, paper matches are even easier to bend.
Scratching my head can kill me:
When a match is scratched (on the striker for a safety match or on any dry frictional surface for an old-fashioned light-anywhere match) it burns, after which it is 'dead' - i.e can't be lit again.
When abused, I can also kill you:
We are all taught as children how it is dangerous "to play with matches". Fires can kill...
Usually, I'm helpful:
Of course - helpful for lighting a useful fire, or a cancer stick etc...
Michael Rize
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Penguino
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Will this also qualify as an answer?
Pencil
Scratching head can kill me
Sharpening a pencil rescues it length and it becomes useless after a while i.e. dead ... Also a dull pencil is of no use till sharpened again
Abuse
Poking the pencil in wrong place can lead to death
Helpful
Used to express thoughts and ideas ... Transfer knowledge
user70926
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Good lateral thinking :) Could do with some beefing out like the other answer, though. – Dewi Morgan Feb 19 '15 at 07:25
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4@dewi added explanation ... @ others I know you are protective of the community, but please don't go down voting because you don't agree ...at least leave a comment to why you down vote – user70926 Feb 19 '15 at 07:29
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Very creative answer, and it does also seem to meet the riddle's requirements. However, death by pencil seems to be more unlikely, so I wouldn't say it is the best answer, but I'm impressed regardless. Your subject seems to be a fine idea for a riddle. +1 Regarding downvotes, I have sympathy. You should see the the downvotes on a couple of my weaker riddles. – Michael Rize Feb 19 '15 at 08:54
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3"death by pencil seems to be more unlikely" - I guess you didn't see that scene in The Dark Knight where the Joker makes a pencil disappear through a henchmans eye and into his brain ... :) – Mashton Feb 19 '15 at 10:27
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2One could also argue that a person in power could abuse their power using a pencil and call for the execution of innocents/you? – Elias Feb 19 '15 at 14:44
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The "abuse" answer could be ingesting lead, even though pencil leads aren't really made of lead any more... – Lightness Races in Orbit Feb 19 '15 at 23:21
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The real answer is glaringly obvious:
condom
I am thin and frail.
Ever used a cheap one?
Scratching my head can kill me.
How do you think I got my kid?
When abused, I can also kill you.
How do you think I got my syphilis?
Usually, I'm helpful.
Usually...
tenub
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This is my first guess at the answer
Mercury Thermometer
My body is thin and frail:
Glass body is very fragile to being broken from children
Scratching my head can kill me:
Has a head that if scrated would break the glass making it no longer work properly
When abused, I can also kill you:
Mercury poisoning!
Usually, I'm helpful:
Taking temperature for everyone
Let me know what you think
SteckDEV
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That is a good reasoning. I like it! Not the best one, but it is a good answer! Keep up the nice work! – Ismael Miguel Feb 19 '15 at 18:15
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My first thought was that you are a:
Video tape
My body is thin and frail:
The tape is very thin.
Scratching my head can kill me:
If you scratch the head in the video player, it can rip the tape.
When abused, I can also kill you:
You could probably pull the tape out and strangle yourself with it if you were really unlucky...
Usually, I'm helpful:
At keeping kids entertained.
I admit that my answer works best for the head-scratching part, the rest of it is a little bit stretched...
AndyT
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1Although I don't think this is the answer, +1 for a creative solution – Jon Story Feb 19 '15 at 13:42
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@Jon - lol, clearly not the answer - a different one has been accepted already! – AndyT Feb 19 '15 at 13:44
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Is it
A needle
Because-
Sharp tip, if scratched becomes blunt and useless, Thin too
It can kill
It is helpful
mykey
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My first thought was
A spider
I am thin and frail.
Most certainly.
Scratching my head can kill me.
From what I gather, if you stroke a spider's head, they "go bald". I presume enough of this can kill them.
When abused, I can also kill you.
Spiders can be deadly.
Usually, I'm helpful.
House spiders are especially helpful at killing house flies.
rybo111
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