Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: The letter W
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This riddle plays on the difference between the physical idea of a rainbow in the sky and the written word rainbow. Many people interpret the question literally and think about the ends of an arc in nature, but the trick is that the riddle is asking about the end of a word, not the end of the natural phenomenon. This makes it a good test of attention to wording and lateral thinking.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The riddle asks what is at the end of a rainbow.- There is no mention of colours, arcs, or weather details beyond the word itself.- The answer choices mix literal physical ideas and a letter based idea.
Concept / Approach:
The crucial step is to notice that the phrase end of a rainbow can be interpreted in two ways. One is the end of the physical rainbow in the sky, which is often linked to myths about pots of gold. The other is the last character of the word rainbow. In many versions of this riddle the correct solution relies on the second interpretation. The English word rainbow ends with the letter W, so that is the intended answer.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write down the word rainbow and look at its letters. They are R, A, I, N, B, O, and W.Step 2: Identify the last letter in this sequence. The final character is W.Step 3: Recognise that the question did not say at the end of the rainbow in the sky but simply at the end of a rainbow.Step 4: Comparing this insight with the answer choices, the only option that reflects the final letter W is the one that names the letter W directly.
Verification / Alternative check:
To confirm that this interpretation is correct, note that a pot of gold is a myth associated with folklore and does not literally exist at the end of real rainbows. Sunlight and raindrops are required to form a rainbow but are present throughout the arc, not only at one end. The wording of the riddle is better explained by thinking about letters than by thinking about weather.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B a pot of gold refers to a legend and would normally be associated with the phrase at the end of the rainbow in stories, not with the wording used here.Option C sunlight and option D raindrops are components that cause rainbows to appear, but they are not specific to the end of a rainbow and therefore do not answer the question as posed.
Common Pitfalls:
The most common pitfall is to read too quickly and think of the picture of a rainbow without noticing that the phrase can refer to the spelling. Another mistake is to overcomplicate the science of rainbows instead of stepping back and considering wordplay. For brain teasers that mention ends or beginnings it is often helpful to check whether the puzzle might be talking about letters rather than physical objects.
Final Answer:
The answer is the letter W, which is at the end of the word rainbow.
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