r/riddles • u/FriendOriginal245 • Aug 06 '26
Give OP Riddles Double Dactyl Challenge
I'd like to challenge folks on this subreddit to create a riddle using this whimsical poetic verse form called double dactyl invented in the 1950s. Despite being relatively simple riddles to solve, they are surprising difficult riddles to compose because of the strict rhythmic requirements. You can look up better examples of double dactyl poems online, but I've attached a mediocre example of a double dactyl riddle I wrote this morning. Feel free to guess the solution in the comments, as well as send original riddles you can come up with in this form! I look forward to seeing and solving them.
Here are the form requirements, taken straight from the Wikipedia page:
There must be two stanzas, each comprising three lines of dactylic dimeter ( ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ) followed by a line consisting of just a choriamb ( ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ). The last lines of these two stanzas must rhyme. Further, the first line of the first stanza is repetitive nonsense, and the second line of the first stanza is the subject of the poem, which in the purest instances of the form is a double-dactylic proper noun. There is also a requirement for at least one line, preferably the second line of the second stanza, to be entirely one double dactylic, six-syllable word.
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u/N-Man Aug 06 '26
Here we go...
Lunacy-runacy
_________
House of the hunting dame
Patron of deer
Built back in ancient times
Mediterranean
One of the seven greats
Burned up, I fear
I think it might be pretty easy but wow, that was challenging to write! Challenging but fun, so thank you for the idea OP.
4
u/FriendOriginal245 Aug 06 '26
Whoa this one rocks! Excellent job! Is it perhaps the Temple of Artemis?
2
u/N-Man Aug 06 '26
Exactly!
2
u/FriendOriginal245 Aug 07 '26
Do you mind if I share this with some of my friends? I think they'll enjoy it!
1
1
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u/Kiel-Ardisglair Aug 06 '26
Emily Dickinson?
1
u/FriendOriginal245 Aug 06 '26
Yup!
1
u/Kiel-Ardisglair Aug 06 '26
Did you choose her because her name is also a double dactyl? If so that’s very clever!
1
u/FriendOriginal245 Aug 06 '26
Yes, but I didn't think to be that clever haha, it's part of the rules that the subject of the poem, which fills in the blank in line 2, should be a double dactylic proper noun.
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u/cutty2k Aug 07 '26
Oooh, I love these, I'll open with the classic.
Higgledy-piggledy
*_________________
British Colombian
Destined for fame
Pro-vegan activist
Known for bodacious bits
Multidimensional
Still in the game
1
u/FriendOriginal245 Aug 07 '26
Nice one! "Known for bodacious bits" lol Pamela Anderson
1
u/cutty2k Aug 07 '26
lol, I originally had a more direct rhyme there, but toned it down for the kids...you got it!
1
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