London Bridge isn't falling down—it's taking center stage in this viral riddle. Can you solve the "I met a man on the London Bridge" riddle?
Have you heard of the “I met a man on the London Bridge” riddle? The viral head-scratcher is seemingly simple—just a few short sentences. But the riddle is more challenging than you might expect! Providing just a handful of clues, it asks the listener to figure out a man’s name.
So what is it about discovering this dapper dude’s moniker that is so perplexing? While you won’t have to employ the same skills you’d use for, say, math riddles, this one is sure to test your presence of mind. The answer is in the phrasing—and hidden in plain sight. And while this tricky brainteaser might sound like an old English nursery rhyme, it has nothing to do with falling down—unless you think too hard.
Scroll on to attempt (and then learn how to solve) the “I met a man on the London Bridge” riddle.
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“I met a man on the London Bridge” riddle
There are two versions of the “I met a man on the London Bridge” riddle. And they go like this:
First version
“I met a man on the London Bridge. He tipped his hat and drew his name. In this riddle, I told you his name.”
Second version
“I met an old man on the London Bridge. As the sun set on the ridge, he tipped his hat and drew his name and cheated at the guessing game. What was the man’s name?
Don’t get too hung up on trying to spot the difference between the two riddles. The answer is the same in both versions and has nothing to do with the man’s age or trustworthiness in a guessing game. When you’re ready, read on for the correct answer!
“I met a man on the London Bridge” riddle answer
Before your mind swims across the pond, inspect the riddle, focusing on the two words before “his name” in the first sentence. And the moniker of the gent on the bridge is … Andrew!
Let’s take another look at the second sentence, which reads, “He tipped his hat and drew his name.” The words and drew, when spoken, take on another meaning, forming the name Andrew.
If you are a member of the grammar police, you are probably taking out a red pen and noting that the sentence should read, “He tipped his hat; Andrew, his name.” Of course, the grammatical trickery is what makes this such a tough word puzzle.
Another way to solve the “I met a man on the London Bridge” riddle
In most examples of the viral riddle, the answer is Andrew. But some puzzlers insist the dude is dubbed Drew. Fact is, there are many versions of the “I met a man on the London Bridge” riddle, and the one consistent element is that the words and drew always appear in the riddle. So whether you believe that the man’s name is Andrew or that his friends gave him the shorter nickname Drew, you’re correct.
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