Riddle: I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost everybody.
Answer: Pencil Lead
Riddle Explanation + Meaning
Pencil lead is the answer to this riddle.
It's a material that is mined from the earth, specifically graphite, which is then processed and put inside a wooden case to become a pencil.
Even though it's called "lead," it's actually made from graphite, which is safe to use.
Once it's in the pencil, the graphite (or pencil lead) doesn't come out of the wood, but it is used when you write or draw with it.
This means that even though it's "shut up" in a wooden case, it's still able to leave marks on paper or other surfaces.
Almost everyone has used a pencil at some point, making the riddle's statement that it is "used by almost everybody" very true.
The riddle is clever because it makes you think about ordinary objects in a more detailed way.
