Lateral Thinking Puzzles

16. Burning Candles Challenge

You have two identical candles. When lit at one end, each candle burns completely in exactly one hour.
Using only these two candles and a means to light them, how can you burn both candles entirely in just 45 minutes?

Added 4 October 2011 · Updated 9 July 2026

Hint:

Consider how you can use both candles simultaneously.

Solution:

Begin by lighting Candle A at both ends and Candle B at only one end. Because Candle A is burning from both ends, it will be consumed in 30 minutes.
When Candle A goes out, immediately light the unused end of Candle B. Half of Candle B (30 minutes’ worth) now remains, but it is burning from both ends, so it will last only 15 minutes.
The total time elapsed is 30 + 15 = 45 minutes, and both candles have been fully burned.


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