Riddle is a playful representation of a known object, figuratively coding its designation and assuming the direct name actualization of this object in a recipient's reaction. Riddles refer to the folklore genre, the basic functions of which are entertainment and enlightenment. These functions are expressed in constitutive features of the riddle and its textual construction. The article focuses on such English riddle features, as indirectness, axiological and heuristic game character, fascinativeness, as well as manipulative potential.