Thirding this, as it matches the explanation that was in my copy of The Fellowship of the Ring.
Though it was in one of the appendices. Did they stop including the appendices in printings at some point?
The copy I read was my mom's from '66 or so.
If that was a riddle, then all interrogatives are riddles. Without rules restricting the game, the game - and thus, life - has no meaning. Nasty tricksy hobbitses.
Gollum's "beat me at riddles or I eat you" is his inner Hobbitling, remembering childhood games, in conflict with with his adult beast. Bilbo's cheating shows how the Ring has already corrupted him. That they both even play shows their fraternal Hobbitiness which ends in their joint redemption.
