Vafþrúðnir

The contest of wits is found in the Poetic Edda poem Vafþrúðnismál and is in an answer and response format.

Each participant asks the other a series of questions about beings and events in the past, present, and future of the Nine Worlds.

Odin defers to Vafþrúðnir, who proceeds to probe his guest's knowledge of the stallions that pull Day and Night across the sky.

Vafþrúðnir continues by testing Odin's knowledge of Iving and Ragnarök before allowing his guest the chance to question him.

He demonstrates expertise on the topic by specifically listing which parts of Ymir's body created heaven and Earth.

Odin proceeds to ask about many topics including Dellingr, Nór, the fathers of Winter and Summer, Bergelmir, Aurgelmir, Hraesvelg, Njörðr, the Einherjar, Niflheim, Ragnarök, Fenrir, Álfröðull, and what will happen after the world has ended.

The structure of Odin's and Vafþrúðnir's encounter has parallels with the Gestumblindi and King Heidrek incident in the Norse Hervarar saga and The Hobbit’s “Riddles in the Dark” between Bilbo and Gollum.

[6] The riddle contest between King Heidrek and Gestumblindi, Odin in disguise yet again, ends with the same question that he posed to Vafþrúðnir about his final words to Baldr.