# Jokes designed to trip up the listener/respondent **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 10, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160 "2006-08-10T15:08:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/1 "2006-08-10T15:08:02Z")
For example: Mangetout: Do you want to hear the alternative ‘knock knock’ joke? Other guy: OK M: You start… OG: Knock Knock M: Who’s there? OG: ummmmm… Or this one, with which I caught out my stage comedy partner once (during a live performance): Mangetout: \ I say, I say, I say! My dog’s got no smell! Other Guy: How does it… errr… nose… huh? Is there a name for this kind of fake/trick joke? Does anyone have any more examples? ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/2 "2006-08-10T15:48:56Z")
My favorites have always been the “Spell Something And Ask A Question” jokes. Me: Spell “hop.” Mark: H-O-P Me: Spell “mop.” Mark: M-O-P Me: Spell “top.” Mark: T-O-P Me: What do you do at a green light? Mark: (Accustomed to the “op” sound) Stop. Me: No, you _go_ at a green light! I once tripped up my cousin with several of these right after he claimed to be vastly smarter than me. Spell “roast.” Spell “coast.” Spell “most.” What do you put in a toaster? (The answer, of course, is “bread.”) ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/3 "2006-08-10T15:54:03Z")
What does M-A-C-D-O-N-A-L-D spell? (MacDonald) What does M-A-C-G-R-E-G-O-R spell? (MacGregor) What does M-A-C-H-I-N-E-R-Y spell? (machinery, not MacHinery) Hey, Joe–theres a henway on your leg! What’s a henway? About 5 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/4 "2006-08-10T15:58:08Z")
Do Pete & Repete count? Then there’s: Knock, knock. Who’s there? Interrupting cow. Interrup– MOOOOOO!!! And also the “brainteasers” along the lines of “Where do they bury the survivors?”, “Can a man marry his widow’s sister?”, “What’s the name of the bus driver?”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/5 "2006-08-10T16:02:13Z")
Along the “machinery” lines … What does T-W-A spell? (The mark sounds it out.) T-W-E? T-W-I? T-W-O? And here you get to yell “_Two_, you idiot!” when they say “twoah”. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/6 "2006-08-10T16:19:53Z")
Other spelling tricks: f-o-l-k j-o-k-e p-o-k-e What’s the white of an egg called? Pronounce these words: r-o-u-g-h t-o-u-g-h d-o-u-g-h And the chant: Ohwah tahfag ooseye yam Repeat and increase speed. Man, I must have been an annoying kid. Come to think of it, I’m probably an annoying adult! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/7 "2006-08-10T16:24:17Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > My favorites have always been the “Spell Something And Ask A Question” jokes. Another one: “Spell SILK!” - “Now, what does a cow drink?” Of course, when a kid starts in on these with me (it’s always a kid), I know what’s coming, so I play along and then deliver my own socko twist. To wit, “What do you do at a green light?” “Honk.” Or, “What do you put in the toaster?” “Bagel.” (Obviously, you only want to piss in their cornflakes if they’re particularly insufferable and deserve a jerk on the leash. Good kids, I play along; no sense crushing their spirit until they’re older.) ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/8 "2006-08-10T17:03:01Z")
Me: A moron says what? Other guy: What? Me: Haw! Haw! You’re a moron! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/9 "2006-08-10T17:07:53Z")
My coworker always tells one particular joke on any new employee (it’s so much a tradition that if he doesn’t think of it, our boss reminds him): “I was eating at McDonald’s the other day, and had to go to the men’s room. When I got back, some old guy had taken the seat across from mine and had started eating my lunch. Well, I didn’t want to make a scene, and the guy looked like he could use a good meal, so I didn’t say anything. Finally, he finished. And after he left the restaurant, I noticed he left a paper bag behind.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/10 "2006-08-10T17:10:42Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > My coworker always tells one particular joke on any new employee (it’s so much a tradition that if he doesn’t think of it, our boss reminds him): > > “I was eating at McDonald’s the other day, and had to go to the men’s room. When I got back, some old guy had taken the seat across from mine and had started eating my lunch. Well, I didn’t want to make a scene, and the guy looked like he could use a good meal, so I didn’t say anything. Finally, he finished. And after he left the restaurant, I noticed he left a paper bag behind.” Okay. I’ll bite. What happened when he burned the bag? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/11 "2006-08-10T17:13:27Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > My coworker always tells one particular joke on any new employee (it’s so much a tradition that if he doesn’t think of it, our boss reminds him): > > “I was eating at McDonald’s the other day, and had to go to the men’s room. When I got back, some old guy had taken the seat across from mine and had started eating my lunch. Well, I didn’t want to make a scene, and the guy looked like he could use a good meal, so I didn’t say anything. Finally, he finished. And after he left the restaurant, I noticed he left a paper bag behind.” I don’t get it. At first I thought it was an Americanization of Douglas Adam’s biscuit story, but it appears not. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/12 "2006-08-10T17:14:22Z")
The bag was full of shit, just like the story. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/13 "2006-08-11T09:54:01Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Another one: > > “Spell SILK!” - “Now, what does a cow drink?” I tried this one on my seven-year-old son the other day and while I was laughing, he said “No Dad, that’s not right, because a calf _does_ drink milk; that’s actually what milk is for - for cows to drink”. Smart arse. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/14 "2006-08-11T09:57:38Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Then there’s: > > Knock, knock. > Who’s there? > Interrupting cow. > Interrup– > MOOOOOO!!! Also try: The interrupting starfish (you clasp your open hand over the other person’s mouth while they are trying to respond) The interrupting slug (you give the other person a ‘wet willy’ - suck your finger and stick it in their ear) The interrupting tortoise (After the other person has asked “Who’s there?” you just sit in silence, chewing, for a long time). ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/15 "2006-08-11T16:28:31Z")
Not sure if this qualifies but here goes anyway: You (in a serious tone, not like you are telling a joke): Did you hear about that actress that got stabbed last night? I can’t remember her name now, think it was Reese something. Mark: Witherspoon? You: No, with a knife you idiot, who stabs people with a spoon? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/16 "2006-08-11T16:54:49Z")
Read the following list aloud, but before each word, say the word “trains.” Then do it again, but after each word say the word “trains.” Then do it again, but say the word “trains.” before and after the word. Then read the list from the bottom up. Trains About Talk Fool This Made I How Look ---
**Author:** ![Idaho\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ba9def/32.png) [@Idaho\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idaho_Red)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/17 "2006-08-12T05:59:13Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Knock, knock. > Who’s there? > Interrupting cow. > Interrup– > MOOOOOO!!! My kids hate when I do the banana one. I once ruined a joke for somebody - Other person: Did you know Yugo is coming out with a station wagon? Me: Oh? and what’ll they call it, a “wego”? OP (slightly upset): Have you heard this before? Me: Huh? Oh, was that a joke? Sorry… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/18 "2006-08-12T06:08:03Z")
> [@mittu](#): > > Not sure if this qualifies but here goes anyway: > > You (in a serious tone, not like you are telling a joke): Did you hear about that actress that got stabbed last night? I can’t remember her name now, think it was Reese something. > Mark: Witherspoon? > You: No, with a knife you idiot, who stabs people with a spoon? Alan Rickman. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/19 "2006-08-12T15:22:29Z")
Me: What’s the difference between an elephant and a matterbaby? Them: What’s a matterbaby? Me: Nothing, darling, what’samatter with you? Yes, I’m going to hell, express. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160/20 "2006-08-12T15:30:40Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > And the chant: > Ohwah > tahfag > ooseye > yam > Repeat and increase speed. Okay, what’s a “fagoose”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-designed-to-trip-up-the-listener-respondent/368160.md?page=2)