# Please help me to understand this riddle from when I was 11 years old, using crayons if necessary. :) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 3, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717 "2020-09-03T14:44:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/1 "2020-09-03T14:44:52Z")
Hello everyone. When I heard this riddle when I was about 11 years old (just a coup’la years ago 😉) I “got” this riddle right away and found it quite clever, but darn it if I could explain this riddle to anyone else. I have asked this riddle of many, and maybe two or three others “got” it, but they could not explain it either. So, riddle me this, _Batman!:_ _ **Why is a bird?** _ _ **Because a vest has no sleeves.** _ Your explanations, please. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/2 "2020-09-03T14:55:17Z")
There are variations of this joke that use something like an orange or a bicycle instead of a bird. And the wording might be different. So it’s clear the answer of a vest having no sleeves does not have some subtle meaning that relates to a bird and that the listener is supposed to figure out. There’s no hidden depth in the riddle. The point of the joke is that it’s a nonsensical question with a nonsensical answer. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/3 "2020-09-03T15:00:48Z")
See ‘Anti-humor’ or ‘Anti-joke’ ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/4 "2020-09-03T15:02:59Z")
When I was a kid, my friend found a book of 1001 riddles in his Grandma’s house. One of the riddles was this: Q. When is a hat not a hat? A. When it’s a girl. We decided that this was the 1001st riddle. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/5 "2020-09-03T15:11:43Z")
No soap, radio. But back before I was wise as to the ways of the world, I never “got” two jokes that my friends laughed about: Why does Dr Pepper come in a bottle? Because his wife died. If you were on an airplane and the stewardess offered you TWA milk, TWA coffee, or TWA tea which would you choose? I was too naive. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/6 "2020-09-03T16:40:01Z")
Similar one from a roomie eons ago: What’s the difference between an orange? Because a banana is _this_ color. (hands held about a foot apart when saying _this_) I thought it was hilarious in its inanity. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/7 "2020-09-03T16:44:11Z")
“And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does.” - Groucho Marx ---
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/8 "2020-09-03T17:13:43Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > When I was a kid, my friend found a book of 1001 riddles in his Grandma’s house. One of the riddles was this: > > Q. When is a hat not a hat? > > A. When it’s a girl. > > We decided that this was the 1001st riddle. On googling, it looks like the punchline got mangled from “when it becomes a young lady”. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/9 "2020-09-03T17:25:12Z")
Those would definitely eluded me until I was, oh, maybe 17 or so? Here’s one I first heard age 11 that it took me a full 24 hours to figure out: Why did the architect have his house made backwards? So he could watch the game on TV. It doesn’t even make sense, but it’s funny if you’re new to innuendo, I guess. Couple more for the OP, as told to me by my grandfather: Why is a mouse when it spins? The higher, the fewer. What is the difference between a duck? One leg, both the same. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/10 "2020-09-03T17:38:37Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > What is the difference between a duck? One leg, both the same. That’s the one I was going to post (though with the answer “A leg, because either is both the same.” ) Not to be confused with the Marx Brothers’ “Why a duck?” routine: > [@](#): > > _Hammer:_ Now, here is a little peninsula, and, eh, here is a viaduct leading over to the mainland. > _Chico:_ Why a duck? > _Hammer:_ I’m alright, how are you? I say, here is a little peninsula, and here is a viaduct leading over to the mainland. > _Chico:_ Alright, why a duck? > _Hammer:_ (pause) I’m not playing “Ask Me Another,” I say that’s a viaduct. > _Chico:_ Alright! Why a duck? Why that…why a duck? Why a no chicken? > _Hammer:_ Well, I don’t know why a no chicken; I’m a stranger here myself. All I know is that it’s a viaduct. You try to cross over there a chicken and you’ll find out why a duck. > _Chico:_ When I go someplace I just… > _Hammer:_ (interrupts) It’s…It’s deep water, that’s why a duck. It’s deep water. > _Chico:_ That’s why a duck… > _Hammer:_ Look…look, suppose you were out horseback riding and you came to that stream and you wanted to ford over…You couldn’t make it, it’s too deep! > _Chico:_ Well, why do you want with a Ford if you gotta horse? > _Hammer:_ Well, I’m sorry the matter ever came up. All I know is that it’s a viaduct. > _Chico:_ Now look, alright, I catch ona why a horse, why a chicken, why a this, why a that…I no catch ona why a duck. > _Hammer:_ I was only fooling…I was only fooling. They’re gonna build a tunnel there in the morning. Now is that clear to you? > _Chico:_ Yes, everything excepta why a duck. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/11 "2020-09-03T17:54:13Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > What’s the difference between an orange? > [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > What is the difference between a duck? What’s the difference between a crocodile? It is longer than wide. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/12 "2020-09-03T18:02:31Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > What is the difference between a duck? One leg, both the same. The version I have heard is: One of it’s two feets is the same. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/13 "2020-09-03T18:08:16Z")
One of its feet is the same. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/14 "2020-09-03T18:41:01Z")
Along those lines, one I didn’t get as a kid was “what’s grey and comes in quarts?” “An Elephant” There was a sorta kid-friendly version, to which the answer to the same question was “Instant Elephant”. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/15 "2020-09-03T18:59:15Z")
If a chicken and a half can lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, how long would it take a frog with a wooden leg to kick all the seeds out of a pickle? ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/16 "2020-09-03T19:08:07Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > What’s the difference between an orange? > Because a banana is _this_ color. (hands held about a foot apart when saying _this_ ) Wow, that’s both clever and thought provoking. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/17 "2020-09-03T19:47:20Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Along those lines, one I didn’t get as a kid was “what’s grey and comes in quarts?” > > “An Elephant” > > There was a sorta kid-friendly version, to which the answer to the same question was “Instant Elephant”. Related joke: What should you do if an elephant comes in the door? Swim for the window. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/18 "2020-09-03T20:16:56Z")
> [@Borborygmi](#): > > > [@Railer13](#): > > > > When I was a kid, my friend found a book of 1001 riddles in his Grandma’s house. One of the riddles was this: > > > > Q. When is a hat not a hat? > > > > A. When it’s a girl. > > > > We decided that this was the 1001st riddle. > > On googling, it looks like the punchline got mangled from “when it becomes a young lady”. I suspect that you may be correct. That was only about fifty-some years ago. We probably didn’t understand it back then. Thanks. That’s one mystery that I won’t ever worry about again. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/19 "2020-09-03T20:22:22Z")
What do you do with an elephant with three balls? Walk him, and pitch to the rhino. ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/20 "2020-09-03T21:27:22Z")
Clever! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717.md?page=2)