# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/21 "2020-09-03T21:44:06Z")
When I was about twelve or so, my parents refused to explain what was so funny about Pierre, the dehydrated Frenchman. It took me literal years to figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/22 "2020-12-14T16:49:55Z")
A variant I heard is: a woman walks into a bakery and asks for a loaf of bread. The baker asks, white or brown? She replies: that’s all right, I’ve got my bicycle outside. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/23 "2020-12-14T16:56:20Z")
A fly is called a fly because it flies; so why is a bee called a bee? Because it is. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/24 "2020-12-17T00:43:33Z")
How many pancakes does it take to roof a doghouse? Nineteen, because ice cream has no bones. @kayaker, just reading “no soap, radio” is giving me flashbacks to the long car ride where I heard both that and the “joke” above, along with many, many others. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/25 "2020-12-17T00:48:45Z")
My wife told me this one and I laughed for five minutes straight: A man was walking down the street and rubbing spinach in his hair. I stopped him and asked, “Sir, why are you rubbing spinach in your hair?” He answered, “It’s all right, my father’s a carpenter!” ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/26 "2020-12-17T01:03:34Z")
I am unclear why you and 2 or 3 others got it but couldn’t explain it. Are you sure you got it? Because then, you know, you could explain it. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/27 "2020-12-18T00:36:17Z")
bobot, who are you replying to? oh-h … (bobot wooshes by over my head) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/28 "2020-12-18T00:41:44Z")
The OP. OP says they “got it”, but want help understanding it. I dont get that part. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2020, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-to-understand-this-riddle-from-when-i-was-11-years-old-using-crayons-if-necessary/919717/29 "2020-12-18T00:55:42Z")
ahhhh bobot – I liked it better when you were making a joke about non-sequiturs 🙂 [Previous 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=1)