Back to 147 Short Riddles With Answers

147 Short Riddles With Answers

147 riddles · answers on the last page · riddleup.com/riddles/short-riddles

  1. What does a rich man need that a poor man has?
  2. What has a mouth but can't talk?
  3. A plane crashed on the border of US and Canada. Where do they bury the survivors?
  4. What month do people sleep the least?
  5. What can be found at the beginning of eternity the end of time and space the beginning of every end?
  6. I am a term used to confirm. But take away my front, my face, I become known as human avarice.
  7. It is able to speak because it has a hard gong. You know what it is as soon as it has sung. What is it?
  8. I can be driven, but have no wheels. I can be sliced, but still remains whole. What am I?
  9. Salty water everywhere but not sea in sight.
  10. I love to dance and twist and prance. I shake my tail, as away I sail. Wingless I fly into the sky.
  11. What must take a bow before it can speak?
  12. What builds its house with earthen string and ensnares its prey with a biting sting?
  13. What can you lose that will cause other people to lose theirs too?
  14. Plant whose name sounds like a dish full of dairy spread.
  15. What is it that no man ever saw, which never was, but always will be?
  16. They are two brothers. However much they run, they do not reach each other.
  17. I am bigger than elephant but lighter than a feather. What am I?
  18. This is a baked dish of fruit, or meat and vegetables, typically with a top and base of pastry.
  19. As strong as love, more dangerous than cancer.
  20. What devours all and can kill a king. Destroy a town and crushes mountains down?
  21. What dresses for summer and sheds in the winter?
  22. Long and slinky like a trout, never sings till it's guts come out.
  23. What runs but cannot walk?
  24. An iron horse with a flaxen tail. The faster the horse runs, the shorter his tail becomes.
  25. What do people make that you can't see?
  26. What can you add to a bucket full of water to make it lighter?
  27. A shimmering field that reaches far. Yet it has no tracks, And is crossed without paths.
  28. I am million people's wakeup call. What am I?
  29. I am green and ugly and come out at night with a crumple old broom. Who am I?
  30. The most beautiful and useless of human acts.
  31. What can hold all days, weeks, and months but still fit on a table?
  32. Attracted by light but flies at night. It's winged and hairy but not too scary. What is it?
  33. What does no man want, yet no man want to lose?
  34. What has a bell but isn't a church. Is full of air but is not a balloon?
  35. What comes down but never back goes up?
  36. Almost everyone sees me without noticing me, for what is beyond is what he or she seeks.
  37. When I live I cry, If you don't kill me I'll die.
  38. What hole do you mend with holes?
  39. If you slash it, It heals at once.
  40. When I'm born I fly. When I'm alive I lay. When I'm dead I run.
  41. What travels from coast to coast without ever moving?
  42. Sport olympians use this to get high jump up in the air.
  43. What is eaten but not grown and was born in water but will disappear if soaked?
  44. What is better than the best thing and worse than the worst thing?
  45. What occurs four times in every week, twice in every month, only once in a year but never in a day?
  46. What comes in many varieties and can't be seen or touched, but it often makes you move?
  47. I am a good state, there can be no doubt of it; but those who are in, entirely are out of it.
  48. What is the middle of water but is not an island?
  49. Hot tempered and sometimes it blows its top, making a mess of everything.
  50. Without feather or wing I fly, but you'll known what I am when I hover near by. What am I?
  51. Who works when he plays and plays when he works?
  52. I am the noise Santa's reindeers make. What am I?
  53. What has a brown coat, a long tail, and lives in house or shed but most active while you're in bed?
  54. During the 1800's these turned women into hourglasses and is becoming more popular again these days.
  55. Slowly creeping, I am weeping, changing shades, and growing.
  56. Look into my face and I'm everybody. Scratch my back and I'm nobody.
  57. I have married many women but has never been married. What am I?
  58. The older they are the less wrinkles they have.
  59. What has teeth but no mouth?
  60. Everybody's got one.
  61. It is a gruesome form of betray.
  62. What falls but never breaks?
  63. Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters.
  64. What do you use to hoe a row, slay a foe, and wring with woe?
  65. I can be full, but I will never spill. I disappear at times, but return I always will.
  66. Long legs, crooked thighs, little head, and no eyes.
  67. What is long and slim, works in light; has but one eye, and an awful bite?
  68. Which bus could cross the ocean?
  69. They cut doors in half and wear wooden shoes.
  70. Sometimes black, sometimes white, I have veins but no blood.
  71. What goes with a car, comes with a car, is no use to a car, but the car can't move without it?
  72. Dies half its life. Lives the rest. Dances without music. Breathes without breath.
  73. What word is the same written forward, backward and upside down?
  74. What is it that you ought to keep after you have given it to someone else?
  75. Turns us on our backs, and open up our stomachs. You will be the wisest of men though at start a lummox.
  76. I have two bodies joined together as one. When standing still, I ran and ran. What am I?
  77. What relies on columns but isn't a house, and asks for help but can't speak itself?
  78. You have it even if there is none.
  79. There is someone, and there is always another, for without the other, there wouldn't be one.
  80. What has a spine, tail, and leash but isn't a dog?
  81. What goes further the slower it goes?
  82. I am nothing really at all, Yet I am easily found; Ignore me at your own peril, and you might end up crowned!
  83. It flavors your food and divides the year up.
  84. What can be seen but not touched?
  85. Men cut this by attaching a razor to a broom handle or just have their wives do it.
  86. When this is found in a road you are forced to make a decision.
  87. Many foods can make me strong but give me water and I won't last long.
  88. What has four wings but cannot fly and uses the wind but does not know why?
  89. A great mysterious place that the bold have been known to journey into.
  90. You may have to assure your date's dad that you have these kind of intentions.
  91. What is that which, though black itself, enlightens the world without burning?
  92. You can draw me, fire me or fill me in. What is it?
  93. He died for people's entertainment.
  94. All about the house, with his lady he dances, yet he always works, and never romances.
  95. What fruit is of great use in history?
  96. If you agree give me one of these.
  97. In Paris but not in France, the thinnest of its siblings.
  98. This is the tallest peak in the happiest place on earth.
  99. Locked up inside you and yet they can steal it from you.
  100. Has feathers but can't fly. Rests on legs but can't walk.
  101. Currency that flirted with a British spy.
  102. Fighting technique taken from rams.
  103. When I get closer my tail grows longer, but when I go away my tail leads the way.
  104. A house full, a yard full, a chimney full, no one can get a spoonful.
  105. One of the few times it's encouraged to lock lips with a stranger.
  106. Has no feet, but travels far. Is literate, but not a scholar. Has no mouth, yet clearly speaks.
  107. What covers its face with its hands, speaks no language, yet most known what it's saying?
  108. I tremble at each breath of air, and yet can heaviest burdens bear.
  109. This is your stomach's way of letting you know you've neglected it.
  110. Tucked out of sight. I sing best at night. No instrument around, but you'll find me on the ground.
  111. What gets beaten, and whipped, but never cries?
  112. What eight letter word has "kst" in the middle, at the beginning, and at the end?
  113. I'm an old relative who's hand's can't hold anything and eyes can't see anything. What am I?
  114. What liquid can contain the soul?
  115. I'm the start of eternity and the end of space. There are two of me in heaven and one in hell.
  116. This small creature kills even the largest one.
  117. Bury deep, Pile on stones, My mind will always Dig up them bones
  118. It's a game played by serious people that takes place on a global scale.
  119. Gets rid of bad ones, short and tall. Tightens when used, one size fits all.
  120. I saw the dead bring forth the living. I saw the living bring forth the dead. What did I see?
  121. A precious fluid, thicker than water.
  122. I have two hands but cannot clap.
  123. What would your father's only sister's sister-in-law be to you?
  124. What is it something that you always have but you always leave behind?
  125. The stack just might be sent all over. Full of what's new, yet it's nearly obsolete.
  126. What gets broken without being held?
  127. You'll have me at night and if you remove the first letter I denote the top, such as on a train.
  128. What can an elephant and a shrimp both be?
  129. What has 3 feet but cannot walk?
  130. What is red and nailed to a wall?
  131. What grows in winter, dies in summer, and grows roots upward?
  132. An open ended barrel, it is shaped like a hive. It is filled with the flesh, and the flesh is alive!
  133. Break it and it is better, immediately set and harder to break again.
  134. Kills the bad ones and the sad ones. Tightens to fit, so one size fits.
  135. Slayer of regrets, old and new, sought by many, found by few.
  136. What is put on a table, cut, but never eaten?
  137. I bind it and it walks. I loose it and it stops.
  138. What can you fold but not crease?
  139. You can only have it once you have given it.
  140. Iron roof, glass walls, burns and burns and never falls.
  141. What goes in the water black and comes out red?
  142. When the creeper passes, all the grass kneels.
  143. What do you have when you're sitting down that you don't have when you're standing up?
  144. I have three hundred cattle, with a single nose cord.
  145. There is a creature of God whose body is hard; it does not wish to eat unless you strike its head.
  146. What has a big mouth, yet never speaks?
  147. Forwards I am heavy, but backwards I am not.

Answers

  1. nothingA poor man has "nothing," and ironically that's exactly what a rich man doesn't need — nothing more.
  2. riverA river has a "mouth" where it meets the sea, but it obviously cannot speak.
  3. Nowhere, because the survivors are alive.This is a trick question — survivors, by definition, are alive and therefore aren't buried.
  4. February, the shortest month.With the fewest days in the year, February offers the least total time for sleep.
  5. The letter "E"The letter E starts "eternity," ends "time" and "space," and begins the word "end."
  6. agreedRemoving the first letter "a" from "agreed" leaves "greed," the word for human avarice.
  7. bellA bell "speaks" because of its hard clapper striking its metal body, and you recognize it the instant it sounds.
  8. golf ballIn golf you "drive" the ball off the tee, and a poorly hit shot is called a "slice" — yet the ball stays intact and has no wheels.
  9. tearsTears are salty like seawater but come from crying, not the ocean.
  10. kiteA kite dances on the wind with a fluttering tail, soaring skyward without wings.
  11. violinA violin must be played with a bow drawn across its strings before it produces ("speaks") any sound.
  12. spiderA spider spins silken web to build its home and bites prey to subdue it, described here loosely as a "sting."
  13. temperLosing your temper often provokes others around you to lose theirs as well.
  14. buttercup"Buttercup" sounds like "a cup of butter," a container full of dairy spread.
  15. tomorrowTomorrow never actually arrives as itself — it's always just ahead, perpetually "will be" but never "was."
  16. wheelsThe two wheels of a vehicle spin endlessly side by side without ever meeting.
  17. windThis is a loose fit — the classic version of this riddle usually answers "nothing" or "a shadow," but the source lists "wind," reasoning that a storm can dwarf an elephant in scale while having no weight to hold.
  18. pieA pie is defined as a baked dish with a pastry crust on top and bottom, filled with fruit or savory ingredients.
  19. hateHate is often described as an emotion as powerful as love but far more destructive.
  20. TimeTime eventually consumes everything -- kings die, towns crumble, and even mountains erode over time.
  21. TreeDeciduous trees grow full leaves ('dress up') in summer and shed them in winter.
  22. GunA gun is long and sleek like a fish, and it only 'sings' (fires with a bang) once its 'guts' (bullet and gunpowder) are expelled.
  23. NoseA runny nose 'runs' (drips) but obviously can't walk.
  24. NeedleA sewing needle ('iron horse') pulls thread ('flaxen tail') through fabric, and the thread supply shortens the more it's used.
  25. NoiseNoise is made constantly by people but has no visible form.
  26. HoleAdding a hole lets water leak out, reducing the total weight in the bucket.
  27. OceanThe ocean stretches far and wide with no roads or tracks, yet ships cross it constantly.
  28. Coffee beanCoffee, made from roasted coffee beans, is millions of people's daily wake-up ritual.
  29. WitchThis describes the classic storybook image of a green-skinned witch flying on an old broomstick at night.
  30. ArtArt is often praised as beautiful yet criticized as impractical or 'useless' in a strictly functional sense.
  31. CalendarA calendar displays all days, weeks, and months while being small enough to sit on a desk.
  32. MothMoths are famously drawn to light sources and are winged, fuzzy nocturnal insects.
  33. JobNo one wants the burden of having a job, but losing one (unemployment) is worse.
  34. TrumpetA trumpet has a flared 'bell' at its end and is filled with air (breath) when played, but it's a musical instrument, not a church bell or balloon.
  35. RainRain falls down from clouds and doesn't rise back up on its own.
  36. WindowPeople look through windows to see what's beyond, rarely noticing the window itself.
  37. CandleA lit candle 'weeps' melted wax as it burns, and it will eventually burn itself out (die) whether or not you extinguish (kill) it.
  38. NetA net is made entirely of holes, so mending it means adding more knotted holes.
  39. WaterIf you slash (cut) through water, it immediately closes back up, unlike a wound that needs time to heal.
  40. SnowSnow 'flies' as it falls, 'lies' on the ground once settled, and 'runs' as melted water once it 'dies' (melts).
  41. HighwayA highway stretches from coast to coast but is a stationary road.
  42. PolePole vaulters use a long pole to launch themselves high into the air.
  43. SaltSalt comes from evaporated seawater ('born in water') and dissolves ('disappears') when soaked in water again.
  44. NothingNothing is better than the best thing (since nothing beats it) and also worse than the worst thing (since nothing is worse) -- a classic logic pun.
  45. ECounting the letter's occurrences in the words 'week,' 'month,' 'year,' and 'day' matches this exact pattern for the letter E.
  46. MusicMusic comes in many genres, is intangible, yet it often makes people dance or move.
  47. SaneThe riddle plays on double meaning: 'sane' is a good state of mind, but people who are 'in-sane' are by definition out of their right mind.
  48. TThe middle letter of the word 'WATER' is T.
  49. VolcanoA volcano is described as 'hot-tempered' because when it erupts ('blows its top'), it spews lava and ash everywhere.
  50. HelicopterA helicopter has no feathers or fixed wings like a plane, yet it can fly and hover in place.
  51. MusicianA musician 'plays' music as their profession -- their work and their play are the same activity.
  52. JingleSanta's reindeer are often described as making a 'jingle' sound, like sleigh bells.
  53. MouseA mouse is small, brown-coated, long-tailed, and most active at night while people sleep.
  54. CorsetCorsets were tightly laced Victorian-era undergarments that cinched the waist into an hourglass shape, and waist-training corsets have seen a modern resurgence.
  55. SpringThis describes the season of spring: nature slowly comes alive, plants seem to 'weep' with dew or blossoms, colors shift from bare to green, and everything grows.
  56. MirrorA mirror reflects the face of whoever looks into it (everybody), but scratching its silvered back ruins the reflective coating.
  57. PriestA priest officiates (marries) many couples throughout his career without ever marrying anyone himself.
  58. TiresAs tires wear down with age and use, their tread grooves ('wrinkles') smooth out, unlike humans who gain more wrinkles as they age.
  59. SawA saw blade has sharp teeth used for cutting, but obviously no mouth.
  60. SecretEveryone has at least one secret they keep to themselves.
  61. BackstabA 'backstab' describes an especially vicious, treacherous betrayal, often of someone close to you.
  62. NightNight 'falls' each evening, but unlike a dropped object, it never physically breaks.
  63. WindThe wind seems to 'cry' and 'flutter' as it moves, and it can 'bite' with cold or 'mutter' through trees, all without a body.
  64. HandsYour hands are used to hoe a garden row, defend yourself against a foe, and wring out laundry in sorrow.
  65. MoonThe moon can appear 'full' without ever spilling anything, and it seems to disappear (new moon) before reliably returning each month.
  66. TongsKitchen tongs have long crossed 'legs' (arms), a small pivoting 'head' or hinge, and no eyes.
  67. NeedleA sewing needle is long, thin, has a single 'eye' for thread, and its sharp point can give a painful prick.
  68. ColumbusThis is a pun on the name 'Columbus' (as in Christopher Columbus), which contains the word 'bus,' and he's famous for crossing the ocean.
  69. DutchThe Dutch are known for split 'Dutch doors' and traditional wooden clogs.
  70. MarbleMarble stone is often black or white with natural mineral veining, but of course has no actual blood.
  71. NoiseA car makes noise when it runs; the noise itself doesn't help the car move, but you never see a working car without it.
  72. TreeA deciduous tree appears to 'die' in winter (losing its leaves) and comes back to life in spring; its branches sway ('dance') in the wind without music, and it doesn't breathe like animals do.
  73. Noon'NOON' reads the same forwards, backwards, and even upside down, thanks to the shapes of its letters.
  74. PromiseWhen you make a promise to someone, you must still keep it yourself even after giving it to them.
  75. BooksOpening a book (cracking its spine like a 'stomach', laying it back) can transform an ignorant person (a lummox) into a wise one.
  76. HourglassAn hourglass has two glass bulbs joined together, and sand 'runs' through it continuously even while the object itself stays still.
  77. A newspaperA newspaper is organized into printed columns and often features advice or help-wanted columns, yet the paper itself has no voice.
  78. HopeThe riddle plays loosely on the idea that people can still "have hope" even in a hopeless situation, though the phrasing itself is a bit paradoxical.
  79. TwinsTwins only exist as a pair -- you can't have just one twin, since being a twin depends entirely on there being another.
  80. A kiteA kite has a central spine, a trailing tail for stability, and a string ("leash") holding it, but it's an object, not an animal.
  81. MoneyMoney spent carefully and slowly stretches out and "goes further" than money spent quickly.
  82. A cavityA cavity is just an empty hole, but ignoring it lets decay spread, and treating it often literally ends with getting a dental crown.
  83. Season(ing)"Season" your food with spices, and the year is also divided into seasons -- one word, two meanings.
  84. A shadowA shadow is visible on a surface, but since it's just an absence of light, there's nothing physical there to touch.
  85. Back hairHard-to-reach back hair is jokingly said to require a razor taped to a long handle, or a helpful spouse, to shave.
  86. A forkA fork in the road splits into two paths, forcing you to choose which direction to take.
  87. FireFuel (like wood or oil) makes a fire burn stronger, but pouring water on it will quickly put it out.
  88. A windmillA windmill has blades that look like wings and is turned by the wind, but it never actually flies through the air.
  89. The unknown"Journeying into the unknown" is a common phrase for brave people venturing somewhere mysterious and uncharted.
  90. Honorable (intentions)A protective parent often wants reassurance that their child's date has honorable intentions.
  91. InkInk is black, yet the printed words it forms spread knowledge and "enlighten" readers, all without any fire involved.
  92. A gunYou can "draw" a gun, "fire" a gun, and "fill" it with ammunition -- though "fill me in" is a looser fit than the other two clues.
  93. A gladiatorRoman gladiators fought, and often died, in the arena purely to entertain crowds of spectators.
  94. A broomA broom "dances" across the floor alongside the dustpan ("his lady") while sweeping, but it's simply doing chores, not courting.
  95. A dateA "date" is both a sweet fruit and the word for a specific point in time, which historians constantly use to record events.
  96. An amenSaying "amen" is a traditional way of voicing agreement or approval, especially after a statement or prayer.
  97. The letter I"Paris" contains the letter I, which does not appear in "France"; among the letters unique to Paris, I is visually the thinnest.
  98. The MatterhornDisneyland, often called 'the happiest place on earth,' features the Matterhorn Bobsleds ride, modeled after the actual Swiss peak, as its tallest structure.
  99. Your heartYour heart is physically sealed inside your chest, yet someone can figuratively 'steal your heart' by winning your love.
  100. A mattressA feather mattress is stuffed with feathers and often rests on bed legs, but being furniture it can neither fly nor walk.
  101. Miss MoneypennyMiss Moneypenny is the character in the James Bond films who is fond of Agent 007, and her name puns on 'money' and 'penny.'
  102. A head-buttRams fight by ramming their heads together, which is exactly what a head-butt mimics.
  103. A cometAs a comet nears the sun its icy tail lengthens, and as it moves away that same tail points ahead of its direction of travel.
  104. SmokeSmoke can fill a house, yard, and chimney entirely, yet it's too insubstantial for anyone to scoop up with a spoon.
  105. CPRPerforming CPR sometimes involves rescue breaths, essentially pressing your mouth to a stranger's to save their life.
  106. A letterA written letter can travel long distances through the mail, is made of words, and 'speaks' its message without ever having a mouth.
  107. A clockA clock's 'hands' point across its 'face' to show the time, and everyone understands it without it speaking a word.
  108. WaterWater ripples at the slightest breeze yet can support enormous weight, such as ships, through buoyancy.
  109. A grumbleA stomach grumbles or growls audibly when it's empty and hasn't been fed in a while.
  110. A cricketCrickets hide in grass, chirp loudly after dark, and produce their 'song' by rubbing their wings, not by using an instrument.
  111. An eggIn cooking, eggs are 'beaten' and 'whipped' to prepare them, but being inanimate they never actually cry.
  112. InkstandThe source's intended wordplay is the word 'inkstand,' which hides the letters 'ink' and 'stand' inside an eight-letter word; the wording of this riddle is somewhat garbled in the original text.
  113. A grandfather clockA grandfather clock is named like a family elder, and its 'hands' are just pointers and its 'face' has no real eyes.
  114. InkThis is a loose, poetic link: writing (done with ink) is said to capture a person's thoughts and 'soul' on the page.
  115. The letter E'Eternity' starts with E, 'spacE' ends with E, 'hEavEn' contains two E's, and 'hEll' contains one.
  116. BacteriaMicroscopic bacteria can cause fatal infections even in the largest animals, like elephants or whales.
  117. MemoriesEven when painful memories are 'buried' and hidden away, the mind keeps unearthing them, just as bones might be dug up.
  118. PoliticsPolitics is often described as a 'game' of strategy and power played by leaders across the whole world.
  119. A nooseA hangman's noose tightens around anyone's neck regardless of height, historically used to eliminate 'bad ones.'
  120. A funeralThe source lists 'funeral' as the answer to this deliberately poetic and ambiguous riddle, though the imagery of the dead producing the living (and vice versa) is a looser fit than most riddles in this collection.
  121. BloodBlood is denser than water, and the phrase 'blood is thicker than water' emphasizes family bonds as more important than casual ties.
  122. A clockA clock's hour and minute 'hands' point at numbers but can't physically come together to clap.
  123. Your motherYour father's only sister's sister-in-law is your father's wife -- your mother -- since the sister-in-law of your aunt, through her marriage to your father, is your father's own spouse.
  124. FingerprintsYour fingerprints are unique to you and stay with you, yet you leave a trace of them on everything you touch.
  125. NewspapersNewspapers are distributed everywhere and are full of the latest news, yet print papers have become nearly obsolete in the digital age.
  126. A promiseA promise is an intangible commitment, so it can be 'broken' (not kept) without ever being physically held.
  127. Supper'Supper' is the evening meal; drop its first letter S and you get 'upper,' as in an 'upper' berth -- the top bunk on a sleeper train.
  128. Jumbo'Jumbo' describes an enormous elephant, but is also the name for a large size of shrimp on a menu.
  129. A yardstickA yardstick measures exactly three feet (36 inches) in length, but as a tool it obviously can't walk.
  130. A herringThis is a classic nonsense joke: the herring is red because it was painted red, and it's nailed to the wall simply because the joke says so -- a deliberately absurd 'red herring' pun.
  131. An icicleIcicles form and 'grow' downward from a fixed point during cold winters and melt away in summer, appearing to grow root-first from above.
  132. A thimbleA thimble is a small, hive-shaped, open-bottomed cap worn over a living finger (the 'flesh') to protect it while sewing.
  133. A recordBreaking a record (like a sports record) is a good thing, and the new record is immediately 'set,' becoming harder to break again.
  134. A nooseA hangman's noose is a grim 'one size fits all' device that tightens around the neck regardless of the person's size.
  135. RedemptionRedemption is the act of making up for past wrongs and erasing regrets, yet it's something many seek but few truly achieve.
  136. CardsA deck of playing cards is placed on the table and 'cut' before dealing, but obviously isn't food.
  137. A sandalStrapping (binding) a sandal onto a foot lets a person walk; unstrapping it removes that ability, stopping them.
  138. A poker handIn poker, you 'fold' your hand (give up the round), which doesn't involve creasing any actual material.
  139. RespectYou typically earn respect from others only after you've shown respect to them first.
  140. A lanternA lantern has a metal frame and glass panes protecting a flame that burns steadily without being blown out or falling.
  141. A lobsterLive lobsters are typically dark bluish-black, but turn bright red once cooked in boiling water.
  142. A plowAs a plow (the 'creeper') is dragged across a field, it flattens ('kneels') the grass and soil in its path.
  143. A lapA 'lap' only exists as the flat surface formed by your thighs when you sit; it disappears when you stand.
  144. BeadsThis traditional riddle likens a string of many beads threaded on one cord to a herd of cattle tethered together by a single rope -- a loosely metaphorical, translated riddle.
  145. A chiselA chisel has a hard body and only 'bites' into material (works) when its head is struck with a mallet.
  146. A jarA jar has a wide opening called its 'mouth,' but being an inanimate object, it never actually talks.
  147. Ton'TON' is a heavy unit of weight, but spelled backwards it becomes 'NOT' -- as in 'backwards I am not' heavy.