Are you stuck on that tricky riddle going around? Most people scratch their heads when asked, “What question can you never answer yes to?” It’s simple yet clever.
People often try to solve this by thinking of physical limits or weird questions. But the answer lies in basic logic that many miss.
This blog will show you the correct answer to this brain teaser. We’ll look at the thinking behind it and why the solution works every time.
What Question Can You Never Answer Yes To? “Are You Asleep?”
The classic answer to “what question can you never answer yes to” is simply:”Are you asleep?”
This works because of a logical catch:
- If you’re truly asleep, you cannot answer at all
- If you’re awake enough to answer “yes,” then you’re not asleep
- The act of answering proves the statement false
The trick lies in the state of consciousness. Sleep is a state where verbal responses are impossible. By responding, you show you’re conscious, which means you’re not sleeping.
Think about it this way:
- Speaking requires being awake
- Sleeping means not being awake
- These two states cannot exist together
This makes “Are you asleep?” a perfect logical trap. The question creates a situation where saying “yes” is always incorrect.
Substitute Answers to the What Question Can You Never Answer Yes to Riddle
While “Are you asleep?” is the most common solution, there are other questions that also work for the “what question can you never answer yes to” riddle. Each creates a logical impossibility.
- Are you dead?
- Are you unable to speak?
- Are you not answering this question?
- Have you stopped breathing permanently?
- Can you not hear me?
- Are you in a coma?
- Is it impossible for you to respond?
- Have you never existed?
- Are you completely silent right now?
- Are you incapable of understanding language?
- Do you refuse to answer any questions?
- Are you mute at this exact moment?
These alternatives all follow the same pattern: the act of answering “yes” makes the statement false. This shows how language can create fun puzzles that test our thinking skills.
Mind-Twisting Riddles Similar to the Unanswerable One
One of the most famous riddles, “What question can you never answer yes to?” plays with the way we think and reason.
If you’re looking for more such intriguing riddles to test your brainpower, you’re in for a treat. Below are some similar riddles that will keep you guessing!
-
What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
The future. -
What can be broken, but never held?
A promise. -
What has keys but can’t open locks?
A piano. -
What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
The letter “M.” -
What can travel around the world while staying in the corner?
A stamp. -
What has one head, one foot, and four legs?
A bed. -
What has many teeth but can’t bite?
A comb. -
What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?
Silence. -
What gets wetter as it dries?
A towel. -
What has a neck but no head?
A bottle. -
What can you catch but not throw?
A cold. -
What has an eye but can’t see?
A needle. -
What is full of holes but still holds water?
A sponge. -
What is at the end of a rainbow?
The letter “W.” -
What goes up but never comes down?
Your age. -
What comes down but never goes up?
Rain. -
What can you keep after giving to someone?
Your word. -
What is black when it’s clean and white when it’s dirty?
A chalkboard. -
What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do?
Your name. -
What runs but never walks?
A river. -
What can be cracked, made, told, and played?
A joke. -
What is as light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold it for more than a few minutes?
Your breath. -
What word is spelled incorrectly in every dictionary?
Incorrectly. -
What can be seen once in a year, twice in a week, but never in a day?
The letter “E.” -
What has a bottom at the top?
A leg. -
What is white when it’s dirty and black when it’s clean?
A blackboard. -
What is always coming but never arrives?
Tomorrow. -
What is easier to get into than out of?
Trouble. -
What can be eaten, but never consumed?
A plate of food (metaphorically). -
What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich need it, and if you eat it, you’ll die?
Nothing. -
What begins with T, ends with T, and has T in it?
A teapot. -
What can fill a room but takes up no space?
Light. -
What starts with an E, ends with an E, but only has one letter in it?
An envelope. -
What comes down but never goes up?
Rain. -
What has cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and rivers, but no water?
A map. -
What runs but never gets tired?
Water. -
What starts with an F, ends with an E, and is filled with water?
A firehose. -
What comes in many colors, but is never seen?
Your imagination. -
What can be broken but is never held?
A promise. -
What is made of water but never gets wet?
Ice. -
What is always ahead of you, but can never be reached?
The horizon. -
What is the shortest distance between two places?
A straight line. -
What has 88 keys but can’t open a single lock?
A piano. -
What flies without wings?
Time. -
What is the center of gravity?
The letter “V.” -
What can be touched but not seen?
Your heart. -
What has no beginning, end, or middle?
A doughnut. -
What is lighter than air but still gets trapped in a balloon?
Helium. -
What’s always old, but never gets old?
A classic. -
What is always in the past, yet never leaves?
History. -
What has an end but no beginning?
A circle.
Wrapping It Up
Now you know why “Are you asleep?” is the perfect answer to the riddle “what question can you never answer yes to.” The solution uses simple logic that makes it impossible to say yes truthfully.
What was your favorite solution from our list? Do you know any other questions that can’t be answered with a yes?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
