Riddles are known for their clever misdirection, but the most mind-bending ones hide the answer in plain sight—right in the question itself. These types of riddles challenge you to listen closely, read carefully, and think differently. At first glance, they may seem confusing or even impossible—but once you realize the trick, they make perfect sense and often make you laugh at how simple the answer was all along.
In this post, we’ll feature 33 creative riddles with the answer in the question. Each one includes a brief explanation that highlights the hidden clue, the twist in logic, or the wordplay involved. So sharpen your focus, trust your instincts, and let’s dive into some deceptively obvious fun.
1. Riddle:
What word is spelled wrong in every dictionary?
- Answer: Wrong
- Explanation: The riddle says the word is “spelled wrong,” and indeed, the word “wrong” is what’s being described—clever wordplay.
2. Riddle:
What’s the answer to this riddle?
- Answer: This
- Explanation: The answer is hidden within the question—”this” riddle.
3. Riddle:
Can you guess what you’re supposed to guess?
- Answer: Guess
- Explanation: The question itself is a loop; the answer is simply “guess.”
4. Riddle:
What question can you never answer “yes” to?
- Answer: Are you asleep?
- Explanation: If you’re asleep, you can’t respond—especially not with “yes.”
5. Riddle:
What’s always coming but never arrives?
- Answer: Tomorrow
- Explanation: “Tomorrow” is always ahead of us—never quite here.
6. Riddle:
What do you call a question that gives its own answer?
- Answer: Riddle
- Explanation: The riddle is referring to itself, making it self-referential.
7. Riddle:
What has the word “what” in the question and is still confusing?
- Answer: What
- Explanation: The riddle uses the word “what” to lead you to overthink, but it’s the actual answer.
8. Riddle:
What begins with a question and ends with a question?
- Answer: This riddle
- Explanation: The riddle is describing itself—it begins and ends with a question.
9. Riddle:
What word is in the middle of the word “question”?
- Answer: T
- Explanation: The letter “T” is literally at the center of the word “question.”
10. Riddle:
What’s hidden in plain sight?
- Answer: Plain sight
- Explanation: The phrase “plain sight” is literally in the riddle’s question.
11. Riddle:
What comes first in every list?
- Answer: What
- Explanation: “What” is the first word in the question—and thus the answer.
12. Riddle:
What’s the only word in this sentence that matters?
- Answer: This
- Explanation: “This” sentence is what the riddle refers to—so “this” is the answer.
13. Riddle:
What’s the most obvious answer to this obvious question?
- Answer: Obvious
- Explanation: The question cues you to pick the most apparent word: “obvious.”
14. Riddle:
Can you solve the riddle that says “solve the riddle”?
- Answer: Solve
- Explanation: The riddle is directing you to the word “solve” as the answer.
15. Riddle:
What answer appears exactly once in this question?
- Answer: Once
- Explanation: The word “once” appears exactly one time in the question—and is the answer.
16. Riddle:
What question answers itself when you read it?
- Answer: This one
- Explanation: “This one” is both the subject and the answer.
17. Riddle:
What’s the riddle where the answer is part of the question?
- Answer: This riddle
- Explanation: The riddle refers to itself—“this riddle” is the answer.
18. Riddle:
What’s the most repeated word in this question?
- Answer: What
- Explanation: “What” is repeated and is also the answer.
19. Riddle:
Which riddle asks you to identify itself?
- Answer: This one
- Explanation: The riddle is asking about itself—so “this one” is the answer.
20. Riddle:
What has a name but never says it?
- Answer: A name
- Explanation: The word “name” is in the question and is also the solution.
21. Riddle:
What’s the key to this question?
- Answer: Key
- Explanation: “Key” is both the metaphorical and literal answer.
22. Riddle:
What’s found at the start of every answer?
- Answer: A
- Explanation: The letter “A” is the first letter in the word “answer.”
23. Riddle:
What’s the only question where the answer is “what”?
- Answer: This one
- Explanation: Again, the self-referential nature makes it the answer.
24. Riddle:
What word fits perfectly in this sentence as the answer?
- Answer: Answer
- Explanation: “Answer” fits both logically and grammatically.
25. Riddle:
What’s the answer to a question that’s not really a question?
- Answer: Question
- Explanation: The structure of the question implies its own subject—“question.”
26. Riddle:
What question ends with a word that is also the answer?
- Answer: Answer
- Explanation: The riddle ends with “answer,” which is also the correct response.
27. Riddle:
What is it that you just read?
- Answer: Riddle
- Explanation: The thing you read is a riddle—so that’s the answer.
28. Riddle:
What’s the question that tricks you into overthinking?
- Answer: This
- Explanation: “This” riddle is designed to mislead you—when the answer is simple.
29. Riddle:
What belongs to the question and also answers it?
- Answer: Word
- Explanation: Every riddle consists of words, and “word” is the answer.
30. Riddle:
What’s the missing piece of this question?
- Answer: Piece
- Explanation: The word “piece” is the literal and figurative answer.
31. Riddle:
What always hides right where you’re looking?
- Answer: Answer
- Explanation: In riddles like these, the answer is hidden in plain sight—just like this one.
32. Riddle:
What’s the first clue to solving this question?
- Answer: What
- Explanation: “What” begins the riddle—and is the first clue and the answer.
33. Riddle:
What word is the answer if the question asks for the word?
- Answer: Word
- Explanation: The riddle directs you to answer “word,” and that’s exactly what it wants.
Conclusion
Riddles with the answer in the question remind us of the importance of thinking carefully, not overthinking, and appreciating the clever ways language can surprise us. These riddles are simple, fun, and proof that sometimes the answer is right under your nose—or even in the sentence you just read.
Did any of these stump you? Make you laugh? Got a favorite riddle to add? Drop it in the comments and share the fun. And remember—next time you face a tricky question, maybe the answer is already in it!