A Man Comes Home From Work Microwave Riddle Answer Explained
If you’re into tricky riddles that seem ordinary at first but hide a clever twist, the “Microwave” riddle is right up your alley. On the surface, it sounds like just another slice-of-life scenario, but the clue is hidden in plain sight — and once you catch it, the whole thing clicks.
Question
Here’s how the riddle usually goes:
*A man comes home from work and says, “Honey, I’m home.” The microwave is on, defrosting a chicken dinner. From the bedroom, his wife shouts, “Hi sweetie, could you have a look at the microwave and tell me how much time is left?”
He immediately runs out and calls the police, telling them his wife is in danger.
Why?*
Answer
The husband calls 911 because his wife’s request is a hidden signal for help — she wouldn’t need him to check the microwave timer if she were safe and free to move. It suggests she’s being restrained or watched by someone, and this was her way to alert him without tipping off whoever is with her.
Answer Explanation
Let’s break it down:
-
The wife could see the time left on the microwave herself if she were safe and free to move — unless something was preventing her from leaving the bedroom.
-
By asking him to check the time, she was sending a subtle message she couldn’t say outright: “I’m not okay.”
-
The husband picked up on the oddness of her request immediately. This was out of character and unnecessary in a normal situation.
-
Fearing she was with an intruder or otherwise in danger, he left the house to a safe location and called the police.
-
The key to solving the riddle is spotting that the wife’s words were unnecessary if everything was fine — meaning they were deliberate, to communicate distress without alarming whoever was with her.
