What Has One Eye but Cannot See? Riddle Answer Explained
Some riddles are so short and simple that they catch you completely off guard. This one is a perfect example; it sounds like it could be describing a strange creature or a mysterious object, but the truth is far more everyday. It’s a fun little puzzle that’s been passed around in classrooms, family gatherings, and game nights for decades.
The Riddle
What has one eye but cannot see?
The Answer
A needle.
Why This Is the Answer
Here’s the trick: in this riddle, the word “eye” doesn’t mean what you think it does. When you’re sewing, the small hole at the top of the needle where the thread passes through is called the eye of the needle. It gets this name because of its shape, not because it can see.
The clever part is that the riddle takes a completely ordinary object and focuses on a single, unexpected feature. By using “eye” in a non-literal way, it manages to confuse people for just long enough to make the answer satisfying when it’s revealed.
