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Other Viral Riddles That Use the Same Trick
This isn’t the only riddle that uses wordplay and punctuation to fool people. Here are a few classics:
Riddle #1: “A word I know, six letters it contains. Subtract just one, and twelve remains. What is it?”
Answer: “Dozens.” Remove the “s” and you get “dozen” (twelve). The trick is in how you interpret “twelve.”
Riddle #2: “I have two coins that add up to 30 cents, and one of them is not a nickel. What are the two coins?”
Answer: A quarter and a nickel. One of them is not a nickel (the quarter). The other one is.
Riddle #3: “If there are three apples and you take away two, how many do you have?”
Answer: Two. You took them. The apples are yours.
All of these riddles work because our brains jump to assumptions. We hear “apples” and assume we’re being asked how many are left. We hear “30 cents” and assume the trick is about rare coins. We see April, May, June, and assume we’re playing a months game.
The answer is always simpler — and sneakier — than we expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “What” really a name?
It’s an uncommon name, but yes. There are people named What. (There are also people named Why, Where, and When, though they’re rare.) In the context of a riddle, it’s a clever wordplay answer, not necessarily a statement about naming conventions.
Isn’t this just a grammar trick?
Yes. That’s the point. The riddle isn’t testing your knowledge of months. It’s testing your reading comprehension.
Why do people keep saying the answer is July?
Because they see April, May, and June, assume a pattern, and don’t read the question carefully.
Is this riddle fair?
Fairness is subjective. If you approach it as a math puzzle or a calendar puzzle, it’s unfair. If you approach it as a wordplay puzzle, it’s perfectly fair.
What’s the best way to solve riddles like this?
Read slowly. Read out loud if you can. Pay attention to punctuation. Ask yourself: “Am I assuming something that the riddle didn’t actually say?”
A Final Word
This riddle has been driving people crazy for years, and it’s not going to stop anytime soon. Every few months, someone posts it on social media, and the comments explode with confident wrong answers.
Now you’re in on the joke.
The father’s name is What.
Not July. Not August. Not March.
What.
Go ahead. Share this with your friends and watch them argue.
(You’re welcome.)
Now I’d love to hear from you. Did you get it right away, or did you fall for the month trap? Be honest. Drop a comment below – I read every single one.
And if this explanation saved you from posting a wrong answer in a comment section somewhere, please share it with a friend who needs the same rescue. A text, a link, a conversation. Good riddles are meant to be shared. 🤔💬
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