Newspaper riddle facts for kids
The newspaper riddle is a classic riddle joke that many people know. It starts with a question:
- Q: What is black and white and red all over?
The most common answer is:
- A: A newspaper.
This riddle is clever because it uses words that sound the same but have different meanings. The word "red" sounds just like "read," as in reading a newspaper! Experts say this riddle is one of the most famous folk riddles in the United States. It has been popular for a long time, appearing in many riddle collections from the early 1900s.
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Other Answers to the Riddle
Sometimes, people come up with different answers to the newspaper riddle. These answers use "red" as a color, not as the word "read." For example, some funny answers include:
- a chocolate sundae with ketchup on top
- a penguin with a sunburn
While these answers are creative, they don't have the clever wordplay (the "red" and "read" trick) that makes the original answer so special.
How the Riddle Changes in Other Languages
It's tricky to translate the newspaper riddle directly into other languages. This is because the "red" and "read" wordplay only works in English. In languages like French, Italian, or German, the word for "red" doesn't sound like the word for "read."
However, people can still translate the idea of the joke. They keep the newspaper and the color red, but they change the riddle to use a different kind of wordplay or a clever hint.
French Example
In French, the riddle can be changed to use a newspaper called L'Humanité. This newspaper is linked to a political group that uses the color red as its symbol.
- Q: Qu'est-ce qui/Quel journal est tout rouge et noir et blanc?
- A: L'Humanité
This means: "What newspaper is all red, black, and white?" The answer is L'Humanité, playing on the newspaper's colors and its political connection to "red."
Italian Example
A similar idea works in Italian with the newspaper L'Unità, which also has a political link to the color red.
- Q: Quale giornale è rosso, bianco e nero?
- A: L'Unità
This means: "Which newspaper is red, white, and black?"
German Example
In German, the riddle can be adapted like this:
- Q: Was ist rot, schwarz und weiss?
- A: Die Tageszeitung
This means: "What is red, black, and white?" The answer is Die Tageszeitung, a German newspaper.
Famous Times the Riddle Was Used
The newspaper riddle has been used by famous people in funny ways:
- In 2009, actor Jason Jones told this riddle to Bill Keller, who was the editor of The New York Times. Jones's funny answer was: "Your balance sheet." This was a joke about the newspaper's money situation.
- In 2012, comedian Jimmy Kimmel used the riddle at a big dinner in Washington D.C. His answer was: "Nothing anymore." This was a joke about how fewer people were reading printed newspapers, as many now get their news online.
