What has 4 eyes but can't see?
Riddle Answers

What has 4 eyes but can’t see? – Riddle Answer + Meaning

3 riddles · tap Hint or Answer to reveal

by

Riddle: What has 4 eyes but can't see?

Answer: Mississippi

Riddle Explanation + Meaning

Mississippi is the name of a state in the United States.

The word "Mississippi" has four letters "i" in its spelling.

In English, the letter "i" is often pronounced like the word "eye."

However, despite having "4 eyes" (four "i"s), the word itself, or the state it represents, cannot see because it is not a living being.

This riddle plays with the homophones "i" and "eye," where "eye" refers to the organ of vision, and "i" is just a letter in the alphabet.

Thus, the answer to the riddle is clever because it uses the appearance of the word and a play on words to arrive at a humorous and unexpected conclusion.

Why the answer is Mississippi

The riddle uses a homophone, which is a word that sounds like another word but means something different. The letter "i" sounds exactly like "eye." So when the riddle asks for something with four eyes, it is really asking for something with four letter i's. Mississippi is spelled M, I, S, S, I, S, S, I, P, P, I, and it has four of them.

This riddle is especially hard when spoken aloud, because listeners picture real eyes. Common guesses are a person wearing glasses, a pair of twins, or a potato, which has "eyes" on its skin. A potato is a nice alternative answer, since it truly has eyes that can't see, though it usually has more than four. Any word with four i's would also work, such as "initiation," but Mississippi is the famous choice because so many children learn to spell it with a chant.

Where this riddle comes from

This is a classic riddle of unknown origin, especially popular in the United States. It is a spelling riddle that depends on the sound of a letter. Riddles like this help children practice spelling, because you have to picture the word in your head to check the answer.

3 more riddles like this one

What starts with E, ends with E, and has only one letter in it?

Hint
You put a letter inside me before you post it.
Answer
An envelope

What word is always spelled incorrectly?

Hint
Read the question very carefully. The answer is in it.
Answer
Incorrectly

What five letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

Hint
The two letters you add are E and R.
Answer
Short (it becomes shorter)

How to solve riddles like this

  • Say the key number or word out loud and ask whether it could be a letter, like "eye" for I or "see" for C.
  • Spell out any word you think of and count its letters. Spelling riddles often depend on counting.
  • Think of famously long or tricky words, like place names, that people like to spell aloud.
  • Remember that "letter" can mean a written message or a letter of the alphabet.