What goes up while growing down?
Riddle Answers

What goes up while growing down? – Riddle Answer + Meaning

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Riddle: What goes up while growing down?

Answer: A goose

Riddle Explanation + Meaning

A goose is a bird that goes up in the sky when it flies.

At the same time, its feathers grow downwards as they cover its body.

This riddle plays with the physical action of the goose flying upwards and the natural growth direction of its feathers.

When we think about something growing down, it usually doesn't make sense unless we consider how feathers or hair grow in a direction that is opposite to gravity.

In this riddle, "growing down" refers to how the feathers on a goose expand and get longer, pointing towards the ground even as the bird itself rises into the air.

This clever wording challenges our initial thoughts and provides a surprising answer that makes sense once explained.

If you enjoyed working this one out, try our bird riddles to test your wit, the quack-tastic duck riddles to puzzle you and our farm animal riddles.

Why the answer is a goose

The riddle sounds impossible because "up" and "down" seem to cancel each other out. The key is that "down" has two meanings. It can be a direction, and it is also the name for the soft, fluffy feathers that grow close to a bird's body, the kind used to fill pillows and puffy jackets. So a goose goes up into the sky when it flies, while it grows down on its body.

The riddle is hard if you have never heard the word "down" used for feathers. Most people try to think of something that grows toward the ground, like a carrot, a root, or an icicle, and those guesses do fit "growing down" but not "goes up." A duck or a swan also grows down and flies up, so either would be a fair answer. The goose is the classic choice, perhaps because goose down is so well known.

Where this riddle comes from

This is a riddle of unknown origin. It is a pun riddle, since the whole answer rests on one word with two meanings. Riddles like this are a good chance to teach kids a new word, and many are surprised that the stuffing in their pillow has a special name.

3 more riddles like this one

What goes up when the rain comes down?

Hint
You hold me over your head on wet days.
Answer
An umbrella

Which bird can lift the heaviest things?

Hint
It shares its name with a tall machine at building sites.
Answer
A crane

Which bird is always out of breath?

Hint
Think of a word for breathing hard after running, and a bird with a colorful beak.
Answer
A puffin

How to solve riddles like this

  • When a riddle seems to contradict itself, like "up" and "down," check whether one word has a second meaning.
  • Learn words for animal parts, like down, quills, and scales. They show up in lots of riddles.
  • Think of answers that fit one half of the riddle, then test them against the other half.
  • If you find an answer that fits both parts, look for close relatives that fit too, like other birds.