hardlogic

As I went across the bridge, I met a man with a load of wood which was neither straight nor crooked. How is this possible?

It was sawdust.

Why this works

This riddle plays with the meanings of "straight" and "crooked." When the man is carrying wood that is described as neither, it suggests that the wood itself is not in its whole form—hence, it can refer to sawdust, which is the byproduct of cutting wood rather than the wood itself. So, the clever twist is that while we might expect solid pieces of wood, the answer reveals it's actually a fine powder, which fits the description perfectly!

Common Wrong Answers

“The man was carrying a tree.”

A tree is typically straight or crooked depending on its growth, which doesn't fit the description of being neither.

“The wood was in pieces.”

Even in pieces, wood maintains characteristics of being straight or crooked; thus, it wouldn't satisfy the riddle's requirement.

“The wood was wet.”

While wet wood might appear different, it still retains its nature of being straight or crooked; therefore, it doesn't resolve the riddle's contradiction.

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