What has 4 letters, sometimes has 12 letters, always has 6 letters, but never has 5 letters.

Why this works

At first glance, this riddle seems to twist your mind into knots, leading you to ponder the nature of words and their meanings. However, the brilliance lies in its straightforwardness — it’s a clever play on linguistic structure rather than a true riddle seeking a hidden answer. The words “what,” “sometimes,” “always,” and “never” serve as statements about their own letter counts, not as questions about the existence of such entities. When you see “what” has four letters, it’s simply informing you that the word “what” consists of four letters, while “sometimes” contains nine, “always” has six, and “never” has five. This riddle delights in its simplicity, encouraging a moment of realization that snaps the mind into clarity. The genius of it lies in its ability to mislead you with the expectation of a deeper, more complex answer when, in fact, it’s just an exercise in observation and linguistic awareness. The “aha moment” comes from recognizing that the riddle plays with the very definitions of the words you thought were part of a puzzle rather than a statement of fact. As a fun note, this style of riddle reflects a long tradition of wordplay and linguistic puzzles in literature, dating back to ancient cultures that valued wit and cleverness in communication. Such riddles not only entertain but also sharpen our cognitive skills, reminding us that sometimes the simplest answers are right before our eyes, waiting for us to notice.