What Can You Catch But Not Throw? (Riddle & Answer Explained)

Riddles are a fun way to stretch your brain and challenge your thinking. One of the most classic and tricky riddles is:

"What can you catch but not throw?"

At first, it seems puzzling. We often associate "catching" with physical objects like a ball or a frisbee—but this riddle is not so straightforward. Let’s break it down!

The Answer: ✅ A Cold

Yes, the answer is "a cold."

You can catch a cold, but you can't physically throw it like you would a ball. The riddle plays on the double meaning of the word “catch.” In this context, "catching a cold" means becoming sick—not grabbing something with your hands.

Why This Riddle Is Clever

This riddle is a perfect example of how language can be playful and deceptive. It’s clever because:

It uses figurative language: "Catch a cold" is a common expression in English.

It tricks your mind into thinking about physical objects, but the answer is abstract.

It encourages lateral thinking—solving problems in creative ways.

Other Fun Riddles Like This

Here are 30 clever riddles similar to “What can you catch but not throw?” — all with answers that play on words, involve lateral thinking, or use metaphorical ideas:

What has to be broken before you can use it?

An egg

I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?

A candle

What has one eye but can’t see?

A needle

What gets wetter the more it dries?

A towel

What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

The letter M

What can travel around the world while staying in the same corner?

A stamp

What has hands but can’t clap?

A clock

What has a head, a tail, but no body?

A coin

The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?

Footsteps

What can fill a room but takes up no space?

Light

What goes up but never comes down?

Your age

What has many keys but can’t open any doors?

A piano

What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right?

Your right hand

What has a neck but no head?

A bottle

What begins with T, ends with T, and has T in it?

A teapot

What belongs to you but is used more by others?

Your name

What has legs but doesn’t walk?

A table

What kind of band never plays music?

A rubber band

What comes down but never goes up?

Rain

What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?

An echo

What has no teeth but can bite?

A cold or the wind

What goes through cities and fields but never moves?

A road

What can run but never walks, has a bed but never sleeps, has a mouth but never talks?

A river

What kind of tree can you carry in your hand?

A palm

What’s full of holes but still holds water?

A sponge

What has words but never speaks?

A book

What invention lets you look right through a wall?

A window

What has cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and rivers, but no water?

A map

What has a ring but no finger?

A telephone

What is easy to lift but hard to throw?

A feather

Check What Goes Down and Never Comes Up? (Riddle & Answer Explained)

Conclusion

Riddles like “What can you catch but not throw?” are popular because they’re simple, fun, and often come with an unexpected twist. The answer—a cold—reminds us that not everything we “catch” is something we can physically hold or throw.

So next time someone asks you this riddle, you’ll be ready—with both the answer and the explanation!