This classic riddle sounds impossible at first:
“What gets whiter the dirtier it gets?”
Most things become darker or messier as they get dirty, so the wording seems to contradict itself. The trick is to think of something that becomes covered in a white substance while it is being used.
The answer is a blackboard, or chalkboard.
A clean blackboard is usually dark. As more and more chalk is used on it, the surface becomes covered with white writing and chalk dust. In a sense, the board becomes “dirtier” while also looking whiter.
That contrast is what makes the riddle work. The word “dirty” makes us think of mud or grime, but here the mess is created by white chalk.
Answer: A blackboard or chalkboard.
It is a simple answer once you see the wordplay, but it can be surprisingly tricky on the first read. Did you guess it?
