This classic riddle asks: What can you catch but not throw? The wording makes you think of a ball, but the answer is something completely different.
The answer is: a cold.
People often say they “catch a cold” when they become sick with a common viral infection. But unlike a ball, a cold is not something you can throw back.
The riddle works because the verb “catch” has more than one meaning. In one sense, you catch an object with your hands. In another, you catch an illness. The clue pushes you toward the first meaning, while the answer depends on the second.
It is short, familiar, and easy to understand once you spot the wordplay, which is why it remains such a popular riddle.
