This riddle asks: What can you lose even if you never had it? It sounds contradictory because we normally think you must possess something before you can lose it.
Answer: An opportunity, or a chance.
You can lose an opportunity without ever possessing it as a physical object. For example, a chance may appear and disappear before you act on it. People commonly say they “lost their chance” even though the chance was never something they literally owned.
The riddle relies on the different meanings of the word “lose.” Losing does not always mean misplacing a possession; it can also mean missing something that was available to you.


