What has a head but no brain?

Explanation

This riddle plays with words by using the term “head” in a non-literal way. While we normally associate a head with a brain, coins use the same word to describe one of their sides. The “heads” side of a coin usually displays a face, a symbol, or an important figure. Because of this, the riddle makes perfect sense: a coin has a head, but it definitely does not have a brain. The trick lies in understanding how language can assign the same word to very different things. Once you think beyond biology, the answer becomes clear.

Why coin works:

• A coin’s “heads” side is a common phrase used in everyday language.
• The coin cannot think or feel, so it has no brain.
• The riddle depends on interpreting the word based on language, not anatomy.

Example: When you flip a coin, you call one side “heads” and the other “tails.” The coin clearly shows a head, but it cannot think in any way. Other possible answers like a pin or a cabbage also use similar wordplay, but a coin is simple, familiar, and often the most widely expected answer to this classic riddle.