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Can You Figure Out These 1950s Brain Teasers?

Updated: Mar. 14, 2024

In the 1950s, comedy writer Roger Price created 'Droodles' cartoons of simple, abstract images with absurd meanings. Try your hand and see if you can figure out what these are pictures of—the kookier, the better!

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Piece of spaghetti
Courtesy Tallfellow Press

What is this a picture of?

Answer: Piece of spaghetti—gift wrapped. We told you they were absurd! Read on for more quirky Droodles, and check out The Ultimate Droodles Compendium: The Absurdly Complete Collection of All the Classic Zany Creations of Roger Price for even more laugh-out-loud fun. And for more retro fun, get a look at what school looked like 100 years ago.

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An early bird who caught strong worm
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What’s coming out of that circle?

Answer: An early bird who caught a very strong worm. This time, first come wasn’t served.

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Fire pole false alarms
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What’s this U-shaped thing for?

Answer: Fire pole for false alarm. Maybe the cat found its way out of the tree. Try your hand at 11 of the most famous riddles in history.

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Spider doing handstand
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What’s sticking up from the ground?

Answer: Spider doing a handstand. But that’s nothing compared to the gymnastics work we do when jumping away from a spider.

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Coat hanger nudist
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Could this really be a dot-free question mark?

Nope. Answer: Coat hanger for a nudist. Think of all the storage space they save!

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Vicious circle
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What’s this scary-looking thing?

Answer: Vicious circle. We do love a good pun. Check out these 14 pun cartoons that somehow never get old.

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pig going around barn
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Why is that curlicue there?

Answer: Pig going around a barn. Bet you were sweating like a pig trying to think up that caption.

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Germs avoiding friend penicillin
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What are these dots, and where are they going?

Answer: Germs avoiding friend who has caught penicillin. Don’t miss these other 19 brainteasers that will leave you stumped.

9 / 11
tic-tac-toe kit
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How will this come in handy?

Answer: Tic-tac-toe kit. These are tricky, but wait till you try to solve 25 of the hardest riddles ever written.

10 / 11
Bubble gum champ
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What’s this two-footed circle?

Answer: Bubble gum champ. Don’t pretend you never wanted to look like that as a kid.

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Sign on dotted line
Courtesy Tallfellow Press

What is this a picture of?

Answer: Sign on a dotted line. For more puzzles, don’t miss these brain games guaranteed to boost your brainpower.