What has many teeth but can’t bite?

How to think about it

1. Teeth that cannot bite are not in a mouth. Think of objects with rows of small points called teeth.
2. Saws, zippers, gears and combs all have teeth.
3. A saw could be said to “bite” into wood, so set it aside.
4. The comb is the everyday object that children know, and its teeth only ever touch hair.

Why “a comb” is the answer

The thin prongs of a comb are called teeth, and a comb can have dozens of them in a single row. They slide through hair and never close on anything, so they cannot bite. The riddle relies on a body-part word that English applies to many tools, and the comb is the gentlest example.

Common wrong answers

• A saw. A saw has teeth and, in a way, bites into wood, so the “cannot bite” part is shaky.
• A zipper. Zippers have teeth and do not bite, so this is a fair alternative; the classic answer is a comb.