What kind of band never plays music?

How to think about it

1. Musical bands play music by definition, so this band must be a different kind.
2. A band can also be a strip or loop of material: a wristband, a headband, a rubber band.
3. The hint says it stretches.
4. A rubber band holds things together and never plays a note.

Why “a rubber band” is the answer

A rubber band is a loop of elastic, and although it is called a band it has no musicians and plays no music. The riddle uses the oldest meaning of “band”, a strip that binds, against the modern meaning, a group of players. Headbands and wristbands would also fit, but the stretch hint picks out rubber.

Common wrong answers

• A silent band. A musical band that never plays is a contradiction rather than a pun.
• A headband. A headband is also a band that plays nothing, so it is a reasonable alternative; the stretching hint points to rubber.