# What kind of band never plays music?

Source: https://silverapuzzles.com/riddles/what-kind-of-band-never-plays-music

A riddle about a band that has nothing to do with music. The word “band” has an everyday meaning that most people only notice at an office desk.

**Answer:** A rubber band.

A rubber band holds things together but makes no music.

Hint: It stretches.

## 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.