What tastes better than it smells?

How to think about it

1. Food is judged by taste and smell together, so the riddle is probably not about food.
2. Think of something that can taste but has no sense of smell at all.
3. The hint says it is in your mouth.
4. Your tongue tastes everything and smells nothing.

Why “your tongue” is the answer

The tongue is the organ of taste and has no ability to smell, so in a playful sense it “tastes better than it smells”. The riddle twists a phrase we normally use about food into a statement about anatomy. It is a gentle trick rather than a pun, which is why it surprises people.

Common wrong answers

• Coffee. Many people think coffee smells better than it tastes, which is the opposite of the riddle.
• Durian. Durian fruit is famous for smelling bad and tasting good, so it is a fun answer, but the hint points to your mouth.