Why did the scarecrow win an award?

How to think about it

1. Awards go to people who are outstanding, so expect the word “outstanding” somewhere in the answer.
2. Now think about where a scarecrow spends its life: standing out in a field.
3. Put the two ideas together into one phrase.
4. He was outstanding in his field.

Why “he was outstanding in his field” is the answer

“Outstanding in his field” is a common phrase for someone who excels at their profession, and a scarecrow is literally out standing in a field all day. The pun lands because both readings are completely true of a scarecrow. Farm puns like this one are a staple of dad jokes.

Common wrong answers

• He scared the most crows. A sensible reason, but it is not a pun, and the riddle is a joke.
• He had a brain. A reference to The Wizard of Oz, but it does not explain the award.