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January 24, 2025
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Whoever said ‘out of sight, out of mind’ never had a spider disappear in the bedroom”

"Whoever said 'out of sight, out of mind' has never had a spider disappear in their bedroom" is a jocula saying that has been printed on many images. There are several forms to…

January 24, 2025
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Whoever said ‘out of sight, out of mind’ never had a spider disappear inside their tent”

"Whoever said 'out of sight, out of mind' has never had a spider disappear in their bedroom" is a jocula saying that has been printed on many images. There are several forms to…

February 18, 2018
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Whoever said nothing is impossible never tried slamming a revolving door”

"Can't Slam a Revolving Door" was a headline in The Architect and Engineer for October 1921. "The Hardest Job in the World -- Slamming a revolving door" was published in a…

March 7, 2018
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why are elevator jokes always funny?”/“Because they work on so many different levels.”

A riddle about elevator jokes has been printed on several images: Q: Why are elevator jokes always funny?A: Because they work on so many different levels. "I think that elevator jokes work on…

January 6, 2017
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why are mountains so funny? Because they’re hill areas”

"Why are mountains so funny? Because they're hill areas" is a hilarious pun that has been printed on many images. The joke was posted by Dave Lee on Twitter on July 14, 2011.…

July 15, 2012
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why are they called ‘apartments’ when they’re all stuck together?” (joke)

"Why are they called 'apartments' when they're all stuck together?" is a joke that has been cited in print since at least 1986 and that has become popular on the internet.…

August 30, 2016
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why are they called ‘buildings’ when they’re already finished?” (joke)

"Why are they called "buildings' when they're already finished? Shouldn't they be called 'builts'?" is a jocular question that has been printed on many…

November 26, 2024
Buildings/Housing/ParksWork/Businesses

“Why bills never go on sale? Like rent 50% off or buy 1 light bill and get the gas bill free”

"Why bills never go on sale? Like rent 50% off or buy 1 light bill and get the gas bill free" and "How come bills never go on sale? Like rent 25% off or pay 2 electricity bills and…

July 3, 2020
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why can’t 45 degree angles get a mortgage?”/“They don’t know whether to sine or cosine.”

"Sine" and "cosine" have nothing to do with "sign" and "cosign" (as with a mortgage), but there are jokes. "Whenever they said 'sine' I just…

February 19, 2016
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did God invent lawyers?” (real estate agent joke)

Lawyers and real estate agents have bad reputations, as told in many jokes. One popular joke is: Q. Why did God invent lawyers?A. So that realtors would have someone to look down on. The joke has…

October 23, 2016
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did King Kong climb the Empire State Building?”/“He couldn’t fit in the elevator.”

In the film King Kong (1933), the ape King Kong climbs the Empire State Building. A joke was printed in a 1971 newspaper and in other newspapers in the 1970s: Q: Why did King Kong climb the Empire…

October 23, 2016
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did King Kong climb the Empire State Building?”/“He needed to catch a plane.”

In the film King Kong (1933), the ape King Kong climbs the Empire State Building and is attacked by airplanes. A joke was printed in a 1971 newspaper and in other newspapers in the 1970s: Q: Why…

July 25, 2018
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did the AC compressor sweat?”/“Because it had to run all day.”

Air conditioning does "run" like a runner runs, but a joke is: Q: Why did the AC compressor sweat?A: Because it had to run all day. The joke was posted on Twitter by HVACEDONLINE on May…

February 27, 2018
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did the hedgehog cross the road?”/“To see his flatmate.”

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"/"To get to the other side" is a classic riddle from the 19th century. A hedgehog version is: Q: Why did the hedgehog cross the road?A: To…

January 25, 2021
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did the marble countertop leave the kitchen?”/“It was tired of being taken for granite.”

Marble countertops are not the same as granite countertops. A riddle is: Q: Why did the marble countertop leave the kitchen?A: It was tired of being taken for granite. "Taken for granite"…

October 26, 2016
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did the moron jump from the building?”/“He wanted to make a hit on Broadway.”

"Broadway" often means "show business" rather than just the street itself, but there's an old "Little Moron" riddle from August 1942 that involves both meanings:…

September 21, 2017
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why did the pirate ask to get a mortgage with 3.142 percent interest?”/“He wanted the pi-rate!”

A pirate riddle is: Q: Why did the pirate ask to get a mortgage with 3.142 percent interest?A: He wanted the pi-rate! The joke was posted on PirateJokes.net on February 21, 2015. "Why did the…

March 9, 2018
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why didn’t 4 enter the haunted house?”/“Because it was 2 squared.”

A haunted house riddle is: Q: Why didn't 4 enter the haunted house?A: Because it was 2 squared. "2 squared" sounds like "too scared." The pun was posted on Twitter on July…

March 4, 2017
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why didn’t the lifeguard save the drowning hippie?”/“Because he was too far out, man.”

A hippie riddle is: Q: Why didn't the lifeguard save the drowning hippie?A: Because he was too far out, man. The joke has been cited in print since at least 2002 and has been printed on many…

December 22, 2025
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Why do bugs have to come inside like you guys have the entire outdoor world to roam in, this 350 square foot apartment is all I have”

"I don't understand why bugs come inside when they got the WHOLE OUTSIDE" is a saying that has been printed on many images "Bugs Have so much outside, why they so pressed to…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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