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October 27, 2016
Food/Drink

“When does a ghost have breakfast?”/“In the moaning.”

A popular ghost riddle is: Q: When does a ghost have breakfast?A: In the moaning. The riddle has been cited in print since at least 1996, when it was included in a Halloween joke list. Google…

August 27, 2016
Food/Drink

“When does a hunger strike stop?”/“When hunger strikes.”

A joke about hunger strikes is: Q: When does a hunger strike stop?A: When hunger strikes. The joke was posted on Reddit on August 26, 2016. redditWhen does a hunger strike stop?submitted August 26,…

January 2, 2018
Holidays/Events/Parades

“When does a joke become a dad joke?”/“When it leaves you and never comes back.”

A dad joke was posted on Reddit -- Jokes on March 26, 2016: Q: When does a joke become a dad joke?A: When it leaves you and never comes back. The classic dad joke has been printed on many images.…

January 2, 2018
Holidays/Events/Parades

“When does a joke become a dad joke?”/“When it’s fully groan.”

A dad joke was posted on Reddit -- Jokes on March 26, 2016: Q: When does a joke become a dad joke?A: When its fully groan (grown). The classic dad joke has been printed on many images and has been…

December 25, 2017
Holidays/Events/Parades

“When does a joke become a dad joke?”/“When the punchline becomes apparent.”

The word "apparent" sounds like "a parent." A dad joke was posted on Twitter on December 9, 2014: Q: When does a joke become a dad joke?A: When the punchline becomes apparent.…

January 19, 2017
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When does a lawyer make coffee?”/“When he has sufficient grounds.”

A coffee riddle has been cited in print since at least 1851: Q: When has a man a right to scold his wife about his coffee?A: When he has sufficient grounds. This was made into a lawyer joke by at…

August 3, 2017
Food/Drink

“When does a sandwich cook?”/“When it’s bakin’ lettuce and tomato.”

"Bacon" sounds like "bakin'." A riddle on the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich (BLT) is: Q: When does a sandwich cook?A: When it's bakin' lettuce and tomato.…

March 5, 2018
Food/Drink

“When does an astronaut eat?”/“At launch time.”

An astronaut riddle is: Q: When does an astronaut eat?A: At launch time. "Launch" sounds a little bit like "lunch." The joke has been cited in print since at least 1965 and…

February 14, 2026
Food/Drink

“When does bread go bad?”/“When you yeast expect it.”

Bread has yeast, and there are "when you yeast expect it" puns (for "when you least expect it"). "When does your bread go bad? When you yeast expect it" was posted on…

February 14, 2026
Food/Drink

“When does bread rise?”/“When you yeast expect it.”

Bread has yeast, and there are "when you yeast expect it" puns (for "when you least expect it"). "When does your bread go bad? When you yeast expect it" was posted on…

November 2, 2024
Time/Weather

“When does hibernation start because I am 100% participating in that”

"When does hibernation start because I am 100% participating in that" is a jocular winter saying that has been printed on many images. "When does hibernation start because I am 100%…

April 26, 2015
Time/Weather

“When does it rain money?”/“Whenever there’s some change in the weather.”

A popular weather joke is: Q: When does it rain money? A: Whenever there's some change in the weather. "When is it likely to rain money?" was cited in print in 1940. "When does…

December 25, 2015
Time/Weather

“When does New Year’s Day come before Christmas?”/“Every year!”

First comes Christmas and then comes New Year's Eve, but a joke switches this up a bit: Q: When does New Year’s Day come before Christmas Day? A: Every year! The joke has been popular since…

February 14, 2026
Food/Drink

“When does sourdough bread rise?”/“When you yeast expect it.”

Bread has yeast, and there are "when you yeast expect it" puns (for "when you least expect it"). "When does your bread go bad? When you yeast expect it" was posted on…

February 14, 2026
Food/DrinkHolidays/Events/Parades

“When does Thanksgiving bread rise?”/“When you yeast expect it.”

Bread has yeast, and there are "when you yeast expect it" puns (for "when you least expect it"). "When does your bread go bad? When you yeast expect it" was posted on…

March 12, 2017
Streets

“When does the leprechaun cross the road?”/“When it’s green!”

A leprechaun riddle is: Q: When does the leprechaun cross the road?A: When it's green. "Why did the leprechaun cross the road? Because the light was green" was printed in the Los…

April 26, 2018
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“When doesn’t a telephone work underwater?”/“When it’s wringing wet.”

Cell phones often don't work when they get wet. A telephone riddle is: Q: When doesn't a telephone work underwater?A: When it's wringing wet. The…

September 6, 2021
Work/Businesses

“When Dracula shops online, he keeps clicking ‘Your Account’”

"Your account" shouldn't be confused with "You're a Count," but there are several Count Dracula puns. "RT @GaryDelaney: I bet Dracula does all his shopping…

May 24, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers”

"When (two) elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers" is an East African proverb, cited in English since at least the 1910s. In the 1960s, Kenyan leader Jomo Kenyatta (1894-1978) and…

December 12, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“When emotions are too strong for words, sing. When emotions are too strong for song, dance”

There's an adage in the musical theater about when it's time for a song and when it's time for a dance. Authorship of the saying is unknown. "When you don't have the words…

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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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