What do you call a belt made out of watches?
Why this joke works
Time Around the Waist
A belt belongs around a waist, while watches tell time. Together they produce “waist of time,” which sounds exactly like the familiar complaint “waste of time.” The answer both labels an absurd accessory and dismisses the effort of making it. Keep the question practical, as though such a belt might have a real fashion name. On the page, the spelling of waist reveals the connection immediately.
A closer look
A Closer Look
The two objects each contribute something essential: a bracelet made of watches would keep the time clue but lose the waist, and an ordinary belt would lose the clocks. That balance makes this a useful guessing riddle. Let listeners picture the accessory before answering; no explanation of watch mechanics is needed.
Fact behind the joke
Fact Behind the Joke
Waist names both a region of the body and the corresponding part of a garment. Cambridge includes both senses, so a skirt or pair of trousers can have a waist even when nobody is wearing it. The belt in the riddle connects the body location to an imaginary wearable collection of clocks.