What Goes in the Water Black and Comes Out Red? is a seafood riddle with a colourful answer. Guess, then tap Show Answer.
Riddle: What goes in the water black and comes out red?
Answer: Lobster
Need a hint?
It lives in the sea and has big claws.
Answer and explanation (spoiler!)
The answer is a lobster.
Live lobsters are usually a very dark blue-green or brownish colour that looks almost black. When they’re cooked in boiling water, their shells turn bright red.
The colour change happens because heat breaks down the proteins that hide a red pigment in the shell.
Difficulty: Medium · Best for: ages 9 and up
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FAQ
Are there other answers?
A crab or a prawn also turns red when cooked. Lobster is the classic answer.
Is there a reverse version?
Yes! “What goes in the water red and comes out black?” has a different answer: hot iron, which darkens as it cools.