Helping your child with homework sounds simple—until you’re staring down a question that looks like it belongs on a game show instead of a first-grade worksheet. Many parents have found themselves in this situation, unsure whether to laugh, cry, or call for backup. Fortunately, thanks to platforms like Reddit and Twitter, some of these baffling questions made their way online, sparking discussions, jokes, and sometimes even real answers.

Let’s take a look at seven kids’ homework assignments that stumped even the adults trying to help.

1. First-Grade English Confusion

One mom shared her confusion over a first-grade English worksheet. Her son was supposed to circle the pictures that had the same ending sound as the word fin. The options were: a hamburger bun, a frog, a jar lid, and a spoon.

At first glance, none of the choices seemed to fit. But Reddit users jumped in to offer a helping hand. Many pointed out that the task wasn’t about rhyming with fin—instead, it was about matching the n sound at the end. That meant both bun and spoon were fair game. It was a tricky example of how phonics doesn’t always mean rhyme.

2. Kindergarten Vocabulary Mystery

You’d think kindergarten homework would be a breeze for adults, but one parent was stumped trying to help their child identify a three-letter word for a picture of a rabbit playing with its babies.

After plenty of head-scratching, a helpful Redditor suggested the word pet. They explained that these types of worksheets often sneak in a curveball at the end, trying to trip kids up by switching where the sound appears in the word. Tricky, but clever!

3. Third-Grade Math with No Real Answer

One Reddit user shared a third-grade math problem that left more questions than answers: “Janell had 15 marbles. She lost some. How many does she have now?”

No further information. Just that.

Some users jokingly suggested the answer was simply “less than 15,” while others responded with sarcasm, saying things like, “Janell lost her marbles.” Another user gave a vague but technically true answer: “She has some left.” The general consensus? That question was just unfair.

4. A Six-Year-Old’s Paint Riddle

Another assignment that baffled both parents and Reddit users involved a visual question for a six-year-old. The sheet showed a paint splatter and several apples, accompanied by the question: “How many apples could be covered by the paint? There cannot be more than 20.”

Nobody seemed quite sure how to answer this one. Was it a logic puzzle? A test in estimation? A riddle? No one knew for sure. All anyone could agree on was that it definitely didn’t belong in a beginner-level workbook.

5. First-Grade Singapore Math

Singapore is known for having one of the most rigorous math programs in the world, and this problem proved it. A parent posted a picture of a first-grade Singapore math question on Twitter, and even adults had a hard time cracking it.

One commenter managed to solve the problem but admitted they had to tweak the logic a bit to get there. Others were just plain stumped. It was a reminder that even math for little kids can get real complicated, real fast—especially when it’s imported from another education system.

6. The Perimeter Puzzle

Another math problem that made the rounds online asked students to calculate the perimeter of one shape using the dimensions of another rectilinear figure. It wasn’t the math itself that was tricky, but the way the question was worded.

One Twitter user sarcastically commented, “Sure, let’s throw this at a ten-year-old. Seems fair.” The instructions were so unclear that even experienced adults had to double-check the logic.

7. Solving for X in Beethoven’s Orchestra

Last but definitely not least, a math problem turned into a philosophical debate. The question asked: “An orchestra of 120 players takes 40 minutes to perform Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. How long would it take 60 players to perform the same piece?”

Technically, this is a classic “work rate” problem—but it also doesn’t make sense. One Twitter user responded brilliantly: “The number of musicians doesn’t affect how long the piece takes to play. The tempo doesn’t double just because the orchestra shrinks.”

In other words: even if you halve the musicians, you don’t slow down Beethoven.

The Takeaway

While these assignments were written for young students, they often leave adults feeling defeated and confused. Whether it’s a tricky phonics task, a poorly worded math problem, or a logic puzzle disguised as a simple question, it’s clear that not all schoolwork is straightforward.

Thankfully, the internet has become a place where confused parents can band together, share a laugh, and crowdsource answers. If nothing else, these puzzling assignments remind us all that helping with homework is not for the faint of heart—and that sometimes, even grown-ups need to ask for help.