18 Times People Needed Help Identifying Unknown Things and Reddit Users Delivered

Solving different riddles and problems is good for us; they improve our memory, reasoning, and even decrease stress levels. But also, it just feels good to know the answer sooner than anybody else. For people who love cracking the cases of unidentified objects, there’s a subreddit called r/whatisthisthing where anyone can come in with a question or show their deductive skills and help others.

We at Now I’ve Seen Everything prepared these mysterious objects for you to try to guess their purpose as well.

“The strange chair with a bowl attachment in my workplace bathroom”

Answer: It shows up under first aid furniture.

“What is this credit card-sized packet of liquid with a ’coin’ inside?”

Answer: It’s a heating pad! Snap the little coin the other way and the insides should solidify and create heat. Boil it to reset.

“What is this diminutive silver table service utensil?”

Answer: A bonbon spoon (a spoon with a flat perforated bowl for bonbons and nuts)

“I know this is a chair, but what are the rods in the arms for? They go in and out and are made of metal.”

Answer: I have encountered these in some older homes in my area. They hold a tray that can be used to do anything you can really do on a flat surface.

“What are these ropes at the bottom of some trees?”

Answer: “They are called wattles, usually used to prevent erosion. But in this case, it looks like they have been repurposed for tree protection.”

“A little black device with some odd vent-like holes I found stuck to my vehicle, no letters on it or anything...”

Answer: It’s a microphone for a hands-free car phone (could be a Bluetooth one to connect to your phone).

“I picked it up at an auction. It’s currently used as a side table. But what is it actually? Shoe is for scale.”

Answer: It looks like a mid-century pedestal ashtray.

“A textured wooden ball with a handheld holder”

Answer: A massage ball with a cup holder

“My girlfriend found these small doors in trees in Scotland near Loch Lomond. There are some coins scattered in front of the door. What are these for?”

Answer: Those are called fairy doors (usually set into the base of a tree, behind which may be small spaces where people can leave notes, wishes, or gifts).

“The pumpkin thing opens on a hinge, with a latch inside and a small glass jar. A sharp pin is attached to the jar.”

Answer: It might be a “vinaigrette,” a piece of jewelry containing smelling salts or perfume that women hung from a chatelaine chain in Victorian times.

“A curved metal piece with an attached leather strap”

Answer: It’s an “arm blaster.”

“What is this white table with a removable insert?”

Answer: We have those at early education centers. We store toys in the container, there should be a lid for it, and that’s used as a surface for the kids to play on.

“What are those 2 circle things on the dash of my ’05 Toyota Prius?”

Answer: They’re light sensors and water detectors for headlights and wipers.

“What is this thing? My friend has this elastic band in the front pouch of his Adidas sweater.”

Answer: You can invert the jacket into the pocket and carry it as a fanny pack.

“What is this dumpster-looking thing on this roof? It’s been there for a while.”

Answer: It’s an old solar system for heating either air or water.

“A bundle of wooden sticks with thin copper wire tied to each”

Answer: They look like older flower arranging picks. The wire wraps around to hold flowers onto the picks so the stems are sturdy enough to insert into floral foam.

“I work at a thrift store. Help me to find out what this thing is.”

Answer: It’s a tablet stand, some come shaped like hands.

“I found it in a thrift store, no markings on it that I could find. It’s maybe about a foot long, pretty lightweight, entirely plastic.”

Answer: It’s a back-to-basics smoothie chill stir stick.

What was the most unique or odd thing that you have ever found in a shop or at a relative’s house? Do your grandparents keep old, weird stuff around? What is it?