What has hands but cannot clap, according to this classic clock riddle?

Introduction / Context:
This puzzle is one of the most famous simple riddles used to introduce children and learners to lateral thinking. It asks what has hands but cannot clap. The trick is that the word hands does not always refer to human hands. In everyday life there is a device that has hands in a technical sense but those hands are not living and cannot clap. The question tests whether you can shift your understanding of a common word from a human body part to a mechanical pointer on a timekeeping instrument.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The riddle mentions something that has hands.
• It explicitly says that this thing cannot clap, so the hands are not the flexible hands of a person.
• The object is likely to be familiar in everyday life and associated with the word hand in another meaning.
• The answer choices are Toy, Clock, Bag, and Shirt.
• We assume the riddle refers to the traditional analog timekeeping device found in homes and schools.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is that in English, the word hand also refers to the pointers on an analog clock or watch that show hours, minutes, and sometimes seconds. These clock hands move around the dial but do not bend or clap. They are made of metal or plastic and are simply indicators. Recognizing this secondary meaning of hand allows you to connect the riddle to a clock. The other options do not have parts officially called hands in the same standard way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Think beyond human or animal hands and recall objects that have parts called hands. Step 2: Remember that analog clocks and watches have hour hands and minute hands. Step 3: Note that these hands are rigid pointers that rotate around a dial to show time. Step 4: Realize that because these are mechanical pointers, they cannot clap like human hands. Step 5: Compare this with the other options. A toy might include hands if it is shaped like a person, but the riddle usually refers to a standard device, not a toy figure. Step 6: See that a bag and a shirt do not have parts commonly called hands in regular English usage. Step 7: Conclude that Clock is the correct answer that fits both the wording and the traditional usage in riddle books.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, consider how teachers explain time to children. They refer to the shorter pointer as the hour hand and the longer pointer as the minute hand. This language is universal for analog clocks. A standard riddle question in many collections is What has hands but cannot clap, with the answer Clock or A clock. This strong, repeated association confirms that Clock is the correct and widely accepted solution.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Toy: A toy can sometimes have hands if it is shaped like a person, but this is not a standard fixed fact and is not the usual answer to the classic riddle.
Bag: A bag may have straps or handles but not hands in ordinary description.
Shirt: A shirt has sleeves and cuffs, not hands; the hands belong to the person wearing the shirt.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is interpreting hands only in the human sense and searching for an animal or person that cannot clap. Another mistake is choosing a toy because many toys mimic people. However, classic puzzle collections repeat this riddle with the same answer, and exams often expect that standard answer. Keeping in mind the timekeeping meaning of hand helps you quickly choose Clock without overthinking.

Final Answer:
The thing that has hands but cannot clap is a Clock.