Carroll did not have an answer in mind when he wrote the riddle. He later came up with:

"Because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is nevar put wrong end in front!"

[Note the variant spelling of "never".]

Other authors have come up with:

• Because Poe wrote on both. [Sam Loyd] (This is my personal favorite.)
• Because the notes for which they are noted are not noted for being musical notes. [Sam Loyd]
• Because it slopes with a flap. [Cyril Pearson]
• Because both have quills dipped in ink. [David Jodrey]
• Because they both have two eyes. [Izumi Yasui]
• Because there is a "B" in both. [E.V. Rieu]

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