120+ Computer Riddles with Answers
This page collects computer riddles built around familiar tech words and everyday machine behavior. Expect the running pun on computer terms, the recurring vocabulary of keys, windows, files, memory, and networks, and a strong stream of answers that name parts, software concepts, or the computer itself. Some clues turn ordinary language into technical jokes, while others lean on a word's literal and computing meanings. When this deck runs dry, the Appliance riddles pick up right where these leave off.
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Three Computer riddles, answers included
- I have keys but no locks, space but no room, and you can enter but not go inside. What am I?
- Answer: A keyboard
- What creature sits beside a screen, has a tail, and never asks for cheese?
- Answer: A mouse
- Why can a computer count forever without learning any new digits?
- Answer: It only needs zero and one
Computer Riddles
- I have keys but no locks, space but no room, and you can enter but not go inside. What am I?A keyboard
- What creature sits beside a screen, has a tail, and never asks for cheese?A mouse
- Why can a computer count forever without learning any new digits?It only needs zero and one
- I open onto worlds but have no glass, curtains, or view of the street. What am I?A window
- What kind of boot goes on before the computer can go anywhere?A bootstrap
- What bug can ruin your day without biting anyone?A software bug
- I eat unwanted files, but nobody empties me at the curb. What am I?The recycle bin
- What becomes more suspicious the longer it stays at 99 percent?A progress bar
- What memory disappears precisely when the machine loses its mind?RAM
- I contain papers without paper and can be opened without hinges. What am I?A folder
- What computer visitor is welcomed once, then remembered so it recognizes you later?A cookie
- What gets refreshed when it looks stale but is never served for dinner?A web page
- I keep spinning when nobody knows how long the wait will be. What am I?A loading spinner
- What computer worker gets hotter as it thinks harder?The processor
- What tiny computer resident has eight bits but never takes a bite?A byte
- I move heat instead of air-conditioning the room, and dust makes my job louder. What am I?A cooling fan
- What can be strong enough to protect everything yet forgotten before lunch?A password
- What computer shortcut begins with three fingers and often ends with one problem?Ctrl+Alt+Delete
- I am called solid even though my older cousin also sits perfectly still. What am I?A solid-state drive
- What computer road carries information but never has traffic lights?A data bus
- What computer cloud can fill up without producing a drop of rain?Cloud storage
- I remember your work after the lights go out, but I have no brain. What am I?A hard drive
- What arrives to improve your computer and immediately asks you to stop using it?A system update
- What computer port has ships only in its name?A USB port
- I sit between your fingers and a command, translating a tiny press into action. What am I?A key switch
- What file sounds most finished but is usually followed by final2?final.docx
- What screen visitor appears only because something went wrong?An error message
- I have a face full of pixels, yet I never blink unless something is wrong. What am I?A monitor
- What kind of cache is useful even when there is no money hidden inside?A browser cache
- What computer thread can run without a needle?A program thread
- I am a wall that wants traffic to pass, but only the right traffic. What am I?A firewall
- What computer language is understood only after someone translates it?Source code
- What computer chip spends its life thinking but never has an idea?A CPU
- I point everywhere while staying trapped behind glass. What am I?A cursor
- What computer handshake happens without either machine having hands?A network handshake
- What computer address tells machines where you are without naming your street?An IP address
- I am pressed when patience fails, and my success can erase what patience was waiting for. What am I?The reset button
- What kind of driver never touches a steering wheel?A device driver
- What computer core works all day without doing a single sit-up?A processor core
- I am a tiny picture that can launch something much larger than myself. What am I?An icon
- What does a computer call a place that is neither here nor there, yet stores deleted things?The trash
- What computer sleep can end with one tap and no alarm clock?Sleep mode
- I am full of holes, yet plugging something into me makes the machine more useful. What am I?An I/O panel
- What starts as a physical insect story and now makes programmers hunt invisible trouble?Debugging
- What computer shell protects nothing from rain?A command shell
- I wake first, check the machine, then hand the day to someone else. What am I?The BIOS
- What computer tree grows downward and produces files instead of fruit?A directory tree
- What computer root is important even though it never touches soil?The root directory
- I am invisible until you need one more socket, then suddenly I matter enormously. What am I?A power strip
- What keeps a computer alive for minutes precisely because the wall has failed it?A UPS
- What computer tower has no princess but may contain a dragon of a graphics card?A PC case
- I draw worlds nobody can touch, and games complain when I am too slow. What am I?A graphics card
- What part of a computer is called a board even though nobody rides it?The motherboard
- What computer mother has thousands of connections but no children?A motherboard
- I am a bridge whose usefulness depends on having different shapes at my two ends. What am I?An adapter
- What cable becomes impossible to find only after you discover you urgently need it?The right charging cable
- What computer jack accepts a plug but never deals playing cards?An audio jack
- I am a tiny metal runaway whose favorite hiding place appears to be under the desk. What am I?A case screw
- What builds a soft gray landscape inside a machine without using dirt?Dust
- What computer light can blink urgently while explaining absolutely nothing?A status LED
- I carry voices, pictures, and files, yet I am usually accused only when they stop moving. What am I?A network connection
- What invisible computer traffic jam can make a fast machine feel slow?Network congestion
- What computer packet travels the world without an envelope or stamp?A data packet
- I answer names with numbers so machines know where to visit. What am I?DNS
- What computer host can welcome thousands of guests without owning a hotel?A server
- What computer client asks for service but never leaves a tip?A network client
- I know many routes, but I never leave the shelf. What am I?A router
- What computer switch moves information without anyone flipping it on or off?A network switch
- What wireless computer signal weakens when a wall gets in the way?Wi-Fi
- I arrive through the air, unlock a nearby connection, and have a blue name but no color. What am I?Bluetooth
- What computer tunnel hides traffic without requiring a shovel?A VPN
- What computer ping travels out just to see whether something answers?An echo request
- I am the number that makes waiting feel longer when it gets larger. What am I?Latency
- What can crash without falling and leave an office strangely quiet?A computer
- What machine gets healthier surprisingly often after being told to start over?A computer
- I obey millions of instructions perfectly, including the bad one you just gave me. What am I?A computer
- What machine can have plenty of memory and still forget everything after a power cut?A computer
- What machine has a desktop that never needs dusting on the screen?A computer
- I can freeze in a warm room and recover without thawing. What am I?A computer
- What machine can run all night without moving an inch?A computer
- What machine complains about an illegal operation without calling the police?A computer
- I have files, folders, windows, and a desktop, but no office lease. What am I?A computer
- What machine can catch a virus without sneezing?A computer
- What machine needs protection from viruses but never visits a doctor?A computer
- I can have many users but still insist there is only one administrator. What am I?A computer
- What machine follows your clicks even though it has no ears to hear commands?A computer
- What machine can sleep, wake, and hibernate without ever being alive?A computer
- I become more useful when you give me problems, but less useful when I develop my own. What am I?A computer
- What machine's favorite solution is often the electronic version of trying again?A computer
- What machine can multitask until one tiny spinning circle takes over everything?A computer
- I speak in zeros and ones, yet I can show you every letter in this sentence. What am I?A computer
- What machine can own a mouse, control a cursor, and still never touch either?A computer
- What machine may have 32 cores but not one heartbeat?A computer
- I am blamed for mistakes I made exactly as instructed. What am I?A computer
- What machine turns electricity into spreadsheets, games, and reasons to procrastinate?A computer
- What machine has ports but no coastline?A computer
- I can be locked while nobody is outside, then unlocked without a physical key. What am I?A computer
- What machine can mine without a pickaxe and render without paint?A computer
- What machine understands a click better than a conversation?A computer
- I can keep thousands of books while owning no shelves. What am I?A computer
- What machine's trash can be restored after you throw it away?A computer
- What machine may need a fan even when nobody is cheering?A computer
- I can host a party for programs while the person beside me works alone. What am I?An operating system
- What computer kernel is never popped, salted, or eaten at a movie?An OS kernel
- What computer process can be killed without committing a crime?A running process
- I divide attention among programs so quickly that each thinks it has the machine. What am I?A scheduler
- What computer daemon works in the background without haunting the house?A background service
- What computer task sits in a queue but never buys a ticket?A print job
- I copy your work because disaster prefers originals. What am I?A backup
- What computer snapshot preserves a moment without using a camera?A restore point
- What computer clone can save you from regretting what happened to the original?A disk image
- I squeeze files smaller without sitting on them. What am I?Compression
- What computer archive can be opened without visiting a library?A ZIP file
- What computer extension comes after a name but never adds a room to a house?A filename extension
- I turn readable secrets into nonsense, then restore them for the right person. What am I?Encryption
- What computer key opens protected information but fits no lock?A decryption key
- What computer hash changes dinner-sized data into a fixed-size fingerprint?A cryptographic hash
- I prove a file is still itself by changing when even one tiny part changes. What am I?A checksum
- What computer permission can stop an owner from acting like an owner?Access control
- What computer account has more power because its name sounds underground?The root account
- I let one physical machine pretend to be several independent ones. What am I?A virtual machine
- What computer sandbox is designed to keep its player from reaching the rest of the machine?A software sandbox
- What computer container holds an app but cannot hold your lunch?A software container
How These Computer Riddles Work
These riddles work by giving computer vocabulary a second life in ordinary language. A keyboard has "keys" and "space," a window opens onto worlds, and a bug causes trouble without biting. The same idiom keeps returning: familiar words such as boot, cache, cloud, cookie, thread, shell, root, and container are treated as if their everyday meanings still apply. That double meaning points to the answer, often a concrete computer part or concept.
The pool also has a distinctive run of clues whose answer is simply "a computer," using habits such as crashing, freezing, sleeping, multitasking, catching viruses, and having ports as comic evidence. Elsewhere, technical terms supply the punchline, from DNS and latency to encryption, backups, virtual machines, and software containers.
When to Use This Page
This page is useful when you need a ready-made set of computer-themed clues for a classroom warm-up, a coding club, a family game night, or a quick break at a tech-themed event. Kids can start with accessible wordplay such as "I have keys but no locks" or the mouse with a tail, while older players can tackle clues about DNS, network congestion, checksums, encryption, and virtual machines.
The pool also works well for a mixed group because many answers are familiar objects, while others reward basic computing knowledge. Use the difficulty of the clue, rather than the length of the riddle, to choose a starting point.
More Computer Riddles by Type
Computer Riddles for Kids
43 kid-friendly computer riddles with simple words, safe themes, and answers that make young solvers feel clever.
- I have keys but no locks, space but no room, and you can enter but not go inside. What am I? A keyboard
- What creature sits beside a screen, has a tail, and never asks for cheese? A mouse
- What bug can ruin your day without biting anyone? A software bug
- I eat unwanted files, but nobody empties me at the curb. What am I? The recycle bin
Hard Computer Riddles
For solvers who like a fight: 33 hard computer riddles that resist the first guess, and often the second.
- What kind of boot goes on before the computer can go anywhere? A bootstrap
- What memory disappears precisely when the machine loses its mind? RAM
- I am called solid even though my older cousin also sits perfectly still. What am I? A solid-state drive
- I sit between your fingers and a command, translating a tiny press into action. What am I? A key switch
Computer Riddles for Adults
38 computer riddles with grown-up wit: subtler wordplay and references, zero crudeness, all challenge.
- What computer shortcut begins with three fingers and often ends with one problem? Ctrl+Alt+Delete
- What arrives to improve your computer and immediately asks you to stop using it? A system update
- What kind of cache is useful even when there is no money hidden inside? A browser cache
- What computer language is understood only after someone translates it? Source code
Funny Computer Riddles
The punchline crowd: 45 computer riddles built for a laugh, with puns, twists and groan-worthy wordplay included.
- What becomes more suspicious the longer it stays at 99 percent? A progress bar
- What gets refreshed when it looks stale but is never served for dinner? A web page
- What tiny computer resident has eight bits but never takes a bite? A byte
- What can be strong enough to protect everything yet forgotten before lunch? A password
Easy Computer Riddles
Warm up with 44 easy computer riddles for quick wins to build momentum before the tricky ones.
- I contain papers without paper and can be opened without hinges. What am I? A folder
- What computer worker gets hotter as it thinks harder? The processor
- What computer cloud can fill up without producing a drop of rain? Cloud storage
- I remember your work after the lights go out, but I have no brain. What am I? A hard drive
Tricky Computer Riddles
37 tricky computer riddles that bait the obvious answer, so read slowly, the trap is in the wording.
- Why can a computer count forever without learning any new digits? It only needs zero and one
- What computer visitor is welcomed once, then remembered so it recognizes you later? A cookie
- I keep spinning when nobody knows how long the wait will be. What am I? A loading spinner
- What computer port has ships only in its name? A USB port
What Am I Computer Riddles
The classic guessing game: 41 what-am-I computer riddles that describe themselves clue by clue. Read, commit to a guess, then reveal.
- I open onto worlds but have no glass, curtains, or view of the street. What am I? A window
- I move heat instead of air-conditioning the room, and dust makes my job louder. What am I? A cooling fan
- I have a face full of pixels, yet I never blink unless something is wrong. What am I? A monitor
- I am a wall that wants traffic to pass, but only the right traffic. What am I? A firewall
Clever Computer Riddles
41 computer riddles built on a genuinely neat idea rather than a trap: fair on the first read, satisfying on the reveal.
- What computer road carries information but never has traffic lights? A data bus
- What computer thread can run without a needle? A program thread
- What computer handshake happens without either machine having hands? A network handshake
- I am a tiny picture that can launch something much larger than myself. What am I? An icon
Long Computer Riddles
13 computer riddles with a full setup and room for real misdirection, the ones worth reading out loud.
- I am pressed when patience fails, and my success can erase what patience was waiting for. What am I? The reset button
- What does a computer call a place that is neither here nor there, yet stores deleted things? The trash
- I am full of holes, yet plugging something into me makes the machine more useful. What am I? An I/O panel
- I am invisible until you need one more socket, then suddenly I matter enormously. What am I? A power strip
Computer Riddles to Ask Your Friends
38 computer riddles built to stump someone: text one without the answer, watch them squirm, then enjoy the reveal.
- What file sounds most finished but is usually followed by final2? final.docx
- What computer address tells machines where you are without naming your street? An IP address
- What computer tree grows downward and produces files instead of fruit? A directory tree
- What computer root is important even though it never touches soil? The root directory
Short Computer Riddles
In a hurry? 110 bite-size computer riddles that get to the point in one line, perfect to text a friend.
- What screen visitor appears only because something went wrong? An error message
- What computer chip spends its life thinking but never has an idea? A CPU
- I point everywhere while staying trapped behind glass. What am I? A cursor
- What kind of driver never touches a steering wheel? A device driver
All 123 Computer Riddles with Answers
1. I have keys but no locks, space but no room, and you can enter but not go inside. What am I?
Answer: A keyboard
2. What creature sits beside a screen, has a tail, and never asks for cheese?
Answer: A mouse
3. Why can a computer count forever without learning any new digits?
Answer: It only needs zero and one
4. I open onto worlds but have no glass, curtains, or view of the street. What am I?
Answer: A window
5. What kind of boot goes on before the computer can go anywhere?
Answer: A bootstrap
6. What bug can ruin your day without biting anyone?
Answer: A software bug
7. I eat unwanted files, but nobody empties me at the curb. What am I?
Answer: The recycle bin
8. What becomes more suspicious the longer it stays at 99 percent?
Answer: A progress bar
9. What memory disappears precisely when the machine loses its mind?
Answer: RAM
10. I contain papers without paper and can be opened without hinges. What am I?
Answer: A folder
11. What computer visitor is welcomed once, then remembered so it recognizes you later?
Answer: A cookie
12. What gets refreshed when it looks stale but is never served for dinner?
Answer: A web page
13. I keep spinning when nobody knows how long the wait will be. What am I?
Answer: A loading spinner
14. What computer worker gets hotter as it thinks harder?
Answer: The processor
15. What tiny computer resident has eight bits but never takes a bite?
Answer: A byte
16. I move heat instead of air-conditioning the room, and dust makes my job louder. What am I?
Answer: A cooling fan
17. What can be strong enough to protect everything yet forgotten before lunch?
Answer: A password
18. What computer shortcut begins with three fingers and often ends with one problem?
Answer: Ctrl+Alt+Delete
19. I am called solid even though my older cousin also sits perfectly still. What am I?
Answer: A solid-state drive
20. What computer road carries information but never has traffic lights?
Answer: A data bus
21. What computer cloud can fill up without producing a drop of rain?
Answer: Cloud storage
22. I remember your work after the lights go out, but I have no brain. What am I?
Answer: A hard drive
23. What arrives to improve your computer and immediately asks you to stop using it?
Answer: A system update
24. What computer port has ships only in its name?
Answer: A USB port
25. I sit between your fingers and a command, translating a tiny press into action. What am I?
Answer: A key switch
26. What file sounds most finished but is usually followed by final2?
Answer: final.docx
27. What screen visitor appears only because something went wrong?
Answer: An error message
28. I have a face full of pixels, yet I never blink unless something is wrong. What am I?
Answer: A monitor
29. What kind of cache is useful even when there is no money hidden inside?
Answer: A browser cache
30. What computer thread can run without a needle?
Answer: A program thread
31. I am a wall that wants traffic to pass, but only the right traffic. What am I?
Answer: A firewall
32. What computer language is understood only after someone translates it?
Answer: Source code
33. What computer chip spends its life thinking but never has an idea?
Answer: A CPU
34. I point everywhere while staying trapped behind glass. What am I?
Answer: A cursor
35. What computer handshake happens without either machine having hands?
Answer: A network handshake
36. What computer address tells machines where you are without naming your street?
Answer: An IP address
37. I am pressed when patience fails, and my success can erase what patience was waiting for. What am I?
Answer: The reset button
38. What kind of driver never touches a steering wheel?
Answer: A device driver
39. What computer core works all day without doing a single sit-up?
Answer: A processor core
40. I am a tiny picture that can launch something much larger than myself. What am I?
Answer: An icon
41. What does a computer call a place that is neither here nor there, yet stores deleted things?
Answer: The trash
42. What computer sleep can end with one tap and no alarm clock?
Answer: Sleep mode
43. I am full of holes, yet plugging something into me makes the machine more useful. What am I?
Answer: An I/O panel
44. What starts as a physical insect story and now makes programmers hunt invisible trouble?
Answer: Debugging
45. What computer shell protects nothing from rain?
Answer: A command shell
46. I wake first, check the machine, then hand the day to someone else. What am I?
Answer: The BIOS
47. What computer tree grows downward and produces files instead of fruit?
Answer: A directory tree
48. What computer root is important even though it never touches soil?
Answer: The root directory
49. I am invisible until you need one more socket, then suddenly I matter enormously. What am I?
Answer: A power strip
50. What keeps a computer alive for minutes precisely because the wall has failed it?
Answer: A UPS
51. What computer tower has no princess but may contain a dragon of a graphics card?
Answer: A PC case
52. I draw worlds nobody can touch, and games complain when I am too slow. What am I?
Answer: A graphics card
53. What part of a computer is called a board even though nobody rides it?
Answer: The motherboard
54. What computer mother has thousands of connections but no children?
Answer: A motherboard
55. I am a bridge whose usefulness depends on having different shapes at my two ends. What am I?
Answer: An adapter
56. What cable becomes impossible to find only after you discover you urgently need it?
Answer: The right charging cable
57. What computer jack accepts a plug but never deals playing cards?
Answer: An audio jack
58. I am a tiny metal runaway whose favorite hiding place appears to be under the desk. What am I?
Answer: A case screw
59. What builds a soft gray landscape inside a machine without using dirt?
Answer: Dust
60. What computer light can blink urgently while explaining absolutely nothing?
Answer: A status LED
61. I carry voices, pictures, and files, yet I am usually accused only when they stop moving. What am I?
Answer: A network connection
62. What invisible computer traffic jam can make a fast machine feel slow?
Answer: Network congestion
63. What computer packet travels the world without an envelope or stamp?
Answer: A data packet
64. I answer names with numbers so machines know where to visit. What am I?
Answer: DNS
65. What computer host can welcome thousands of guests without owning a hotel?
Answer: A server
66. What computer client asks for service but never leaves a tip?
Answer: A network client
67. I know many routes, but I never leave the shelf. What am I?
Answer: A router
68. What computer switch moves information without anyone flipping it on or off?
Answer: A network switch
69. What wireless computer signal weakens when a wall gets in the way?
Answer: Wi-Fi
70. I arrive through the air, unlock a nearby connection, and have a blue name but no color. What am I?
Answer: Bluetooth
71. What computer tunnel hides traffic without requiring a shovel?
Answer: A VPN
72. What computer ping travels out just to see whether something answers?
Answer: An echo request
73. I am the number that makes waiting feel longer when it gets larger. What am I?
Answer: Latency
74. What can crash without falling and leave an office strangely quiet?
Answer: A computer
75. What machine gets healthier surprisingly often after being told to start over?
Answer: A computer
76. I obey millions of instructions perfectly, including the bad one you just gave me. What am I?
Answer: A computer
77. What machine can have plenty of memory and still forget everything after a power cut?
Answer: A computer
78. What machine has a desktop that never needs dusting on the screen?
Answer: A computer
79. I can freeze in a warm room and recover without thawing. What am I?
Answer: A computer
80. What machine can run all night without moving an inch?
Answer: A computer
81. What machine complains about an illegal operation without calling the police?
Answer: A computer
82. I have files, folders, windows, and a desktop, but no office lease. What am I?
Answer: A computer
83. What machine can catch a virus without sneezing?
Answer: A computer
84. What machine needs protection from viruses but never visits a doctor?
Answer: A computer
85. I can have many users but still insist there is only one administrator. What am I?
Answer: A computer
86. What machine follows your clicks even though it has no ears to hear commands?
Answer: A computer
87. What machine can sleep, wake, and hibernate without ever being alive?
Answer: A computer
88. I become more useful when you give me problems, but less useful when I develop my own. What am I?
Answer: A computer
89. What machine's favorite solution is often the electronic version of trying again?
Answer: A computer
90. What machine can multitask until one tiny spinning circle takes over everything?
Answer: A computer
91. I speak in zeros and ones, yet I can show you every letter in this sentence. What am I?
Answer: A computer
92. What machine can own a mouse, control a cursor, and still never touch either?
Answer: A computer
93. What machine may have 32 cores but not one heartbeat?
Answer: A computer
94. I am blamed for mistakes I made exactly as instructed. What am I?
Answer: A computer
95. What machine turns electricity into spreadsheets, games, and reasons to procrastinate?
Answer: A computer
96. What machine has ports but no coastline?
Answer: A computer
97. I can be locked while nobody is outside, then unlocked without a physical key. What am I?
Answer: A computer
98. What machine can mine without a pickaxe and render without paint?
Answer: A computer
99. What machine understands a click better than a conversation?
Answer: A computer
100. I can keep thousands of books while owning no shelves. What am I?
Answer: A computer
101. What machine's trash can be restored after you throw it away?
Answer: A computer
102. What machine may need a fan even when nobody is cheering?
Answer: A computer
103. I can host a party for programs while the person beside me works alone. What am I?
Answer: An operating system
104. What computer kernel is never popped, salted, or eaten at a movie?
Answer: An OS kernel
105. What computer process can be killed without committing a crime?
Answer: A running process
106. I divide attention among programs so quickly that each thinks it has the machine. What am I?
Answer: A scheduler
107. What computer daemon works in the background without haunting the house?
Answer: A background service
108. What computer task sits in a queue but never buys a ticket?
Answer: A print job
109. I copy your work because disaster prefers originals. What am I?
Answer: A backup
110. What computer snapshot preserves a moment without using a camera?
Answer: A restore point
111. What computer clone can save you from regretting what happened to the original?
Answer: A disk image
112. I squeeze files smaller without sitting on them. What am I?
Answer: Compression
113. What computer archive can be opened without visiting a library?
Answer: A ZIP file
114. What computer extension comes after a name but never adds a room to a house?
Answer: A filename extension
115. I turn readable secrets into nonsense, then restore them for the right person. What am I?
Answer: Encryption
116. What computer key opens protected information but fits no lock?
Answer: A decryption key
117. What computer hash changes dinner-sized data into a fixed-size fingerprint?
Answer: A cryptographic hash
118. I prove a file is still itself by changing when even one tiny part changes. What am I?
Answer: A checksum
119. What computer permission can stop an owner from acting like an owner?
Answer: Access control
120. What computer account has more power because its name sounds underground?
Answer: The root account
121. I let one physical machine pretend to be several independent ones. What am I?
Answer: A virtual machine
122. What computer sandbox is designed to keep its player from reaching the rest of the machine?
Answer: A software sandbox
123. What computer container holds an app but cannot hold your lunch?
Answer: A software container
That's all 123, solved, peeked, or saved for later. The generator up top can re-deal them in any order, or filter down to exactly the kind you want.
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