Can someone please help me solve this riddle?

[foreverold]

Was put on parents group chat and driving me mad. Person posting says it's so easy that even 'toddlers could work it out if they read it properly'.

Riddle - there are three tarantulas in a round tank and five tarantulas in a rectangle tank. How many legs are in the rectangle tank?

I did the obvious 5x8 = 40 but obviously that's not it...anyone any idea?

[Bunnybigears]

No idea but I'm posting so I can see the answer

[ChelseaCat]

Is the round tank inside the rectangular tank?

[Hont1986]

Is the round tank supposed to be inside the rectangle tank or something? Is there an accompanying picture? From what you've posted, 5x8=40 is correct.

[the80sweregreat]

Placemarking. I've no idea 🤷‍♀️

[HerringGull]

Is it one? There's an L, an E, and a G in the phrase 'rectangle tank'.
??

[bearlyactive]

Please don't let this be another Boswell...

[iklboo]

None. The tarantulas self identify as snakes.

[CatsForLife]

Is the answer 1? As there is one l-e-g in the words rectangle tank?!

[Bunnybigears]

Is there a posh name for spider legs that isn't legs so the answer would be 0

[foreverold]

No picture accompanying it.

Ohh that might be in @HerringGull, will check with him

[RuddyHellItsSoftCell]

rectangle tank? Is it something to do with the wording? Wouldn’t it be more common to say rectangular?

[Daisydoesnt]

Shouldn’t it be rectangular? Not rectangle?

[AfterEightsBeforeEight]

Without sounding daft, have you definitely copied the riddle word for word... because I can't see anything to suggest anything other than 40. "How many legs does the rectangle tank have?", for example, would be zero... The tank doesn't have legs.

[OytheBumbler]

There's no 's' in 'rectangle tank' so how many legs doesn't make sense or maybe I'm overthinking it.

[foreverold]

Yes I copied it word by word - rectangle tank rather than rectangular tank. Awaiting his response if he could hurry

[FrontRowSeat]

I hope he hurries - I can’t concentrate until I know the answer

[HopingForOurRainbowBaby]

Even Google doesn't have a clue!!

[soundsystem]

Oh I really don't want to become invested in this in case it turns out to be another Boswell...

[RuddyHellItsSoftCell]

If it is one l,e and g I’m not going to be happy! It’s a bit of a disappointing riddle answer.

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

Just place marking for the answer. Add long as it's not Boswell

[Puzzledtenant]

I'd say 8, at best, as tarantulas are cannibals, but that's a bit grim of an answer when the question is referring to toddlers working it out!

[Donteatpurplebroccoli]

No idea but want to find out!

[AntigoneLost]

Or 8 legs, because tarantulas eat each other? So there would only be 1 left?

[boppityboop]

None, a rectangle tank has no legs, I think I've seen this somewhere before.

[RuddyHellItsSoftCell]

Would there be more legs if they’d shed? #overthinking