---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not all questions are answered…"
description: "\"“Not all questions are answered, commander, but fortunately some answers are questioned.”\" — Terry Pratchett"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/terry-pratchett-19_quote_not-all-questions-are-answered-commander_2181566.jpg"
---

#  Not all questions are answered, commander, but fortunately…

![“Not all questions are answered, commander, but fortunately some answers are questioned.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/terry-pratchett-19_quote_not-all-questions-are-answered-commander_2181566.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/terry-pratchett-19_quote_not-all-questions-are-answered-commander_2181566.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/terry-pratchett-19_quote_not-all-questions-are-answered-commander_2181566.jpg)

> ““Not all questions are answered, commander, but fortunately some answers are questioned.””

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Even commanders accept that not all questions receive answers, yet some answers themselves deserve scrutiny, emphasizing critical thinking.

**In simple terms:** Not all answers are final; question them.

Key Takeaway

Always question the answers you get.

Themes

critical thinking knowledge skepticism

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- academic research
- policy making
- daily decision‑making

Key Concepts

answers questions authority

Questions to Reflect On

- Which answers have you accepted without doubt?
- How do you test an answer’s validity?

A Different Perspective

Blind acceptance can be dangerous.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) [Answered Commander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-commander-4715344/) [Answers Questioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers-questioned-2339300/) [Commander Fortunately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander-fortunately-4715345/) [Questioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioned/) [Questions Answered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions-answered-553854/)

## Related quotes

> [Not all questions are answered, but fortunately some answers are questioned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/not-all-questions-are-answered-but-fortunately-some-answers-are/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-rather-have-questions-that-can-t-be-answered-than-answers/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Nature answers only when she is questioned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-henle/nature-answers-only-when-she-is-questioned/)

[Jacob Henle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-henle/)

> [Man is a question; woman is an answer. The mistake women make today is to offer themselves as answers before being questioned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-bergam-n/man-is-a-question-woman-is-an-answer-the-mistake-women-make-today-is/)

[Jose Bergamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-bergam-n/)

> [“Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. – Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/philosophy-is-questions-that-may-never-be-answered-religion-is-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“An owl is born with all his questions answered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-h-smith/an-owl-is-born-with-all-his-questions-answered/)

[A.C.H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-h-smith/)

> [It is my fate that some of my questions will never be answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-my-fate-that-some-of-my-questions-will-never-be-answered/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Life is full of questions that can not be answered …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/space-man/life-is-full-of-questions-that-can-not-be-answered/)

[Space\_man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/space-man/)

> [Don't ask so many questions and they will all be answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dorris/don-t-ask-so-many-questions-and-they-will-all-be-answered/)

[Michael Dorris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dorris/)

> [Some questions will never be answered that's what makes the best mysteries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marla-allen/some-questions-will-never-be-answered-that-s-what-makes-the-best/)

[Marla Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marla-allen/)

> [“We feel that even if all possible scientific questions be answered, the problems of life have still not been touched at all. Of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/we-feel-that-even-if-all-possible-scientific-questions-be-answered-2/)

[Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/)

> [There are lots of questions which have to be answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/there-are-lots-of-questions-which-have-to-be-answered/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [I won't ask any questions and I won't know until we get there , but if I'm there with you my questions are answered .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayee-symonee/i-won-t-ask-any-questions-and-i-won-t-know-until-we-get-there-but-if/)

[Kayee'symonee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayee-symonee/)

> [These questions can only be answered in absorption, because there are no answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/these-questions-can-only-be-answered-in-absorption-because-there-are/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [I think it's my job to walk my beat and find the people I cover who have questions that should be answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-bash/i-think-it-s-my-job-to-walk-my-beat-and-find-the-people-i-cover-who/)

[Dana Bash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-bash/)

## More by Terry Pratchett

> [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

[Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## More Answer quotes

> [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/)

[Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/)

> [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/)

[Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/)

> [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/)

[Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/)

> [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/)

[Jon Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ellis/)

> [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/)

[Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/)

> [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/)

[Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/)

> [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/)

[Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/)

> [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/)

[Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/)

> [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/)

[Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/)

> [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [Jumping someone is never the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jumping-someone-is-never-the-answer/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I play along myself, even though I can't help the player. So I can't say what I think the answer might be. But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/)

[Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/)

> [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/)

[Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/)

[Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Not all questions are answered, commander, but fortunately some answers are questioned.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Terry Pratchett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/not-all-questions-are-answered-commander-but-fortunately-some-answers/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Answer"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/not-all-questions-are-answered-commander-but-fortunately-some-answers/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/terry-pratchett-19_quote_not-all-questions-are-answered-commander_2181566.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/terry-pratchett-19_quote_not-all-questions-are-answered-commander_2181566.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/terry-pratchett-19_quote_not-all-questions-are-answered-commander_2181566.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Not all questions are answered, commander, but fortunately some answers are questioned.” — Terry Pratchett",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Terry Pratchett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Not all questions are answered, commander,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/not-all-questions-are-answered-commander-but-fortunately-some-answers/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/not-all-questions-are-answered-commander-but-fortunately-some-answers/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
