25 Puzzling Incidents People Shared That Defy Explanation

Reddit is a treasure trove of intriguing stories and fascinating discussions, often revealing the strange and unexplainable experiences of ordinary people. One such thread that has captivated readers asks the question: “What mysterious thing happened to you that you still can’t explain?”

#1

Image source: HobbyHoarder_, Bich Tran

When I was like 12, our power flickered on and off repeatedly one night and all the lights turned blue and made the weirdest electrical screaming sound I’ve ever heard in my life, it was also happening at the neighbors across the street. It lasted about 20 minutes before everything went back to normal.

My grandma was hysterical and threw me into the tub (I’m not sure why), and grandpa went outside to investigate. After a long time he came in, reassured my grandma it was just a downed power pole down the road and people were already there, and sent us off to bed. However, he didn’t go back to bed and sat downstairs watching the door all night with his shotgun without sleeping. He admitted several years later that he actually had no idea wtf that was and there was no pole.

#2

Image source: BeachBookSub, Pixabay

It’s kind of a sad but bittersweet memory. My grandma (I call her Mimi) was on hospice. We thought she had a few weeks and I planned on going to see her the next weekend again.
It was my first day back to work after the holidays and I all of the sudden felt really sick and went home, which is kind of difficult in my job especially the first day back. I was standing in my bedroom trying to figure out what I wanted to do, kind of restless and all of the sudden felt this huge emotional drop, like deeeeep all encompassing sadness. I could hardly breathe. I took a shower because it calms me, and about 5-10min later my mother called to tell me my Mimi passed. I just said, “I know.” ?.

#3

Image source: Engardia, James Wheeler

2017. My wife, a good friend of ours, and myself were walking in a small fishing village in the northeast. It was a small town- but no one was out that night. We were talking and walked by a dock. My wife leaned over to peer into the water. At that moment, a creature roughly three-four feet long with a splayed tail and dragonfly like features flew into her face. She screamed- and it disappeared into the dark of night. No creature like that lives in Iceland. If we all weren’t there, we wouldn’t believe it. Still have no idea what to make of it.

The next day an Icelander told us it was a troll, but I think he was messing with us.

#4

Image source: 123throwawaybanana, Skitterphoto

I heard a voice, not with my ears but also not in my head, that said, “you don’t have to go home”. This was as I was walking home, and for some reason, it just woke something in me. I turned around and walked away. Slept on the streets for a couple of weeks before being taken into foster care. That is how I left my abusive family. I just decided in that moment to not go home, and that was that.

Angel? Higher self? Hallucination? I have no explanation.

#5

Image source: SnooTangerines4981, Axel Tregoning

It’s near Christmas of 1980, I’m a young teenager in the hospital (M.D. Anderson) who was going to be spending Christmas (and New Year’s) in the hospital. So it was extra important to my dad that he got me whatever I wanted for Christmas. I wanted a memory game called Simon. It was one of THE it toys to have that Christmas. Impossible to get but my dad was going to at least try.

My dad is at Toys R Us staring at the empty shelf where the Simon game would be if it were in stock. An employee with the name Matt on his name tag attached to his Toys R Us vest asked my dad if he could help him. My dad said he was looking for a Simon game. Matt simply said, “Follow me” and led my dad back to a warehouse area and there was one Simon game by itself and, without saying anything, picked it up, handed it to my dad and walked away.

My dad went to pay for it and a confused cashier asked my dad, “Where did you get this because this has been sold out for days?” My dad said Matt got it for me. The cashier, more confused now, said, “We don’t have a Matt that works here.” My dad described Matt and how he brought my dad to where it was. The cashier is now freaking out because no one with Matt’s description works there.

Both my dad and I had an extra special Christmas that year.

Five Christmas’ later I wound up working at that same Toys R Us.

#6

Image source: Professional-Box4153, Pexels LATAM

Was run over by a van as a child. Dragged for 3 blocks before the van stalled when my leg covered the exhaust pipe (burning a hole in my knee). I survived with mostly burns (road rash on my face and arms), a hairline fracture in my ankle, and the hole in my knee. The bicycle I was riding somehow bent around my head and kept it from hitting the ground so I never sustained any head trauma. The chances of all of that happening are astronomically low.

#7

Image source: Individual_Mail_800, Andrea Piacquadio

I was working as a cashier in a restaurant. The first thing we’d do after greeting a customer was get their name to write at the top of their ticket. This customer was particularly chatty, and I was making small talk with her when a very strange look came over her face and she got quiet. It was then that I realized I’d written a name, her actual name, on her ticket without ever asking her for it/being told what it was. It was her first (and s**t, probably her last) time in that restaurant.

#8

Image source: CuteFlowerS_, FOX b

I once was changing pants in my room before work and took off my belt. After putting on my other pair of pants, I went to put my belt back on but it belt was gone. No one else was in the room and I spent a good 10 minutes looking for it as I had simply set it on the floor. It’s been 10 years and I’ve never seen that belt again.

#9

Image source: Admirable-Cobbler319, Andrea Piacquadio

Several years ago, I was having a hard time with life. My mom had recently died, my dog had recently died, and I may have been going thru some sort of midlife crisis.

I decided to try meditation to try to get a grip on everything.

But I had no idea how to meditate. (Still don’t), so I found a guided meditation on YouTube.

The video was pretty typical; get comfortable, focus on breathing, blah, blah, blah.

Then, he says, “I want you to focus on the memory of your best day”.

Immediately, I remembered my best day. It was the summer after I graduated from high school. I had no “adult” plan and made a spur of the moment decision to take a road trip. I had quite a bit of money from all the graduation gifts.

My mom was not on board. She said there was no way she would allow an 18 year old girl to drive around the US on her own.

We were arguing about it and the friend of my stepbrother overheard. He offered to go with me.

We talked about it for weeks and begrudgingly my mom gave permission.

The first few days were awkward. I knew this boy, but didn’t really *know* him.

But, with nothing else to do while driving, we talked about everything. We had so much more on common than I had previously realized. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, we became friends.

The specific memory during the guided meditation was of the 2 of us sitting in a diner. We sitting across from each other in a booth. I can perfectly remember how the sunlight reflected off his hair and in that moment, I was in love with being alive.

But here’s the thing…..that never happened. None of it. I didn’t go on a road trip. I never became friends with this person.

When the video told me to remember my favorite memory, the diner scene popped in my head and I somehow knew the back story.

It was one of the strangest things I’ve ever experienced.

I know it sounds like I just made up an imaginary story, but it didn’t feel like a made up story. It was a memory. I wasn’t daydreaming; I was *remembering*.

#10

Image source: easygoer89, FOX

Had my wedding ring fall off of my finger while I had my hand dangling out of a car window while driving. Very upsetting to arrive at the hotel I was staying at to realize it had slipped off, wasn’t in my pockets or in the car anywhere – checked the floorboards, under the seats, console, I even checked the trunk – and figured it was probably laying on the side of the road somewhere along a 60 mile stretch of interstate. But I was exhausted. It had been a very stressful day of travel. I checked into my hotel room, pushed my suitcase just inside the door of my room and passed out on the nearest bed. Didn’t even stop in the bathroom to pee, or bother to get undressed or take off my shoes, just laid down on top of the hotel bed went straight to sleep.

Woke up the next morning and sat up looking at my ring finger now minus a wedding band. I saw a glint of light on the desk by the window on the far side of the room. I’d been so tired the night before I hadn’t even closed the curtains so the sunlight was pouring in. I got up and walked over to the desk to see what it was. It was my wedding ring sitting by itself on the desktop. I must have stared at it for a solid minute trying to work out how it got there. I didn’t have it when I came into the room and I up until that minute hadn’t even been on that side of the room. Still can’t explain how it got there.

#11

Image source: SomeVelveteenMorning, cottonbro studio

One morning I met a couple on the east side of the state in City A. It was a holiday. They were from City B in the middle of the state, and I lived in City C on the west side. We were all visiting a landmark that day. At the time we did not discuss any of these details about where we were visiting from.

Several hours later, I was back in City C, about to have the holiday menu at a local restaurant, and I look up and there’s that same couple, also about to eat.

Totally by chance, we had made reservations for the same time at the same restaurant, days/weeks ahead of time, left the same landmark on the other side of the state around the same time, and drove 250 miles to eat at the same restaurant.

#12

Image source: Calypso_gypsie, Tatiana Syrikova

When I was a kid I was tent camping in my friend’s yard. The outside lights were shining on the one wall of the tent. I was talking to my friend and I swear to this day I saw the shadow of a man walk by but the light shown through his eyes and mouth as if they were transparent. Kind of like if you held a mask up to a light. I jumped at yelled what was that? My friend sees the shadow and unzips the tent to look but no one was there. It was too fast for someone to get away even running.

We walked around the yard and house with flashlights but never found anything. That was over 40 years ago and I can still replay that sight in my mind as if it just happened.

#13

Image source: hot_gamerqueen, Diana ✨

At friends house. Friend was in garage working on dirt bike. Driveway empty because parents left a while ago. Go inside to grab a soda but decide to look for his cat. Who I haven’t seen all day. I walk into the office and as Im calling her name, a deep man’s voice goes “Meow” right into my right ear. I jump and run around the main floor looking for who said that. Didn’t find anyone.

#14

Image source: badpeoria, Go to Melanie Magdalena’s profile Melanie Magdalena

I saw a glowing magenta orb about 5 feet off the ground. I drove past it then drove back to see it again and it was gone. Really weird.

#15

Image source: traumatransfixes, Martin Gräter

Woke up one night to a loud CRACK sound. Spouse and I creep out of the bedroom to see the railing of the stairs fell. The apparently brass or otherwise metal attachment on the top of the stairs holding it to the wall looked like it had been cut through or something. Idk how it happened, but we just got a new railing. Never saw anything like that before or since. And like, yes the stairs are inside the house. Idk what would cause that to happen, it was loud as f**k.

#16

Image source: peescheadeal, RDNE Stock project

When I was taking care of my dad we used to eat hot dogs whenever I was too tired to cook. One night I got home and as I was turning the stove on I remembered we’d run out of buns. I double-checked both the fridge and the pantry, but there were none. We were completely out. So I made clam chowder and made a note to get more buns the next day. I got up at 6 the next morning and went downstairs to start breakfast, and there on the countertop, by itself, presented as if a gift, was a brand new unopened bag of hot dog buns. Dad and I had both slept through the night. So it would seem at some point between midnight and 6am, a bag of hot dog buns just materialized on the counter from the void.

#17

Image source: Slowmaha, Emma Bauso

When I was a baby my Mom said something woke her up in the middle of the night to check on me. I was hanging by my head outside my crib. Wormed my body out but my fat head got stuck. Probably should be dead.

#18

Image source: rberg57, Mike Bird

Ok this is a weird one. I was about to get on the feeder road to a busy highway. As i was approaching the intersection, I heard a booming male voice IN THE MIDDLE OF MY HEAD! saying “Check you tires before you get on the highway”. It was not a voice I recognized nor was the radio on. I did a hasty U-turn and went straight to a tire guy I have used in the past. As he was checking the front tires he turned the wheel to reveal the tire so badly worn you could see the metal exposed wires. My tire guy said.” Good thing you came in here, if you would have gone on the highway, that tire would have blown and you could have been killed!” I know this sounds like b******t, but it happened. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before or since. No, I am not delusional or on any meds. As I said, I did not recognize that voice. It was so jarring that i did that U turn without even thinking about it. I posted this before and people said Angels or some other divine interference. I am not a religious guy or prone to that sort of easy out explaination. Still mystified after 10 years. I also have a UFO story with my Mom and brother,,,,,Ah another time,,,.

#19

Image source: anon, RDNE Stock project

A bit of a back story, I was ten when my mom died. She was 29 and had been suffering with cancer for eight years when she passed. She was an awesome mom in every way despite her illness. I miss her every day. But when I was pregnant I was really missing her to the point I thought I might need counseling. I was praying to have peace about, but was very sad I didn’t have her with me through this pregnancy. For the first and only time in the 49 years she’s been gone I dreamed of her. I dreamed that night she was good enough to come down from heaven and spend the day with me. We did what we normally used to do which was go to Marshall Field’s and shop and have lunch. It was such a happy healing time. ( I was at my grandma’s house when my mom passed so I never got to say goodbye.) Anyway we finished up shopping and eating and went back to my childhood home’s backyard and she gave me a kiss and a hug goodbye and told me she loved me and went back up into Heaven. I woke up and had such peace and healing. I went through the rest of my pregnancy with no issues and treasure that dream to this day.

#20

Image source: Coconutqueen2402, MART PRODUCTION

When I was 10 years old I didn’t want to go to school one day. I faked a stomachache so my Grandmother would let me stay home. Ive always been a bad liar, so my Gma tried to call my bluff. She told me if I was too sick for school then she would be scheduling me a Drs Appointment. 3 hours later I was rushed into emergency surgery. My fake illness was actually appendicitis and It was so inflamed that if I hadn’t come in that day my appendix would have ruptured potentially [ending] me. I felt 100% fine that day. Faking sick saved my life…

#21

Image source: AgentInkling99, Satoshi Hirayama

My sister and I were sitting in the living room reading on a cloudless day around 2 pm or so. All of the sudden, it was like I went blind. Pitch black, couldn’t even see a hand in front of your face dark. It lasted a little more than a second or two, and when I got my vision back I looked over at my sister. She had the same face I did and asked me what the f**k just happened. Big bay window in our living room so I still have no explanation of what happened.

#22

Image source: Magnifying_Charmx

I hit a patch of black ice in the dark going 60mph down the highway. At the time, I drove a 1 ton cargo van. It hit the guard rail and flipped. Not only did I walk away without a scratch, the car was drivable and I was only 30 min late to work.

#23

Image source: ReJectX999, Anna Kollor

Friend was visiting for a weekend nd we where chilling in the basement watching movies and catching up when i ran upstairs to the kitchen to grab a snack. When i was about to head back downstairs i noticed what i thought was my friend walking up the stairs to the uper floor so i assumed my friend was going to the bathroom. When i went back down they where as i left them chilling on the couch. After explaining we both terrified checked the house. Nobody else was ever found in the house and no sign of break in. Still cant explain it.

#24

Image source: Human-Magic-Marker, Burak The Weekender

I had just finished replacing all the burned out bulbs in my rented condo. I was talking to my wife and said “but when the one above the stair well goes out I’ll call maintenance for that cause I’m not climbing up there”. We then looked at that specific light and at that moment it burned out. This was like 5 years ago and we still talk about it.

#25

Image source: Lovely_Gaze, https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-s-ear-8092983/

I once shut my ear in a car door. No idea how, have tried to recreate it and can’t, but my god that hurt!