Can You Identify the U.S. State By the States That Border It?
Updated: Jul. 29, 2021We'll give you the names of a few different U.S. states, and you try to guess the one state that touches all of them. (No peeking at a map!)
State #1
Which state borders both Massachusetts and Maine? Here’s a hint: You can take the words “both Massachusetts and” out of this question, and the answer remains the same!
Answer: New Hampshire
Maine is the only U.S. state that shares a border with only one other, and that state is New Hampshire. If you knew this bit of U.S. state trivia, this question was probably no sweat for you. And if you didn’t, now you do! Check out some more amazing facts about each of the 50 states.
Answer: Idaho
Idaho is bordered by Oregon (and Washington) to the west, Montana to the northeast, and Utah to the southeast. It shares a border with Nevada and Wyoming as well. If you really want to test your deep-cut knowledge of state lore, see if you can identify the U.S. state from just its flag!
Answer: Nebraska
Nebraska is smack in the center of the contiguous 48 states—as a matter of fact, the exact geographical spot falls around 12 miles south of the Nebraska-Kansas border. Here are some more unusual roadside attractions from every state.
Answer: Wyoming
This state—the one with the smallest population of all 50—gets its name from a Native American word, though historians are divided on exactly what it means (the most popular theory is “at the big plains”). Learn how every other state in America got its moniker!
Answer: Kentucky
You may have thought this one was another Midwestern state like Iowa, but no! Kentucky is the only state that borders all three of these states; they all sit directly above it (in alphabetical order, no less).
Answer: Missouri
Missouri might be the state people forget most often when naming all 50, but it’s actually the state that borders the most others! Well, it’s tied for that honor with Tennessee—they both touch a total of eight other states. Go ahead, count ’em!
Answer: Pennsylvania
The Keystone State borders six others. In addition to New York, Delaware, and, yes, Midwestern Ohio, Pennsylvania also borders Maryland and West Virginia. Test how well you know your state nicknames with our quiz.
Answer: Texas
This one might stump you—how could this deep-South neighbor to Mississippi and the desert state of New Mexico share a neighbor?—until you remember that the largest state in the contiguous United States is down there with them. Despite its size, though, Texas only borders four U.S. states—it borders Oklahoma and Arkansas in addition to New Mexico and Louisiana.
Answer: West Virginia
Did we get you with this one by leaving out Virginia itself? Of course, the Mountain State borders Virginia, too. Confused about why West Virginia, of all states, is nicknamed “the Mountain State”? Learn how every state in America got its nickname.
Answer: Iowa
This little state is probably farther west than you think—it actually touches the Mount Rushmore State!
Answer: Georgia
This might sound counter-intuitive—how can Georgia share a border with both if it’s south of South Carolina? But the western edge of North Carolina extends beyond the edge of its southern neighbor, far enough south to touch Georgia too! If you did well on this quiz, you’re probably ready to see how many states you can identify on a totally blank map!
