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Will you believe me if I say I haven't heard it before?

That's correct!

Ok, I'll try a riddle. I did not make this up, so I hope no one knows it:

An encyclopedia with 10 volumes is arranged on a shelf in numerical order, from left to right. Each volume has 100 physical pages. An insect eats from the first page of the first volume, through to the last page of the last volume, leaving a hole in each page, and not missing a page on its journey. How many pages have holes in them? Hint: it's not 1000.

It's not 500 either. When I said that there were 100 physical pages, I meant that a page is a page regardless of whether something is printed on both sides or not. You were correct in assuming that covers are not included as pages.

I just rushed with the answer.

No, the insect did not eat through all of them, and it's not a trick question.

Cuz liek y not?

No, the first and last pages are included in the total.

It's a riddle, so obviously it's a trick

Does the 100 pages include table of contents and title page?

And if the insect has a good appetite and eats the pages whole, there is nothing left but covers, so the answer is none.

All incorrect.
All 10 volumes are physically there, arranged on the same shelf, in order.
What's printed on the pages is irrelevant; each book has 100 pages.
The insect leaves a hole in each page, rather than devouring the whole page.

No, 2000 is also incorrect.

Yes, they're all still there, but the question asks how many have holes in them.

No, two is incorrect.

No, 1020 is incorrect. Covers are not included, as stated previously (I assume that's what you meant?)

Now I'm grasping at straws.

Still not getting it... Would you like a hint?

I personally hate hints, as it implies I'm not intelligent enough to figure it out on my own. But that's obviously the case right now. Still, I'd prefer to let the riddle sit for a while. Perhaps someone will sign on later and figure it out. Or perhaps one of us will have a moment of epiphany.

Mine is not the only opinion that matters, though, so majority should decide.