What is an open end wrench?

• A. A wrench with two opened jaws and no box end
• B. A wrench with two open ends.
• C. A wrench with a square drive
• D. A wrench with a single open end and a box end

Answer: (B)

An open end wrench is a hand tool with two open jaws, one at each end, designed to grip the flats of hex fasteners from the side. It has no enclosed ring or box and typically provides two different fixed sizes on the same tool, so you can fit different nuts or bolts. This design makes it useful in tight spaces where a socket or box-ended wrench won’t reach. It’s distinct from a box-end wrench, which has a closed loop around the fastener, and from tools with a square drive used with sockets. That’s why describing it as having two open ends is the accurate choice.