The Hidden Logic of Options | Put-Call Parity Explained with Legos

In this episode of Teach Me Like I'm 5, options expert Kris Abdelmessih breaks down one of the most foundational—and misunderstood—concepts in options trading: put-call parity. Using Lego analogies, homemade spreadsheets, and Fast & Furious references, Kris shows how options are like building blocks you can combine to create any payoff you want—including replicating a stock itself.

Whether you're a beginner trying to understand options basics or a seasoned investor looking for deeper insights into synthetic positions and implied interest rates, this episode is packed with practical lessons presented in the most approachable way possible.

What We Cover:

Why calls and puts are “the same” through the lens of put-call parity

How to visualize and replicate stock payoffs using only options

The concept of synthetic positions: synthetic stock, calls, and puts

How put-call parity collapses complex strategies into basic building blocks

The real mechanics behind covered calls—and what they really are

How professional traders use options pricing to infer interest rates and stock borrowing conditions

A deep dive into "box spreads" and how they replicate zero-coupon bonds

Timestamps:

00:00 – Kris introduces the Lego analogy for options
01:00 – Teaching options to a sixth grader: starting with calls and puts
03:00 – Visualizing P&L with Kris’s spreadsheet
05:00 – What a call option is and how its payoff works
08:00 – What a put option is and how its payoff works
10:00 – Using a call and a short put to replicate a stock (synthetic long)
14:00 – Synthetic puts: short stock + long call
18:00 – Covered calls vs short puts: the hidden equivalence
22:00 – Why put-call parity simplifies the option strategy zoo
25:00 – Box spreads explained: synthetic fixed income from options
28:00 – Final thoughts and what’s next for options learning