"but why can't either give me a direct answer?"

I gave you the direct answer.

Airdrops and hard forks, when the coin is made available to your tax payer, makes it Other Taxable Income to your taxpayer, reported on Schedule 1, which is part of Form 1040.

How is that not a direct answer?

Perhaps you overlooked telling us this person earned the airdrop from their Business activity, which makes it ordinary Business Income.