The puzzle, posted on X (formerly Twitter) warns viewers that it is ‘trickier than it seems’ and will cause you to think twice before answering the seemingly simple question
A brainteaser doing the rounds on social media has thousands of viewers scratching their heads after asking a seemingly simple question.
The puzzle, posed on X, formerly Twitter, warns viewers that it is “trickier than it seems” and will cause you to think twice before answering. The seemingly simple brain teaser posted by user X user @GrowYourBrains shows a straightforward illustration of a white t-shirt on a yellow background which can also be seen through two torn patches in the fabric.
The puzzle asks simply: “How many holes are in this shirt?” The caption of the post warns puzzlers: “How many holes can you count in this shirt? Look closely—it’s trickier than it seems!”
At first glance the obvious answer might be “two” but think again. If you can correctly answer this brain teaser within 30 seconds, you are definitely a true puzzle genius. Brainteasers come in lots of shapes and sizes, some require you to pay close attention to an image or scene and pick out a particular feature, while others present a maths challenge to complete.
Others are tricky illusions which at first glance an image might seem to be one thing, but when looked at a different way can reveal themselves to the viewer to be something completely different on closer examination. These illusions take place due to how our brains interpret visual data in various ways, putting our perception to the test.
As well as being a fun way to pass the time these puzzles can also be a boost to your grey matter. Completing challenging puzzles, brain teasers and optical illusions can help improve your cognitive function, boost productivity and memory.
If the answer eludes you, join the club as most folks need a moment or two to spot the puzzle’s secret. While the obvious answer is two, the t-shirt has many more holes than just the two rips.
Read on the check if you got the answer right. As well as the two rips on the front of the shirt, there must be another two on the back allowing the yellow background to shine through, for a total of four holes.
But that is not the final answer, the puzzle asks for the number of holes, not just the number of rips on the shirt. With another two holes for arms, a hole at the bottom for your body and the top for your neck, that is another four holes. This means the total number is eight.
Well done to those who got it first try, if you want to test your grey matter further you can check out our other brainteasers to give your mind a workout.
