At first glance, the question seems almost too easy. A t-shirt, holes… nothing could be more banal. And yet, this enigma has managed to trap thousands of people on social networks. The kind of challenge that gives you confidence for three seconds, before sowing a slight doubt. So take a deep breath, forget about ready-made answers and take a good look… Because here, everything is a question of observation.
The riddle that divides everyone
The question is simple: how many holes are there in this t-shirt?
The choices offered are clear: 2, 4, 6 or 8.
Instinctively, many answer without thinking too much. Others take a few seconds, mentally recount, hesitate… and change their minds. The result: only one in seven people would find the right answer on the first try. It just goes to show that even everyday objects can play tricks on us.
Why Our Brains Are So Wrong So Often
Our brains love shortcuts. Faced with a t-shirt, he immediately thinks of the obvious openings: the head, the arms, the bottom. But he tends to ignore a fundamental detail… or rather two: the front and the back.
In this type of puzzle, you focus on what you see first. We forget that the holes go through the fabric from one side to the other. And this is precisely where the trap closes.
Let’s take the time to count together
Let’s start calmly, without rushing.
- A hole for the head
- Two arm holes
- A hole at the bottom for the body
So far, everyone agrees. So we get to four holes. It is often at this stage that many stop… or they add the two holes visible on the front of the t-shirt (in the challenge art), which brings them to six.
But this reasoning remains incomplete.
The detail that almost everyone forgets
A hole, by definition, passes through a material. If you can see through it, it means that there is an entrance and an exit. In other words, a visible hole at the front also exists at the back.
The two holes visible on the front of the t-shirt are therefore also present on the back. We don’t always notice them, because our gaze naturally stops on what is directly in front of our eyes.
This is where the enigma gets really interesting… and that the answer shifts.
The final (and correct) answer
Let’s go back to the final calculation:
- 1 head hole
- 2 arm holes
- 1 hole at the bottom
- 2 visible holes on the front
- 2 matching holes on the back
Total: 8 holes
Yes, 8. An answer that seems exaggerated at first, but which becomes obvious once the explanation is put in black and white.
Why this puzzle works so well
This challenge is extremely effective, because it is not based on mathematics or on any particular knowledge. It simply highlights the way we perceive objects. We see what we think we need to see, not always what’s actually there.
That’s also why this kind of viral visual challenge spreads so easily: it provokes that little moment of surprise, followed by a “But yes, of course!” that immediately makes you want to share it.
A great exercise for the mind
Visual puzzles like this are real mini-gymnastics for the brain. They force us to slow down, to observe differently and to question our certainties. And let’s be honest: there is a certain pleasure in discovering that we have been trapped… before being able to trap others in turn.
And you, did you find it?
If you answered 8 on the first try, congratulations: you are part of the ultra-attentive minority. If you haven’t, rest assured, you’re in excellent company.
The next time you put on a t-shirt, it’s a safe bet that you’ll think of this surprising visual enigma… and that you will never look at your clothes the same way again.
