Riddles and brain teasers are a fun way to test your reading comprehension and attention to detail. One of the most famous trick questions asked in school and on social media is the 'Four Sons' riddle.
This type of riddle is known as a 'misdirection' riddle. Magicians and puzzle-makers use misdirection to make your brain focus on the wrong information (the compass directions) so you miss the obvious truth hidden at the very beginning of the sentence.
Someone's mother has four sons. One is named North, one is named South, and one is named East. What is the name of the fourth son?
The name of the fourth son is Someone.
Read the first word of the riddle again carefully: Someone's mother has four sons. This means the mother belongs to a person named 'Someone'. If the other three brothers are North, South, and East, the fourth brother must be 'Someone' himself!
Our brains are wired to look for patterns. When we hear North, South, and East, our brain automatically jumps to the conclusion that the missing piece of the pattern must be the fourth direction. Therefore, 90% of people immediately shout out the wrong answer: West.
Yes! A very similar version goes: 'Johnny's mother had three children. The first was named April, the second was named May. What was the third child's name?' The answer is **Johnny**.
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