Our phones offer endless forms of entertainment and education, and what better way to fill a few minutes of free time and exercise your brain than a simple riddle? There’s one viral brain teaser that has people staring blankly at their screens wondering if they need a second cup of coffee to activate those cognitive skills. The viral “There’s a woman in a boat” riddle is a popular puzzle that has people who can typically solve hard riddles super stumped.

Unlike many riddles that challenge your smarts, this head-scratcher becomes a bit more simple when you see that the answer is in the riddle. While some riddles (like “If I had four eggs…”) test your math skills, the “There’s a woman in a boat” riddle is more of a mystery to your cranium’s creativity. Good luck!

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“There’s a woman in a boat” riddle

There is a woman in a boat, on a lake, wearing a coat. If you want to know her name, it’s in the riddle I just wrote. What’s her name?

The hint

Read the riddle a few times, and the answer will appear. It’s not a long riddle, so you can look at it in small parts. Focus on the beginning of the riddle. Don’t overthink the teaser. The woman’s name is not a common one and could be replaced with your name or your best friend’s name.

The answer

“There” is the woman’s name.

“There’s a woman in a boat” riddle revealed

The viral “There’s a woman in a boat” riddle achieves the primary goal of a good short riddle: It leaves you confused and hunting for the solution in places that take you further away from the answer. While “There” is not a traditional moniker, it serves the purpose of having you swimming for answers in faraway waters. Once you figure out the riddle, it seems super silly, but you’ll probably ask a few friends to try to solve it.

Did you enjoy this riddle? If so, you’ll love our other viral riddles and brain teasers. And if you really want to give your brain a workout, try our more challenging riddles.