Exactly how many triangles can you count in this fun triangle puzzle?
Sure, riddles are fun if you’re a fan of clever wordplay. But there’s something so uniquely enjoyable about a good visual puzzle. So today, we’re calling all brainteaser aficionados: How many triangles can you count in this image? It’s harder than it looks and bound to baffle even the sharpest of brains for at least a few minutes. (And don’t worry—once you’ve sweated it out, we’ve got the solution to this triangle puzzle waiting for you!)
Kumar Ankit, an engineering student from India, created and shared this clever triangle brainteaser online, challenging users to spot every hidden triangle in the image (because nothing sparks friendly debate online quite like a puzzle). To crack this visual puzzle, you’ll need sharp attention to detail and a solid grasp of geometry.
So grab a pencil, flip to a fresh page of your notebook and scroll down to put your brain to the ultimate test!
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more brainteasers, tech, travel, cleaning, humor and fun facts all week long.
How many triangles does this triangle riddle really have?
The answer is lucky number 24. Or if you want to get fussy, 25.
If you’re scratching your head, wondering how anyone could land on those answers, you’re not alone. This brainteaser is tricky on purpose! At first glance, the image seems to be a simple illustration with multiple shapes, not just triangles. But counting how many triangles are in the drawing gets complicated when you factor in the other shapes present in this triangle puzzle.
So how do you solve this viral triangle riddle? Let’s break it down.
How do you solve this triangle-counting puzzle?
We’ll give you a hint: The trick lies in factoring in the multiple smaller triangles that come together to form the biggest triangle.
Approach this like a math puzzle—strategically and methodically. With each row containing six triangles, and a systematic count (from left to right and top to bottom), most people on the internet agreed that the answer is 24.
The image below reveals how many triangles are involved in the puzzle and how each individual triangle factors in as you tally the total.
Done with counting? If you did the math and your answer was 24, congratulations! You landed on the correct answer to how many triangles are in the puzzle—well, according to most people on the internet.
If you want to get technical, the truly “correct” answer is 25. Keep reading to find out where the sneakiest triangle hides in this puzzle.
Where’s the 25th triangle in this triangle puzzle?
The 25th triangle is hidden in the A in the artist’s signature in the right-hand corner.
An even more nitpicking internet user noted there was another triangle in the image if you count the word triangles. Math expert Eva Silvertant posted a very helpful graphic on Quora, walking through how to locate the pictorial triangles and provided a logical explanation as to how you can stretch the number to 26 of them.
“A triangle is a mathematical idea rather than something real; physical triangles are by definition not geometrically perfect, but approximations of triangles,” Silvertant writes. “In other words, both the pictorial triangles and the words referring to triangles are referents to the concept of a triangle.”
If you’re really getting into the debate and want to hash out (or defend) your answer, check out the entire online discussion for different users’ mathematical methods—and see which one suits your counting style (or final answer) better when it comes to this fun triangle puzzle.
FAQs
What strategies can help you count triangles more effectively in visual puzzles?
If you really want to ace a triangle brainteaser, skip the mental math and grab a pencil and paper. Jotting things down helps you keep track of your counting more accurately, and some online puzzle pros even recommend coloring in the different triangles as you go. It makes spotting hidden shapes a whole lot easier.
Why do people often get different answers when counting triangles in these types of puzzles?
With triangle riddles, it’s easy to miss a hidden corner or two, which is why answers can vary so much between different people attempting the puzzle. The trick? Step away for a bit and revisit it with fresh eyes; a new perspective often reveals the shapes you didn’t spot the first time.
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest is known for our humor and brain games, including quizzes, puzzles, riddles, word games, trivia, math, pattern and logic puzzles, guessing games, crosswords, rebus, hidden objects and spot-the-difference challenges. We’ve earned prestigious ASME awards for our entertainment content and have produced dozens of brainteaser books, including Word Searches, Word Power, Use Your Words, Fun Puzzles and Brain Ticklers, Mind Stretchers, Ultimate Christmas Puzzles and more. Our 10 published volumes of Mind Stretchers were edited by Allen D. Bragdon, founder of The Brainwaves Center and editor of Games magazine. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
