Almost no one can guess how many holes there are in this shirt.

At first glance, everything seems perfectly normal: a classic shirt, like the ones we wear every day. Yet, one intriguing detail makes us look more closely, even questioning what we thought we took for granted. What if this shirt was hiding a little-known secret? A visual detail that, without realizing it, challenges our neurons… Can you guess how many holes there really are?
Why does this kind of riddle tickle our brains so much?

You might think these riddles are just good for passing the time in a waiting room or over coffee. But that would be a mistake! They do much more than that. These little visual challenges are real stimulators for our brain. Like mental yoga, they encourage us to think outside the box and observe differently.

When we try to solve a riddle like the holey shirt, we mobilize several essential skills: logic, of course, but also observation, patience, and even spatial memory. The result? We strengthen our cognitive abilities almost without thinking about it. A real bonus for maintaining your mental alertness every day.

So, how many holes are there really in this shirt?

You might be tempted to instinctively answer: "Two for the arms, one for the head, and one at the bottom... so four!" And yet, the correct answer is much more confusing.

Let's decipher together:

The two sleeves: each has an opening at the front and back of the shirt. That makes two visible holes, but they go completely through the garment, for a total of four openings.

The collar: the same, a full opening for the head to pass through. 1 hole, two openings.

The bottom of the shirt: often overlooked, but it too provides a complete opening. Another hole, two openings.

And that's not all! There are also two visible holes in the central part of the fabric, pierced through the front and back. These aren't used to pull anything on, but they do indeed go right through the fabric, so they count double too.

Let's do the final count:
2 sleeves = 4 openings
1 collar = 2 openings
1 hem = 2 openings
2 central perforations = 4 openings (front + back)

Total: 12 openings, or 8 true through holes.

A play on illusion that reminds us to know how to look differently

This kind of visual enigma, seemingly innocuous, reminds us how our brains can be trapped by the obvious. It's not just a matter of math or logic, but also a lesson in perception: what we see is not always what we think. Sometimes all it takes is a change of perspective, a step back, or a look beyond the first glance to discover the truth.

So, the next time something seems strange to you, don't brush it off too quickly. Take the time to observe... you might just see something no one else has noticed!

Because sometimes, the simplest puzzles are also the most illuminating.