The a mother has four sons” riddle has gone viral on Facebook and even TikTok, and it’s stumping people for a surprisingly simple reason: It sounds like a classic logic puzzle, but it’s actually more of a language trick. The setup goes like this: “Someone’s mother has four sons—North, West and South. What is the name of the fourth son?” 

Sounds easy, right? Many people (possibly even you) think they know this answer immediately, and blurt out what sounds like an obvious correct guess. Well, you might want to rethink that confidence. Like another viral head-scratcher, Mr. Smith had four daughters, the answer can elude even the best brains. Ahead, we’ll explain why this riddle is so tricky—and show you how to solve it.

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How the “a mother has four sons” riddle works

A Mother Has Four Sons RiddleREADER'S DIGEST, GETTY IMAGES

Let’s recap this short riddle. The full version is: “Someone’s mother has four sons: North, West and South. What is the name of the fourth son?”

At first glance, it seems simple enough: East! That would complete the set of cardinal directions: North, South, East and West. But of course, the riddle was supposed to make you jump to that conclusion—and trick you in the process.

The real answer

To get this right, go back to the start: “Someone’s mother has four sons …” That first word, Someone, isn’t random—it’s a clue.

Imagine replacing Someone with Theodore. The sentence becomes: “Theodore’s mother has four sons: North, West and South.” And the fourth son? Theodore, of course!

Apply that same logic now to the original challenging riddle, and you have your answer: The fourth son’s name is Someone. It’s a perfect example of a riddle that relies on misdirection—not logic. And despite the setup, it’s not about geography at all.

Why is this riddle so popular?

The riddle is short, clever and tricky, which makes it hard to resist sharing.

It also gives people that satisfying “aha!” or “eureka!” moment when they realize just how simple the answer really is. Riddles like this use misdirection, which is one reason brainteasers are so satisfying. The answer is right there in front of you—you just have to look at it differently.

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Source:

  • IFLScience: “Someone’s Mother Has Four Kids” Viral Riddle May Be the Easiest One Yet”