At first glance, the task seems childish. But, as practice shows, only a few actually find the right answer. This puzzle is not just a test of logic, but also of the ability to look at the situation from the outside. Try to figure out which of the four people is acting the most recklessly – and check how attentive and critical you are in thinking.
🔻 Description of the riddle:
The picture shows four people sitting on a board thrown over an abyss. Each of them is sawing a board:
The first person sits on the very edge and saws off the edge underneath him.
The second one saws a board between himself and his neighbor.
The third one saws off the part between himself and the others.
The fourth one saws the edge of the board on which everyone sits.
At first glance, everyone is acting stupid. But who exactly is the stupidest?
🔻 Analysis of each character:
1. The first man:
He saws off the part of the board he is sitting on. This will lead to an inevitable fall. His mistake is obvious, and it seems that he is acting irrationally. However, his action does not affect others – he himself will suffer from his choice.
2. The second person:
He saws the board between himself and the first person. He may think he is doing something reasonable by trying to “free himself.” But in reality, he may bring the other person down or even lose his balance if the support is insufficient.
3. The third man:
He saws off the board between himself and the other three. Unlike the first man, he may be trying to save himself and not want the others to pull him down. His action looks like an attempt to protect himself, but it raises moral questions.
4. The fourth person:
He saws off the part of the board that everyone else is sitting on. This is the most destructive choice: three people will be hurt as a result. He either doesn’t realize the consequences or he deliberately causes harm.
🔻 Who is the stupidest?
At first glance, it seems that the first person is acting the most illogically – he is sawing under himself. However, upon closer analysis, it becomes clear that the fourth person is the stupidest. His action will lead to the fall of several people at once, including, perhaps, himself. He is destroying the structure that holds
