# Kids solved this puzzle in seconds. Can you figure it out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983 "2015-06-19T23:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/41 "2015-06-20T13:25:37Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > OK, I’ll be the one person who raises her hand and says she didn’t get it without scrolling down to see what the answer was…😃 I’m with you. I looked at it for a minute or so and just scrolled down. We should form a club too. I’m not ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/42 "2015-06-20T13:25:52Z")
I got it almost at once, but the OP warned me that it might not be the first thing that it looked like. Then I did the same thing as **Little Nemo** and it was pretty obvious. So OK, I can figure out the number. Now if I can only remember where I parked the car… Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/43 "2015-06-20T18:54:52Z")
I got it in about 10 seconds. After such a “You’ll never get it cuz yer not a kid!” preamble, I figured it would be a change your perspective/angle approach. So, as soon as I saw the row of unrelated numbers, I knew math wouldn’t be involved. Then I turned my iPhone upside down. Bingo. I see these claims a lot in these sorts of puzzlers, that kids get them immediately but adults don’t because we tend to overthink them. I’m pretty dubious of that claim. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/44 "2015-06-20T19:31:03Z")
I know I’ve seen this before. I thought it was because someone had posted it here, but if so I can’t manage to find that earlier thread. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/45 "2015-06-20T19:35:34Z")
Honestly, I cannot see it as a picture of a parking lot at all. I think part of the problem for me is that the lines of the parking spots slant for perspective… but the car itself doesn’t. If you want to see what I mean, look at the car’s position relative to the lines: - The left side of the car is parallel to the left line of the parking spaces. - The back bumper is not parallel to the back of the space. It’s positioned like the car is skewed to the left. - The right side of the car is also not parallel to the right line. IT’s positioned like the care is skewed to the right. This is not possible in a real parking lot with a real car. Therefore, the car is not parked in a parking lot. I’m not sure what I’m looking at, but it is clearly not a parking lot, excet maybe in R’lyeh. The care was just copy/pasted in to cover up a number. It simply is not a real thing that could be looked at from the other angle. It’s just an arbitrary puzzle, which means I have to figure out the pattern of the numbers mathematically. Now, maybe you’re thinking “Your brain can’t have seen all of that so quickly.” I can’t really answer to that… I just know that I can only see slanted lines with a picture of a car sloppily copy/pasted in. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/46 "2015-06-20T19:41:13Z")
It took me 2 seconds to realize that it was upside down ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/47 "2015-06-20T20:08:10Z")
About 5 seconds, I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/48 "2015-06-20T20:09:01Z")
I solved it in its original Klingon ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/49 "2015-06-20T20:41:22Z")
I didn’t read the long explanation. Just looked at it and got it immediately, like a split second. I didn’t even get a chance to realize the numbers could be interpreted as a sequence right side up. That said, the “which way is the bus going?” one that kids supposedly get right away stumped me. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/50 "2015-06-20T21:08:41Z")
I needed the hint, but got it about ten seconds after that. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/51 "2015-06-21T01:49:02Z")
I like this answer better… L8 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/52 "2015-06-21T03:41:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Apparently the people posting 2 second results went for the simpler approach first. A clever way to do it. Congrats, Have a cold one on me. > > What cost me and I’m sure many others time was looking for a numerical sequence. Or reversed digits. My previous experiences with these numeric puzzles worked against me. Most of them are clever numeric sequences that must be spotted. An upside down solution is something I tried when no sequence could be seen. > > Not the first time I went for the harder solution first. Won’t be the last either. I got accused of that by all my teachers throughout school. Always needlessly reinventing the wheel. You’re just too smart for your own good. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/53 "2015-06-21T05:14:56Z")
I’m inclined to agree with earlier posts theorizing that not being steeped in the “it’s a puzzle, so it’s detached from real life” mindset is a plus, and a possible reason why it’s so easy for some and not others. If this were in one of the Professor Layton games, the average solve time would probably go up. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/54 "2015-06-21T17:52:24Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Honestly, I cannot see it as a picture of a parking lot at all. > > I think part of the problem for me is that the lines of the parking spots slant for perspective… but the car itself doesn’t. If you want to see what I mean, look at the car’s position relative to the lines: > > - The left side of the car is parallel to the left line of the parking spaces. > - The back bumper is not parallel to the back of the space. It’s positioned like the car is skewed to the left. > - The right side of the car is also not parallel to the right line. IT’s positioned like the care is skewed to the right. > > This is not possible in a real parking lot with a real car. Therefore, the car is not parked in a parking lot. I’m not sure what I’m looking at, but it is clearly not a parking lot, excet maybe in R’lyeh. The care was just copy/pasted in to cover up a number. It simply is not a real thing that could be looked at from the other angle. It’s just an arbitrary puzzle, which means I have to figure out the pattern of the numbers mathematically. > > Now, maybe you’re thinking “Your brain can’t have seen all of that so quickly.” I can’t really answer to that… I just know that I can only see slanted lines with a picture of a car sloppily copy/pasted in. I guess they didn’t have the money to hire better illustrator. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/55 "2015-06-21T17:56:35Z")
Nah, it just needs better PR ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/56 "2015-06-21T18:46:16Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Honestly, I cannot see it as a picture of a parking lot at all. > > I think part of the problem for me is that the lines of the parking spots slant for perspective… but the car itself doesn’t. If you want to see what I mean, look at the car’s position relative to the lines: > > - The left side of the car is parallel to the left line of the parking spaces. > - The back bumper is not parallel to the back of the space. It’s positioned like the car is skewed to the left. > - The right side of the car is also not parallel to the right line. IT’s positioned like the care is skewed to the right. > > This is not possible in a real parking lot with a real car. Therefore, the car is not parked in a parking lot. I’m not sure what I’m looking at, but it is clearly not a parking lot, excet maybe in R’lyeh. The care was just copy/pasted in to cover up a number. It simply is not a real thing that could be looked at from the other angle. It’s just an arbitrary puzzle, which means I have to figure out the pattern of the numbers mathematically. > > Now, maybe you’re thinking “Your brain can’t have seen all of that so quickly.” I can’t really answer to that… I just know that I can only see slanted lines with a picture of a car sloppily copy/pasted in. lol ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/57 "2015-06-21T19:12:36Z")
I got it fairly quickly, though I didn’t time it. My thought process was something like “Assuming a rectangular parking lot and a lexical numbering scheme, it should be an algebraic sequence, so I need to find the common difference. Huh, there is no common difference, must be something else (mind starts exploring several something elses simultaneously). Ah, those numbers might be upside-down… checking… Yup, confirmed.” Interestingly, how it would look to the driver was not part of my process at all. EDIT: Oh, and the other “something elses” I was considering included a trapezoidal lot or boustrophedonical numbering. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/58 "2015-06-21T20:32:09Z")
2-4 seconds? I didn’t have any thought process about it at all, the numbers just looked obviously upside down. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/59 "2015-06-21T23:56:09Z")
Almost immediately but for a different reason than given before. One spot is labeled 06. My first thought was who would use a leading 0 in a parking lot – ah ha, it’s not a leading zero. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983/60 "2015-06-22T02:25:56Z")
I had no problem whatsoever solving it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-solved-this-puzzle-in-seconds-can-you-figure-it-out/722983.md?page=4)