“Only 10% Get It Right: Can You Solve This Triangle Puzzle? TAKE ME”
It’s the latest brain teaser lighting up the internet — a simple triangle puzzle with a twist that’s left 90% of people scratching their heads. It seems like basic geometry at first glance, but this triangle test comes with a challenge: Only 10% get it right on the first try. The viral headline reads: “Can YOU solve the triangle puzzle? TAKE ME.” And that’s all it takes for millions to dive into the deceptively tricky question.
The puzzle itself seems easy: You’re shown a large triangle, divided by lines into several smaller shapes. You’re asked: How many triangles are there in total? It looks like the kind of question a third-grader could answer in seconds—but here’s the catch: almost everyone undercounts. Or worse, they double-count.
As with many viral math challenges, the answer isn’t just about counting—it’s about paying attention. There are layers within the triangle, overlapping shapes, hidden angles, and optical illusions that trick the brain. People start with a confident answer like “10” or “12,” only to find out the real answer is something wild, like “24” or even “36.”
So why does this puzzle trip so many people up?
According to Dr. Eliza Moore, a cognitive psychologist who studies perception, our brains are wired to look for patterns and simplicity. “We tend to overlook complexity when we think we understand the basics,” she explains. “A triangle inside another triangle? Easy. But what if it’s three shapes forming a fourth? What if one triangle actually contains five smaller ones within it? Most people miss those.” That’s where “Only 10% get it right” becomes not just a marketing hook, but a psychological truth.
And then came the twist. One TikTok user, known only as @LogicLegend, stared directly into the camera after revealing the solution and said: “You didn’t get it? TAKE ME. I belong in that triangle. Let me live in there with the other confused souls.” The phrase caught on like wildfire. “TAKE ME” became the Internet’s new cry of humorous defeat whenever someone fell short—on a test, in a game, in life.
The meme potential was immediate. Images of people being sucked into triangles. Comments like “Triangle owns me now” and “TAKE ME—I am but a humble angle.” Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram were full of users both laughing at their failure and marveling at the puzzle’s simplicity and genius.
Even teachers and educators have picked up on it, using versions of the puzzle in classrooms to challenge students. “The triangle puzzle is fantastic because it teaches focus, spatial reasoning, and attention to detail,” said Mr. Lewis, a middle school math teacher in Oregon. “And honestly, the ‘TAKE ME’ thing? It’s made my students want to get it right.”
So, how many triangles do you see? Don’t rush. Count again. Look at every overlap. Consider every angle. The puzzle is simple. But simplicity, as it turns out, can be the hardest thing to see clearly.
And if you still get it wrong?
Join the club. Triangle nation awaits you. Just say it loud: TAKE ME.
