planetdan

Monday, April 18, 2005 :::

PLEASE HELP

There's ouchie in my head. I feel like an imbecile:

Count the little guys and then watch the picture until it shifts, and count the little guys again. Where does one go? I don't get it. I've seen this stupid puzzle a million times since I was little and I still can't figure the damn thing out. It's about time someone gives me a suitable explanation.

::: posted by dan at 1:57 PM :: [ link ] :: (10) comments

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10 previous comments:

How am I’m going to get those twenty minutes back, and I’m dizzy. Thank you Dan, and I don’t know where the other guy went, I hate you.

By

Kristina, at 2:19 PM

I'm going to hurt my roommate for sending this! Someone PLEASE tell me where the guy went or I'm not sure I'm going to work for the rest of the afternoon.

By

Anonymous, at 3:05 PM

the little guy on the bottom at the far left is missing the top of his head when there's an extra guy. the shifting is not one for one... of course

By

Anonymous, at 3:11 PM

FINALLY - found an answer. Basically, when there are 12 they are giving up 1/12 of themselves which in turns makes a whole new guy (or something like that!)

Here is the website where I found the answer...I'm not smart enough too figure it out alone!

http://www.funkypages.com/leprechaun/answer2.php?ok=1

By

Anonymous, at 3:30 PM

I've seen this same illusion with geometric shapes, so I know the basic principle involved and am cheating.

If you measure the various heights of the guys, you'll learn that it's redistributing the height (or lets say "mass") of one of the guys over all of the other guys. It's pretty clever.

By

Craig, at 3:31 PM

See, I may have almost driven my roommate over the edge, but I made her just crazy enough that she was able to seek out an answer. I believe that her temporary insanity was for the greater good. Hopefully, she won't kill me in my sleep...

By

Maggie, at 3:42 PM

That leprechaun example helped a lot. I also got this semi-helpful "solutions" from a helpful web pal:

Click here.

Although I have to admit, I still really don't get it.

By

dan, at 9:08 PM

It's all in the shoes guys and gals. If you watch that top row of fellows you'll see it. When the guy in the black tank moves over to the second from the right position he leaves a blank spot beacause he takes his shoes with him. It took some watching to find it.

By

Anonymous, at 7:59 AM

Here is a detailed analysis, including color illustrations, at Defective Yeti.
http://www.defectiveyeti.com/

By

elsimom, at 8:32 AM

it's all on the top guy on the fith row, when the switcharoo happens he gets replaced by the top guy on the fist row, row number 5 will always have 3 guys, but he'll take a third position on row two, so row two will have three guys at one point and two guys at another. this happens because there are three guys replacing two. that guy takes an empty space on row two all others get replaced.

By

Anonymous, at 9:13 AM

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