Brain Teaser
Brainteasers are short, clever puzzles designed to challenge thinking, logic, and pattern recognition skills. They come in many forms from math and number riddles to word play, logic grids, or even visual puzzles. Unlike straightforward questions, brainteasers often have unexpected twists or hidden patterns, which can make the answer surprisingly satisfying (or a bit frustrating) once revealed.
Solve The Puzzle: Hen is 6, Duck is 8, Dog is 12, Then what is Goat?
This neat little sequence has been making the rounds on social media and in WhatsApp groups lately. Puzzles like this can be deceptively hard because there are often multiple patterns you could see — and only one matches what's intended.
The Answer
Goat = 16
Here's why: the number increases by a set pattern.
Step-by-Step Explanation
The pattern:
Hen = 6
Duck = 8 → 6 + 2 = 8
Dog = 12 → 8 + 4 = 12
Goat = 16 → 12 + 4 = 16
Logic: The increment between animals changes — first we add 2, then we add 4, then we add 4 again. It’s not a perfect arithmetic progression. Some might expect +6 next, but the puzzle repeats +4.
Why This Puzzle Is Tricky
When first looking at it, you might guess it’s based on letter counts in each animal’s name:
Hen = 3 letters
Duck = 4 letters
Dog = 3 letters
Goat = 4 letters
…but that clearly doesn’t match 6, 8, 12, and ?.
Or maybe you think it’s doubling, or adding sequential even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8). But the intended answer stops the sequence with 2, then 4, then 4 — which breaks the expectation and makes people second-guess.
Honestly, I paused when I first saw it because I expected a neat +2, +4, +6, but the author’s +4 again shortcut means you have to spot the “broken” sequence.
Alternative Interpretations
If you tried letter values (A=1, B=2, etc.) based on the spelling of each animal, you might land on different numbers entirely. They’re fun to calculate, but they don’t give the sequence the puzzle-framer intended, so the pattern above — +2, +4, +4 — is the one used.
So, Goat = 16, following the +2, +4, +4 pattern. It’s a tiny bit inconsistent, which is why it sparks debate. These short puzzles spread quickly because they’re easy to share and even easier to argue over in the comments.
