Follow Us on
The Number of Squares You See Determines If You're A Narcissist
The image shows a biscuit-like square with a grid carved into it, plus the caption “The number of squares you see determines if you’re a narcissist.” At first glance most people spot only the nine obvious small squares, but the more carefully you scan, the more hidden squares pop out at different sizes. The joke is that only someone “obsessed” with details (or with being right) will spend ages counting every last one and then brag about their total.
How Many Squares are Actually There?
If you treat the figure as a 4×4 grid of small squares, there are:
- 16 tiny 1×1 squares
- 9 medium 2×2 squares
- 4 larger 3×3 squares
- 1 big 4×4 square
That already gives 30, but this particular puzzle also hides extra squares formed where inner lines intersect or where two central squares overlap, bringing the total to 40. This is why some videos and articles walk through the count step by step and still catch people out, even if they are comfortable with basic geometry.
Why Our Brains Disagree on the Answer?
People rarely arrive at 40 on the first try because the brain loves shortcuts. Once it thinks it has “seen” the pattern (a simple grid), it stops looking for new structures, which is why most stop at 9 or 16 and feel confident they are done. Others methodically scan every possible combination and end up with far higher counts, sometimes even overcounting because they double‑count the same square from different directions.
What this Says About Your Thinking Style?
The number you shout out reveals less about narcissism and more about your cognitive style.
- Quick, low numbers (9–16) often mean you rely on fast, intuitive judgments and are comfortable moving on without squeezing every drop of certainty from a problem.
- Higher, carefully justified numbers suggest a more analytical, detail‑focused approach that keeps searching for patterns even after an answer appears obvious.
Neither style is “better”; in creative work and problem‑solving, the magic usually comes from switching between quick intuition and slow, systematic checking. The meme leans into the stereotype that someone who refuses to stop counting until everyone admits they’re right must be a bit self‑obsessed.
