The woman was indeed born and died in 1975… but not in 1975 the year. She was born in room number 1975 of a hospital (or other facility). And she died in that same room in 1975, at the age of 22.
Yes, it’s that simple – and clever – as that.
The riddle is therefore based solely on the ambiguity of a number. And it perfectly demonstrates our tendency to want to « interpret everything » in a linear manner, following our usual mental patterns. A nice demonstration of what we call lateral thinking!
What this riddle teaches us (beyond the game)
Beyond the small satisfaction we feel when we discover the solution, this riddle hides a deeper lesson. It reminds us that in life—as with puzzles— it’s sometimes useful to think outside the box. To dare to see things differently. And to be wary of the obvious.
It’s a bit like when you think a friend is angry because they’re not answering… when they just forgot their phone. Or when you’re convinced you failed an interview… only to receive an encouraging call a few days later. In short, there are often several ways to interpret a situation. And this famous woman « born in 1975 » reminds us of this nicely.
Ready for the next puzzle?
We bet you’ll want to try this riddle out on your loved ones? It’s a great way to see who’s thinking « outside the box »… and who’s being fooled. And who knows, maybe you’ll become the coffee-break riddle expert?
A riddle, a smile… and a great lesson about our automatic thoughts: who would have thought that a simple number could make us think so much?
