This is a classic visual logic puzzle. The goal is to determine which person is in the safest position based on what each person is doing.
What each person is doing
Person 1
- Sitting on the far left side of the left branch.
- Not holding a saw.
- However, Person 2 is cutting the branch between Person 1 and the tree trunk.
- Once Person 2 finishes cutting, the entire left section (with both Person 1 and Person 2) will detach from the tree.
- Result: Person 1 will fall.
Person 2
- Sitting on the same left branch.
- Cutting the branch between himself and the trunk.
- Since he is sitting on the part being cut off, he will also fall with the branch.
- Result: Person 2 will fall.
Person 3
- Standing close to the tree trunk.
- Sawing the branch that Person 4 is sitting on.
- Importantly, Person 3 is on the trunk side of the cut, meaning the section he is standing on remains attached to the tree.
- When the cut is completed, only the outer part of the branch (where Person 4 is sitting) falls.
- Result: Person 3 remains safely attached to the tree.
Person 4
- Sitting on the outer end of the right branch.
- Cutting the branch outside of where he is sitting (the tip of the branch).
- Since he is cutting only the small section beyond himself, it does not affect the branch supporting him.
- However, Person 3 is simultaneously cutting the branch between Person 4 and the trunk.
- Once Person 3 finishes first, Person 4 and the outer branch will fall.
- Result: Person 4 will likely fall.
Correct Answer
✅ Person 3 is on the safest side.
Why?
Person 3 is positioned between the tree trunk and the cut he is making. That means the part supporting his weight remains connected to the tree. Everyone else is either:
- sitting on a branch that is about to be detached (Persons 1, 2, and 4), or
- dependent on someone else’s cutting action.
So, according to the logic shown in the picture, Person 3 is the safest.
