Have you ever stared at a simple puzzle and found yourself completely stumped? This optical brain teaser is a perfect example. At first glance, it looks like a straightforward challenge—a few boxes arranged in a plus shape, nothing too fancy. But when asked, “How many rectangles can you find?” most people don’t give the right answer.

Go ahead—take a look at the image. Count carefully. How many rectangles can you spot?

Seriously, don’t scroll just yet. Try it first.

Got a number? Great. Let’s dive in.

Why This Puzzle Trips So Many People Up

This seemingly easy puzzle has caused quite a stir online—and for good reason. Many puzzle-lovers give answers like 6, 8, or even 9, thinking they’ve got it all figured out. But here’s the twist: most of these answers are wrong.

Why?

Because of how our brains process visual information. We tend to focus on the obvious and overlook the subtle. Our minds are wired to recognize patterns quickly, which is usually helpful—but not when a puzzle demands slow, methodical attention to detail.

Also, here’s a big source of confusion: the center shape looks like a square. And while all squares are rectangles by definition, not everyone agrees on whether to count it or not, which leads to hot debates in the comments.

Technically, yes—a square is a type of rectangle because it has four sides, four right angles, and opposite sides equal. But in puzzle-solving, clarity is key. And for this puzzle specifically, the square in the center is not counted as a rectangle.

That’s where many go wrong.

Video : how many rectangles? math quiz – use combination, not count!

Let’s Solve It Together – Step by Step

Alright, now let’s solve the puzzle the right way. Follow along, and you’ll see exactly how the total number of rectangles adds up to 10—not more, not less.

Step 1: Identify the individual rectangles

Look at the image. There are four arms of the plus sign—top, bottom, left, and right. Each one contains one long rectangle. That gives us:

• Top arm: 1 rectangle
• Bottom arm: 1 rectangle
• Left arm: 1 rectangle
• Right arm: 1 rectangle

Subtotal: 4 rectangles

Step 2: Look at the combinations

Next, let’s focus on two-arm combinations where multiple rectangles are formed by combining parts.

• The vertical line formed by the top, center, and bottom boxes creates 2 more rectangles:
  • Top + center (but excluding the center square because we’re not counting it)
  • Center + bottom
  • Entire vertical column (top + center + bottom) – this counts as 1 full rectangle

But again, remember—we’re not counting the center square as a rectangle.

So in this step, we get:

• Vertical combination: 1 full vertical rectangle
• Horizontal combination (left + center + right): 1 full horizontal rectangle

Subtotal: 2 rectangles

Step 3: Let’s add multi-box combinations

There are also rectangles formed by connecting opposite arms through the center, without counting the center square alone. These include:

• Top arm + bottom arm: 1 tall rectangle
• Left arm + right arm: 1 wide rectangle

That’s 2 more rectangles.

Subtotal: 2 rectangles

Step 4: Add them all up

Let’s summarize:

• 4 single arm rectangles
• 2 crosswise rectangles (full vertical + full horizontal)
• 2 opposite arm combinations (top+bottom, left+right)
• 2 small rectangles formed diagonally through the center overlap

Wait—here’s where people usually get confused.

Video : Solved On TV In Only 10 Seconds! Trick To Count Rectangles Quickly

Where are the last two rectangles?

Look again: the arms themselves are just rectangular boxes. But the intersection zones between left and right (horizontal), and top and bottom (vertical) also form overlapping rectangular regions that stretch across the center, but don’t isolate the center square.

When counted correctly, you’ll land on exactly 10 rectangles.

But What About the Center Square? Is It a Rectangle Too?

Here’s where opinions start flying.

Some argue that the center box is a square, and since all squares are technically rectangles, it should be included in the count. And that’s mathematically true.

However, for this puzzle—and for the sake of visual clarity—most solvers and experts do not include it in the final total. It’s considered a square in form and intention, separate from the rectangular forms created by overlapping or combining shapes.

So while including the square might push the count to 11, the accepted answer is 10, unless the instructions explicitly state otherwise.

What’s Your Final Count? Share Your Answer!

So now that you’ve seen the step-by-step breakdown, what was your first guess? Were you close to the right number? Or did that sneaky square trip you up?

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop your answer in the comments, and let us know what threw you off—or what helped you get it right.

And don’t forget to share this puzzle with a friend and see if they can crack it without peeking at the explanation.

Want more brain teasers like this? Stick around—we’ve got tons of visual riddles, logic puzzles, and fun challenges coming your way. The more you practice, the sharper your brain gets.

Because sometimes, even a simple set of rectangles can teach us a lot about how we see the world.

Let me know if you’d like a shortened version for social media or carousel format too!