There’s nothing like a good visual puzzle to stretch your brain—and this one might just leave you scratching your head. At first glance, this appears to be a drawing of a tree with bare black branches, but there’s more hidden within the lines than you’d expect. The question is simple yet tricky: how many faces can you spot in this image?
The image has gone viral, sparking debates online with answers ranging anywhere from a handful to over a dozen. It’s your turn—take a deep breath, zoom in (mentally or literally), and start counting.
Why This Puzzle Messes with Your Head
What makes this illusion fascinating is how it manipulates your perception. Your brain naturally wants to see a tree first—that’s the dominant visual cue. But hidden within the tangle of branches and shadows are multiple human faces, camouflaged to blend into the shape of the tree. That’s the genius of it.
Many people only see four or five faces initially. That’s because we’re often trained to look for symmetry, clean outlines, or obvious visual patterns. But in this puzzle, the artist has used overlapping lines and clever shading to hide the faces within the negative space. In short: your brain has to work overtime.
Where Most People Go Wrong
Let’s talk about why this illusion is so tough:
- Overconfidence – People count five faces and stop. But the trick is in the detail.
- Tunnel vision – Instead of scanning the whole image, people focus on just one section.
- The distraction technique – The colorful bird sitting in the nest grabs your attention and pulls focus from the real task.
- Lack of patience – Some of the faces are subtle, even partially formed, so you need to really stare at the branches for a while.
If you only saw five or six faces the first time, don’t worry. That’s totally normal. Most of us miss the deeper layers unless we really take our time.
Video : How many faces do YOU see?
Step-by-Step Breakdown: How to Solve This Puzzle
To crack this illusion, slow down and approach it methodically. Here’s how to do it:
Start from the top-left corner
Examine the outer edges of the upper branches. You’ll find at least two faces subtly blended into the lines of the limbs. They are both facing toward the center of the tree, cleverly hidden in profile.
Work your way down the left side
Scan each section of the left-hand branches as you go down. Trace the branch outlines and look for curved lines that mimic foreheads, noses, and lips. You should find three more faces in this section if you’re observant.
Focus on the tree trunk
Here’s where things get fun. The main trunk contains multiple faces, some facing left and others right. You’ll find at least three distinct profiles in this area. The nose bridges and jawlines are carved from the blackness of the trunk, using contrast to create the illusion.
Examine the right-hand branches
Now shift your attention to the right side. Again, faces are hidden within and around the branch shapes. These are slightly harder to spot because the details are less defined, but they’re there. You should discover at least two or three more.
Count again carefully
After you’ve gone through the image once, take another look. Turn your screen sideways if needed. Sometimes, a different angle reveals what your brain missed the first time.
So, What’s the Final Answer?
After thoroughly analyzing the image, the correct number of hidden faces in the tree is 10. These include:
- 3 faces on the left side
- 4 faces in the central tree trunk area
- 3 faces on the right side
Each face is uniquely outlined with features like eyes, lips, and chin profiles, all formed from the black lines of the tree’s structure.
Did You See Them All?
Be honest—how many did you count before reading this far? Whether you got 4, 7, or nailed all 10, the fun lies in challenging your perception and pushing your brain to think differently.
Optical illusions like this aren’t just fun—they’re also a great workout for your cognitive abilities. They boost observation skills, increase patience, and help you stay sharp.
Why We Love Visual Brain Teasers Like This
These puzzles aren’t just games. They help improve:
- Focus and attention to detail
- Lateral thinking
- Memory and pattern recognition
- Visual processing speed
And let’s be honest—they’re kind of addictive.
Video : How many faces do you see
Now It’s Your Turn
How many faces did you spot before you peeked at the answer? Comment below with your guess. Then challenge your friends and see who’s got the sharpest eyes in the group.
Tag someone who claims to have eagle vision and let’s see if they’re up to the challenge. Want more puzzles like this? Stick around—we’ve got a whole collection of illusions that’ll leave you questioning your own eyes.
In the meantime, keep looking at the world a little closer. Because sometimes, the most interesting things are hiding in plain sight.
