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Can you solve this Sherlock Holmes brain teaser?

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Have you been hitting the gym on the regular, working to make your body stronger? What about your brain? If you feel like you could go for a mental workout, you might want to try this riddle that’s sure to leave you scratching your head.

OK, so here’s how it goes: “One snowy night, Sherlock Holmes was in his house sitting by a fire. All of a sudden a snowball came crashing through his window, breaking it. Holmes got up and looked out the window just in time to see three neighborhood kids who were brothers run around a corner. Their names were John Crimson, Mark Crimson and Paul Crimson. The next day Holmes got a note on his door that read “? Crimson. He broke your window.” Which of the three Crimson brothers should Sherlock Holmes question about the incident?

 

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Flickr | dynamosquito

 

I have to say, at my first read-through, I was completely stumped. I’m usually not great at solving these types of brain teasers, so I wasn’t surprised. Still, I was determined to flex my brain muscles and at least try to come up with the answer. Here’s a hint if, like me, you’re thinking, “But they’re all named Crimson.” Try reading the riddle aloud. Any luck?

If you’ve had enough and are ready for the answer, here it comes. The answer is Mark Crimson. Why? The riddle reads “? Crimson. He broke your window.” What’s that symbol before Crimson? Yep, a question mark! Question Mark Crimson. Get it? It’s actually kind of clever, but so simple at the same time!

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Once you get it, you won’t believe you didn’t get it right away! That’s what makes it such a great riddle. Try it out on your friends and see if they get it, or if they “miss the mark,” so to speak.

This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.