Brain teaser: How many 45s can you spot in this image?

Here is a new challenge for you. In this brain teaser, there is a grid puzzle that challenges to find how many times the number 45 appears.

At first glance, it looks like just a sea of random two-digit numbers. But once you settle in and focus your eye specifically on the number 45, patterns begin to emerge. The challenge really lies in not losing track, not double-counting, and not missing any.

These puzzles work on a simple principle: selective attention. It’s the same reason we can hear our name across a noisy room or find a specific word in a dense paragraph. The minute you set a goal—like finding “45”—your brain filters out everything else.

But here’s the catch: we’re human. We make mistakes. We skip rows. We lose count. That’s where the trick lies.



Here’s a casual 3-step method that can really help:

• Break it down: Instead of looking at the whole grid, go row by row. That way, you won’t get overwhelmed or miss a line.
• Mark as you go (mentally or physically): Either use your finger or a pen to point as you read, so your eyes don’t jump around randomly.
• Double-check: Once you've counted them all, maybe go back just once more to confirm. You’ll catch any misses that way.

Answer
Row 1:
45, 50, 63, 28, 00, 87, 92, 25, 37, 49, 45, 72
“45” appears twice

Row 2:
08, 63, 56, 45, 87, 02, 72, 21, 55, 83, 63, 52
“45” appears once

Row 3:
98, 20, 55, 24, 27, 63, 45, 39, 08, 58, 45, 30
“45” appears twice

Row 4:
89, 45, 52, 92, 46, 32, 66, 37, 51, 36, 47, 97
“45” appears once

Row 5:
35, 11, 01, 63, 74, 45, 20, 79, 45, 42, 51, 44
“45” appears twice

This isn’t just about spotting a number—it’s about attention, patience, and not getting tricked by the visual overload. It’s a moment of mindfulness. Seriously.

In our fast-scrolling, fast-tapping world, sitting still and carefully combing through a grid might be the most calming thing you do today.

It slows you down. It makes you breathe. It makes you notice from a different perspective.

So the next time you bump into a number puzzle like this, don’t just rush for the answer—enjoy the process.