Person #3 cuts the branch on the side where they are sitting.
In this case, the result seems obvious: once the cut is finished, it will fall with the part it is sawing.
There isn't really any apparent strategy here.
Person #4: The Paradox
Person #4 does exactly the same thing as #3: she saws the branch beneath her.
That's why many people immediately label her as the stupidest.
But if you look closely at the position on the trunk, one detail changes everything.
The detail that changes the whole logic
Person #4 is sitting right at the edge of the solid part of the trunk.
By sawing the section in front of her, she could simply separate the dangerous part from the rest of the branch, without falling herself.
While the others risk falling into the void, person #4 could remain on the stable part.
In other words, what looks like an absurd mistake could be a strategic calculation.
Why this riddle deceives us
This image functions as a logical illusion .
Our brain quickly judges visible actions without analyzing the entire situation.
Watching someone saw off the branch they're sitting on automatically seems idiotic… even though, in this particular case, it might be the smartest decision.
