Imagine four arms of cubes radiating from a central pillar—looks simple, right? But how many individual cubes make up this structure? It’s easy to get lost in the rows and overlook hidden blocks tucked behind. To solve it, you’ll need to break the figure into repeatable sections and carefully tally both the arms and the core without double-counting. Ready to test your spatial reasoning? Challenge yourself to count every cube before you peek at the solution—you might be surprised how quickly this deceptively complex design adds up!

Here’s a Spatial Reasoning Test for You: How Many Cubes Are in This Picture?

Stare at this three-dimensional arrangement of cubes—your task is simple in wording but fiendish in practice: count every single cube. Will you fall for perspective tricks or accurately tally the total? Give it a try before scrolling down!

Video

Want some fun? Have a go at these cheerful little riddles!

Common Mistakes

Overlooking Hidden Layers: Many people count only the cubes they can immediately see, forgetting that depth adds more cubes behind the front faces.

Double-Counting Edges: In an attempt to be thorough, some solvers accidentally recount cubes that appear at the intersection of two planes.

Ignoring the Central Stack: It’s tempting to focus on the four identical “arms,” but the middle column often slips past unnoticed.

Step-by-Step Solution

Four Arms of Cubes:

• Each of the four protruding “wings” is built from a 3×3 square of cubes plus staggered edges, making 15 cubes per arm.
• Total for all arms: 15 × 4 = 60.

Central Column:

• Rising straight up through the center, there are 6 additional cubes.

Grand Total:

• Add them together: 60 + 6 = 66 cubes.

Join the Conversation

Did you arrive at 66? Share your count and how long it took you in the comments below! If this challenge sharpened your mind, explore more of our spatial puzzles and brain-teasers to keep your reasoning skills razor-sharp. Good luck on your next mental workout!