Sometimes the easiest-looking puzzles are the ones that make us look twice. This handwritten challenge asks: “Can anyone work out which letter is missing?” Under the question is a long sequence of lowercase letters that appears to run from a to z.
Which letter is missing?
The missing letter is I.
Look near the beginning of the alphabet. The sequence runs a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h and then jumps straight to j, k, l. The lowercase letter i should come between h and j.
How can you spot the mistake?
Reading a long list quickly encourages the brain to fill in familiar patterns automatically. Because nearly every letter is present, many people see what they expect rather than what is actually written.
A simple strategy is to divide the alphabet into small groups. Check a through f, then g through l, then m through r, and finally s through z. The missing letter becomes obvious when you check the second group.
You can also recite the alphabet aloud and point to each printed letter one at a time. When you say “h, i, j,” you will notice that the list contains h and j but skips i.
The final answer
Letter I (lowercase i) is the only missing letter in this image. The puzzle tests attention more than knowledge, which is what makes it a good quick challenge for friends and family.
Did you see it right away, or did your eyes skim past the missing spot?
