A man is looking at a picture on the wall and says, “Brothers and sisters I have none, but this man’s father is my father’s son.”
What is their relationship?
The man in the picture is the onlooker’s son. Since he doesn’t have any brothers or sisters, the statement my father’s son can only be himself. A shortened version would be this man’s father is me, making him the father of the man in the picture.
65 Comments on "The Man in the Picture"
Damo says
April 17, 2016 @ 18:39
Had a massive argument about this riddle today (I lead a sad life!). A friend of mine told me the correct answer is that it’s a picture of himself. I say it makes no sense. If the man in the picture is himself and he says that mans father (his father), is my father’s son. So to that means, his father is his father’s son. Maybe I’m missing something? …
Sii says
April 24, 2016 @ 02:32
He’s talking about himself but simply put it doesn’t ask whom he is talking about, it asks who is the man, This man’s father is my father’s son…..the man is his son
Dan I says
May 1, 2016 @ 18:28
D man in d mirror is his son…
mark says
May 1, 2016 @ 21:09
the key is “my father’s son”, it can only be himself. He is looking at a photo of himself.
ToiletPolice says
May 15, 2016 @ 18:53
This riddle has 2 answers, both of which are correct in reference to “this man”:
1. Himself (if he’s looking at a picture of himself, then his father’s son would be himself)
2. His son (if he’s looking at a picture of his son, then his son’s father is the same person as “my father’s son”)
To remove the ambiguity, this riddle needs a huge disclaimer like: “it’s not himself”
Dan says
May 15, 2016 @ 19:57
@ToiletPolice There is no ambiguity. The man can never be looking at himself. He states, “This man’s father”. Are you suggesting he can be his own father?
Patrick says
August 19, 2016 @ 15:35
“My father’s son” is himself, obviously.
He has no brothers or sisters, so it has to be himself.
For the purposes of clarity, let’s have this guy call himself Andy.
So, substitute it.
“Brothers and sisters, I have none, but this man’s father is Andy.”
Under what circumstance would Andy, himself, be the person in the photograph’s father?
If, and only if, he was looking at a picture of his son.
Thanks, seeya
Kyser says
October 26, 2016 @ 22:07
Its his dads illegitimate son on his mother’s sidel.
Humility says
November 10, 2016 @ 04:37
He is looking at the picture of a man on the wall,then he said to himself,This mans father (the father of the man in the picture)is my father’s son(the man speaking is the only son of his own father,then ,the man in the picture is a son to the man speaking.)
to clear u well, the question says who is the man in the picture,and not who is the man speaking,
so therefore : The man in the picture is a son to th man speaking
Greg says
December 4, 2016 @ 05:47
There are 2 answers:
1) The direct approach. Take a selfie, look at it and repeat the riddle. Obviously the man speaking and the man in the pic are the same person.
2) Reverse engineering: start at the back. My fathers son is me. That mans father is me. That man is my son.
A perfect example of dilution through reverse engineering.
Timmy Chase says
January 12, 2017 @ 08:23
You guys are all idiots, it’s obviously his son…. you have to work backwards my “fathers son” if he has no brothers and sister must be himself, BUT WAIT there is another part. “That mans father” so that mans father is himself…. who could it be???? His son you morons. It’s his son.
Son.
Son.
shahin says
January 22, 2017 @ 19:30
the answer is his Son.
end of story.
Billy says
March 9, 2017 @ 19:19
This should be a standard test for operating any heavy machinery.
Does everyone saying “it’s clearly himself” not realise how wrong they are? Is this all some elaborate joke on me?
“That man’s father is my fathers son”
Imagine he just said
“That man is my father son”
Then is him obviously.
Now go read the line again
“That man’s father…. is my fathers son”
Come on. Don’t be so dumb.
Lockhart says
April 7, 2017 @ 17:42
The answer is the guy son. The Who is looking at the picture is looking at a photo of his son. Explanation- put yourself in the guy looking at the picture shoes. If I look at a photo and say I have no brothers or sisters obviously I’m the only child. So if I look at this photo of a man and say this man farther. I would be talking about myself. Then say his father is my father son. I’m talking about myself. So the guy in the phot can only be my son since I have no brother or sisters
Kevon says
May 15, 2017 @ 14:28
Only in some weird alternate reality where anything is possible would be this guys transgender second cousin. I’ve debated this for years with many people and every time they answer he is looking at himself
It seems I’ve been surrounded by idiots my whole life and. O one can see it’s his son, even argued it out with the wife for the last 30 mins before she agreed.
Reading all the comments provided amusement tho
Ioane papalii says
July 22, 2017 @ 23:45
A nephew, my brothers son.
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