You're a true genius if you can answer 'impossible' Only Connect maths question

04 October 2023 , 15:26

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The question was one of the most impossible on the show (Image: BBC)

The hit BBC quiz show Only Connect baffles viewers with extremely tough questions and completely unrelated clues. It's for those who are able to think outside the box - and this brain-scratcher is said to be one of the most impossible of all.

For only the true mathematical geniuses out there - and for those who understand number sequences inside out, this one is for you.

This "impossible" question will get you scratching your head and wishing you'd taken more notice in your maths class, and if you manage to guess it correctly, you've definitely earned some serious bragging rights.

The question asked by Only Connect host Victoria Coren Mitchell saw contestants try to work out what comes fourth in the following: O = 10% / ONE H = 40% / ONE HUND = 70% / ? in the sequence round of the show. Take as much time as you need, as unlike the shows contestants, you don't need to be on a time restraint - if you don't want to!

The mind-boggling question isn't a straight forward one and requires a specific type of brain power to get it, as you need to be able to work out the pattern and the correlation. Called the "most elegant of sequence rounds" it puzzled the brainbox contestants and viewers alike.

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So, if you think you've got it, props to you. However, don't worry, the answer is below - and you will kick yourself when you realise what it is.

The sequence was showing a growing percentage of letters equal to the accompanying percentage from the phrase "One Hundred", making the correct answer ONE HUNDRED = 100%. Did you manage to get it? If not, don't panic, there are lots of other mind-boggling brain teasers to practise with.

Why not try this similar maths pattern question, where you have to work out what the final answer is - but again, it's not just a straight forward sum. The problem is: 2+3 = 10, 8+4 = 96, 7+2 = 63, 6+5 = 66 and then you have to work out, 9+5 = ???. At first glance, it may look like all you have to do is add the numbers together, but of course it's not that easy.

Many social media users struggled to work the correct answer out with various attempts being shared. One person suggested the answer must be 14, while another suggested 23, or 70. However, the answer is actually 126.

All you have to do is times the sum by the first number that appears in it. For example = 2 x (2+3) = 10, 8 x (8+4) = 96 and so on. This would give you the answer to 9 + 5 times 9, which would be 126. Another person on social media explained it as: "It is so easy. 2+3=10 8+4=96 7+2=63 6+5=66 X+Y=X*(X+Y) 9+5=9*(9+5)=126".

Niamh Kirk