Riddles engage our brains in creative problem-solving by encouraging us to think outside the box, thus enhancing critical thinking skills. The truth is, however, that while some people find them fun, others hate them. The reason why is that riddles, particularly the more challenging ones, are rather frustrating as the answer is hard to pinpoint or find right away. At the same time, they quite often require unconventional reasoning, which some of us consider confounding.

One particular riddle that left many scratching their head is the one with a woman in a boat.
It’s short, confusing, and doesn’t reveal a lot of information. Basically, it’s a seemingly straightforward brain teaser that goes like this: “There is a woman in a boat, on a lake, wearing a coat. If you want to know her name, it’s in the riddle I just wrote. What’s her name?“

If you think you can crack it, give it a shot! Unlike other riddles that require math skills, this one is more about unraveling a mystery. The trick is at reading it slowly and carefully. The name you are looking for isn’t a typical moniker, so try to replace some of the words with another name in order to see if it will work and help in solving it. Once you uncover the answer, you might feel a bit embarrassed for not figuring it out earlier. Did you manage to solve it already? If not, take a look at the answer below.

The opening line says, “There’s a woman in a boat,” which many people dismiss as mere background information. However, if you replace “woman” with a common name like “Kate,” it reads: “Kate’s a woman in a boat.” This subtle wordplay reveals the woman’s name. The woman’s name is “There.” So, there you have it!