That’s inclusive counting.
In logic puzzles, inclusive counting is common, especially when you’re calculating ages or spans of time that include endpoints.
Why This Isn’t a Trick Question—It’s a Language Question
Some puzzles rely on trick wording like double meanings (e.g., “the word towel has two meanings!”), but this riddle is simpler.
It doesn’t require you to:
Think about homonyms.
Consider fantasy or imaginative scenarios.
Use advanced math.
It simply asks you to think about how we label years and interpret age.
Because most people assume that calendar systems align with chronological duration, they mistakenly believe the question is physically impossible.
But once you remove that assumption, the answer falls right out.
Common Answers People Try (and Why They’re Wrong)
Let’s look at a few answers people propose on social platforms—and why they don’t solve the riddle.
“He was born at 11:59 PM and died at 12:01 AM.”
This misreads the phrase “same year.” Changing only minutes doesn’t allow 22 years of life.
“He lived in a time zone that tricks the date.”
