Matchstick puzzles have been a favorite way to test lateral thinking for decades. They look incredibly simple at first glance, but they force your brain to think outside the box. "Can you make a number smaller than 16 by moving only one stick?"
The image displays the number 16 formed by matchsticks. The "1" is made of a single vertical stick, while the "6" is formed by five sticks. Most people immediately try to rearrange the sticks on the "6" to turn it into a 5, 3, or 0. However, standard digital-style stick movements usually require moving more than one stick to create a proper, smaller number like 10 or 15.
So, what is the trick? The secret lies in thinking about mathematical symbols rather than just changing the digits. To solve it, take the top horizontal stick of the "6" and move it to the left, placing it horizontally right between the "1" and the remaining sticks.
By doing this, you transform the expression into 1 - 6. In mathematics, 1 - 6 = -5.
Since -5 is significantly smaller than 16, you have successfully solved the puzzle by moving exactly one stick!