A pregnant mother of three needs to sell her stroller to feed her three children after she was abandoned by her husband.Anne Sargent sat on her kitchen floor and cried. It was past midnight, and it was the only time she could allow herself to show her pain — when her three children were asleep upstairs.Anne felt the baby move and placed a tender hand on her belly. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to her unborn child. “I’m doing my best, but it’s just not good enough…” Just two months ago, Anne had been a radially happy wife and mother, confidently expecting the birth of her fourth child, and confident in her place in the world and her husband’s love. That woman was gone.Anne was expecting her fourth child when her husband walked out.| Source: Unsplash Derek had come home one night and told her he was leaving, just like that. “But why?” asked Anne. “I don’t understand, I thought we were happy!”“YOU were happy!” Derek cried. “YOU,not me! All you did was have babies and fuss over them, now there’s one more on the way!” “But you WANTED children!” Anne protested. “You were happy every time I was pregnant…”A family is built on understanding and mutual respect. Happy?” screamed Derek. “Happy that you gave all your love and attention to the kids? All I was to you was a paycheck! Well, that’s OVER!” So three months after Anne announced her fourth pregnancy, Derek was gone. Anne immediately went out and found herself a part-time job at a local grocery store.All you did was have babies and fuss over them!” | Source: Unsplash The owner would have been willing to give her a full-time job, but for that, Anne would have needed to pay a sitter for her three boys and that would have consumed most of her salary,so she carefully stretched her salary. But even with the child support check Derek sent, it just wasn’t enough. Anne started selling some antique china she’d inherited from her grandmother and that paid for the utilities for a few months. Then she sold a silver brush-and-mirror set she’d had since she was a little girl, and that paid for groceries. Little by little, as her belly grew, Anne sold her treasures to keep her family safe and fed. Then one day, there was nothing left to sell except bric-a-brac. Anything of greater value was gone. Anne looked at the old stroller she’d brought up from the cellar. It had been hers when she was a baby and had been used by each of her children in turn. It was very old, probably from the sixties,but it was in mint condition.Anne was devastated by Derek’s attitude. | Source: Unsplash She ran her hand over the roses painted on the side and bit back her tears. She needed it for the new baby, but she needed the money even more.She thought about getting a good price for it down at the flea market. Vintage items were always popular… And so she took the stroller to the flea market, and one of the dealers gave her $50 for it. Not much at all, but every cent helped.Anne walked away, sure she’d never see the stroller again, but she was wrong. Two days later, she opened the front door and saw the stroller on the porch! There was an envelope inside and Anne opened it and read: “Please call me.” The message was followed by a phone number. Anne called the number ad a woman answered her. “Hello?” Anne said. “Are you the person who left the stroller? How did you know who it belonged to and where I live?”Anne got a part-time job as a teller. s Derek told me,” the woman on the other side said. “I’m Grace Robbs. I think we should meet.” An hour later, Grace was sitting on Anne’s sofa sipping tea. She was a pretty woman, six or seven years younger than Anne, and she looked very unhappy. Her pale skin was blotched and her eyes were swollen as if she’d been crying. “How do you know Derek,” Anne asked, even though in her heart she already knew the answer. “I was his girlfriend,” Grace said. “Was?” asked Anne. “You broke up?”What Anne earned just wasn’t enough. | Source: Unsplash “Today, as a matter of fact,” Grace said and started crying. “I didn’t know…I didn’t know about you or the children, or the baby… I found out I was pregnant, and I didn’t know how to tell him…” t“So I went to the flea market with a friend and saw this darling stroller and I bought it. I put it in the middle of the lounge and tied balloons to it with a message: ‘Hello Dad!’” “But he wasn’t happy like I thought he’d be. He started screaming and asking where II got the stroller and if his stupid wife had given it to me. He asked if it was a joke.” He told me to take it right back, that he didn’t want to know about your baby. So I told him: ‘It’s for OUR baby.’ and that’s when he went crazy.” “He accused me of wanting to trap him and said he already had three brats with you and one more on the way, and he didn’t want my baby. He told me to get out and come to you.”Anne sold her beautiful vintage stroller in the flea market. | Source: Unsplash He said: ‘Might as well have all the breeding cows under the same roof.’ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know about you, I guess I didn’t know him at all!” Anne got up and put her arm around the crying girl. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay, you’ll see.” “He’s kicked me out,” Grace said quietly. “I have no family here and nowhere to go. I have a job, but with the rents in this city, I can’t afford to live alone, and who is going to want a pregnant roommate?” “I will!” Anne said firmly. “I need a tenant because what I earn isn’t enough, and I can’t work full-time because I can’t afford a babysitter for after school.” “But…” Grace’s face lit up. “I work online! I can take care of the kids after school. I love kids!”Anne and Grace comforted each other. | Source: Unsplash Advertisement “So I can take a full-time job?” asked Anne, delighted. “The owner of the grocery store wants me to manage it for him. With your help, I can! And you don’t have to worry about stuff for the baby. After three kids I have enough for an army.” Grace smiled through her tears. “And we have the stroller too…” she pointed out. “Are you sure? It’s Derek’s baby…” “No,” Anne shook her head. “It’s YOUR baby, and my children’s sibling, that is all that matters.” The two women settled into a new life together, and when Anne’s baby was born, Grace was there. When it was Grace’s turn four months later, Anne held her hand. They became a real family and raised their five children together.Anne and Grace raised their children together. | Source: Unsplash Advertisement As for Derek, he had several failed relationships and eventually came knocking on Anne’s door. He was shocked when he saw Grace there and asked to speak to Anne. “What do you want, Derek?” Anne asked. “I miss you, babe…” Derek said. Anne stared at him for a long moment then said, “Sorry, so not interested!” And she closed the door in his face.
What number should replace the question mark
Cognitive puzzles have always intrigued and challenged our minds, pushing us to think outside the box. Today, we have an interesting brain teaser featuring fried eggs with an unknown number in one corner. The big question is: What number should replace the question mark?
At first glance, this puzzle might seem straightforward, but many people struggle to find the correct answer. Let’s break it down step by step, analyze common mistakes, and finally arrive at the right solution.
Try to Solve It First!
Before we dive into the solution, take a moment to analyze the image. Each fried egg pair or grouping has a number next to it, except for the last one. Your challenge is to figure out the pattern behind these numbers and determine the missing value.
So, what’s your answer? 12? 24? Something else? Let’s see if you’re right.
Common Mistakes People Make
Puzzles like this often trick people into seeing patterns that don’t actually exist or missing key details. Here are some common mistakes:
- Assuming the numbers represent the total number of yolks
Many people assume the number is simply the count of yolks in each grouping. However, if that were the case, the values would be 2, 3, 2, and 3—this doesn’t match the numbers given. - Thinking the numbers count the number of egg whites
Some might assume the numbers are based on the number of egg whites. However, we see cases where eggs are overlapping, making this unreliable. - Overcomplicating the pattern
Some puzzle solvers jump straight to complex mathematical operations before checking simpler patterns.
If you made one of these mistakes—don’t worry! Now let’s walk through the correct method to solve this.
Video : Which Number Replaces The Question Mark ??
Step-by-Step Solution: Finding the Pattern
Let’s examine the numbers given: 12, 23, and 22. Each number corresponds to a different grouping of eggs. But what do they mean?
Step 1: Count the Yolk Pairs and Their Positioning
Looking closely at each plate, we see that:
- 12 → Two yolks in one egg white.
- 23 → Three yolks in one egg white + two yolks in another egg white.
- 22 → Two yolks in each of two egg whites.
From this, we see that the numbers are NOT just counting yolks or egg whites alone.
Step 2: Understanding the Number Formation
Observing the pattern, the first digit of the number corresponds to the number of yolks in the first egg, and the second digit corresponds to the number of yolks in the second egg.
- 12 → (1 yolk in the first egg, 2 yolks in the second egg)
- 23 → (2 yolks in the first egg, 3 yolks in the second egg)
- 22 → (2 yolks in the first egg, 2 yolks in the second egg)
Step 3: Identifying the Last Number
Now, let’s apply this pattern to the final grouping, which contains 3 yolks in one egg white and no additional egg.
Following the same rule, the first digit is 3 (yolks in the first egg), and since there is no second egg, we assume the second digit is 1.
Thus, the missing number should be 13.
Final Answer: 13
After carefully analyzing the pattern, we conclude that the correct number to replace the question mark is 13. The first digit represents the number of yolks in the first egg, and the second digit represents the number of yolks in the second egg.
Did you get it right? If not, don’t worry! The key takeaway is to pay attention to patterns rather than just counting random elements.
Video : Egg Riddles
Join the Discussion!
Did you find a different pattern? Do you enjoy solving logic puzzles like this one? Share your answers and thoughts in the comments below!
If you liked this challenge, try tackling more puzzles to sharpen your logical thinking and pattern recognition skills. The more you practice, the better you get at spotting hidden patterns and solving tricky problems quickly.
So, what are you waiting for? Test your brain with another puzzle today!
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