At first glance, this riddle looks incredibly simple.
Coin ridge history
In fact, most people are completely confident they know the answer within just a few seconds.
But then something strange happens.
The longer they think about it, the more confused they become.
Some people answer $200.
Others insist the answer is $170.
A few argue it must be $130.
And somehow, one tiny math problem has managed to frustrate thousands of people online because the brain naturally wants to count the same money twice.
So before reading the explanation, try solving it yourself carefully.
Here’s the challenge:
A man steals a $100 bill from a store register.
Later, he returns to that same store and buys $70 worth of products using the stolen $100 bill.
The cashier gives him $30 in change.
That’s also why arguments about this riddle online become surprisingly intense.
Some people absolutely refuse to accept the answer even after seeing the explanation.
And honestly, that happens because the wording tricks the brain into overcomplicating something simple.
Here’s another easy way to think about it:
Imagine the thief walked into the store and directly asked for:
• $70 worth of items
• $30 cash
Without mentioning the stolen bill at all.
That would obviously equal a $100 loss.
The stolen $100 bill itself ended up back where it started:
inside the register.
So it cannot still be counted as missing.
Once people realize that detail, the entire riddle suddenly becomes clear.
And usually, that’s the exact moment they either laugh…
…or get annoyed they didn’t see it sooner.
What makes riddles like this so addictive is that they challenge logic more than math ability.
You don’t need advanced equations.
You don’t need calculators.
You simply need to carefully follow what is actually lost in the final outcome.
And in this case, the answer stays the same no matter how many times you recheck it:
The store lost exactly $100.
Did you solve it correctly on your first try?
