Contestants and viewers baffled: the math puzzle from ‘The 1% Club’ that no one could solve!

Richard Bevan
Richard Bevan
3 Min Read

The latest episode of Lee Mack’s brain-teasing game show, The 1% Club, has left viewers scratching their heads and contestants Maisie and Alex at a loss for words. The duo, who had navigated through a series of challenging questions with aplomb, stumbled when faced with the ultimate brain-bender.

The question that stumped not only the contestants but also had viewers throwing their hands up in defeat was a complex math problem. “Given that: 0+100 =100, 1+99 = 100, 2+98 =100, What is the sum of all the whole numbers between zero and 100?” – Lee Mack asked this difficult question, leaving even the sharpest minds thinking.

The 1% Club question that leads to confusion on the internet

Maisie and Alex took a shot in the dark, guessing 5000, but they missed the mark. The correct answer, as revealed by Lee Mack himself, was 5050. But why was this seemingly simple question so confounding?

The 1% Club’s Lee Mack provided clarity, explaining, “There are 50 pairs that total 100. That makes 5000, but there is also the number 50 in the middle, which is not in a pair but also needs to be counted, giving a total of 5050.”

But the perplexity didn’t stop there. As Maisie and Alex deliberated on whether to take the risk or walk away with their winnings, viewers chimed in with their own frustrations. Sarah lamented, “I didn’t even try with that one. Maths is hard enough on a calculator for me, never mind doing it in my head in 30 seconds.” While Ian Taylor admitted defeat, stating, “Nope, didn’t even understand the answer……”

Viewers of the 1% Club were left confused by the question.

The confusion spread across social media platforms, with users expressing their bewilderment at the formidable question even a calculator couldn’t crack. Some went as far as to compare the show’s difficulty to the notoriously challenging University Challenge, suggesting a rename to ‘The 0.1% Club: Calculators don’t help’, albeit less catchy.

The 1% Club, known for its rigorous mental challenges, continues to push the boundaries of logic, reasoning, and common sense. Hosted by comedy legend Lee Mack, the show pits contestants against increasingly tricky questions, culminating in a final brain-teaser that only 1% of the country can solve, all in pursuit of a £100,000 prize pot.

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