As I was going to St Ives I met a man with seven wives Each wife had seven sacks Each sack had seven cats Each cat had seven kits Kits, cats, sacks, wives How many were going to St. Ives?
Common Wrong Answers
“Seven”
This guess might come from misinterpreting the riddle's focus. While there are seven wives, only the narrator's journey to St. Ives matters. The wives, their sacks, cats, and kits are all mentioned but do not indicate they were traveling to St. Ives.
“49”
This answer likely comes from counting just the sacks (7 wives with 7 sacks each). However, it ignores the question about who is going to St. Ives, which is solely about the narrator, making the total count of those traveling far less than the number of sacks.
“343”
This number represents the total number of cats (7 wives times 7 cats each), but it overlooks the key aspect of the riddle. The question is not about the total number of animals or items but specifically about who is going to St. Ives, which only includes the narrator.
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