Optical Illusion: Can You Spot the Empty Mug in 9 Seconds?
At first glance, this illustration feels warm and cozy. Dozens of colorful mugs filled with hot drinks crowd the scene — some topped with whipped cream, others with marshmallows, lemon slices, or candy canes. Cute animal characters happily hold their mugs, making the picture feel calm and cheerful.
But hidden somewhere in this busy café-style illustration is one sneaky empty mug.
Your challenge is simple but deceptively tricky:
can you spot the empty mug within just 9 seconds?
This optical illusion tests how well your eyes can catch missing details when your brain is distracted by color, repetition, and storytelling elements.
Image Credit: Dudolf
Why This Optical Illusion Is So Tricky
Your brain doesn’t scan images evenly. Instead, it focuses on:
- Faces and characters first
- Bright colors and decorations
- Objects that look “complete”
That’s exactly why this puzzle works. Almost every mug looks full, decorated, or partially covered — so your brain automatically assumes all mugs contain something.
Here’s what makes it challenging:
- Similar mug shapes and colors repeat everywhere
- Toppings like cream and marshmallows steal attention
- The empty mug blends in by looking “normal”
Most people miss it on their first scan.
One Last Careful Look
Before scrolling further, try this approach:
- Ignore the animals — focus only on the mugs
- Look for a mug with no visible liquid, foam, or toppings
- Scan slowly from left to right, bottom to top
Did you find it?
Solution: Where Is the Empty Mug?
The empty mug is located toward the left side of the image, subtly hidden among the tightly packed cups. Once highlighted, the absence of liquid becomes obvious — but without help, it’s incredibly easy to overlook.
Why Your Brain Misses the Empty Mug
This puzzle relies on a psychological effect called expectation bias:
- Your brain expects mugs to be filled
- It fills in missing information automatically
- Visual clutter reduces detail-checking
That’s why illusions like this are often used in attention training, visual perception tests, and brain warm-ups.
Tips to Spot “Missing Object” Illusions Faster
- Look for what’s absent, not what’s different
- Break busy images into smaller sections
- Slow down — speed hides details
- Shift focus away from characters and decorations
