You’ve probably seen this puzzle pop up on social media feeds or group chats lately. It looks simple enough at first glance, but if you start just stacking numbers up, you’re going to hit a wall. The goal is to use exactly five 8s to reach the number 1000.
Here is the correct solution:
888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1000
Let’s break down why this works.
First, take the big one. 888 gets you most of the way there, leaving you just 112 short of 1000.
Next, you need to close that gap without blowing past the target. Adding another 88 brings your subtotal to 976.
Now you’re down to 24 short.
You have three 8s left in your hand.
8 plus 8 is 16.
Add the final 8, and you get exactly 24.
976 plus 24 is 1000.
It’s a straightforward addition problem if you group the numbers correctly. The trick is recognizing that you need a large chunk (888) and a medium chunk (88) to avoid having to use up all your remaining digits on tiny increments.
There are other ways to play with digits to hit 1000, but this specific combination is the classic answer for this particular riddle format. It’s a quick win for trivia night or just to show off in the comments section.
