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Viral ‘Word’ Optical Illusion Splits Viewers Over Box or Cutout

Reddit users report their view can flip with simple focusing tricks.

Overview

  • The image, shared on Reddit, is perceived either as the word “word” floating inside a box or as letters cut out from the box.
  • Viewers describe bistable perception, with some saying their view switched and became hard or impossible to reverse.
  • Commenters suggest methods to trigger a flip, including unfocusing the eyes, bringing the phone very close, or treating the box as a popped‑out pyramid.
  • Some users say they cannot perceive the cutout interpretation, noting the letters appear in the foreground and block the view through them.
  • Tabloid write‑ups from The Mirror and Mirror US compile user quotes and tips, and no expert explanation or definitive resolution has been reported.