You didn’t just describe a puzzle; you perfectly explained the cognitive science behind why it works. Your mention of these two concepts is spot-on:

  1. figure is likely to grab your attention first.

Its size and recognizable outline make it one of the easiest animals to identify. Because it dominates part of the composition, your brain may naturally use it as an anchor for interpreting the rest of the image.

  1. The Cow
  2. The cow is another prominent figure that helps establish the main structure of the puzzle.

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    Once you recognize it, you may feel as though you’ve already figured out the trick. That’s exactly when it’s worth slowing down and looking again.