20+ People Who Prove Outsmarting Life Is an Art Form

Life is full of challenges, but for some women, that’s not a reason to be sad—it’s an opportunity to show character. They have a signature recipe: a pinch of adventurous spirit, a cup of common sense, a drop of trick, and an inner spark that keeps things from getting dull. Some call it women’s wisdom, others call it cunning, but the result is always the same: everyone is happy, and the problem is solved in 5 minutes.

• “This woman is mega-cool! I’m still impressed! Chills are running down my spine. But she charges too little. If I were her, I’d charge around $1,000!”
  This is a review one of my clients accidentally sent to me about our meeting. I replied, “Irene, thank you for your sincere feedback! Taking your wishes into account, I’m raising the cost of our consultations. The next one will cost you $1,000.” © nametle_zannapodi
• When our first daughter was born, my husband said diapers are evil, and at home, the baby would be without them. I agreed. But he changed his mind the very next day because he ran to her every 2 hours all night.
  Later, my husband said I spend too much money on food. I agreed. Since then, he does most of the grocery shopping and cooking. I never argue with my husband. He’s a grown man, and if he decides on something, he can implement it himself. © cod_blizosty
• I visited my boyfriend’s place. He poured me some tea, and I noticed streaks on the inside of the cup. You know, the kind that tea leaves behind. I can’t stand that, but I didn’t let it show.
  A few days later, he visited me. While washing dishes, I casually mentioned that I don’t like it when there are marks left inside cups. To which he replied, “Yeah, I never leave them.” So, the next time I went to his place, all the cups were spotless. © Caramel / VK

• My husband believes he is the head of the family. He makes all the decisions, earns well, and makes me happy. But I’m just a clever woman.
  I facilitated his job change, knowing that he wouldn’t achieve anything at his previous place. I recommended him to a classmate at a good place, while my husband is convinced that his resume was found and chosen from dozens of candidates. I always hint at what I want, leaving clues, and my husband is thrilled with how skillfully he guesses my desires. © My Story / VK
• Over the weekend, Mom said she would make my favorite potato pies. She asked me to peel the potatoes for the filling while she went to the store. Delighted, I dropped what I was doing and peeled a pot of potatoes.
  Mom came back. The potatoes never made it past becoming mashed. Oh, that cunning woman. © Overheard / VK

• A coworker once shared how she discovered twice that her husband hadn’t been staying at home in her absence. Once she hid all the forks and spoons in the house, and he didn’t say a word about it.
  The second time, she recorded the water and electricity readings before leaving and checked them upon her return. It was clear from the electricity usage that only the refrigerator had been running. And the water hadn’t been used at all. © Bether / Pikabu
• My favorite story from my parents’ married life. My dad is a hardcore soccer fan. When he was dating my mom, they went to all the soccer matches at the stadium together. Dad watched the game, while Mom made things cozy with blankets, pies, and tea in a thermos.
  It so happened that the season’s central match fell on the first weekend after their wedding. Dad got tickets for it. The dialog was, according to my dad:
  — Helen, get ready quickly! I’ve got the tickets!
  — You know, I think I’ll stay home today...
  — What? Why? You know what match is today!
  — I know, but I wasn’t married to you before. So, I’ll pass.
  I’m 27 now, and in all this time, my mom has never been to the stadium again. © Taran44ik / Pikabu
• My beloved grandma is the craftiest woman in the world. With enviable regularity and acting talent, she lies down on the couch and complains, “Ian, I have a headache, and I’ve left a pot on the stove.” 76-year-old Ian rushes to the kitchen, makes soup, and cuts a salad. Of course, Grandma feels better afterward, and they sit down to dinner together.
  But the question is, where on earth can I find an Ian like that? For now, I’m faking I’m sick in front of my cat, but it doesn’t really work. © Overheard / VK

• Visited a friend’s house. It’s morning; the kitchen is flooded with sunlight. I’m sitting, sipping tea, and there’s his mother—a remarkable woman—calmly solving crossword after crossword. I think: why not join in? I say, “Let’s play together.”
  And then it begins: she fires off answers faster than I can process the questions. After the fiftieth question, where she effortlessly named a river in northern Mongolia, I realized who I was truly dealing with. © arsenynaz
• I hired someone online to put together a coffee table because the table part of it was too heavy for me to lift without risking a tweak to my back. Keep in mind that I am tall and muscular and stronger than probably 80% of other women out there. So I was surprised to see a woman show up who didn’t look particularly muscular, and I assumed I would help her lift the table part as well. No problem, I don’t mind lifting one half; that won’t hurt my back.
  Nope, she showed up and (nicely) told me to get out of the way while she assembled it in 15 minutes all by herself like a goddamn boss. Best $25 I ever spent. © Unknown author / Reddit
• One time the farm animals broke free as I was about to leave for work. I told them they were all pricks and they better come back this minute, and they did. 3 alpacas, a handful of goats, and a herd of sheep came when I called. © tkxb / Reddit

• A guy came up to me at a bar. He was tall with blonde hair and probably never heard no in his life. Anyway, he gave me a drink, which I politely declined, and left it on my table even after I repeatedly told him to take it away.
  I poured it onto the ground while looking at him and his mates. My heart was pumping way hard, but it was so exhilarating. © Unknown author / Reddit
• I was a forestry technician during the summers of my undergrad. Basically, I’d be out in the middle of nowhere for 8-10 days at a time, and some of the trips required helicopter access. At the time, I would usually dress up on my days off (think sundresses and full makeup), while I didn’t wear an ounce of makeup in the bush and wore old T-shirts and cargo pants.
  I went on this date with my now-husband, and he was asking what I did for work/school. Told him I was in school for environmental sciences and was working a summer job as a forest technician. I mentioned that a couple days ago, I was jumping in and out of helicopters in the middle of a swamp.
  His reaction? “That is... cool. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I would never guess you jumped out of helicopters for a living.” © HannahwithouttheH / Reddit
• I thought it was pretty cool when I saw a woman walking home from the grocery store with both of her arms totally occupied by bags and a full case of water bottles balanced nonchalantly on top of her head. Damn, girl. © Unknown author / Reddit

• My great-grandmother on my mother’s side: her husband died young, leaving her with very young children. She lived in a conservative rural area, and everyone expected her to remarry so that the farm could keep running. She had suitors lined up around the block.
  Instead, she ran the farm herself until my grandfather could finish school and take over. She became such a good farmer that young male farmers would come to her for advice on their farms and crops. She never remarried.
  I’m so proud of her even though I never met her. She was an 18th-century rebel, and I have a locket with her and her husband’s pictures on it—I wear it on days when I need courage. © MissyMiyake / Reddit
• My boyfriend washed his sneakers and decided to dry them. And he was all, “No problem, I can handle this!” Ha!
  They were bouncing around the machine like in a wind tunnel. He tried to stop them with a towel. No luck. And then I was like, “What would you do without us women?”
  Solved the problem in a second—I just hung the sneakers by the laces on the door, closed the door, tied a small knot so they wouldn’t fall, and turned on the dryer. No more banging around, and the sneakers dried perfectly. He just scratched his head. © Yogabeauty31 / Reddit

• A woman once came in for an appointment complaining of pain when walking. She was 67 years old. She was a beautiful, well-groomed woman—calling her an old lady would never have crossed my mind.
  I asked, “What do you think started it all?” And she replied without batting an eye, “I’m learning to do the splits...” © maralk1n
• Once my coworker and I stayed late at work. Really late. Both of us were expected home. My coworker’s wife is a wise woman. She didn’t scold him; she simply sent a photo.
  My coworker immediately said, “Alright, I’m off!” The photo was a still life: a plate with meat and fried potatoes. And I had to finish all the work by myself... © Cool story / VK
• My husband loves taking walks with our little one. He says they spend time in the park, but he returns suspiciously pleased, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. I discreetly attached a small GPS tracker to the stroller.
  The next day I checked the route and was amazed: instead of going to the park, they went to a bakery every day, where my husband had a croissant—he has quite the sweet tooth. I didn’t say anything to him; I just happened to meet them one day as they were leaving the bakery.
  My husband blushed, laughed, and admitted it was their “secret ritual.” Now this ritual is a family tradition for us.

• Even when I was little, I was already very smart and cunning. My dad is very handsome, intelligent, and well-off. Women were always after him.
  One day, another unfamiliar lady called our home, asking for my dad. I picked up the phone and confidently told her that my daddy was kissing my mommy, and he couldn’t come to the phone. © My Story / VK
• A friend’s husband gifted her an utterly tasteless pink blouse—you could cry just looking at it. She tactfully thanked him. Time passed, and then her husband asked, “Sweetheart, why don’t you ever wear that blouse?” She brilliantly replied, “I’m saving it!” © prugskok / Pikabu

And these women proved that giving up is not an option.