Now it’s time for the second question.

After the person has finished telling their story from beginning to end, don’t accuse them of lying. Don’t argue. Simply smile and ask:

“Can you tell me the same story again—but this time in reverse order?”

Most people have never been asked to do this before.

At first, it sounds like a strange request. But there’s a reason it’s often discussed by investigators and communication experts.

When someone is describing something they genuinely remember, they are recalling an actual experience. It may take a little extra time to tell it backward, but the events still exist in their memory.

Someone who has made up parts of a story has a tougher challenge.

Instead of remembering real events, they have to mentally reconstruct what they invented. They must keep every detail consistent while thinking in a completely different order.

That’s when small inconsistencies can appear.

Maybe the timeline suddenly changes.

Maybe they forget where they said they were.

Maybe a person they mentioned earlier disappears from the story altogether.

Sometimes they begin adding new details that weren’t mentioned the first time. Other times, they become unusually defensive and ask why you’re making them repeat the story.

None of these things automatically mean someone is lying. Honest people can also forget details, especially if the event happened long ago or they were stressed. And some people who are deceptive may still tell a very consistent story.

That’s why these two questions should be viewed as conversation tools—not as proof that someone is lying.

The real goal is to see whether the story remains consistent when the person has to recall it in a different way.

So remember the two questions:

Question #1: “Can you tell me exactly what happened from the beginning?”

Question #2: “Can you tell me the same story again, but this time in reverse order?”

You may be surprised by what you notice—not because these questions magically expose every lie, but because they encourage people to explain their story in greater detail.

The next time something doesn’t seem to add up, try these two questions and pay attention to the consistency of the answers. Sometimes, the story will stay exactly the same. Other times, the differences may give you a reason to ask a few more questions before you decide what to believe.