This observation comes from Tony Hoare’s lecture “Computer Science”. It notes that problems encountered in the real world are rarely as clear as they first appear, and that the true difficulty often lies elsewhere than where it was first located.

For Hoare, this had practical consequences for programming. A computer can only solve the problem it is actually given, so a mistaken understanding of the problem tends to produce a solution that does not fit the need. Effort spent clarifying what is really being asked is therefore not a distraction but part of the work.

The point extends well beyond computing. In many fields, the first statement of a problem reflects assumptions that closer examination overturns. The remark serves as a caution against rushing towards a solution before the question itself has been properly understood.