Lateral Thinking Questions - #11 to #20

Lateral Thinking: The ability to test your powers of questioning, deduction and persistence. If at first the direct approach leads nowhere, try coming at the problem from the side; in other words, lateral thinking.

Jump to: Question #11. Question #12. Question #13. Question #14. Question #15. Question #16. Question #17. Question #18. Question #19. Question #20.

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L.T.Q. #11 Date: Wednesday, August 23, 1995 9:55AM

I know you are all waiting with baited breath (I can smell it from here!), so without too much further ado, I hereby end your wait.

Here is this week's question:

A man packs up all of the contents of his cubicle at work, promising to send out "Lateral Thinking" questions again once he gets settled in his new location. However, due to circumstances not entirely out of his control, after the move he decides not to unpack his belongings. If the cards containing the questions are still packed away, how is he able to continue the e-mail messages?

ANSWER: While going through some old magazine clippings at home, he found a bunch of "three-minute mysteries," originally published in Penthouse (gasp!) which he thought to be suitable as Lateral Thinking questions.

So, from this collection of mini-mysteries...

Here is this week's question:

Betty signals to the headwaiter in a restaurant, and says, "There's a fly in my tea." The waiter says, "No problem, madam. I will bring you a fresh cup of tea." A few minutes later Betty shouts, "Get the manager! This is the same cup of tea!" How did she know?

Betty must have been in a New York City deli.

Because I am off to the zoo to visit the White Lions, as well as a bunch of other animal friends, the real Answer will be sent out on Friday, along with next week's question, as I will be on nights again next week.

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L.T.Q. #12 Date: Friday, August 25, 1995 9:51AM

The White Lions at the Metro Toronto Zoo were way cool! There's only 28 of them left in the world, and they're only here until September 10th (1995), so get out to see them if you can!

Here is this week's question:

In New York City's Central Park, in the middle of summer, police have discovered the frozen body of a man lying in the centre of a baseball diamond. There are no footprints leading to or away from the body. How did he die, and how did his body get to where it was found?

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L.T.Q. #13 Date: Wednesday, September 06, 1995 3:38PM

I have a huge book at home called The Language of Birthdays (or something like that). It has a two-page spread for each day of the year, and gives details on the "personology profile" of people born on that day, as well as Tarot, Numerology, Health, and other information.

It's absolutely fascinating, completely unlike this week's question. Actually, it's two semi-related questions from the Penthouse mini-mysteries.

Here is this week's question:

Part #1: A horse jumps over the tower and lands on a man, who disappears. How can such a thing be?
Part #2: Two priests sitting in the castle's chapel see the queen attack the king and kill him. The priests rise, shake hands, and leave the room. Why so sanguine about regicide?

Which reminds me: I haven't had a chance to get down to Medieval Times down at the C.N.E. grounds, but I'd really like to go. Let the games begin!

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L.T.Q. #14 Date: Tuesday, September 12, 1995 4:24PM

There really isn't much to tell this week: I'm too busy doing things, the details of which are too, too scary to get into at this point. Leave it to say that the majority of it has to do with the three W's: Wine, Women, and the Web! Expanding my mind, among other things... Yum, yum!

Anyway, enough about me. What about you? Is you brain in gear this week, because...

Here is this week's question:

Coming home from work, Simon had just put his key in the lock of his door when he heard his wife Betty scream, "Bill, don't kill me!" He dashes in to find Betty dead with a knife buried in her chest. Standing around the body are a postman, a doctor, and a lawyer. The husband immediately knows the postman killed his wife. How?

I could make some comment about what Simon would think about catching his wife with a postman, a doctor, and a lawyer, but I won't.

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L.T.Q. #15 Date: Monday, September 18, 1995 11:05AM

Sigh... It's the end of the summer, and what a way to end it. On Friday, I'm going on a three-day canoe trip to Algonquin Park. It's going to be quite an adventure! I haven't been in a canoe, nevermind on an overnight camping trip, since I was at Grippen Lake Summer Camp; I was 14 years old at the time! But then I have survived the wilds of England, Scotland, Wales, New Zealand, Australia, and Cuba, not to mention Niagara Falls, New York!

Welcome to our new recipients; there are now 46 people on the mailing list. BTW, we're back to the MindTrap questions. (I went and stole another bunch of cards!)

Here is this week's question:

Rachel was sun bathing at a nude beach because she heard it was the best way to acquire an overall tan. Day after day she was out lying in the sun, yet couldn't manage the complete tan. What could she be doing wrong to prevent her from receiving the even tones she so desired?

How does that saying go? "A nudist wedding makes it easy to see who the best man is."

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L.T.Q. #16 Date: Tuesday, September 19, 1995 4:20PM

As I said before, I will be out of the office until October 4th, so here is next week's question for you. I've tried to pick a question that's a little more difficult, to better reflect the amount of time you will have to think about the answer.

Here is this week's question:

Against his better judgment Captain Frank attended Art Bragg's annual Christmas party. Captain Frank sat in a corner trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, when Art trapped him in one of his many tall tales. "Why yes," began Art, "even my days as a younger man were filled with adventures. That beautiful white rabbit skin and that 14 point moosehead on the wall are both from animals that I shot when I was just a lad of 12. I got them both up in Canada during my July 4th holidays. Two summers later I shot this beautiful bear you're sittin' your feet on." Captain Frank realizing that Art was just getting started, got up and said, "Art, excuse me, but I can't take your bull any longer." Why did Captain Frank say this?

I'll let you know if I see any bunnies, moose, or bears up in Algonquin Park this weekend. It should be about time for the leaves to turn colour, too.

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L.T.Q. #17 Date: Friday, October 06, 1995 5:42PM

It's "Turkey Time" again, so here's an appropriately themed question for you.

Here is this week's question:

Duncan Drivel had a collection of rare bird calling records which he wished to sell. He sold half of his records plus a half record more to Professor Bumble. then he sold half of what was left and a half record more to Whislin Willy. At this point Duncan had one record left. How many records did Duncan have originally?

Two other questions come to mind.
1. What are Professor Bumble and Whislin Willy going to do with only half a record? Is it the top half or bottom half? Or maybe the left half or the right half. And won't it destroy the record player to try to play only half a record?
2. What is the title of the record Duncan has left, and why did he keep it?

Which brings a third question to mind: Who is the biggest turkey of the bunch?

Have a Happy Turkey Day!

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L.T.Q. #18 Date: Tuesday, October 17, 1995 12:26PM

Well, it's time for another appropriately themed question, this time relating to my pending trip to Indianapolis, Indiana, for a week of training. Of course, since I won't be here next week, and I am once again on nights for the rest of this week, who knows when you'll get the answer to this question!

Here is this week's question:

Charles Pompuss was racing around in his new sports car when he noticed that his throat was parched. He came to a screeching halt in front of the 'Soul-Ace Hotel' and the nine police cars which had been chasing him, slammed into the back of his car and each other's. How many bumpers will have been hit?

As Tom Cruise Missile found out in Days of Thunder: "It's not bumping, it's rubbing, and rubbing is racing." I can hardly wait to get my rental car in Indy! Zooooom!

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L.T.Q. #19 Date: Tuesday, October 17, 1995 12:32PM

Well, it's time for another appropriately themed question,... wait just a second... didn't I just send out this note? Oh, right! Now I remember... Because I will be in Indianapolis, Indiana, for a week of training, I won't be here next week. And because I won't be here next week, I won't be able to send out next week's question. So here it is! Just like this week's question, who knows when you'll get the answers!

Here is this week's question:

A horse is tied to a five meter rope in front of an old saloon. Six meters behind the horse is a bale of hay. Without breaking his rope, the horse is able to eat the hay whenever he chooses. How is this possible?

Hey! If this is a trick question, is it a Rope Trick? Or maybe it's One Trick Pony? Get a long little doggies! Yippie-kai-yeah!

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L.T.Q. #20 Date: Thursday, November 02, 1995 10:59AM

The following question is from a little Windows thing I found called "Common Knowledge."

Anyway, this question is all about real estate, so I thought it appropriate. Yes, I am taking the plunge! The trick is to find my house. I found one, then came to my senses. I'm still looking, and may have found another place. I will keep you posted. Gosh, house hunting can be an aggravating proposition and hard on your nerves!

Here is this week's question:

Texas Tom is looking for a cottage set on a beautiful waterfront property. The realtor suggests a new development on the Moscow Sea. He says that the only problem with the property is that it's a little tough to get to right now. But the transportation in the future will make that much easier. What should Tom know?

Anyway, since this question is for Monday, November 6, according to Common Knowledge, I'll give you the answer then. And if anyone wants to get a copy of the program (52Kb) just ask and I will mail it to you. It has a little question for each day. I suppose you could put it your STARTUP.GRP and have it pop up every time you go into Windows.

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