Lateral Thinking Questions - #51 to #60

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 #51. Question #52. Question #53. Question #54. Question #55. Question #56. Question #57. Question #58. Question #59. Question #60.

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L.T.Q. #51 Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 23:32:08 -0500 (EST)

One small order of business: If, and I mean if since you don't have to respond to these, but if you do, please make sure your replies reach me by noon on Thursday. That way, I'll have a chance to include the most creative answers I get.

And now on to our regularly scheduled BrainWorks. This week we have another Logical-type question.

Here is this week's question:

A barge loaded with pig iron was in a lock. For some unknown reason the captain of the barge threw his iron overboard into the water. What happened to the water level in the lock?

What I want to know is:
    1. What happened to the iron?
    2. What caused the captain to toss his load? and
    3. What charges were laid against the captain?

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L.T.Q. #52 Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 13:16:28 -0500 (EST)

We now take you back to the London Explorers Club during those adventurous days of yesteryear, when much of this planet was still uncharted...

**wobbly video flashback effect**

Here is this week's question:

Our intrepid explorer, Sir Edmund Hunkidoray, wishes to cross the desolate Saandhi Desert on foot. It will take six days, but any one man can take enough food and water for four days only. Fortunately, the local village of Igubwanatstan can supply him with men who will act as bearers, but they charge 100 pieces of gold per day for their arduous work. What is the least number of bearers Sir Edmund needs to help him make the journey, and what will it cost him in wages?
Notes: 1. Here's a hint for you. A man can carry four days' supplies, and if he turns back after one day, he can pass on two days' supplies to two other men, leaving one day's supply for his return. 2. Funeral costs for bearers are 1,000 pieces of gold each, so inhumane solutions are inadmissible!

This is the last of the Logical-type questions. I was contemplating the question about the three married couples at an orgy, but I've already gotten into more trouble than I need with that sort of thinking! $8-)

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L.T.Q. #53 Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 15:10:58 -0500 (EST)

We continue with more exciting Endeavours of the world's great explorers.

Here is this week's question:

An American, who had never been to any country other than the United States, travelled a long way to see a sight that very few people have seen. He was standing one day on solid ground when he saw the Great Wall of China with his own eyes. How come?

Now can anyone tell me what kind of cheese was in his food pack?

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L.T.Q. #54 Date: Tue, 3 Dec 1996 12:44:49 -0500 (EST)

Today we have another in our Great Explorers series.

Here is this week's question:

The children had been playing Hide and Seek for some time when Little Roald said, "I can't play anymore. It is obvious that anyone could find me now." "It depends who is doing the seeking," said Little Amelia. "Because your condition has changed, most of us would find you easily. But because of Little Edmund's disability, it would be just as hard to find you as anyone else who was hiding." She was right. What was going on?

Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

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L.T.Q. #55 Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 20:11:44 -0500 (EST)

I'm thinking of changing careers. For some reason, I feel like a fully-qualified Narcoleptic Proctologist!

Here is this week's question:

One day a boss said to her employees, "I can fight and beat any man who works here." A new employee, a seven-foot-tall ex-prize fighter, stood up to take on the boss. The boss kept her word, but did not beat the man or back down. What did the boss do?

Is this what they call a Career Limiting Move?

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L.T.Q. #56 Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 12:51:00 -0500 (EST)

I know a man with a wooden leg named Smith.

Here is this week's question:

Norm bought a door to fit in a door frame. The door was too large, so using his Power Door Trimmer, he cut off a piece. He found it was too small. So he cut off another piece. (Being a Master Craftsman, he cut pieces only off the length of the door. The width and thickness remained the same, and he did not cut the frame.) This time the door fitted perfectly. How come?

It's amazing what these guys can do with their ManToys™!

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L.T.Q. #57 Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 19:49:57 -0500 (EST)

Here's a little holiday break for your heads, which I know are just filled with visions of dancing sugar plums! This is a "Wally Test," from one of Paul Sloane's books.

Here is this week's question:

1. On which side of a cup is it best to have the handle?
2. Where do the biggest potatoes grow?
3. Who was the first man mentioned in the Bible?
4. Where did Noah strike the last nail in the ark?
5. What living thing has only one foot?
6. What did Paul Revere say at the end of his epic ride?
7. Would you rather a tiger attack you or a lion?
8. What is it that Adam, the first man, never had and never saw yet he left to his children?
9. What kind of dog, found in every country, has legs but never runs?
10. Where are all men equally good-looking?

I hope you have a very merry, cherry berry, dairy fairie, hairy Larry Christmas!

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L.T.Q. #58 Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 11:23:11 -0500 (EST)

Since I'm busy getting ready for a quiet New Year's celebration with Linda tonight, here's another "Wally Test," from one of Paul Sloane's books.

Here is this week's question:

1. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
2. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
3. Which would you prefer to have: an old ten-dollar bill or a new one?
4. Approximately how many birthdays does the average Japanese woman have?
5. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in the other hand, what would you have?
6. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
7. What do you always get hanging from apple trees?
8. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
9. Why are so many famous artists Dutch?
10. Divide twenty by a half and add ten. What is the answer?

Robert Burns

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L.T.Q. #59 Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 21:35:57 -0500 (EST)

Considering I'm feeling a little bit like Death Warmed Over, here is a slightly gruesome ponderer.

Here is this week's question:

A woman came home one evening and switched on the light in her living room. She was horrified to see the remains of her husband lying on the floor. He had committed suicide. Ignoring the situation, the woman had a cup of coffee and went calmly about her housework, and did not phone for medical assistance or the police. Why not?

I hope your brain is more up to figuring this one out.

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L.T.Q. #60 Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 16:14:33 -0500 (EST)

"Animals are such agreeable friends," wrote George Eliot. "They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." Instead, we'll ask a questions of our animal friends.

Here is this week's question:

The following animals all have something quite specific in common, but it has nothing to do with habitat, foodstuffs, appearance, activity, procreation, zoos, or physical attributes. What do these animals have in common: koala bear, prairie dog, firefly, silkworm, jackrabbit, guinea pig?

As Shakespeare said, "that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."

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