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Lateral Thinking

by Roaddog
55 replies
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Thinking 'outside the box' is more important than ever IMO.



I first heard this in the early seventies, and I couldn't get it...although the times.. they were a bit different. But when told...it was like...of course!
And probably helped change my thinking forever.
This is probably one of the more well known ones, used as an example...

 A man and his son are in a car accident. The father dies on the scene, but the child is rushed to the hospital. When he arrives the surgeon says, "I can't operate on this boy, he is my son!" How can this be?

 ---------------------------
More...


There is a man who lives on the top floor of a very tall building. Everyday he gets the elevator down to the ground floor to leave the building to go to work. Upon returning from work though, he can only travel half way up in the lift and has to walk the rest of the way unless it's raining! Why?



A man without eyes sees plums on a tree. He neither takes plums nor leaves plums. How can this be?



There are six eggs in the basket, six people take one egg each...yet there is till one egg in the basket. How?
Or these type...



Water...what is this?
Head
________
read
________


Do you know any good ones?

I won't Google if you don't


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  • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
    I've come across these before, maybe because my mother used to endlessly practice giving tests on us when she was getting her psychology degree.

    Here's another old one:


    Do you see an old woman or a young woman?
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    • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
      Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

      I've come across these before, maybe because my mother used to endlessly practice giving tests on us when she was getting her psychology degree.

      Here's another old one:


      Do you see an old woman or a young woman?

      Yea that's a good one...and I always see the young one.




      Research has shown that young children cannot identify the intimate couple because they do not have prior memory associated with such a scenario. What they will see, however, is the nine dolphins in the picture...





      Also, why does Donald Duck wear a towel getting out of the shower, when normally he doesn't even wear pants?...thought provoking ain't it?
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    • Profile picture of the author KimW
      Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

      Thinking 'outside the box' is more important than ever IMO.



      I first heard this in the early seventies, and I couldn't get it...although the times.. they were a bit different. But when told...it was like...of course!
      And probably helped change my thinking forever.
      This is probably one of the more well known ones, used as an example...

       A man and his son are in a car accident. The father dies on the scene, but the child is rushed to the hospital. When he arrives the surgeon says, "I can't operate on this boy, he is my son!" How can this be?

       ---------------------------
      More...


      There is a man who lives on the top floor of a very tall building. Everyday he gets the elevator down to the ground floor to leave the building to go to work. Upon returning from work though, he can only travel half way up in the lift and has to walk the rest of the way unless it's raining! Why?



      A man without eyes sees plums on a tree. He neither takes plums nor leaves plums. How can this be?



      There are six eggs in the basket, six people take one egg each...yet there is till one egg in the basket. How?
      Or these type...

      Head
      Water...what is this?

      ________
      read
      ________


      Do you know any good ones?

      I won't Google if you don't

      I know the answer to the first and last one.
      I'm sure I heard the others before but can't remember the answers.

      Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

      I've come across these before, maybe because my mother used to endlessly practice giving tests on us when she was getting her psychology degree.

      Here's another old one:


      Do you see an old woman or a young woman?

      I see both.
      I used to collect these,there are many of them.I love optical illusions.



      Back in the mid 70s I was made aware of a book called A Whack On The Side Of The Head. That was the first time and place I heard the term lateral thinking. It was by this guy. Definitely food for thought,along with another of his books, A Kick In The Seat Of The Pants.
      Creative Think - Roger von Oech
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  • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
    Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

    Thinking 'outside the box' is more important than ever IMO.
    Agreed.

    But thinking outside of the buns is a lot more fun.
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    • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
      Originally Posted by Bill Farnham View Post

      Agreed.
      But thinking outside of the buns is a lot more fun.

      I'm thinking laterally here...you mean like Taco Bell?...

      Wasn't that their commercial?
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      • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
        Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

        I'm thinking laterally here...you mean like Taco Bell?...
        Yea, there's a taco there somewhere, as well. :rolleyes:





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        • Profile picture of the author KimW
          Originally Posted by Bill Farnham View Post

          Yea, there's a taco there somewhere, as well. :rolleyes:

          KJ,
          your such a perv!
          Thats why I like you!
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        • Profile picture of the author Sunfyre7896
          Originally Posted by Bill Farnham View Post

          Yea, there's a taco there somewhere, as well. :rolleyes:
          Either people don't want to say or I'm the only one getting what you said the first time. Ha Ha. I thought it was clever and I liked how it went to Taco Bell when you were being like that that lies below the grass.
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  • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
    I see both.
    I used to collect these,there are many of them.I love optical illusions.
    Yea Kim I really like those too.

    Thanks for the book suggestion. I'll check it out.

    Please feel free and answer them, I just kind of was using them as examples. I was hoping people had suggestions for ones I have never seen.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    OK,SPOILER BELOW:



    the first one is the surgeon is the boys mother.

    The last one is head underwater.
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    LOL

    funny stuff.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Did you add that one or did I totally miss it the first time around?
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    • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      Did you add that one or did I totally miss it the first time around?

      Read between the lines? If that's what you mean Kim, it was there.

      The only thing I changed was, you said head UNDER water, it was head above water...so I went and put it under...lol

      I really would like to find some more of those...but I don't know what the genre? is called.

      I mean the head/under, read between the lines etc...
      -----------------------
      Put a coin in a bottle and then stop the opening with a cork. How can you get the coin out of the bottle without pulling out the cork or breaking the bottle?


      How can you throw a ball as hard as you can so that it comes back to you? The ball should have nothing attached to it, it shouldn't hit anything, and no one else should catch it or throw it
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      • Profile picture of the author myob
        The answer to the second one is: The man is a midget; he can't reach the top half of the buttons in the elevator unless it's raining. That's when he has his umbrella.

        The answer to the fourth one is: The sixth person takes the basket containing the egg.

        Dunno the third one. My head is stuck inside the box of the young woman.
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      • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
        Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

        I really would like to find some more of those...but I don't know what the genre? is called.

        I mean the head/under, read between the lines etc...
        Jim, I like those puzzles too. In the UK, we call them "dingbats".

        See how you do with these:

        1. Dr. do

        2. don't klat

        3. ENTURY



        Frank
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        • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
          Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

          Jim, I like those puzzles too. In the UK, we call them "dingbats".

          See how you do with these:

          1. Dr. do

          2. don't klat

          3. ENTURY
          Frank
          Frank the other two I have seen, so someone else can answer.
          I was staring at the dr. one and I think I finally got it. Dr. Doolittle.

          Those are cool little puzzles. I always liked them.


          Thanks for the name. I needed that to find some more.
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          • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
            I imagine lots of billionanaires have made the same type of joke.

            Think I've heard people say that about Las Vegas as well.

            Didn't know that was what a Dingbat was Frank.

            By the way, I'm thick - what are the answers for 2 and 3?

            Dan
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            • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
              Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

              I imagine lots of billionanaires have made the same type of joke.

              Think I've heard people say that about Las Vegas as well.

              Didn't know that was what a Dingbat was Frank.

              By the way, I'm thick - what are the answers for 2 and 3?

              Dan
              Don't talk back...klat

              entury ...the end of the century.

              Now don't take those for gospel. I haven't heard back from Frank, but I am pretty sure I am right.

              By the way the cork in the bottle...press it in..


              I love those puzzles...keeps me humble, because as soon as I find out the answer...facepalm...DOH!:p
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              • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
                Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

                entury ...the end of the century.
                That might work...but the actual answer is "long time, no see"

                Facepalm?


                Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author MrCaracicatriz
    Does the guy without eyes "see" the plums by feeling them? You don't need to take/leave something to feel it.
    Can't seem to figure out the coin in the bottle one.. :/
    Oh, and you would throw the ball as hard as you can straight up and let gravity bring it back to you.
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    • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
      Originally Posted by MrCaracicatriz View Post

      Does the guy without eyes "see" the plums by feeling them? You don't need to take/leave something to feel it.
      Can't seem to figure out the coin in the bottle one.. :/
      Oh, and you would throw the ball as hard as you can straight up and let gravity bring it back to you.

      For the plums think singular/plural

      your right about the baseball

      the cork is fairly easy...think opposite....
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
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    • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      He still sees... we are just blind to how. He sees with his mind... He creates the vision. He imagines it.

      No. Thats dumb. Forget, they are lying to you, he doesnt see it. He smells them?

      Edit: And Why am I seeing Jim as a xool lookin dog with Shades? Yet he's a human...
      This wasn't one of my favorites, but still logical..

      He had AN eye, he took A plum.

      The cork one...my 10year old figured out.
      Kids think laterally easily though, they don't have as many preconceptions... IMO
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      • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
        A man buys a pound of carrots (or whatever) for £1 in England and sells them in 50p in China.

        He becomes a millionaire.

        How come?

        Dan
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        • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
          Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

          A man buys a pound of carrots (or whatever) for £1 in England and sells them in 50p in China.

          He becomes a millionaire.

          How come?

          Dan
          He was not particularly in the vegetable selling/trading business. He made his money from something else?
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          • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
            Something like that.

            He was a billionnaire to start with.

            There is a sort of saying in English football 'How do you retire as an owner with a million pounds? Start with a billion.'

            Dan
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            • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
              Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

              Something like that.

              He was a billionnaire to start with.

              There is a sort of saying in English football 'How do you retire as an owner with a million pounds? Start with a billion.'

              Dan
              Didn't Sir Richard Branson say that? -

              "The easiest way to become a millionaire is to start off a billionaire and go into the airline business."
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  • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
    dOOOOH.... I thought I knew that one..

    I'm such a retard...:p
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    • Profile picture of the author MerlynSanchez
      Way to reference a different thread!


      Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

      dOOOOH.... I thought I knew that one..

      I'm such a retard...:p
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      • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
        Sal

        I am rather hesitant with my gormless answers but is it 'Right on Cue?'

        Dan

        PS: Okay guess not as you have just thanked Merlyn
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      • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
        Originally Posted by MerlynSanchez View Post

        Way to reference a different thread!
        You have a sharp eye Merlyn.



        The cops get an unknown call, the police raid a house to arrest a suspected murderer. They don't know what he looks like but they know his name is Joe and he is inside the house. The police bust in on a carpenter, a truck driver, a mechanic and a fireman all playing poker. With no delay, they immediately arrest the fireman. How do they know they've got their man?
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        • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
          Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

          The cops get an unknown call, the police raid a house to arrest a suspected murderer. They don't know what he looks like but they know his name is Joe and he is inside the house. The police bust in on a carpenter, a truck driver, a mechanic and a fireman all playing poker. With no delay, they immediately arrest the fireman. How do they know they've got their man?
          Fireman - Because all the others could be women. Plus, Firemen are supposed to have badge or something (?).

          LOL.. I just read this one like two days ago.

          Sorry.
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  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    In a cabin in the woods lie the bodies of 6 dead people. How did they die?
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    • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
      Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

      In a cabin in the woods lie the bodies of 6 dead people. How did they die?

      What kind of cabin?


      Think I remember this one.
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      • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
        Originally Posted by Roaddog View Post

        What kind of cabin?
        See KJ's answer.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
      Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

      In a cabin in the woods lie the bodies of 6 dead people. How did they die?
      Their Cessna came in short of the airstrip?
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      • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
        Originally Posted by Bill Farnham View Post

        Their Cessna came in short of the airstrip?
        Your kewpie doll has just been PM'd to you.
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  • Profile picture of the author JBorhez
    This one freaks me out!

    Spinning Sihouette Optical Illusion | Mighty Optical Illusions
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    • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
      That girl is only spinning one way to my eyes which is clockwise. I can't see any changing.

      Whateverpedia is that all there is to your question? Because if it is a plane cabin that doesn't really give me the 'of course!' sensation like the midget and the umbrella.

      They could have been shot dead or starved or froze to death or anything as well as being in the cabin of a plane.

      So I think you owe us another one!

      Dan
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  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    If a plane cabin is in the woods there is a 100% chance that it crashed there.

    However, due to my iron clad, 100% satisfaction guaranteed quality assurance policy, here's another one.

    Sherlock Homes and Dr Watson break down the door of a room that has been locked from the inside.

    Therein lie the dead bodies of Jack and Jill. The only clues are a pool of water, an open window and some broken glass.

    What happened?
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    • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
      Right I get that a plane cabin in the woods would mean a crash but it could have just been a log cabin and they had no food.

      That's why I didn't have that sensation.

      Now this is a bugger because I have heard the one you just put up but can't blooming well remember.

      Aren't they fish or snowmen or something like that, the locked room is throwing me.

      Dan
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  • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
    Jack went up the hill and rolled down in a snowball.

    Bounced thru the window where he hit Jill the snow melted and they died...

    Jill had locked the doors because of bears.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
    Jack and Jill are actually 2 goldfish. The bowl they were in was knocked over by a gust of wind from the open window, shattering the bowl on the floor (hence the glass and the water).

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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by MikeAmbrosio View Post

      Jack and Jill are actually 2 goldfish. The bowl they were in was knocked over by a gust of wind from the open window, shattering the bowl on the floor (hence the glass and the water).
      Mike, that's the story I heard. But it doesn't explain which of the two goldfish managed to lock the door from the inside. :confused:


      Frank
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    • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
      Originally Posted by MikeAmbrosio View Post

      Jack and Jill are actually 2 goldfish.
      Correct.

      The bowl was in front of the window. Whoever locked the door then made their exit through the window and in doing so knocked the bowl over, resulting in the demise of Jack and Jill.
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      • Profile picture of the author HeySal
        Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

        Correct.

        The bowl was in front of the window. Whoever locked the door then made their exit through the window and in doing so knocked the bowl over, resulting in the demise of Jack and Jill.
        Heartless *******!


        What's this?

        ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWYZ
        QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
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        • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
          Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

          Heartless *******!


          What's this?

          ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWYZ
          QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

          No Excuse (No X Q's)

          There's no letter X in the first line. The second line is self-explanatory...

          I remember this one from many years ago Our newspaper runs a puzzle like this one daily.
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  • Profile picture of the author dagaul101
    These remind me of those mind puzzles in school, joined with some algebraic formula
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  • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
    You're the driver of a bus. You stop on a corner and pick up 3 people. At the second stop 2 people get off and 5 people get on. At the next stop 7 people get on and 4 people get off. At the fourth stop, 7 people get on and 6 people get off. Finally, at the last stop, 3 people get on and 5 people get off. How old is the bus driver?
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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Barboza
      Originally Posted by Sumit Menon View Post

      You're the driver of a bus. You stop on a corner and pick up 3 people. At the second stop 2 people get off and 5 people get on. At the next stop 7 people get on and 4 people get off. At the fourth stop, 7 people get on and 6 people get off. Finally, at the last stop, 3 people get on and 5 people get off. How old is the bus driver?
      27 years old
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    • Profile picture of the author HeySal
      Originally Posted by Sumit Menon View Post

      You're the driver of a bus. You stop on a corner and pick up 3 people. At the second stop 2 people get off and 5 people get on. At the next stop 7 people get on and 4 people get off. At the fourth stop, 7 people get on and 6 people get off. Finally, at the last stop, 3 people get on and 5 people get off. How old is the bus driver?
      LOL - good one Summit. 56.
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      • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
        Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

        LOL - good one Summit. 56.
        Sumit... :p
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