# 53 bicycles: A lateral thinking puzzle **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 9, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868 "2017-07-09T19:51:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 102
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2021 "2017-11-16T18:45:48Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > No. So, was Colby a pet (cat, dog, or bird) that somehow graduated from Trinity Southern University with an MBA? How does that happen? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2022 "2017-11-16T18:51:43Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > So, was Colby a pet (cat, dog, or bird) that somehow graduated from Trinity Southern University with an MBA? How does that happen? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2023 "2017-11-16T18:56:27Z")
You pretty much got it, **Telemark**. Good job! Info [Here](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animals_with_fraudulent_diplomas&ved=0ahUKEwjlio694sPXAhWoxFQKHW4DBrwQFggmMAA&usg=AOvVaw00aVuNpTGSy8PMiI8T_yff). Colby has company. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2024 "2017-11-16T21:31:28Z")
I assumed Trinity Southern University was a real school, not a diploma mill. OK, that makes a bit more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2025 "2017-11-28T01:56:02Z")
\*\*According to accounts at the time, rabbit stew virtually disappeared from supper tables in England during the late fall of 1726. Before this period rabbit was a popular dish. It took some time for the rabbit meat market to rebound. Why did this happen?\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2026 "2017-11-28T01:58:51Z")
Does it have anything to do with people dying of malnutrition due to eating only rabbit? I have heard if you live on rabbit, you die since they do not provide a certain needed…something. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2027 "2017-11-28T02:06:42Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Does it have anything to do with people dying of malnutrition due to eating only rabbit? > > I have heard if you live on rabbit, you die since they do not provide a certain needed…something. \*\*No \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2028 "2017-11-28T02:40:38Z")
Is the problem connected to something bad for health in the rabbit stew? Was there a scam involved? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2029 "2017-11-28T02:46:58Z")
Is the problem connected to something bad for health in the rabbit stew? \*\*No \*\* Was there a scam involved? \*\*Yes \*\* ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2030 "2017-11-28T03:26:29Z")
Does the answer involve the availability of rabbit meat? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2031 "2017-11-28T03:48:23Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Does the answer involve the availability of rabbit meat? **No.** ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2032 "2017-11-28T04:32:07Z")
Was the change related to religious beliefs or practices? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2033 "2017-11-28T04:34:20Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Was the change related to religious beliefs or practices? **No.** ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2034 "2017-11-28T06:30:45Z")
Anything to do with that hoax in which a woman claimed to have given birth to massive numbers of rabbits? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2035 "2017-11-28T06:39:08Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Anything to do with that hoax in which a woman claimed to have given birth to massive numbers of rabbits? \*\*Yes \*\*!!! Well done. I thought certainly this would take longer to solve. The [Mary Toft](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Toft&ved=0ahUKEwjz5bio0-DXAhWnkOAKHaTeDWAQFgiUATAY&usg=AOvVaw3sX9YpNzhLAD3RP0VC60Lh) hoax fascinated the British public and as a result turned the public off of eating rabbit meat. [Another story here.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/54643/woman-who-gave-birth-rabbits&ved=0ahUKEwjz5bio0-DXAhWnkOAKHaTeDWAQFginATAa&usg=AOvVaw3px3wX0K1JEFnqegYtM-ad) ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2036 "2017-11-28T06:50:22Z")
I’ve just read way, way too many books about hoaxes. As soon as you said there was a scam involved, I remembered that one, and figured that the timeline was about right. Reading about scams (the infamous Nigerian 419 emails) was what first brought me to the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2037 "2017-11-28T07:33:04Z")
Yes. But because this hoax was so obviously absurd it is quite amazing to me that many of those who were deceived fell for it so deeply. And the effect from the press and deception in Britain that November some 291 years ago might easily lead to laughter or tears still. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2038 "2017-12-03T00:54:52Z")
O.K., another silly one from my life. **Why do I have a rule that I can’t wear sneakers when I go out for ice cream?** ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2039 "2017-12-03T01:01:57Z")
Does the answer involve the region in which you live? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2040 "2017-12-03T01:09:42Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Does the answer involve the region in which you live? **No.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=101) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=103)