# 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:** 109
**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:** [December 20, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2161 "2017-12-20T01:29:43Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Was the object: > > 1. A weapon? > 2. For communication? > 3. Defensive? > 4. Related to a sport/game? > 5. A signal? > 6. Religious in nature? No to all. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2162 "2017-12-20T01:34:45Z")
Is the cross post at the top of the vertical posts? Is the ground on which the posts are set level? ---
**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:** [December 20, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2163 "2017-12-20T01:59:17Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Is the cross post at the top of the vertical posts? YES > > Is the ground on which the posts are set level? PROBABLY NOT. I HAVE NO IDEA. IRRELEVANT Embedded. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Call_Me.Tim)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2164 "2017-12-20T05:07:07Z")
1. Is the word ‘field’ used here to refer to an area of land? 2. Did the man set up a conducting pole near some overhead power transmission lines in order to generate (steal) electricity from the magnetic field? ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2165 "2017-12-20T13:32:38Z")
Were any other materials used besides the posts and pole? (aside from nails, glue, binding elements) Is the size of the structure important? Is the angle of the pole important? Is the direction the structure facing important? Is this structure supposed to measure something? ---
**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:** [December 21, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2166 "2017-12-21T03:37:39Z")
> [@Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](#): > > 1. Is the word ‘field’ used here to refer to an area of land? > 2. Did the man set up a conducting pole near some overhead power transmission lines in order to generate (steal) electricity from the magnetic field? 1. Yes. 2. No. > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Were any other materials used besides the posts and pole? (aside from nails, glue, binding elements) - NO > > Is the size of the structure important? NOT SURE > > Is the angle of the pole important? NO(?) > > Is the direction the structure facing important? NO > > Is this structure supposed to measure something? NO Embedded. ---
**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:** [December 21, 2017, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2167 "2017-12-21T03:58:19Z")
Would it help to know more about the man’s: Occupation? Age? Religion? Family situation? Health? Hobbies? Does it matter where the field is? Is the time period when this creation occurred relevant? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2168 "2017-12-21T04:07:26Z")
Is this the guy lifting Stonehenge-size rocks in his yard as a hobby? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2169 "2017-12-21T04:23:59Z")
Would this e expected to have occurred in the 20th or 21st century? ---
**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:** [December 21, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2170 "2017-12-21T19:20:41Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Would it help to know more about the man’s: > > Occupation? YES > Age? NO > Religion? NO > Family situation? NO > Health? NO > Hobbies? NO > > Does it matter where the field is? NO > > Is the time period when this creation occurred relevant? NOT REALLY > [@Folly](#): > > Is this the guy lifting Stonehenge-size rocks in his yard as a hobby? No, but that’s neat. > [@j666](#): > > Would this e expected to have occurred in the 20th or 21st century? No. It was 19th century, I think. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2171 "2017-12-22T04:21:18Z")
Does something move across the horizontal pole? Is the horizontal pole roughly the same diameter as there vertical ones? Is this in a town? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2172 "2017-12-22T23:43:34Z")
> [@j666](#): > > 1. Does something move across the horizontal pole? > > 2. Is the horizontal pole roughly the same diameter as there vertical ones? > > 3. Is this in a town? 1. This can mean a lot of things, but I’ll just say “Yes.” 2. Yes, I think so. 3. No. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2173 "2017-12-23T03:20:41Z")
Is the man a hunter? A trapper? A farmer? ---
**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:** [December 23, 2017, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2174 "2017-12-23T04:19:37Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Is the man a hunter? NO > > A trapper? NO > > A farmer? YES Embedded. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2175 "2017-12-23T23:37:40Z")
Does the mechanism stay in one place? Are the posts made of wood? Is the mechanism used to transport something? ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2176 "2017-12-24T01:06:53Z")
> [@j666](#): > > 1. Does the mechanism stay in one place? > > 2. Are the posts made of wood? > > 3. Is the mechanism used to transport something? 1. Yes 2. Yes, I think so. 3. No. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2177 "2017-12-24T01:17:32Z")
Does the function of the mechanism make use of the slope of the horizontal post? ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2178 "2017-12-24T02:16:17Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Does the function of the mechanism make use of the slope of the horizontal post? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2179 "2017-12-24T03:23:04Z")
To summarize: In the 1800s, a farmer built a contraption out of three wooden poles out in a field. The purpose of this contraption involved the slope of the horizontal pole across the top but the angle of the slope is not important. The object was not used to transport, measure, communicate, or worship, or as a weapon or game. Is the contraption over eight feet tall? Does use of the object require additional parts, such as a rope or sieve? Is the object used for planting? ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2180 "2017-12-24T03:41:49Z")
> [@j666](#): > > To summarize: > In the 1800s, a farmer built a contraption out of three wooden poles out in a field. The purpose of this contraption involved the slope of the horizontal pole across the top but the angle of the slope is not important. > The object was not used to transport, measure, communicate, or worship, or as a weapon or game. > > 1. Is the contraption over eight feet tall? > > 2. Does use of the object require additional parts, such as a rope or sieve? > > 3. Is the object used for planting? Your summary is correct, I think. 1. No 2. No 3. No [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=108) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=110)