# 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:** 117
**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:** [January 5, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2321 "2018-01-05T18:32:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, so we have doves (which specifically means white pigeonlike birds) which are an abstraction, and therefore neither dead nor alive, but which are not a work of art, nor a computer simulation, being used in an experiment which has nothing to do with science. > > Is that accurate? Because if so, I’m pretty much lost. All I can suggest is to go back and read your original instructions about how to solve these problems. Then read the problem I posed. Your advice was sound and might be helpful here. ---
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2322 "2018-01-05T19:10:02Z")
1. Were the doves made of - Metal - Paper - Glass - Ceramic - Flesh - Paint - Wood - Plastic - Other 1. When you say they wouldn’t fly today, do you mean literally fly (travel in the air) or metaphorically sixties style (be acceptable)? 2. Shot in the dark: Does this involve Israel in any way? ---
**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:** [January 5, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2323 "2018-01-05T19:24:54Z")
Does the answer involve a biblical reference? Jesus? Noah? religion? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2324 "2018-01-05T21:34:10Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > if you are reading this, the ramifications from his experiment have almost surely been a part of your life. Do you mean this literally? As in, there is an actual connection between the experiment and people reading the thread? Could we be reading the thread without the experiment? Did the experiment lead to the birth/ creation of: - The Chicago Reader ? - The Straight Dope ? - Cecil Adams ? - Chronos ? - Biotop ? - This particular thread ? ---
**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:** [January 6, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2325 "2018-01-06T00:19:39Z")
\*reply to \*\*RadioWave \*\*\* ××××× 1… Were the doves made of - Metal - Paper - Glass - Ceramic - Flesh - Paint - Wood - Plastic - Other \*\*No to all \*\* 1. When you say they wouldn’t fly today, do you mean literally fly (travel in the air) \*\*No \*\* or metaphorically sixties style (be acceptable)? \*\*Yes \*\* 1. Shot in the dark: Does this involve Israel in any way? \*\*No \*\* ---
**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:** [January 6, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2326 "2018-01-06T00:22:05Z")
\*reply to \*\*Folly \*\*\* ××××× Does the answer involve a biblical reference? \*\*No \*\* Jesus? \*\*No \*\* Noah? \*\*No \*\* religion? \*\*No \*\* ---
**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:** [January 6, 2018, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2327 "2018-01-06T00:36:23Z")
\*reply to \*\*Peter Morris \*\*\* ××××× Do you mean this literally? As in, there is an actual connection between the experiment and people reading the thread? **Yes…** (admittedly tenuous) Could we be reading the thread without the experiment? \*\*Yes \*\* Did the experiment lead to the birth/ creation of: - The Chicago Reader ? \*\*No \*\* - The Straight Dope ? \*\*No \*\* - Cecil Adams ? \*\*No \*\* - Chronos ? \*\*No \*\* - Biotop ? \*\*No \*\* - This particular thread ? \*\*No \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2328 "2018-01-06T19:08:45Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > \*reply to \*\*Peter Morris \*\*\* > ××××× > > Do you mean this literally? As in, there is an actual connection between the experiment and people reading the thread? **Yes…** (admittedly tenuous) So does that apply to : - people specifically in this thread? - people who read the Straight Dope column or its message board ? - people who browse the internet ? - people who use computers ? (If anyone else can think of other possible categories that might apply, please ask the appropriate question.) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2329 "2018-01-06T19:19:37Z")
Was refrigeration involved? Freezing? ---
**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:** [January 7, 2018, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2330 "2018-01-07T03:19:40Z")
\*reply to \*\*PeterMorris \*\*\* ××××× So does that apply to : - people specifically in this thread? \*\*Yes \*\* - people who read the Straight Dope column or its message board ? \*\*Probably \*\* - people who browse the internet ? \*\*Probably \*\* - people who use computers ? \*\*Probably \*\* ---
**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:** [January 7, 2018, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2331 "2018-01-07T03:20:44Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Was refrigeration involved? Freezing? No. ---
**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:** [January 7, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2332 "2018-01-07T16:46:32Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > \*reply to \*\*PeterMorris \*\*\* > ××××× > > So does that apply to : > > - people specifically in this thread? \*\*Yes \*\* > - people who read the Straight Dope column or its message board ? \*\*Probably \*\* > - people who browse the internet ? \*\*Probably \*\* > - people who use computers ? \*\*Probably \*\* **Okay, I’m going to explain this answer to keep folks from going to far in the wrong direction The original wording of the puzzle is correct. The ramifications from what the man did have almost certainly had some reverberations in the lives of most everyone above, but the hint about the readers of the thread was intended. And that is all my answers on this aspect of the riddle have been trying to convey.** ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2333 "2018-01-08T13:25:25Z")
Is it something to do with people who enjoy solving puzzles? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2334 "2018-01-08T14:16:21Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Is it something to do with people who enjoy solving puzzles? \*\*Yes \*\* ---
**Author:** ![newme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e0b2c6/32.png) [@newme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newme)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2335 "2018-01-08T22:54:45Z")
Is it something to do with lateral thinking? Game theory? The Hawk-Dove experiment? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2018, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2336 "2018-01-08T22:58:10Z")
> [@newme](#): > > Is it something to do with lateral thinking? > Game theory? > The Hawk-Dove experiment? \*\*No to all \*\* ---
**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:** [January 9, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2337 "2018-01-09T03:25:43Z")
Anything to do with the Olympics? ---
**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:** [January 9, 2018, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2338 "2018-01-09T03:26:40Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Anything to do with the Olympics? \*\*No \*\* ---
**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:** [January 9, 2018, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2339 "2018-01-09T03:36:21Z")
Were lions, doves, morals all answers to one of the first, or the first crossword puzzle? ---
**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:** [January 9, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2340 "2018-01-09T03:41:17Z")
[YES](http://www.crosswordtournament.com/more/wynne.html) Well done **Folly**! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=116) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=118)