# 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:** 131
**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:** [February 27, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2601 "2018-02-27T15:42:41Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Remind me (it’s a long thread) we’ve ruled out plant-based items for the food? Plant-based was a ‘no.’ Animal-based was a ‘sorta yes, depends on who you believe.’ I for one am fascinated to hear the ultimate answer. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2602 "2018-02-27T15:49:05Z")
**Here are all the unequivocal ‘yes’ answers in case it helps somebody.** _ **Is it food or weapon? Most people would say it is the former but many experts think it is instead the latter. What is it?** _ Are those who use it as a “weapon” human? Are those who use it for food human? Yes As a weapon, is it used against humans? Yes As a weapon is it typically lethal? Yes Is it typically used intentionally as a weapon? Yes Does it shoot projectiles?Yes Would those who use it as a weapon use it to fire projectiles at a human target? Yes To be clear: The food and the weapon are two different items. Yes One would not eat the thing that is used as a weapon, and one would not use the food violently. Yes Are the experts experts in a third category that is more relevant to the solution than the other two? Yes Is the food a natural, single ingredient item such as a banana or an egg? Yes Is it an egg?Yes Is the food generally eaten cooked? Yes Does it do its damage through making holes in the target? Yes If someone were to view a typical picture of the food, would they in all probability identify the item depicted as a food and not as a weapon? Yes If someone were to view a typical picture of the weapon, would they in all probability identify the item depicted as a weapon and not as a food? Yes Is the weapon, by weight, primarily composed of Metal? Yes If I were to ask a truthful, non-deceitful weapon expert, would he say the kinetic energy of the weapon’s projectile comes from Explosive? Yes Would it be effective at destroying an inorganic, inanimate object?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:** [February 27, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2603 "2018-02-27T15:55:59Z")
**Reply to Chronos** OK, this is a tough question to ask, so bear with me: Given the statement “Some would say that \_\_\_\_ is a food, while others would say that \_\_\_\_ is a weapon”, is there any single expression which could be inserted into both blanks which would make that statement constitute a solution to this puzzle? **Yes** Are the experts who would consider “it” a weapon experts in some linguistics-related field? **Yes, at least some of them I think.** Does this puzzle involve etymology? **Yes, in a way…** ---
**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:** [February 27, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2604 "2018-02-27T15:57:10Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Is it flour? Is it corn dust? Corn starch? All can become explosive if mixed with air. **No to all** ---
**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:** [February 27, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2605 "2018-02-27T16:14:32Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Remind me (it’s a long thread) we’ve ruled out plant-based items for the food? I think we’ve established that it’s an egg. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2606 "2018-02-27T16:31:07Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I think we’ve established that it’s an egg. Thanks- I’m struggling to keep track of everything! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2607 "2018-02-27T19:56:26Z")
Is there some word whose etymology is generally assumed to be food-related, but which is actually (as known to the experts) weapon-related? (I’ve a hunch that this is it, but I can’t think of what the word would be) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2608 "2018-02-27T20:02:16Z")
Oh, and just to facilitate further questioning: Would it be misleading for us to refer to the food as “the egg”? Would it be misleading for us to refer to the weapon as “the gun”? ---
**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:** [February 27, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2609 "2018-02-27T20:21:19Z")
[Is it a Rom-com? I like a good Rom-com.](https://ispot.tv/a/wNrl) ---
**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:** [February 27, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2610 "2018-02-27T21:26:15Z")
This puzzle has blown my mind out. I have no idea what the solution is. Some kind of poisonous egg? But that does not shoot projectiles. ☹ ---
**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:** [February 27, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2611 "2018-02-27T21:35:14Z")
For the weapon, are we looking for the launcher or the object which is launched? Or the combo? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2612 "2018-02-27T22:13:46Z")
Is knowledge of any language other than English relevant for solving this 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:** [February 28, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2613 "2018-02-28T01:01:04Z")
**reply to Chronos** Is there some word whose etymology is generally assumed to be food-related, but which is actually (as known to the experts) weapon-related? (I’ve a hunch that this is it, but I can’t think of what the word would be) \*\*You are looking in the right direction… And qualify this as _some \* experts_\* ---
**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:** [February 28, 2018, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2614 "2018-02-28T01:03:00Z")
\*\*reply to Chronos \*\* Would it be misleading for us to refer to the food as “the egg”? \*\*Not misleading \*\* Would it be misleading for us to refer to the weapon as “the gun”? \*\*Not misleading \*\* ---
**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:** [February 28, 2018, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2615 "2018-02-28T01:04:03Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > [Is it a Rom-com? I like a good Rom-com.](https://ispot.tv/a/wNrl) \*\*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:** [February 28, 2018, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2616 "2018-02-28T01:05:03Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > This puzzle has blown my mind out. I have no idea what the solution is. > > Some kind of poisonous egg? > > But that does not shoot projectiles. ☹ \*\*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:** [February 28, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2617 "2018-02-28T01:06:06Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > For the weapon, are we looking for the launcher or the object which is launched? Or the combo? \*\*launcher \*\* ---
**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:** [February 28, 2018, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2618 "2018-02-28T01:07:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is knowledge of any language other than English relevant for solving this puzzle? \*\*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:** [February 28, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2619 "2018-02-28T01:22:20Z")
Oh my gosh. I think I have it. This literally would be my first(I think) solve since we started these in July. Is it: Humpty Dumpty ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/2620 "2018-02-28T03:22:34Z")
OK, I just looked at **Mahaloth** ’s spoiler, and I’m pretty sure that’s it. My brain kept dancing around that, too, but for some reason just never alit on it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=130) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=132)