# 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:** 158
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3142 "2018-06-07T20:36:40Z")
Was the coffin associated with a famous person? ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3143 "2018-06-07T20:55:38Z")
**reply to Walken After Midnight** About the “objects”: - had you brought your object with you specifically for this occasion? **No** - is it a common object that many people might regularly carry with them on their person while going about their daily life? **No** - did you acquire your object at the location you were at? **Yes** - is the object made primarily of metal? **No** - does it have some metal in it? **No** - is the object electric/electronic? **No** - is it wood or plant-derived? **somewhat I think. certainly not wood** - is it a candle or light source? **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:** [June 7, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3144 "2018-06-07T20:56:40Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Was the coffin associated with a famous person? **No** ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3145 "2018-06-07T21:12:42Z")
WEre the objects flowers" Were the objects aromatic in any 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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3146 "2018-06-07T21:14:35Z")
**additional deceptive reply to Chronos** : Could the coffin be replaced by some other object? \*\*While it would obviously not be appropriate for a funeral home, it could have been, (for instance) a bright yellow 1945 US Navy twin-engine Lockheed aircraft, were I somewhere else \*\*. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3147 "2018-06-07T21:16:20Z")
**reply to MonkeyMensch** WEre the objects flowers" **No** Were the objects aromatic 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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3148 "2018-06-07T21:25:16Z")
**correction for Walken After Midnight** - is it wood or plant-derived? **No. After a bit of checking, I don’t think the item is really wood/plant derived. But at one time it was.** ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3149 "2018-06-07T21:29:33Z")
Are you visiting in a professional capacity? Are the objects business cards? ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3150 "2018-06-07T21:31:05Z")
- Was the object edible? - Did you take the object out of the room? - Did you take the object out of the funeral parlour? - Do you still have the object? - Does the object have sentimental value to you? - Does the object have any financial value? - Was there any exchange of money at any point between you and the funeral parlor or establishment? ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3151 "2018-06-07T21:38:02Z")
Was the object made out of plastic? Was the coffin being used as a table? Is the composition of the coffin (or other object used in its place) relevant? Was the outcome of the event known (or at least reasonably anticipated) at the start of the event? ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3152 "2018-06-07T21:43:43Z")
**reply to Quartz** Are you visiting in a professional capacity? **No.** Are the objects business cards? **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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3153 "2018-06-07T21:45:29Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > - Was the object edible? > > - Did you take the object out of the room? > > - Did you take the object out of the funeral parlour? > > - Do you still have the object? > > - Does the object have sentimental value to you? > > - Does the object have any financial value? > > - Was there any exchange of money at any point between you and the funeral parlor or establishment? **No to all** ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3154 "2018-06-07T21:52:52Z")
**reply to Chronos** : Was the object made out of plastic? **Some of it** Was the coffin being used as a table? **No** Is the composition of the coffin (or other object used in its place) relevant? **No** Was the outcome of the event known (or at least reasonably anticipated) at the start of the event? \*\*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:** [June 7, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3155 "2018-06-07T22:30:24Z")
Were they playing a card game? A dice game? Dominoes? Some other game? ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3156 "2018-06-07T22:33:45Z")
**Reply to Peter Morris** Were they playing a card game? **No** A dice game? **No** Dominoes? **No** Some other game? **Yes**. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3157 "2018-06-07T22:36:35Z")
If you’re not visiting in a professional capacity, it must be a personal one. So, do you know the man? One or more of the children? Is the man a relation? Are the children relations? Are you voting? ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3158 "2018-06-07T22:38:34Z")
Was the object virtual? Was a mobile device involved? Anything to do with augmented reality games, such as pokemon go? Geocaching? ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3159 "2018-06-07T22:41:44Z")
**reply to Quartz** If you’re not visiting in a professional capacity, it must be a personal one. **Yes** So, do you know the man? One or more of the children? Is the man a relation? Are the children relations? Are you voting? **No to all** (My wife is about to come home, so I probably will not be able to give immediate answers for the next few hours.) ---
**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:** [June 7, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3160 "2018-06-07T22:42:48Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Was the object virtual? > Was a mobile device involved? > Anything to do with augmented reality games, such as pokemon go? > Geocaching? **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:** [June 7, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3161 "2018-06-07T23:55:55Z")
Board game? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=157) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=159)