# 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:** 163
**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 30, 2018, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3242 "2018-06-30T01:43:18Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Was the money paid to more than 10 recipients? Probably YES > > More than 1000? NO > Were all recipients private citizens? NO > Did they all receive the same sum? Probably NO KK ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2018, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3243 "2018-07-01T01:15:23Z")
[I meant “because OF the paperwork”, btw, and thank you] Does the agency regulate consumer products? Is the agency associated with law enforcement? ---
**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:** [July 1, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3244 "2018-07-01T01:55:01Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Does the agency regulate consumer products? NO > > Is the agency associated with law enforcement? NO KK ---
**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:** [July 3, 2018, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3245 "2018-07-03T23:31:33Z")
:bump: I’ll ask and answer one. \*\*Was this whole thing a misunderstanding? \*\* YES ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3246 "2018-07-04T09:40:18Z")
Could the same misunderstanding happen in other English speaking countries? In non-English speaking countries? ---
**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:** [July 4, 2018, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3247 "2018-07-04T12:51:39Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Could the same misunderstanding happen in other English speaking countries? In non-English speaking countries? YES to both. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2018, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3248 "2018-07-06T00:25:19Z")
Any interest in these anymore? I’m enjoying them still. I can give the answer to this one if it was too dull. ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3249 "2018-07-06T09:33:09Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Any interest in these anymore? I’m enjoying them still. I can give the answer to this one if it was too dull. I’d like to play it, but the ad layers keep messing up my browser(s) at home, so I’m currently limited to one-off posting from elsewhere. Does “it” refer to the piece of paper itself? To artwork? Construction work? Is “it” a tangible object that was bought for $100,000+? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2018, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3250 "2018-07-06T13:34:03Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > I’d like to play it, but the ad layers keep messing up my browser(s) at home, so I’m currently limited to one-off posting from elsewhere. > > Does “it” refer to the piece of paper itself? To artwork? Construction work? > > **The paper itself.** > > Is “it” a tangible object that was bought for $100,000+? > > NO Use an adblocker? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3251 "2018-07-06T17:32:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Any interest in these anymore? Obviously, the people who would say “no” are the people who wouldn’t say anything at all, because they’re no longer following the thread. I enjoy these, but I think you need a critical mass of players in order for them to really work. But moving on, since I’m here: Did the creator of the paperwork think that the paperwork was necessary for some purpose? If so, was it actually necessary for that purpose? Was the paperwork actually necessary for any purpose at 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:** [July 7, 2018, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3252 "2018-07-07T01:43:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Did the creator of the paperwork think that the paperwork was necessary for some purpose? YES > > If so, was it actually necessary for that purpose? YES > > Was the paperwork actually necessary for any purpose at all? YES “Necessary” is a tricky concept. I mean…the creator of the paperwork thought it was important enough to create, so I guess they thought it was necessary. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3253 "2018-07-09T22:16:08Z")
Help: I would suggest asking about the paperwork more. Learn more about the paperwork and the rest might start to click. ---
**Author:** ![CHealy7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@CHealy7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CHealy7)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3254 "2018-09-01T16:51:57Z")
MOAR! ---
**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:** [September 1, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3255 "2018-09-01T17:28:22Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > One little piece of paperwork ended up costing over $100,000 dollars. In the end, it didn’t even turn out all that great. What was it? Rosalyn Cater gave some of her daughter’s homework to some people in one of the federal departments. They spent man hours working on it, thinking it was part of their job. They estimate it cost over $100,000 in work to finish. [She only got a C.](https://www.reddit.com/r/OldNews/comments/7wxxil/amy_carter_only_gets_c_on_her_very_expensive/) ---
**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:** [September 3, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3256 "2018-09-03T19:43:05Z")
BUMP: I have a new one and I guess we can see if anyone is interested. **A man is given incorrect medical information about someone. This leads to his arrest. Why?** ---
**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:** [September 3, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3257 "2018-09-03T20:56:51Z")
Was the man actually guilty of what he was arrested for? Was he given the incorrect information by law enforcement authorities? Did the person(s) who gave him the medical information know that it was incorrect? For what it’s worth, if interest picks up again, I have another one after this. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3258 "2018-09-03T23:19:51Z")
Did the man think he had a terminal condition? ---
**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:** [September 3, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3259 "2018-09-03T23:27:49Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was the man actually guilty of what he was arrested for? YES > > Was he given the incorrect information by law enforcement authorities? YES > > Did the person(s) who gave him the medical information know that it was incorrect? YES > For what it’s worth, if interest picks up again, I have another one after this. > [@Biotop](#): > > Did the man think he had a terminal condition? NO KK ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3260 "2018-09-04T00:02:53Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > BUMP: > > I have a new one and I guess we can see if anyone is interested. > > **A man is given incorrect medical information about someone. This leads to his arrest. Why?** 1. Just to clear up the pronoun ambiguity – is the arrested man also the recipient of the incorrect information? 1a) Is the arrested man also the subject of the incorrect information (that is, “about someone”=“about the arrested man”)? 2. Was the arrest on drug charges? 2a) If so: possession, dealing, or other? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3261 "2018-09-04T00:12:43Z")
He is told that DNA tests show a baby is his, leading him to confess to rape? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=162) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=164)