# 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:** 167
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3322 "2018-09-12T19:44:03Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > So they lied that a parent was sick so the kidnapper would return the child? Biotop has a much more charitable view of human nature than I do. ---
**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 12, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3323 "2018-09-12T21:47:24Z")
So the police said that the victim was sick, and needed medical attention, so the kidnapper brought the victim to a hospital, or the like. If that’s not it exactly, then it’s close enough that we can probably handle a little overlap, so I’ll start mine. I’m thinking of a set of stories that have something in common. Off the top of my head, the stories include _The Iliad_, Tolkien’s _The Fellowship of the Ring_, Jim Butcher’s _Dresden Files_ series, and the movie _Avengers: Infinity War_, but I’m sure there are plenty of other examples. Now, I’m sure those stories actually have a lot in common, but the particular commonality I’m thinking of is not only quite rare in fiction, but quite common in real life. For instance, it occurs in at least two recent news stories, as well as in a number of situations that I’ve been a part of. ---
**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 12, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3324 "2018-09-12T22:04:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So the police said that the victim was sick, and needed medical attention, so the kidnapper brought the victim to a hospital, or the like. Yes, they said that the kidnapped boy needed a certain uncommon prescription medicine. The kidnapper went to the drug store to get it and they arrested him. Side note: In the real life situation, the kidnapper escaped even though the pharmacist called the police. He was caught later using ordinary methods. 🙂 ---
**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 12, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3325 "2018-09-12T22:05:24Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m thinking of a set of stories that have something in common. Off the top of my head, the stories include _The Iliad_, Tolkien’s _The Fellowship of the Ring_, Jim Butcher’s _Dresden Files_ series, and the movie _Avengers: Infinity War_, but I’m sure there are plenty of other examples. Now, I’m sure those stories actually have a lot in common, but the particular commonality I’m thinking of is not only quite rare in fiction, but quite common in real life. For instance, it occurs in at least two recent news stories, as well as in a number of situations that I’ve been a part of. Is it: grammatical? spelling? something that occurs in the plot? ---
**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 12, 2018, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3326 "2018-09-12T22:07:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Is it: > > grammatical? > > spelling? Clarify these questions, please. > [@](#): > > something that occurs in the plot? 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:** [September 12, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3327 "2018-09-12T22:44:03Z")
Something that happens: with the spelling of their titles? spelling of something in the books themselves? unique occurrences of letters in certain sequence? ---
**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 12, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3328 "2018-09-12T23:13:19Z")
Does it have something to do with the names of the characters? In real life people have the same names, but in fiction that just causes confusion for the reader/moviegoer. ---
**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 12, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3329 "2018-09-12T23:30:25Z")
…When I saw **Biotop** ’s name on the “last post”, I was thinking “Dangit, I’ll bet he just solved it”. And he just solved it. ---
**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 12, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3330 "2018-09-12T23:54:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > …When I saw **Biotop** ’s name on the “last post”, I was thinking “Dangit, I’ll bet he just solved it”. > > And he just solved it. These books have multiple characters with the same name, just like real life? ---
**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 12, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3331 "2018-09-12T23:55:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > …When I saw **Biotop** ’s name on the “last post”, I was thinking “Dangit, I’ll bet he just solved it”. > > And he just solved it. In retrospect I should have simply asked if _Twin Peaks_ was an example. That would have allowed the puzzle to remain for others to guess if I was right. Another example from fiction vs real life is people talking over each other. Conversation is rarely as simple as one person says something, and then the other. But that is usually how it is presented in fiction. I have one I may post soon if I can get my act together. ---
**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 13, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3332 "2018-09-13T01:55:29Z")
\*\*This is a true story, not a lie: It happened in the 1930’s. With the backing of one of the world’s largest oil companies, trusted experts Otto and Ernest knowingly deceived the public in a report they issued. At first they got away with their deception. But then their lie was discovered. A lawsuit was sure to follow. Putting that kind of misinformation out to the public was a serious crime. Except the case could not be prosecuted because the lie was was not a lie. Experts Otto and Ernest turned out to be wrong. Their intentional lie was actually the truth. And it was one of the world’s very smallest businesses that proved it so. What was their lie?\*\* ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3333 "2018-09-13T02:19:52Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > These books have multiple characters with the same name, just like real life? I really do want to know the answer to Chronos’ puzzle. Like, specifically. ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3334 "2018-09-13T02:21:31Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > \*\*This is a true story, not a lie: > > It happened in the 1930’s. With the backing of one of the world’s largest oil companies, trusted experts Otto and Ernest knowingly deceived the public in a report they issued. At first they got away with their deception. But then their lie was discovered. A lawsuit was sure to follow. Putting that kind of misinformation out to the public was a serious crime. > > Except the case could not be prosecuted because the lie was was not a lie. Experts Otto and Ernest turned out to be wrong. Their intentional lie was actually the truth. And it was one of the world’s very smallest businesses that proved it so. What was their lie?\*\* Was their lie about the location of oil? Was their lie about ownership of land? Was their lie about the amount of oil? Was their lie about oil in any way? ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3335 "2018-09-13T02:22:31Z")
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have been able to answer the _Twin Peaks_ question, because I’m not familiar enough with the show. But for the ones I list: The _Iliad_ has a pair of Ajaxes, _The Fellowship of the Ring_ has Toms Bombadil, Maggot, and Cotton, _Infinity War_ has Peters Quill and Parker, and _The Dresden Files_ has both a knight and a Volkswagen mechanic named Michael. Meanwhile, in the news, we have John replacing John in the Senate, and a couple of lawyers named Michael in a high-profile legal battle. Moving on: Was the “lie” about oil? Was the “lie” about sources of oil? Was the “lie” about uses of oil? Was the “lie” about unintended effects of oil? Was the “lie” about some product in competition with oil? Did Otto and Ernest believe the “lie” to be a lie? EDIT: Looks like **Mahaloth** ninjaed me with a few of these. ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3336 "2018-09-13T02:27:47Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** Was their lie about the location of oil? **No** Was their lie about ownership of land? **No** Was their lie about the amount of oil? **No** Was their lie about oil 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:** [September 13, 2018, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3337 "2018-09-13T02:38:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have been able to answer the _Twin Peaks_ question, because I’m not familiar enough with the show. But for the ones I list: The _Iliad_ has a pair of Ajaxes, _The Fellowship of the Ring_ has Toms Bombadil, Maggot, and Cotton, _Infinity War_ has Peters Quill and Parker, and _The Dresden Files_ has both a knight and a Volkswagen mechanic named Michael. Meanwhile, in the news, we have John replacing John in the Senate, and a couple of lawyers named Michael in a high-profile legal battle. In _Twin Peaks_ there are two high school kids, Bobby and Mike. They are friends. At the same time there is evil Bob and a one-armed man named Mike who are linked. Yet there is no connection between the two Bob/Mike pairs. They just have the same names. Well, with David Lynch there possibly is more to it then that, but if so it is never explained. ##### **answer to Chronos** Moving on: Was the “lie” about oil? **No** Was the “lie” about sources of oil? **No** Was the “lie” about uses of oil? **No** Was the “lie” about unintended effects of oil? **No** Was the “lie” about some product in competition with oil? **No** Did Otto and Ernest believe the “lie” to be a lie? **Yes** ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3338 "2018-09-13T14:07:52Z")
Was the lie about land? Was the lie about profits? Was the lie about safety? Was the lie about jobs? ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3339 "2018-09-13T14:10:47Z")
Is the lie about American Indian heritage? ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3340 "2018-09-13T14:31:09Z")
**answer to Mahaloth** Was the lie about land? **Yes** Was the lie about profits? **No** Was the lie about safety? **No** Was the lie about jobs? **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:** [September 13, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3341 "2018-09-13T14:32:18Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is the lie about American Indian heritage? **No** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=166) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=168)