# 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:** 168
**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, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3342 "2018-09-13T16:26:47Z")
Was the lie about land ownership? Was the lie about if the land had some kind of resource? Was the lie about the worth of the land? Was the lie about the price of the land? Was the lie about the location of the land? ---
**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, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3343 "2018-09-13T17:24:18Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** Was the lie about land ownership? **No** Was the lie about if the land had some kind of resource? **No** Was the lie about the worth of the land? **No** Was the lie about the price of the land? **No** Was the lie about the location of the land? **Yes** ---
**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, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3344 "2018-09-13T20:31:41Z")
Was the lie about which polity had jurisdiction over some piece of land? Was the land in question in North America? ---
**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, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3345 "2018-09-13T21:22:56Z")
**reply to Chronos** Was the lie about which polity had jurisdiction over some piece of land? **No** Was the land in question in North America? **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, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3346 "2018-09-13T21:28:36Z")
What the smallest business a surveying company? Was the smallest business less than 25 people? Was it less than 10 people? Was it just one person? Was the smallest business interested in oil at all? Was the smallest business a lawyer? ---
**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, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3347 "2018-09-13T21:29:49Z")
Did the oil company claim land that wasn’t theirs and it turns out it was? Was the land thought to be in a foreign country and ended up the US? ---
**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, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3348 "2018-09-13T22:21:17Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** Was the smallest business a surveying company? **No** Was the smallest business less than 25 people? **Yes** Was it less than 10 people? **Yes** \* Was it just one person? **No** Was the smallest business interested in oil at all? **No** Was the smallest business a lawyer? **No** - I am not sure how many people worked for the small business, but it certainly was no more than a very few. ---
**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, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3349 "2018-09-13T22:22:52Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** : Did the oil company claim land that wasn’t theirs and it turns out it was? **No** Was the land thought to be in a foreign country and ended up the US? **No** ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3350 "2018-09-13T23:37:34Z")
Did the lie concern oil? Did the lie concern another natural resource? ---
**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, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3351 "2018-09-13T23:50:53Z")
Would the oil company profit from the general public believing the lie? Would the oil company profit from a small number of specific people believing the lie? Would the oil company profit from anyone believing the lie at all? Was the small company typically in the business of determining things to be true? Would the workers at the small company (or at least some of them) typically be considered white-collar? Blue-collar? Did the small company have any sort of contractual relationship with the big oil company? Did the small company have any sort of contractual relationship with energy companies? Would the small company be expected to have contractual relationships with any energy company? When you say “oil company”, do you mean that the company was in the business of extracting, refining, and/or distributing hydrocarbon fuels? ---
**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 14, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3352 "2018-09-14T00:54:19Z")
**reply to j666** : Did the lie concern oil? **No** Did the lie concern another natural resource? **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 14, 2018, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3353 "2018-09-14T01:02:11Z")
**reply to Chronos** : Would the oil company profit from the general public believing the lie? **No** Would the oil company profit from a small number of specific people believing the lie? **No** Would the oil company profit from anyone believing the lie at all? **No** Was the small company typically in the business of determining things to be true? **No** Would the workers at the small company (or at least some of them) typically be considered white-collar? **No** Blue-collar? **No** Did the small company have any sort of contractual relationship with the big oil company? **No** Did the small company have any sort of contractual relationship with energy companies? **No** Would the small company be expected to have contractual relationships with any energy company? **No** When you say “oil company”, do you mean that the company was in the business of extracting, refining, and/or distributing hydrocarbon fuels? **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 14, 2018, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3354 "2018-09-14T01:09:36Z")
Were Otto and Ernest hired by the oil company? Were Otto and Ernest humans? - Is “Otto and Ernest” the names of two human beings? Were Otto and Ernest intentionally lying? Did Otto and Ernest work for the oil company full time? Is any kind of wordplay involved in this puzzle? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3355 "2018-09-14T01:26:44Z")
Did the lie involve transportation? Did the small business provide services? Did the small business manufacture or distribute goods? ---
**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 14, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3356 "2018-09-14T01:33:47Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** : Were Otto and Ernest hired by the oil company? **Yes** Were Otto and Ernest humans? **Yes** - Is “Otto and Ernest” the names of two human beings? **Yes** Were Otto and Ernest intentionally lying? **Yes** Did Otto and Ernest work for the oil company full time? \*\*No… at least I don’t think it was a full time job. \*\* Is any kind of wordplay involved in this puzzle? **Wordplay? Heh heh. No. The facts are as presented, albeit in the usual “53 bicycle” way.** +++++ Also, as is often the case with these puzzles, answering “yes” or “no” may not be absolutely clearcut. As the person presenting the puzzle, I do my best to design a tricky puzzle but also do my best to answer in the most fair manner. ---
**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 14, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3357 "2018-09-14T01:45:47Z")
**reply to j666** : Did the lie involve transportation? **Yes** Did the small business provide services? **Yes** Did the small business manufacture or distribute goods? **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 14, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3358 "2018-09-14T02:10:03Z")
Is “This is a true story, not a lie” part of the puzzle or were you just telling us this one is true? Is this situation a board game? Is it happening in a movie? Is it fictional in any way? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3359 "2018-09-14T02:12:15Z")
Did the lie involve the use of land for transportation infrastructure? Was the land located on the West Coast? Was the land located on the East Coast? Is the specific location of the land relevant? ---
**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 14, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3360 "2018-09-14T02:14:50Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** Is “This is a true story, not a lie” part of the puzzle or were you just telling us this one is true? \*\*Just having a little fun in saying this was a true incident. Not part of the puzzle. \*\* Is this situation a board game? **No** Is it happening in a movie? **No** Is it fictional 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 14, 2018, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3361 "2018-09-14T02:22:58Z")
**reply to j666** : Did the lie involve the use of land for transportation infrastructure? **No** Was the land located on the West Coast? **No** Was the land located on the East Coast? **Yes** Is the specific location of the land relevant? **I don’t know how to answer this. Please rephrase.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=167) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=169)