# 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:** 175
**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 20, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3482 "2018-09-20T02:45:01Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > But that’s the thing. Most road maps came from the oil company gas stations at that time. If you look at vintage maps from the that era they all have the Oil Company name in big letters on the cover. Free road maps simply came from the gas station. No need to buy one. They were in everyone’s glove compartment. While I knew the oil company clue would likely lead the solver astray, it might have also gotten someone to laterally think of a roadmap. It was a great puzzle. ---
**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 20, 2018, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3483 "2018-09-20T02:48:05Z")
> [@hammos1](#): > > I have a few of these to contribute, so let me reserve the next spot now. Happy for discussion of this one to wait until **Biotop’s** puzzle is resolved: > > - Once to the willow-tree > A maid came fearful, > Pale seemed her cheek to be, > Her blue eye tearful; > Soon as she saw the tree, > Her step moved fleeter, > No one was there—ah me! > No one to meet her!\* > > (from _The Willow Tree_, by William Makepeace Thackeray) > > I came across this poem a while back. By a curious coincidence, I recently noticed that I have an object in my house that has ‘I am a willow tree’ written on it, for an entirely different reason. What is the object? OK, I’ll start. The object that says “i am a willow tree”: Is it in your family room? Is it in your living room? Is it in your bathroom? Kitchen? Hallway? Dining room? Is “I am a willow tree”: engraved? on a label? written directly on the object? in English? in any way connected to the poem? ---
**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 20, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3484 "2018-09-20T02:52:31Z")
Is the willow tree line on a book? a knickknack? a coffee mug? a picture of a willow tree? an object with a reference to a person named Willow? a children’s toy or game? ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3485 "2018-09-20T07:35:56Z")
\*\*Answering Mahaloth: \*\* The object that says “i am a willow tree”: Is it in your family room? **No** Is it in your living room? **No** Is it in your bathroom? **No** Kitchen? **Yes** Hallway? **No** Dining room? **No** Is “I am a willow tree”: engraved? **No** on a label? **Yes** written directly on the object? **No** in English? **No** in any way connected to the poem? **No** ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3486 "2018-09-20T07:37:34Z")
**Answering Biotop:** Is the willow tree line on a book? a knickknack? a coffee mug? a picture of a willow tree? an object with a reference to a person named Willow? a children’s toy or game? **No to all above** ---
**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 20, 2018, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3487 "2018-09-20T13:01:15Z")
\*\*On a label, in the kitchen. Foreign language. \*\* Is the item(most likely): - on the table? - in the fridge? - in the pantry? - a food item? - a condiment/sauce (like pepper or Sriracha) - in the freezer? - a non-food item? - a pot or pan? - an appliance? Language: - Spanish? - French? - German? - any Asian language? - any other European language? - any African language? - a real human language that is spoken today? ---
**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 20, 2018, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3488 "2018-09-20T13:02:24Z")
Is the label on a can, jar or bottle of food? a cleaning product? Kitchenware? Appliance? Is the “willow tree” part of, or totally, a brand name? If not, is the “I am a Willow Tree” an accurate self description? Are there graphics on the label? Is the “IAAWT” advertising? ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3489 "2018-09-20T13:28:46Z")
Answering Mahaloth: On a label, in the kitchen. Foreign language. Is the item(most likely): - on the table? **No** - in the fridge? **No** - in the pantry? **Yes** - a food item? **Yes** - a condiment/sauce (like pepper or Sriracha) **Yes** - in the freezer? **No** - a non-food item? **No** - a pot or pan? **No** - an appliance? **No** Language: - Spanish? **Yes** (other answers removed as not required) ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3490 "2018-09-20T13:30:49Z")
Answering Biotop: Is the label on a can, jar or bottle of food? **Yes** a cleaning product? **No** Kitchenware? **No** Appliance? **No** Is the “willow tree” part of, or totally, a brand name? **No** If not, is the “I am a Willow Tree” an accurate self description? **No** Are there graphics on the label? **Not in this case, but there could be** Is the “IAAWT” advertising? **No** ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3491 "2018-09-20T13:55:19Z")
To render it accurately in Spanish isn’t the word “un” missing? Because otherwise it just means “I am Willow”. ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3492 "2018-09-20T14:03:47Z")
Tell that to Ritchie Valens. 😉 ---
**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 20, 2018, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3493 "2018-09-20T14:13:57Z")
My high school Spanish knowledge should have kicked in earlier. Good job \*\*Mahaloth \*\* for asking the right questions. ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3494 "2018-09-20T14:23:10Z")
“In English?” was indeed the key question. Well done \*\*Mahaloth \*\*and **Bayaker**. Here’s another one: A man walks in to a bar. He pulls back a chair and adjusts the position of the table nearby, and opens one of the windows. He performs one more action and leaves the bar. The other patrons of the bar are happy with this, even though subsequently the man is punished for having opened the window. Why? ---
**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:** [September 20, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3495 "2018-09-20T14:35:19Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > My high school Spanish knowledge should have kicked in earlier. Good job \*\*Mahaloth \*\* for asking the right questions. Wait, so the answer was ‘soy sauce’? ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3496 "2018-09-20T14:56:30Z")
Yes, ‘soy sauce’ means ‘I am a willow tree’ in Spanish, or something CEFPP\*. - close enough for puzzle purposes ---
**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:** [September 20, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3497 "2018-09-20T17:43:13Z")
> [@hammos1](#): > > A man walks in to a bar. He pulls back a chair and adjusts the position of the table nearby, and opens one of the windows. He performs one more action and leaves the bar. The other patrons of the bar are happy with this, even though subsequently the man is punished for having opened the window. Why? Bar = drinking establishment? Do the other customers know the man? Do they agree with his eventual punishment? ---
**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 20, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3498 "2018-09-20T18:17:03Z")
Did the man open the window… for safety reasons? to let something out? to let something in? to allow people to see out? to allow people to see in? for weather related reasons? for the benefit of the people in the bar? for any reason having to do with sports? for a nefarious reason? to prepare for something that was about to happen? ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3499 "2018-09-20T19:35:45Z")
Did opening the window put anyone in danger, at least potentially? Was the bar inside a fixed structure, or a vehicle? Was the bar several floors above the ground? Did the man move the table closer to or farther away from the window? Did the man’s last action involve climbing up onto the table? Did someone else climb up onto the table? ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3500 "2018-09-20T19:59:17Z")
Replying to **kk\_fusion** : Bar = drinking establishment? **Yes** Do the other customers know the man? **Don’t know- probably some of them do?** Do they agree with his eventual punishment? **Yes** ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3501 "2018-09-20T20:01:58Z")
Replying to **Biotop** : Did the man open the window… for safety reasons? **No** to let something out? **Yes** to let something in? **No** to allow people to see out? **No** to allow people to see in? **No** for weather related reasons? **No** for the benefit of the people in the bar? **No** for any reason having to do with sports? **Yes** for a nefarious reason? **No** to prepare for something that was about to happen? **Yes** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=174) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=176)