# 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:** 19
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/361 "2017-07-15T22:32:23Z")
Is the man in the mask an exterminator? ---
**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 15, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/362 "2017-07-15T22:51:43Z")
1. Is it important to understand how “the man” knows the man in the mask was at home? How the man knows is something that can be known. 2. Is the man afraid of what the man in the mask will do to him? Yes. 3. Is the man in the mask a murderer? No. 4. Is the man in the mask known personally to the man? Yes. 5. Is the man right to be afraid of the man in the mask? Yes. Is the man in the mask an exterminator? No. ---
**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 15, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/363 "2017-07-15T22:56:28Z")
Oh, and if anyone does happen to already know one of these, but wants to participate, go ahead and answer questions, since the game works better with rapid turnaround. If you answer wrong, I’ll just correct the answer (and maybe you don’t know it after all). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/364 "2017-07-15T23:06:24Z")
Is the man in the mask a doctor? (or any kind of medical professional) Is the man in the mask the Lone Ranger? ---
**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 15, 2017, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/365 "2017-07-15T23:09:06Z")
1. Is the job of the man important? 2. Is the job of the man in the mask important? 3. Are they both real living human beings? 4. Is it nighttime? 5. Is the man outside his house? 6. Have the two met before? 7. Is Halloween involved at all? ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/366 "2017-07-15T23:10:06Z")
1. Was the mask a face of a person? 2. If so, was it a face the man recognized? 3. (in case both are no) Is the man in a mask a superhero? ---
**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 15, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/367 "2017-07-15T23:23:03Z")
1. Is it important to understand how “the man” knows the man in the mask was at home? How the man knows is something that can be known. 2. Is the man afraid of what the man in the mask will do to him? Yes. 3. Is the man in the mask a murderer? No. 4. Is the man in the mask known personally to the man? Yes. 5. Is the man right to be afraid of the man in the mask? Yes. Is the man in the mask an exterminator? No. Is the man in the mask a doctor? (or any kind of medical professional) No. Is the man in the mask the Lone Ranger? No. 1. Is the job of the man important? Yes. 2. Is the job of the man in the mask important? Yes. 3. Are they both real living human beings? Yes. 4. Is it nighttime? Unknown. 5. Is the man outside his house? Yes. 6. Have the two met before? Yes. 7. Is Halloween involved at all? No. 8. Was the mask a face of a person? No. 9. If so, was it a face the man recognized? N/A 10. (in case both are no) Is the man in a mask a superhero? 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:** [July 15, 2017, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/368 "2017-07-15T23:40:27Z")
1. Are the two men enemies? 2. Is anything about the situation illegal? 3. Is the man’s life at risk? 4. Is the type of mask important? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/369 "2017-07-15T23:46:30Z")
1. Is his home a house? 2. Does “home” refer to something besides going to his residence? ---
**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 15, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/370 "2017-07-15T23:47:00Z")
1. Is it important to understand how “the man” knows the man in the mask was at home? How the man knows is something that can be known. 2. Is the man afraid of what the man in the mask will do to him? Yes. 3. Is the man in the mask a murderer? No. 4. Is the man in the mask known personally to the man? Yes. 5. Is the man right to be afraid of the man in the mask? Yes. Is the man in the mask an exterminator? No. Is the man in the mask a doctor? (or any kind of medical professional) No. Is the man in the mask the Lone Ranger? No. 1. Is the job of the man important? Yes. 2. Is the job of the man in the mask important? Yes. 3. Are they both real living human beings? Yes. 4. Is it nighttime? Unknown. 5. Is the man outside his house? Yes. 6. Have the two met before? Yes. 7. Is Halloween involved at all? No. 8. Was the mask a face of a person? No. 9. If so, was it a face the man recognized? N/A 10. (in case both are no) Is the man in a mask a superhero? No. 11. Are the two men enemies? No. 12. Is anything about the situation illegal? No. 13. Is the man’s life at risk? No. 14. Is the type of mask important? Yes. 1. Is his home a house? Unknown. 2. Does “home” refer to something besides going to his residence? 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:** [July 15, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/371 "2017-07-15T23:53:41Z")
I have a guess. Is it a “home plate” and the masked man is the catcher or umpire? ---
**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 16, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/372 "2017-07-16T00:00:45Z")
Yup. That one was pretty much done for as soon as **RivkahChaya** asked whether it was a residence. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/373 "2017-07-16T00:01:16Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I have a guess. > > Is it a “home plate” and the masked man is the catcher or umpire? Has to be the catcher (holding the ball), right? The man is a base runner and doesn’t want to get tagged out. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/374 "2017-07-16T00:03:18Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I have a guess. > > Is it a “home plate” and the masked man is the catcher or umpire? I was thinking the same thing, but I was waiting for the answers to my questions. I’ll bet that’s it. ---
**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 16, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/375 "2017-07-16T00:34:06Z")
I was really hoping someone would ask “Would the man be safe if he went home?”, because I could honestly answer that one “no”. ---
**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 16, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/376 "2017-07-16T00:37:08Z")
OK, next up. Since you guys are so good at these, here’s a very involved one, with a lot of details to be worked out before it can be considered solved. A man sees that a restaurant has seagull stew on the menu. He goes in and orders a bowl. After one taste, he goes home and kills himself. Why? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/377 "2017-07-16T00:41:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, next up. Since you guys are so good at these, here’s a very involved one, with a lot of details to be worked out before it can be considered solved. > > A man sees that a restaurant has seagull stew on the menu. He goes in and orders a bowl. After one taste, he goes home and kills himself. Why? He once was in a plane or ship wreck, and was served “seagull” stew. It didn’t taste anything like what he just ate, so now he thinks he participated in cannibalism. ---
**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 16, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/378 "2017-07-16T00:47:02Z")
OK, **Rivkah** knows this one. Don’t look at her spoiler if you don’t want to be spoiled. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/379 "2017-07-16T00:48:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, **Rivkah** knows this one. Don’t look at her spoiler if you don’t want to be spoiled. No, that was an honest guess. ---
**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 16, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/380 "2017-07-16T00:53:37Z")
Well, you know it now, anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=20)