# 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:** 33
**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 19, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/641 "2017-07-19T14:56:58Z")
1. Does the uniform have anything to do with the answer? 2. Does the island have anything to with the answer? 3. Does the man have some kind of nerve condition that prevents him from feeling pain? 4. Is he paralyzed or suffering some condition that prevents him from moving? 5. Has the cig been altered in some way? 6. Does the letter have some kind of substance coated on 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:** [July 19, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/642 "2017-07-19T15:43:04Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > 1. Does the uniform have anything to do with the answer? > 2. Does the island have anything to with the answer? > 3. Does the man have some kind of nerve condition that prevents him from feeling pain? > 4. Is he paralyzed or suffering some condition that prevents him from moving? > 5. Has the cig been altered in some way? > 6. Does the letter have some kind of substance coated on it? 1. Yes. 2. Yes. 3. Yes. 4. No. 5. No. 6. 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 19, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/643 "2017-07-19T15:50:37Z")
Is he crying due to the cigarette burning his hand? Is he crying due to something he read in the letter? Is his crying due to negative emotions? Is his crying due to positive emotions? Is his crying due to emotions which cannot be easily categorized as negative or positive? Is his crying due to some non-emotional cause (such as cigarette smoke getting in his eyes)? Is his nerve condition leprosy? Is the beach at or in close proximity to a leper colony? Is his uniform military? Is his uniform for a government-run organization? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/644 "2017-07-19T16:07:50Z")
1. Is the letter in an envelope? 2. Is the letter in a bottle? 3. Has he read this letter before? ---
**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 19, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/645 "2017-07-19T16:36:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is he crying due to the cigarette burning his hand? > Is he crying due to something he read in the letter? > Is his crying due to negative emotions? > Is his crying due to positive emotions? > Is his crying due to emotions which cannot be easily categorized as negative or positive? > Is his crying due to some non-emotional cause (such as cigarette smoke getting in his eyes)? > > Is his nerve condition leprosy? > Is the beach at or in close proximity to a leper colony? > Is his uniform military? > Is his uniform for a government-run organization? 1. No. 2. Yes. 3. Yes. 4. No. 5. No. 6. No. 7. Yes. 8. Yes. 9. No. 10. No, I don’t think so. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > 1. Is the letter in an envelope? > 2. Is the letter in a bottle? > 3. Has he read this letter before? 1. It was. 2. No. 3. No. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/646 "2017-07-19T16:39:35Z")
So we have a dude in uniform who has leprosy, who is at a leper colony, reading a letter and crying. 1. Uniform of a leper at the colony? 2. Uniform of a guard at the colony? 3. Letter tells him he must remain at colony? ---
**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 19, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/647 "2017-07-19T16:48:27Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > So we have a dude in uniform who has leprosy, who is at a leper colony, reading a letter and crying. > > 1. Uniform of a leper at the colony? > 2. Uniform of a guard at the colony? > 3. Letter tells him he must remain at colony? 1. No. 2. Yes(attendant, actually). 3. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/648 "2017-07-19T18:12:45Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > 1. No. > 2. Yes(attendant, actually). > 3. Yes. Is there more to it than that? ---
**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 19, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/649 "2017-07-19T18:38:07Z")
I guess it’s solved. Leprosy attendant receives a letter that he now has leprosy. Next! ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/650 "2017-07-19T22:52:21Z")
It’s interesting how many of the puzzles presented on this thread rely on increasingly-outdated cultural knowledge. Leper colonies, newspaper headlines, trains in tunnels, etc. I’m not advocating that future puzzles should be emoji-focused or anything, but … it’s interesting. ---
**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 19, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/651 "2017-07-19T23:30:39Z")
Beulah died in the Appalachians, while Craig died at sea. Everyone was much happier with Craig’s death. Whyizdat? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/652 "2017-07-19T23:38:27Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Beulah died in the Appalachians, while Craig died at sea. Everyone was much happier with Craig’s death. Whyizdat? Craig was kind of a dick. ---
**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 19, 2017, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/653 "2017-07-19T23:49:29Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Craig was kind of a dick. 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 20, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/654 "2017-07-20T00:29:12Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Beulah died in the Appalachians, while Craig died at sea. Everyone was much happier with Craig’s death. Whyizdat? 1. Is the location of their deaths what makes people happier with Craig’s? 2. Did both die of natural causes? 3. Were either murdered? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/655 "2017-07-20T00:33:29Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Beulah died in the Appalachians, while Craig died at sea. Everyone was much happier with Craig’s death. Whyizdat? Just FYI I’m gonna stick with my original theory. Seriously, fuck Craig. That said, I’ll play along :). 1. Are they both human? 2. Did the same people know them both? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/656 "2017-07-20T00:37:25Z")
I’m gonna guess. They were hurricanes? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/657 "2017-07-20T00:54:57Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I’m gonna guess. > > They were hurricanes? Ooh. If that’s not right, it should be. ---
**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 20, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/658 "2017-07-20T01:34:33Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Ooh. If that’s not right, it should be. I’m going to upvote that being right. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/659 "2017-07-20T02:13:14Z")
They were flying a two-person aircraft which got into difficulty and they had to bail out with parachutes. Craig landed in the sea, where he was stung by a jellyfish, nibbled at by sharks and finally eaten by a giant sea monster, while Beulah landed amid some moonshiners in the Cahulawassee River valley. ---
**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 20, 2017, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/660 "2017-07-20T02:34:32Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > 1. Is the location of their deaths what makes people happier with Craig’s? > > 2. Did both die of natural causes? > > 3. Were either murdered? 1. Yes 2. Yes 3. No [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=32) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=34)