# 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:** 54
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1061 "2017-08-23T21:14:04Z")
Who is next? I have a couple, but can wait my turn. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1062 "2017-08-23T21:59:06Z")
How is Xi pronounced anyway? Zee? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1063 "2017-08-23T22:09:41Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > How is Xi pronounced anyway? Zee? I think “Chi.” ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1064 "2017-08-23T22:32:25Z")
Or “Shee”. That’s also what it stands for in transliterated Aztec names. I think both are an artifact of Portuguese orthography, since the Portuguese were among the first Europeans to communicate with either civilization. This is also why we use the “-ese” suffix for the languages of China and Japan. EDIT: Oh, and I sure don’t have any ready. Go ahead, **Mahaloth**. Anyone who wants dibs on the next one should stake a claim now. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1065 "2017-08-23T23:08:11Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I think “Chi.” I lived in China two years and everyone said, “She”. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1066 "2017-08-23T23:09:52Z")
I searched the thread and did not see this one. If it is a repeat, let me know; I have another. **Jim shot himself because he heard a record skipping. Why?** ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1067 "2017-08-23T23:15:43Z")
1: Did he shoot himself with a gun? 2: Did he kill himself? 3: Did he injure himself? 4: Did he intend to shoot himself? 5: Did he know that what he heard was a record? 6: Did he know that it was skipping? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1068 "2017-08-23T23:18:46Z")
Did he intend to jostle the phonograph stylus with a bullet? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1069 "2017-08-23T23:21:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 1: Did he shoot himself with a gun? > 2: Did he kill himself? > 3: Did he injure himself? > 4: Did he intend to shoot himself? > 5: Did he know that what he heard was a record? > 6: Did he know that it was skipping? 1. Yes. 2. Yes. 3. Yes, fatally. 4. Yes. 5. Yes. 6. Yes. > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did he intend to jostle the phonograph stylus with a bullet? No. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1070 "2017-08-23T23:27:53Z")
Did he hold the world record for skipping? Did he shoot himself because he heard the record was broken? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1071 "2017-08-23T23:30:07Z")
1. Did he shoot himself within, let’s say, two minutes of hearing the record skip? 2. Was it crucial that in this instance the record play without skipping? 3. Was he responsible for the record skipping? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1072 "2017-08-23T23:35:06Z")
Probably too specific for this stage of the game, **Peter Morris**. 1: Was the record a phonograph record? 2: Was the skipping a jump in a phonograph needle, resulting in a portion of the recording being either repeated or omitted? And moving on, 3: Was Jim involved in the creation of the record? 4: Was Jim involved in the creation of the device used to play the record? 5: Was the record heard by others? 6: Did Jim expect that the record would be heard by others? 7: Did Jim shoot himself because of how he expected others would react to the record skipping? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1073 "2017-08-23T23:41:45Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did he hold the world record for skipping? > > Did he shoot himself because he heard the record was broken? 1. No. 2. Was he devastated the record had broken because the record meant so much to him? No. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > 1. Did he shoot himself within, let’s say, two minutes of hearing the record skip? > 2. Was it crucial that in this instance the record play without skipping? > 3. Was he responsible for the record skipping? 1. I’ll say yes(he at least began the “shooting himself” process. 2. Yes. 3. No. Records skip. It happens. > [@Chronos](#): > > 1: Was the record a phonograph record? > 2: Was the skipping a jump in a phonograph needle, resulting in a portion of the recording being either repeated or omitted? > > And moving on, > 3: Was Jim involved in the creation of the record? > 4: Was Jim involved in the creation of the device used to play the record? > 5: Was the record heard by others? > 6: Did Jim expect that the record would be heard by others? > 7: Did Jim shoot himself because of how he expected others would react to the record skipping? 1. Yes. 2. Yes, like [this video(only a sample of record skipping)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdTTqDGPEeg). 3. Yes. 4. No. 5. Yes. 6. Yes. 7. Yes. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1074 "2017-08-23T23:48:53Z")
- Was the record playing with the intention that it would deceive the listener? - Did Jim put the record on? ---
**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:** [August 24, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1075 "2017-08-24T00:03:21Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > - Was the record playing with the intention that it would deceive the listener? > > - Did Jim put the record on? 1. Yes 2. Yes ---
**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:** [August 24, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1076 "2017-08-24T00:15:01Z")
- Was it music on the record? or - Was it spoken word? ---
**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:** [August 24, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1077 "2017-08-24T00:22:59Z")
- Or some other noise or noises he’d recorded (since he made the record himself)? ---
**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:** [August 24, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1078 "2017-08-24T00:23:44Z")
Or: 1: Was it sounds other than music or words on the record? To sum up what we have so far: Jim created and played a record for other people to hear, with the intention of deceiving them in some way. Unfortunately for Jim, the record skipped, making it clear that it was a record and not live sound, which spoiled the deception. Jim anticipated that the other people would be greatly displeased with this, and would take out their displeasure on Jim, and so he decided to shoot himself instead. 2: Is that a fairly accurate summation? Any interesting details left to work out? ---
**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:** [August 24, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1079 "2017-08-24T00:26:28Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > - Was it music on the record? > > or > > - Was it spoken word? Yes and yes. > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > - Or some other noise or noises he’d recorded (since he made the record himself)? No. > [@Chronos](#): > > Or: > 1: Was it sounds other than music or words on the record? > > To sum up what we have so far: > Jim created and played a record for other people to hear, with the intention of deceiving them in some way. Unfortunately for Jim, the record skipped, making it clear that it was a record and not live sound, which spoiled the deception. Jim anticipated that the other people would be greatly displeased with this, and would take out their displeasure on Jim, and so he decided to shoot himself instead. > > 2: Is that a fairly accurate summation? Any interesting details left to work out? 1. No. 2. Yes, I think I’d like to hear more details about the situation. ---
**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:** [August 24, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1080 "2017-08-24T00:44:49Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > 1. Yes, I think I’d like to hear more details about the situation. - Is there anything else in the puzzle that might help us in guessing what that might be? - Does it matter that he’s called Jim? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=53) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=55)