# 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:** 58
**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 30, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1141 "2017-08-30T02:16:38Z")
1: Did the man mistake one or more words for other words with the same spelling (such as “Bill”, being either a financial document or a shortened form of “William”)? 2: Did the man mistake one or more words for other words with different spelling but the same pronunciation? 3: Did the man mistake one or more words for other words with different spelling and pronunciation (such as “pediatrician” and “pedophile”)? ---
**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 30, 2017, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1142 "2017-08-30T02:34:47Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > - > 1. Was it a sign attached to the window, like a poster (as opposed to writing on the window itself)? > > - > 1. Was the writing or related to the shop being empty (like a “To Let” sign or other notice)? > > About the man’s anger - did he feel personally slighted: > > - > 1. as an individual (i.e. no-one else but him would have been enraged)? > > - > 1. as part of a group of individuals to which he belonged? > > - > 1. on behalf of another individual or group to which he did not belong? > > - > 1. on behalf of everybody? 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. Yes. 5. No. 6. No. > [@Chronos](#): > > 1: Did the man mistake one or more words for other words with the same spelling (such as “Bill”, being either a financial document or a shortened form of “William”)? > > 2: Did the man mistake one or more words for other words with different spelling but the same pronunciation? > > 3: Did the man mistake one or more words for other words with different spelling and pronunciation (such as “pediatrician” and “pedophile”)? 1. Yes. 2. No. 3. No. ---
**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 30, 2017, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1143 "2017-08-30T12:07:58Z")
Did the man think the wording mean something bad about his heritage? Did the man think the wording addressed him personally? Did the man think the wording meant something dangerous? ---
**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 30, 2017, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1144 "2017-08-30T12:31:31Z")
To sum up: A man sees writing on a window. Due to misinterpreting a homonym in the writing, he incorrectly interprets it as a slight against a group to which he belongs. As a result, he angrily smashes the window. Nobody’s very happy about this, but once he explains his interpretation, the shop owner and police understand his anger, and forgive him. 1: Is that correct? I think now all we need to figure out is what the writing said. 2: Is what we still need to figure out what the writing said? ---
**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 30, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1145 "2017-08-30T13:28:43Z")
Was it a tobacconist advertising fags? ---
**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 30, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1146 "2017-08-30T14:48:43Z")
To try to narrow down the slight against a group to which he belongs, is he related to this group: - by name? - by job? - by nationality/ethnicity? - by where he lives? - by political affiliation or belief system? - by something he likes (e.g. a hobby, sports team etc)? Also, - is the fact that the shop is empty of significance to understanding the scenario? ---
**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:** [August 30, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1147 "2017-08-30T15:18:58Z")
Is it a misunderstanding on how to group the letters together (e.g., kidsexchange, penisland, LAdrape, etc.) ---
**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 30, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1148 "2017-08-30T15:34:22Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did the man think the wording mean something bad about his heritage? > Did the man think the wording addressed him personally? > Did the man think the wording meant something dangerous? 1. Yes. 2. No. 3. Yes. > [@Chronos](#): > > To sum up: A man sees writing on a window. Due to misinterpreting a homonym in the writing, he incorrectly interprets it as a slight against a group to which he belongs. As a result, he angrily smashes the window. Nobody’s very happy about this, but once he explains his interpretation, the shop owner and police understand his anger, and forgive him. > > 1: Is that correct? > I think now all we need to figure out is what the writing said. > 2: Is what we still need to figure out what the writing said? 1. Yes. 2. Yes, and I think it is “figure-outable”. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was it a tobacconist advertising fags? 1. No. > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > To try to narrow down the slight against a group to which he belongs, is he related to this group: > > - by name? > - by job? > - by nationality/ethnicity? > - by where he lives? > - by political affiliation or belief system? > - by something he likes (e.g. a hobby, sports team etc)? > > Also, > > - is the fact that the shop is empty of significance to understanding the scenario? Name? No. Job? No. Nationality/ethnicity? Yes Where he lives? No Political affiliation or belief system? Yes Something he likes? No. > [@Folly](#): > > Is it a misunderstanding on how to group the letters together (e.g., kidsexchange, penisland, LAdrape, etc.) No. ---
**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 30, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1149 "2017-08-30T15:37:52Z")
He is related to the group by: - nationality? - ethnicity? - political affiliation? - religion? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1150 "2017-08-30T15:41:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Nationality/ethnicity? Yes Was the reference to: [ol] [li]Asian[/li][li]Hispanic[/li][li]European[/li][li]African/Black[/li][li]Southeast Asian[/li][/ol] > [@Mahaloth](#): > > Political affiliation or belief system? Yes Was the reference to: [ol] [li]Liberal[/li][li]Conservative[/li][li]Communist/Socialist[/li][li]Anarchist[/li][/ol] ---
**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:** [August 30, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1151 "2017-08-30T15:45:11Z")
Is it a jewelry store? ---
**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 30, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1152 "2017-08-30T18:00:06Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > He is related to the group by: > > - nationality? > - ethnicity? > - political affiliation? > - religion? Nationality? No. Ethnicity? Yes. Political? No. Religion? Yes. > [@Telemark](#): > > Was the reference to: > [ol] > [li]Asian[/li][li]Hispanic[/li][li]European[/li][li]African/Black[/li][li]Southeast Asian[/li][/ol] > > No to all. > > Was the reference to: > [ol] > [li]Liberal[/li][li]Conservative[/li][li]Communist/Socialist[/li][li]Anarchist[/li][/ol] No to all. > [@Folly](#): > > Is it a jewelry store? No. ---
**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 30, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1153 "2017-08-30T18:10:05Z")
So, religion: - Christianity? - Islam? - Hinduism? - Judaism? - Sikhism? - Buddhism? - Chinese traditional religion? - other? ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1154 "2017-08-30T18:56:04Z")
Was the word “Kosher” on the shop window? ---
**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 31, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1155 "2017-08-31T00:57:14Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > So, religion: > > - Christianity? > - Islam? > - Hinduism? > - Judaism? > - Sikhism? > - Buddhism? > - Chinese traditional religion? > - other? Judaism, yes. Everything else, no. > [@SykoSkotty](#): > > Was the word “Kosher” on the shop window? 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 31, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1156 "2017-08-31T01:50:02Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Judaism, yes. Kristallnacht ? ---
**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 31, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1157 "2017-08-31T02:03:43Z")
Did the sign include the following: 1. “Jew” 2. A slur for Jew 3. A word that appeared to be in Yiddish 4. A word that referenced God or other divine entity 5. A swastika 6. A different apparent reference to Nazism ---
**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 31, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1158 "2017-08-31T03:00:01Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Kristallnacht ? Is this a question? **No** , Kristallnacht was not written on the window. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Did the sign include the following: > > 1. “Jew” > 2. A slur for Jew > 3. A word that appeared to be in Yiddish > 4. A word that referenced God or other divine entity > 5. A swastika > 6. A different apparent reference to Nazism 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6. Yes. Kind of, anyway. ---
**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 31, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1159 "2017-08-31T03:01:02Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Kristallnacht ? Ah, I looked it up. My bad. No, it was not Kristallnacht. ---
**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 31, 2017, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1160 "2017-08-31T11:01:11Z")
Did the window display any of the following, or a homonym for any of the following: 1. Words in German? 2. A name of someone in the Nazi party? 3. The word “Nazi”? 4. Something about “National Socialist”? 5. An apparent reference to death camps? 6. An apparent reference to some other aspect of the Holocaust? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=57) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=59)