# 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:** 81
**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 23, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1601 "2017-09-23T20:33:33Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Was the event astronomical in origin? Was it a solstice? Was it an equinox? Yes. The festival occurred every year to celebrate the event of the summer solstice. There are two forms of rock in the stone circle (band). This “rock group” was the headliner of the event. ---
**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 23, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1602 "2017-09-23T20:58:39Z")
I’m not sure how good this one is, but here we go. **There was a nation that reduced the number of casualties it suffered in war by developing a very simple, but kind of brilliant, device. What was the device?** ---
**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:** [September 23, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1603 "2017-09-23T21:21:13Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > There are two forms of rock in the stone circle (band). > > This “rock group” was the headliner of the event. And many are probably from the [same geological band too](http://www.history.com/news/new-study-reveals-source-of-stonehenge-rocks)! > [@Mahaloth](#): > > **There was a nation that reduced the number of casualties it suffered in war by developing a very simple, but kind of brilliant, device. What was the device?** Which era was this: Ancient? Medieval? Renaissance? Pre-modern? Modern? ---
**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 23, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1604 "2017-09-23T21:42:07Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > And many are probably from the [same geological band too](http://www.history.com/news/new-study-reveals-source-of-stonehenge-rocks)! > Which era was this: > > Ancient? > Medieval? > Renaissance? > Pre-modern? > Modern? Modern. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1605 "2017-09-23T22:00:34Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > **There was a nation that reduced the number of casualties it suffered in war by developing a very simple, but kind of brilliant, device. What was the device?** That was the Atomic Bomb, dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which saved tens or hundreds of thousands of Allied casualties. They were, fundamentally, simple devices. The difficult bit was refining the uranium. ---
**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 23, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1606 "2017-09-23T22:04:46Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > That was the Atomic Bomb, dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which saved tens or hundreds of thousands of Allied casualties. They were, fundamentally, simple devices. The difficult bit was refining the uranium. No. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1607 "2017-09-23T22:51:19Z")
Okay, can you clarify casualties? Do you mean stopping people from getting hurt or killed? Stopping people who had been hurt from dying? Rapid evacuation? If the last, is it a parachute? Was it the balloon evacuation system used by the US in Vietnam? ---
**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:** [September 23, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1608 "2017-09-23T23:16:24Z")
Y’know, I was actually thinking of Stonehenge (I saw a poster once labeled “England: Famous for its rock groups”), but for some reason ruled it out in my head. Moving on to the next one: Was the device an offensive weapon? Did the device enable a new form of combat tactic? Could the device have been made prior to 1900? Could the device have been used prior to 1900? Does the device have peaceful applications? Is the device still in use by the nation which developed it? Has use of the device been widely adopted by other nations? Was physics relevant in the development of the device? Was biology relevant in the development of the device? Was chemistry relevant in the development of the device? Was mathematics relevant in the development of the device? Can the device be used effectively by a single soldier? Can the device be used effectively by typical, minimally-trained soldiers? ---
**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 23, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1609 "2017-09-23T23:24:52Z")
I should have clarified that this is not an obvious answer. The reveal is something interesting, like most of these puzzles. I think so, anyway. > [@Quartz](#): > > Okay, can you clarify casualties? Do you mean stopping people from getting hurt or killed? Stopping people who had been hurt from dying? Rapid evacuation? > > If the last, is it a parachute? Was it the balloon evacuation system used by the US in Vietnam? Killed. No, not a parachute. No, not the balloon evacuation system. > [@Chronos](#): > > Y’know, I was actually thinking of Stonehenge (I saw a poster once labeled “England: Famous for its rock groups”), but for some reason ruled it out in my head. Moving on to the next one: > > Was the device an offensive weapon? NO > > Did the device enable a new form of combat tactic? NO > > Could the device have been made prior to 1900? NO > > Could the device have been used prior to 1900? NO > > Does the device have peaceful applications? YES(I am saying it could be used in peace-time, if that is what you mean. It did create peace, though). > > Is the device still in use by the nation which developed it? In some way, yes. > > Has use of the device been widely adopted by other nations? NO > > Was physics relevant in the development of the device? NO > > Was biology relevant in the development of the device? NO > > Was chemistry relevant in the development of the device? YES > > Was mathematics relevant in the development of the device? NO > > Can the device be used effectively by a single soldier? YES > > Can the device be used effectively by typical, minimally-trained soldiers? YES ---
**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:** [September 24, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1610 "2017-09-24T01:00:37Z")
Did the environment have something to do with the reduced casualties? ---
**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 24, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1611 "2017-09-24T01:15:44Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did the environment have something to do with the reduced casualties? The environment? I’m not sure what you mean by that. I’ll say 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:** [September 24, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1612 "2017-09-24T02:27:30Z")
- Could it also be for non-combatant civilian use, or would it be expected to be only in use by a military of some form or another? - Is it anything to do with mines - land or sea? ---
**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 24, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1613 "2017-09-24T02:32:11Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > - Could it also be for non-combatant civilian use, or would it be expected to be only in use by a military of some form or another? > - Is it anything to do with mines - land or sea? 1. This specific design of the item? Only for military use for sure. 2. No, nothing to do with mines land or sea. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1614 "2017-09-24T02:51:25Z")
Does use of the device involve a chemical reaction? Can the device fit in a normal-sized pocket? Does the device come in multiple sizes? Would a soldier use this device at a time when all the members of his unit are healthy and uninjured? Is the device available to members of the general public? If the answers to those are yes, yes, yes, no, yes, then I’m pretty sure I know what the device is. ---
**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 24, 2017, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1615 "2017-09-24T02:55:09Z")
For some reason would the device work better for the country that uses it rather than for some other country? Is the country that uses the device located in: North America? South America? Europe? Asia? Africa? ---
**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 24, 2017, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1616 "2017-09-24T03:08:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does use of the device involve a chemical reaction? YES > > Can the device fit in a normal-sized pocket? NO > > Does the device come in multiple sizes? NO(not then, anyway) > > Would a soldier use this device at a time when all the members of his unit are healthy and uninjured? YES > > Is the device available to members of the general public? Then? NO > > If the answers to those are yes, yes, yes, no, yes, then I’m pretty sure I know what the device is. > [@Biotop](#): > > For some reason would the device work better for the country that uses it rather than for some other country? NO > > Is the country that uses the device located in: > > North America? > South America? > Europe? > Asia? > Africa? Europe ---
**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:** [September 24, 2017, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1617 "2017-09-24T03:14:29Z")
Is the device medical in nature? ---
**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:** [September 24, 2017, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1618 "2017-09-24T03:22:55Z")
OK, so not superglue, then. I’ll have to think some more. ---
**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 24, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1619 "2017-09-24T03:27:05Z")
Is there a good reason other countries have not adopted this device? ---
**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:** [September 24, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1620 "2017-09-24T04:48:21Z")
Did the device protect against: - infantry small arms? - tanks/armored vehicles? - artillery? - aircraft? - ships? - submarines? - chemical/biological weapons? - or something else? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=80) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=82)