# 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:** 84
**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 26, 2017, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1661 "2017-09-26T02:20:25Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > As far as I read it: there are no current examples on the list. The last time there was no current example was over a hundred years ago. > > It took me a while to parse it too. Not clearly phrased, IMO. I will try and do better if I come up with another at some point. ---
**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 26, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1662 "2017-09-26T15:45:25Z")
I have tried to make one of my own and I apologize if this one blows: \*\*There is a very famous area that used to be very cool, but now it isn’t at all. In fact, it frequently stinks now. Almost nothing else has changed about this area, though. Where is it and what caused the change?\*\* I did my best(hope this one works OK). ---
**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:** [September 26, 2017, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1663 "2017-09-26T15:52:03Z")
Some place that was cold a million years ago, and is now warm? Continental drift? Climate change? ---
**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 26, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1664 "2017-09-26T15:53:35Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Some place that was cold a million years ago, and is now warm? > > Continental drift? > > Climate change? No to all. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1665 "2017-09-26T16:13:58Z")
Was it \*cool \*the same sense that the Fonz is cool? Does \*cool \*refer to temperature? ---
**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:** [September 26, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1666 "2017-09-26T16:15:53Z")
Does cool refer to temperature? Is the area warm now? Does stink refer to detection by the olfactory organs in humans? ---
**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 26, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1667 "2017-09-26T16:26:07Z")
Is this political? ---
**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 26, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1668 "2017-09-26T16:39:12Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was it \*cool \*the same sense that the Fonz is cool? > > Does \*cool \*refer to temperature? It’s temperature. > [@Folly](#): > > Does cool refer to temperature? YES > Is the area warm now? YES > Does stink refer to detection by the olfactory organs in humans? YES > [@Quartz](#): > > Is this political? No. 😕 ---
**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:** [September 26, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1669 "2017-09-26T17:06:12Z")
Is the stink sulfurous compounds? ---
**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 26, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1670 "2017-09-26T17:11:47Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Is the stink sulfurous compounds? 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:** [September 26, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1671 "2017-09-26T17:12:24Z")
When it was cool, was it artificially refrigerated? Was it used as a storage for food? Is the stink something rotting? ---
**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 26, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1672 "2017-09-26T17:13:42Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > When it was cool, was it artificially refrigerated? > > Was it used as a storage for food? > > Is the stink something rotting? No to all. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1673 "2017-09-26T17:27:48Z")
Did it stop being cool : - within the last 10 years ? - 10 to 25 years ago ? - 25 to 100 years ago ? - 100 to 300 years ago ? - more than 300 years ago? - in prehistoric times? - geological eras ago? ---
**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 26, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1674 "2017-09-26T17:51:14Z")
Are humans responsible for the stink? ---
**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:** [September 26, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1675 "2017-09-26T17:57:06Z")
Is the area a geographical area? ---
**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 26, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1676 "2017-09-26T18:23:33Z")
Was a pig farm established in that area? ---
**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 26, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1677 "2017-09-26T20:20:24Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did it stop being cool : > > - within the last 10 years ? YES > - 10 to 25 years ago ? YES > - 25 to 100 years ago ? YES > - 100 to 300 years ago ? NO > - more than 300 years ago? NO > - in prehistoric times? NO > - geological eras ago? NO > [@Biotop](#): > > Are humans responsible for the stink? YES, I think so. > [@Folly](#): > > Is the area a geographical area? I’ll say NO since it’s more helpful to say no. Everywhere is kind of a geographical area, but I would not categorize this or think of it as one firstly. > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Was a pig farm established in that area? No. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1678 "2017-09-26T20:37:47Z")
Did the area catch on fire between the time it was cool and 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:** [September 26, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1679 "2017-09-26T20:40:21Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Did the area catch on fire between the time it was cool and now? No, I don’t believe so. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1680 "2017-09-26T20:43:59Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Is the area a geographical area? > [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’ll say NO since it’s more helpful to say no. Everywhere is kind of a geographical area, but I would not categorize this or think of it as one firstly. There’s an area of my brain dedicated to coordination and balance. 🙂 …but I get your point, thanks! There is no trickiness to the word area. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=83) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=85)