# 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:** 96
**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:** [November 2, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1901 "2017-11-02T19:46:00Z")
Is the someone related to your parents? Would it matter to this someone when your parents died (aside from getting the inheritance quicker)? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1902 "2017-11-02T19:52:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is the someone related to your parents? **No.** > > Would it matter to this someone when your parents died (aside from getting the inheritance quicker)? **No**. Answers embedded. ---
**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:** [November 2, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1903 "2017-11-02T19:55:44Z")
Does this involve someone unborn? Is this situation something you would call common? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1904 "2017-11-02T20:05:39Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Does this involve someone unborn? **No.** > > Is this situation something you would call common? **No**. Answers embedded. ---
**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:** [November 2, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1905 "2017-11-02T22:20:06Z")
Is the someone who would benefit an individual? Is the someone who would benefit a small group of people (such as a nuclear family)? Is the someone who would benefit a large institution (such as a nonprofit organization or a university)? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1906 "2017-11-02T22:25:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is the someone who would benefit an individual?\*\* Yes, and would certainly share the benefits with their family.\*\* > > Is the someone who would benefit a small group of people (such as a nuclear family)?\*\* Yes, because benefits would be shared.\*\* > > Is the someone who would benefit a large institution (such as a nonprofit organization or a university)?\*\* No\*\*. Answers embedded. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1907 "2017-11-04T22:13:57Z")
Is the benefit financial? ---
**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:** [November 4, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1908 "2017-11-04T23:00:47Z")
Is property involved? Is entailed property involved? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1909 "2017-11-05T02:21:18Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is the benefit financial? **Yes**. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1910 "2017-11-05T02:22:21Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Is property involved? **Yes**. > > Is entailed property involved? **No**. Answers embedded. ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1911 "2017-11-05T11:23:26Z")
Would it matter to the beneficiary in which order your parents died? ---
**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:** [November 5, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1912 "2017-11-05T13:50:51Z")
Will this person inherit directly from your parents if they die? Are your parents due to inherit, unless they die first? And this person next in line to inherit? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1913 "2017-11-05T21:17:30Z")
> [@Ignotus](#): > > Would it matter to the beneficiary in which order your parents died? **No**. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1914 "2017-11-05T21:18:48Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Will this person inherit directly from your parents if they die? **No**. > > Are your parents due to inherit, unless they die first? **No**. And this person next in line to inherit? **No**. Answers embedded. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1915 "2017-11-05T21:40:08Z")
O.K., I just read through all of the questions and answers, and realized that I answered one question incorrectly. I don’t believe it will have a major impact on the puzzle (so don’t let it steer you too far astray), but in the interest of complete accuracy: > [@](#): > > Would this someone also benefit if someone other than your parents were murdered? Answer changed to **Yes**. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1916 "2017-11-05T22:46:17Z")
To benefit, would the person also have to murder you? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1917 "2017-11-06T00:00:05Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > To benefit, would the person also have to murder you? **No**. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1918 "2017-11-06T02:48:56Z")
Does this in any way involve charity? Is the specific financial gain money? Real estate? A valuable object(s)? Intellectual property? Would the parent murderer still benefit if he/she was caught? Are there other someone’s than the person you know who would also benefit from your parent’s murder for the same reason? Is the “someone” of the riddle a human being? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1919 "2017-11-06T03:01:16Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Does this in any way involve charity? **No.** > > Is the specific financial gain money? **Yes.** Real estate? **No.** A valuable object(s)? **No.** Intellectual property? **No.** > > Would the parent murderer still benefit if he/she was caught? **Probably, depending on how their affairs were handled while they were in prison.** > > Are there other someone’s than the person you know who would also benefit from your parent’s murder for the same reason?\*\* No. (Of course excepting the person’s immediate family who would share in the benefits as referenced in an earlier answer).\*\* > > Is the “someone” of the riddle a human being? **Yes.** Answers embedded. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/1920 "2017-11-06T11:52:22Z")
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