# Lateral Thinking Puzzles: Fourthcoming Mysteries **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [May 29, 2026, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468 "2026-05-29T01:30:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [October 4, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/61 "2026-10-04T21:00:48Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Is the fact that he was a pig farmer (and not, say, a wheat farmer or a cattle rancher) relevant? Yes. Could the same relevant thing have happened if he were a raiser of some other sort of livestock? Could the same relevant thing have happened with most varieties of livestock? ---
**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:** [October 4, 2026, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/62 "2026-10-04T21:33:09Z")
reply to Chronos: Could the same relevant thing have happened if he were a raiser of some other sort of livestock? Yes. Could the same relevant thing have happened with most varieties of livestock? Many varieties, but not most (answered after reading Wiki list of livestock). ---
**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:** [October 4, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/63 "2026-10-04T21:40:06Z")
Is there any other mammal it could have happened with? Could it have happened with sheep? …Cows? …Goats? Could it have happened with all mammals? Is there any bird it could have happened with? Chickens? Turkeys? Ducks? Ostriches? All birds? Is the diet of pigs relevant? Is the non-kosher (or halal) status of pigs relevant? ---
**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:** [October 4, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/64 "2026-10-04T22:23:21Z")
- > [@Chronos](#): > > Is there any other mammal it could have happened with? > Could it have happened with sheep? > …Cows? > …Goats? > Could it have happened with all mammals? > Is there any bird it could have happened with? > Chickens? > Turkeys? > Ducks? > Ostriches? > All birds? > > Is the diet of pigs relevant? > Is the non-kosher (or halal) status of pigs relevant? So the thing is, in this specific case it was a pig. That is why being a pig farmer is relevant. Had he not been a pig farmer, this incident almost surely would not have involved Charles. That said, what occurred could have happened in a variety of other ways, to a variety of other people in a variety of other professions, as long as the accident involved something like a 350 pound pig. The somewhat absurdness of a pig does add to the story IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/65 "2026-10-04T23:15:20Z")
Did a pig do something unexpected to cause this accident? Or did Charles cause it by doing something careless and/or stupid? Did some other person cause it? Or some combination of any or all of the above? Was the result of this incident something that Charles would have considered fortunate for him? ---
**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:** [October 4, 2026, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/66 "2026-10-04T23:41:36Z")
reply to dirtball: Did a pig do something unexpected to cause this accident? No. Or did Charles cause it by doing something careless and/or stupid? Yes. Did some other person cause it? No. Or some combination of any or all of the above? Mostly Charles seems responsible, if anyone is. Was the result of this incident something that Charles would have considered fortunate for him? No. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/67 "2026-10-05T00:47:42Z")
Was Charles mainly on the _Tonight Show_ to tell the story of his accident? Or for some other reason? Was anything invented or discovered as a result of the incident? Does it matter what Charles was trying to do with / to the pig? ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/68 "2026-10-05T01:19:47Z")
- reply to Fretful\_Porpentine: Was Charles mainly on the _Tonight Show_ to tell the story of his accident? No. Or for some other reason? Yes. Was anything invented or discovered as a result of the incident? No. Does it matter what Charles was trying to do with / to the pig? It does matter. But the pig is not ultimately why Charles was asked to go on “The Tonight Show.” ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/69 "2026-10-05T01:37:55Z")
Did Charles tell about the accident in response to a question from the host? Was Charles’ reason for appearance on the show related in any way to his pig-farming? Did Charles ever have any relevant job other than pig-farming? ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/70 "2026-10-05T01:47:16Z")
- reply to Chronos: Did Charles tell about the accident in response to a question from the host? Yes. Was Charles’ reason for appearance on the show related in any way to his pig-farming? No. Did Charles ever have any relevant job other than pig-farming? No. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/71 "2026-10-05T02:03:32Z")
Is there a reason that he’s on some decades later, like something that only became significant after many decades? ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/72 "2026-10-05T02:06:59Z")
Did the host, prior to asking the question, know that Charles had been a pig-farmer? If so, did his knowledge that he had been a pig-farmer influence the asking of the question? Did the host know about the specific incident he was asking about? Was the question something completely open-ended (like, say, “Tell me about the most interesting thing that ever happened to you”?) ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/73 "2026-10-05T02:18:13Z")
reply to Mahaloth: Is there a reason that he’s on some decades later, like something that only became significant after many decades? Not sure how to answer this. I certainly would say more significant after many decades, but not use the word “only”. On his wiki page I found a reference to recognition as early as 1936. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/74 "2026-10-05T02:25:29Z")
reply to Chronos: Did the host, prior to asking the question, know that Charles had been a pig-farmer? I would assume so. If so, did his knowledge that he had been a pig-farmer influence the asking of the question? Not specifically the profession, I guess. Did the host know about the specific incident he was asking about? Yes. Was the question something completely open-ended (like, say, “Tell me about the most interesting thing that ever happened to you”?) The question asked about what happened that day in 1922. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/75 "2026-10-05T12:03:41Z")
Did Charles become disabled as a result of the accident? If yes, is the nature of the disability relevant? ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/76 "2026-10-05T12:50:36Z")
- > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Did Charles become disabled as a result of the accident? If yes, is the nature of the disability relevant? Yes to both. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/77 "2026-10-05T14:28:44Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Yes to both. Was he disabled in a very unique way? Would we describe him as handicapped in the general sense? ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/78 "2026-10-05T16:32:20Z")
reply to Mahaloth: Was he disabled in a very unique way? Yes. Would we describe him as handicapped in the general sense? I don’t think so, I guess…? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/79 "2026-10-05T16:54:06Z")
Was Charles invited on the show because his disability made him in some way remarkable? Did he gain a skill as a result of the incident? Was the injury related to cognition or memory? ---
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468/80 "2026-10-05T17:46:36Z")
- reply to Cheesesteak: Was Charles invited on the show because his disability made him in some way remarkable? Yes. Did he gain a skill as a result of the incident? No. Was the injury related to cognition or memory? No. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-fourthcoming-mysteries/1030468.md?page=5)