# Lateral Thinking Puzzles. Let's do it again! **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [October 23, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193 "2019-10-23T21:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 102
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2021 "2020-01-30T13:52:25Z")
Okay, let me make sure there’s no wordplay. Is Joe a human male? Is the compliment something an impartial listener would think it’s a nice thing to say to somebody? Is the compliment something that Joe thought a nice thing to say? Is the compliment something that Joe’s wife thought was a nice thing to say? Was the compliment about her appearance? Another sense-related thing (Her smell, the sound of her voice, the smoothness of her skin…)? About her personality? About some activity she was doing or had been doing? About something indirectly related to her? is “his wife” a human female? Are they legally married according to the marriage laws in the country they reside? By “invited”, do you mean Joe asked her to go willingly with him to her favorite restaurant? Was there more people in the conversation? Was there more people going with them? Was Joe and her wife relationship stable? Did Joe want to break things off? Did Joe’s wife want to break up? With “slapped” you mean her hand contacted his face at enough speed to cause pain? Was the intent behind the slap to cause pain to Joe? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2022 "2020-01-30T15:14:45Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > If Joe had suggested a different restaurant, would she have slapped him? > > POSSIBLY…but maybe NO > > If Joe hadn’t complimented her would she have slapped him? > > NO > > If Joe had used a different compliment would she have slapped him? > > YES, most likely > [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Okay, let me make sure there’s no wordplay. > > NO WORDPLAY > > Is Joe a human male? > > YES > > Is the compliment something an impartial listener would think it’s a nice thing to say to somebody? > > YES > > Is the compliment something that Joe thought a nice thing to say? > > YES > > Is the compliment something that Joe’s wife thought was a nice thing to say? > > YES > > Was the compliment about her appearance? > > YES > > Another sense-related thing (Her smell, the sound of her voice, the smoothness of her skin…)? > > NO > > About her personality? > > NO > > About some activity she was doing or had been doing? > > NO > > About something indirectly related to her? > > NO > > is “his wife” a human female? > > YES > > Are they legally married according to the marriage laws in the country they reside? > > YES > > By “invited”, do you mean Joe asked her to go willingly with him to her favorite restaurant? > > YES > > Was there more people in the conversation? > > NO > > Was there more people going with them? > > NO > > Was Joe and her wife relationship stable? > > NO > > Did Joe want to break things off? > > NO > > Did Joe’s wife want to break up? > > MAYBE? I’M NOT SURE > > With “slapped” you mean her hand contacted his face at enough speed to cause pain? > > YES > > Was the intent behind the slap to cause pain to Joe? > YES No wordplay as previously stated. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2023 "2020-01-30T15:55:50Z")
If Joe complimented her without suggesting a restaurant, would she have slapped him? If Joe hadn’t complemented her, would she have been happy/willing to go to the restaurant? ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2024 "2020-01-30T16:29:09Z")
Was what Joe thought was her favorite restaurant actually her favorite restaurant? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2025 "2020-01-30T17:27:25Z")
Is Joe having an affair? ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2026 "2020-01-30T19:01:55Z")
Did Joe do something that his wife thought was wrong, but he thought was acceptable? Did Joe’s Joe’s wife _think_ he did something wrong, but he didn’t actually do it? Did the couple have a conversation beforehand that set up Joe’s comments to be interpreted as offensive by his wife? Did he say things sarcastically? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2027 "2020-01-30T19:14:06Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > If Joe complimented her without suggesting a restaurant, would she have slapped him? > > Possibly, but I bet NO. > > If Joe hadn’t complemented her, would she have been happy/willing to go to the restaurant? > > YES. > [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Was what Joe thought was her favorite restaurant actually her favorite restaurant? YES > [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Is Joe having an affair? Well, he’s **NOT** faithful. Let’s start with that. > [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Did Joe do something that his wife thought was wrong, but he thought was acceptable? > > NO(I think NO, anyway) > > Did Joe’s Joe’s wife _think_ he did something wrong, but he didn’t actually do it? > > YES AND NO. (sorry!) > > Did the couple have a conversation beforehand that set up Joe’s comments to be interpreted as offensive by his wife? > > NO > > Did he say things sarcastically? > > NO I’m laughing as I answer these because they are legit difficult to answer. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2028 "2020-01-30T19:23:07Z")
Did Joe compliment… Her body? Her hair? Her clothes? Her complements (say, earrings)? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2029 "2020-01-30T19:30:16Z")
Did Joe use a name that was not his wife’s name? ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2030 "2020-01-30T20:03:09Z")
Did Joe identify the restaurant by name? Or, did he say something his wife found offensive or upsetting to identify it? (Like, the place with the hot waitress, or the place where X works?) ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2031 "2020-01-30T20:24:45Z")
Does the type of restaurant (italian, sushi, steakhouse, etc.) matter? Did Joe go to the restaurant without his wife’s knowledge while being unfaithful? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2032 "2020-01-30T20:30:48Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Did Joe compliment… > > Her body? > > YES > > Her hair? > > NO > > Her clothes? > > NO > > Her complements (say, earrings)? > > NO > [@Folly](#): > > Did Joe use a name that was not his wife’s name? NO, thought that _would_ be an issue! > [@eschrodinger](#): > > Did Joe identify the restaurant by name? > > YES > > Or, did he say something his wife found offensive or upsetting to identify it? (Like, the place with the hot waitress, or the place where X works?) > > NAME > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Does the type of restaurant (italian, sushi, steakhouse, etc.) matter? > > NO > Did Joe go to the restaurant without his wife’s knowledge while being unfaithful? > > PROBABLY. Almost certainly YES. kk ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2033 "2020-01-30T21:39:53Z")
Did the combination of the compliment and restaurant suggestion make Joe’s wife think that he was being unfaithful again? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2034 "2020-01-30T22:28:49Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Did the combination of the compliment and restaurant suggestion make Joe’s wife think that he was being unfaithful again? NO ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2035 "2020-01-30T22:31:52Z")
Was Joe’s wife angry at him before he talked about the restaurant? Did the slap happened immediately after the mention of the restaurant? Is this a true story? Is it fiction? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2020, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2036 "2020-01-30T22:49:21Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Was Joe’s wife angry at him before he talked about the restaurant? > > YES, in general. Not enough to slap him, but she was upset at least somewhat. > > Did the slap happened immediately after the mention of the restaurant? > > YES > > Is this a true story? > > NO(but it has some basis in something that happened) > > Is it fiction? > > YES, though again, it has some basis on something that happened. OK ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2037 "2020-01-30T23:56:10Z")
Was the wife angry at Joe’s infidelity? ---
**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:** [January 31, 2020, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2038 "2020-01-31T00:17:51Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Was the wife angry at Joe’s infidelity? YES ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2039 "2020-01-31T18:24:27Z")
Is the fact that his name is Joe significant? Is the specific day this is happening significant? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2040 "2020-01-31T18:36:38Z")
Is where the slap actually happened relevant? Is when the slap happened relevant? Is what the wife was doing not long before the slap relevant? Is what Joe was doing not long before the compliment relevant? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=101) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=103)