# 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:** 110
**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:** [February 12, 2020, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2181 "2020-02-12T23:55:34Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Was the victim’s car an automobile? > > YES > > If so, did the victim stop in the middle of nowhere because of car trouble? > > NO > > Does the victim have any prostheses? > > NO kk ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2182 "2020-02-13T00:17:51Z")
Was the thing the snake previously bit an animal of some sort? Did the reason for the man getting out of his car involve the snake? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2183 "2020-02-13T01:48:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was the thing the snake previously bit an animal of some sort? > > YES > Did the reason for the man getting out of his car involve the snake? > > NO No huge mysteries left if someone wants to put it together. Not the best puzzle, but I think you guys have 90% of it. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2184 "2020-02-13T12:01:02Z")
What? We have to guess the animal? Well, wild animal? Pet? Cattle? Person? Bird? Lizard? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2185 "2020-02-13T13:26:21Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > What? We have to guess the animal? > Well, wild animal? > Pet? > Cattle? > Person? > Bird? > Lizard? I think we’ll just call it so someone can come along with another. \*\*The guy saw a stampede of cows going across the road and stopped. The cows had partially stampeded a snake, which bit them repeatedly(using up its venom). It then bit him, but was dry. We went over to the field the next morning and saw several dead cows and figured out what had happened. Lucky guy. \*\* Not the best, but as I said, I can never figure out what will work and what will be a dud. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2186 "2020-02-13T13:45:37Z")
All right, let me try one. I figure it should be a quickie. **Getting a business MBA should be a happy day for most people, but when Colby got his, he not only didn’t care at all, he never used it. Why didn’t he?** ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2187 "2020-02-13T14:25:07Z")
Was it awarded posthumously? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2188 "2020-02-13T14:34:36Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Was it awarded posthumously? NO ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2189 "2020-02-13T16:11:57Z")
I never used the degree I finally got in Industrial Engineering after changing my major several times. Did Colby change his degree prior to Business? Was Colby considerably older than the usual MBA grad? Had Colby already thrived in another field? Did Colby get tired of saying “You want fries with that?” ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2190 "2020-02-13T16:20:42Z")
Did he earn the degree (in the sense of completing all the coursework and other requirements)? (As opposed to, say, its having been bestowed on him by accident, because he and the actual candidate had the same name…) And does MBA here stand for Master of Business Administration? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2191 "2020-02-13T16:28:50Z")
> [@knowed out](#): > > did colby change his degree prior to business? no. > [@knowed out](#): > > was colby considerably older than the usual mba grad? no > [@knowed out](#): > > had colby already thrived in another field? no > [@knowed out](#): > > did colby get tired of saying “you want fries with that?” no > [@ulf the unwashed](#): > > did he earn the degree (in the sense of completing all the coursework and other requirements)? no > [@ulf the unwashed](#): > > and does mba here stand for master of business administration? yes ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2192 "2020-02-13T16:44:12Z")
Okay, was he given the degree as a result of a mixup of some kind (such as the one I mentioned, a confusion in names)? Did someone buy him the degree/bribe university officials to give him the degree? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2193 "2020-02-13T16:53:46Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Okay, was he given the degree as a result of a mixup of some kind (such as the one I mentioned, a confusion in names)? No. > [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Did someone buy him the degree/bribe university officials to give him the degree? Yes. But that still doesn’t answer the question. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2194 "2020-02-13T17:03:16Z")
This one was in the previous thread, but I won’t reveal in case people want to keep going. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2195 "2020-02-13T17:04:42Z")
Was it an online MBA? Was Colby a real person? (In the context of this puzzle, I mean, as opposed to a made-up name, somebody’s dog, a Colby cheese, etc. – I’m not asking whether this is a true story in real life.) Was Colby aware that he was enrolled in the program? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2196 "2020-02-13T17:06:17Z")
(popping in shamelessly cutting in; I have not read every other Q) Is it like Shaquille O’Neal who got his degree, Masters, and PhD after he had made millions in the NBA? He did get the degree, but never used them or needed to because he was worth big bucks by then. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2197 "2020-02-13T17:22:23Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Was it an online MBA? No. > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Was Colby a real person? (In the context of this puzzle, I mean, as opposed to a made-up name, somebody’s dog, a Colby cheese, etc. – I’m not asking whether this is a true story in real life.) No. > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Was Colby aware that he was enrolled in the program? No. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > (popping in shamelessly cutting in; I have not read every other Q) > > Is it like Shaquille O’Neal who got his degree, Masters, and PhD after he had made millions in the NBA? He did get the degree, but never used them or needed to because he was worth big bucks by then. No. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2198 "2020-02-13T17:35:56Z")
Was Colby a monkey? A wheel of cheese? Crash test dummy? Skeleton? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2199 "2020-02-13T17:49:06Z")
Was Colby somebody’s pet? For instance, someone is trying to embarrass officials at a third-rate program and signs her cat Colby up for the program…Colby not only gets admitted with very low GRE scores (like nonexistent) but winds up passing through the program with a huge donation? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2200 "2020-02-13T17:52:27Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > This one was in the previous thread, but I won’t reveal in case people want to keep going. Yup, I remember it too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=109) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=111)