# 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:** 113
**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 18, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2241 "2020-02-18T17:26:47Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Was the thing they learned about the suspect… > > A physical or mental disability or illness of some sort? > > NO > > A physical trait that is not usually considered a disability? (E.g., blood type, height, left-handedness, etc.) > > NO > > A skill the suspect did not have? (E.g., the suspect can’t drive, and the murders must have been committed by someone who could?) > > NO > > A skill the suspect DID have? (I’m not even sure what an example of this would be, but who knows…) > > NO > > Some aspect of the suspect’s background or past? > > YES > > There is a real perpetrator out there, correct, even though this particular suspect is innocent? > > YES. > > If yes, is there some (relevant) reason Detective Smith did not continue the investigation until the real perpetrator was caught? > > YES - Note: investigations may have continued, but in a dramatically different way. This investigation did not continue; I am assuming some investigations did continue. Hard to explain… > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Was there a physical attribute of the suspect that proved he couldn’t have been the murderer? > Gender? > Mental? > Age? > Other? NO ---
**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 18, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2242 "2020-02-18T17:48:43Z")
Was the suspect one of a set of identical twins? ---
**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 18, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2243 "2020-02-18T18:55:01Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Was the suspect one of a set of identical twins? 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:** [February 18, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2244 "2020-02-18T19:05:42Z")
Was there anything unusual or noteworthy about the suspect? Was there some sort of alibi for the suspect? ---
**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 18, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2245 "2020-02-18T20:24:41Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Was there anything unusual or noteworthy about the suspect? > > Was there some sort of alibi for the suspect? YES to both. ---
**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 18, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2246 "2020-02-18T20:54:10Z")
Was the unusual thing about the subject (at least in part) a genetic trait? Was the unusual thing about the subject (at least in part) an acquired trait? ---
**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 18, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2247 "2020-02-18T20:58:09Z")
Mahaloth, I asked you “Was there a physical attribute of the suspect that proved he couldn’t have been the murderer? Gender? Mental? Age? Other?” and you said no. Yet, you said yes to Go\_Arachnid\_Laser’s “Was there anything unusual or noteworthy about the suspect?” Clarify if you would. ---
**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 18, 2020, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2248 "2020-02-18T21:18:39Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Mahaloth, I asked you “Was there a physical attribute of the suspect that proved he couldn’t have been the murderer? Gender? Mental? Age? Other?” and you said no. Yet, you said yes to Go\_Arachnid\_Laser’s “Was there anything unusual or noteworthy about the suspect?” Clarify if you would. It’s probably something about the suspect’s lifestyle? His work? His friends? His hobbies? The place he was living at the moment? Something cultural? His religion? His sex life? Addictions? ---
**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 18, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2249 "2020-02-18T22:23:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was the unusual thing about the subject (at least in part) a genetic trait? > Was the unusual thing about the subject (at least in part) an acquired trait? NO - though could you define acquired trait for me? I want to make sure I understand what you mean. > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Mahaloth, I asked you “Was there a physical attribute of the suspect that proved he couldn’t have been the murderer? Gender? Mental? Age? Other?” and you said no. Yet, you said yes to Go\_Arachnid\_Laser’s “Was there anything unusual or noteworthy about the suspect?” Clarify if you would. I stand by my answer. I don’t see what to clarify. Please feel free to ask again in different wording if you like and I will happily answer again. > [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > It’s probably something about the suspect’s lifestyle? > > YES > > His work? > > YES > > His friends? > > NO > > His hobbies? > > NO > > The place he was living at the moment? > > NO > > Something cultural? > > NO > > His religion? > > NO > > His sex life? > > NO > > Addictions? > > NO yep ---
**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:** [February 18, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2250 "2020-02-18T22:46:06Z")
Did he have a work-based alibi? Was he connected to the victims by forensic evidence, but it was explained by his profession? Was he connected in some other way, not by forensic evidence, but it was explained by his profession? Did police have a DNA profile they thought was the perpetrator’s, but then when the profile was connected to the suspect, it became clear they were not the actual perpetrator? ---
**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 18, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2251 "2020-02-18T23:06:25Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > Did he have a work-based alibi? > > YES, I guess you could say that. > > Was he connected to the victims by forensic evidence, but it was explained by his profession? > > YES > > Was he connected in some other way, not by forensic evidence, but it was explained by his profession? > > NO > > Did police have a DNA profile they thought was the perpetrator’s, but then when the profile was connected to the suspect, it became clear they were not the actual perpetrator? > > YES kk ---
**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 18, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2252 "2020-02-18T23:39:11Z")
Was the suspect in the crime scenes? Was he a forensics expert? Oh, god, he wasn’t some coroner boinking the bodies, was he? ---
**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 18, 2020, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2253 "2020-02-18T23:50:13Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Was the suspect in the crime scenes? > > Was he a forensics expert? > > Oh, god, he wasn’t some coroner boinking the bodies, was he? No to everything. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2254 "2020-02-19T00:35:31Z")
Was It Smith’s own DNA that the forensic experts kept finding at the scene. i.e. was he chasing his own tail? ---
**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 19, 2020, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2255 "2020-02-19T00:47:51Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Was It Smith’s own DNA that the forensic experts kept finding at the scene. i.e. was he chasing his own tail? NO ---
**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 19, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2256 "2020-02-19T02:18:50Z")
But to expand that a bit, was it the DNA of some other employee of the police force and/or someone who worked with the force? ---
**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 19, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2257 "2020-02-19T02:23:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But to expand that a bit, was it the DNA of some other employee of the police force and/or someone who worked with the force? NO (I am loving this puzzle so far) 😃 ---
**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:** [February 19, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2258 "2020-02-19T02:49:44Z")
News photographer? Police photographer. Person who collected evidence. Person who stored evidence? Lab worker? Ambulance driver? Treating doctor, nurse, orderly? Once they realized who the DNA profile donor was, did they realize the murders and attempted murders were not all connected? I.e., the DNA profile is what had linked them in the first place? ---
**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 19, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2259 "2020-02-19T02:53:27Z")
\*\*Detective Smith and his team were aggressively pursuing the tail of the worst serial killer in the history of their police force. 40 murders or attempted murders, probably more that went undiscovered. Suddenly, Smith and his team called off all investigations. Why? \*\* > [@eschrodinger](#): > > News photographer? > > NO > > Police photographer. > > NO > > Person who collected evidence. > > NO > > Person who stored evidence? > > NO > > Lab worker? > > NO > > Ambulance driver? > > NO > > Treating doctor, nurse, orderly? > > NO > > Once they realized who the DNA profile donor was, did they realize the murders and attempted murders were not all connected? I.e., the DNA profile is what had linked them in the first place? > > YES A bunch of misses and a good hit there on the last one. Keep going, everyone! ---
**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 19, 2020, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2260 "2020-02-19T09:20:28Z")
Did the suspect’s job have him interacting with the corpses? Did the suspect’s job have him interacting with the people before they were killed? The unrelated murders and murder attempts had anything in common? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=112) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=114)