# 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:** 117
**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 24, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2321 "2020-02-24T00:59:52Z")
\*\*Herman had it made. He ran a successful hotel and was even making money and helping out local schools and universities. Until….well, he was executed for a truly bizarre crime. What did he do? \*\* Another true one, so if you know the story, let’s let folks guess for awhile. I struggled to write this one, so let’s hope it is decent. I can never tell. ---
**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 24, 2020, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2322 "2020-02-24T07:24:49Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > \*\*Herman had it made. He ran a successful hotel and was even making money and helping out local schools and universities. Until….well, he was executed for a truly bizarre crime. What did he do? > \*\* > > Another true one, so if you know the story, let’s let folks guess for awhile. I struggled to write this one, so let’s hope it is decent. I can never tell. I think I know. So, unless the next questions prove me wrong, I’m bowing out. ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2323 "2020-02-24T08:03:21Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > \*\*Herman had it made. He ran a successful hotel and was even making money and helping out local schools and universities. Until….well, he was executed for a truly bizarre crime. What did he do? > \*\* Is Herman a human adult? Was he tried in court? Is this in present-day U.S.? If not, would the crime still carry the DP in present-day U.S.? ---
**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 24, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2324 "2020-02-24T14:47:32Z")
If this is the Herman I’m thinking about, this is a truly gruesome story. Did he also run a pharmacy? ---
**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 24, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2325 "2020-02-24T14:49:03Z")
Was the crime murder? Was the crime sexual in nature? Was it a crime against a nation as a whole, such as treason or espionage? Was the crime in a military setting? (for the purpose of the above questions, “the crime” is what he was executed for, regardless of whether he actually did it or not) To the best of your knowledge, did he actually commit the crime for which he was executed? ---
**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 24, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2326 "2020-02-24T15:22:18Z")
Was the crime related to his work at the hotel? Was the crime related to his charitable works? ---
**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 24, 2020, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2327 "2020-02-24T20:26:24Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Is Herman a human adult? > > YES > > Was he tried in court? > > YES > > Is this in present-day U.S.? > > NO > > If not, would the crime still carry the DP in present-day U.S.? > > YES > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > If this is the Herman I’m thinking about, this is a truly gruesome story. > Did he also run a pharmacy? > > YES > [@Chronos](#): > > Was the crime murder? > > YES > > Was the crime sexual in nature? > > YES(I think so, actually) > > Was it a crime against a nation as a whole, such as treason or espionage? > > NO > > Was the crime in a military setting? > > NO > > To the best of your knowledge, did he actually commit the crime for which he was executed? > > YES > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was the crime related to his work at the hotel? > Was the crime related to his charitable works? YES to both This may be somewhat well known, so no GOOGLING! ---
**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 24, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2328 "2020-02-24T22:01:47Z")
Was at least one of his victim(s) a student at one of the schools he helped? Was at least one of his victim(s) otherwise involved at one of the schools he helped? Was at least one of his victim(s) a guest at his hotel? Was at least one of his victim(s) otherwise involved with his hotel? (and a bit of a hunch, but you said it was gruesome…) Was cannibalism involved? ---
**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 24, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2329 "2020-02-24T22:28:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was at least one of his victim(s) a student at one of the schools he helped? > > NO(to my knowledge) > > Was at least one of his victim(s) otherwise involved at one of the schools he helped? > > NO(to my knowledge) > > Was at least one of his victim(s) a guest at his hotel? > > YES > > Was at least one of his victim(s) otherwise involved with his hotel? > > PERHAPS(but NO, not that I know of) > > Was cannibalism involved? > > NO I do not know the specifics of the victims other than “they were people”. If you research later and find out more about them, it is possible they are one of the above things. An adequate answer would have been “IRRELEVANT” to everything except cannibalism. ---
**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 25, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2330 "2020-02-25T02:56:52Z")
OK, so the crime was related to his charitable work helping out schools, but not by his victims being associated with the schools… That’ll take some thought. Was anyone associated with any of the schools an accomplice? Was his charitable work related to his motive? Was his hotel connected to the crime in any way other than at least one victim being a guest there? ---
**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 25, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2331 "2020-02-25T12:26:04Z")
\*\*Herman had it made. He ran a successful hotel and was even making money and helping out local schools and universities. Until….well, he was executed for a truly bizarre crime. What did he do? \*\* > [@Chronos](#): > > Was anyone associated with any of the schools an accomplice? > > NO > > Was his charitable work related to his motive? > > NO > > Was his hotel connected to the crime in any way other than at least one victim being a guest there? > > YES ---
**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 25, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2332 "2020-02-25T13:02:33Z")
Was he helping out local schools and universities by supplying them with corpses and/or skeletons? ---
**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 25, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2333 "2020-02-25T13:35:48Z")
Were all the victims guests at the hotel? Did the hotel, his access to the hotel, assist Herman with the commission of the crime? Did he commit the crimes in a vacant hotel room? Herman also ran a pharmacy, did he drug his victims in order to commit his crimes? ---
**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 25, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2334 "2020-02-25T19:12:02Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Was he helping out local schools and universities by supplying them with corpses and/or skeletons? YES. Bones, mainly. > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Were all the victims guests at the hotel? > > Many, if not all. > > Did the hotel, his access to the hotel, assist Herman with the commission of the crime? > > YES > > Did he commit the crimes in a vacant hotel room? > > YES, partly. > > Herman also ran a pharmacy, did he drug his victims in order to commit his crimes? > > IRRELEVANT(I don’t know, actually). Not part of the solution for me if he did. kk ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2335 "2020-02-25T19:55:07Z")
Oh … this does sound somewhat like a case I can think of, but some of the minor details aren’t quite right. Did he have an accomplice? If so, did the accomplice escape execution by giving evidence against him? ---
**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 25, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2336 "2020-02-25T20:01:06Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Oh … this does sound somewhat like a case I can think of, but some of the minor details aren’t quite right. > > Did he have an accomplice? > > If so, did the accomplice escape execution by giving evidence against him? NO, not to my knowledge. ---
**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 25, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2337 "2020-02-25T20:11:34Z")
Did Herman destroy the bodies of his victims to elude capture? Did the pharmacy play a role in helping him commit the crimes? Did he kill his victims with a physical attack? ---
**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 25, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2338 "2020-02-25T21:27:41Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did Herman destroy the bodies of his victims to elude capture? > > YES > > Did the pharmacy play a role in helping him commit the crimes? > > NO > > Did he kill his victims with a physical attack? > > VARIOUS WAYS 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 25, 2020, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2339 "2020-02-25T21:47:43Z")
Was the pharmacy at all relevant? ---
**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 25, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2340 "2020-02-25T22:38:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was the pharmacy at all relevant? NO [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=116) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=118)