# 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:** 126
**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:** [March 12, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2501 "2020-03-12T20:17:59Z")
Was there a Thursday “date night” tradition for some reason? Sponsored child care that night to allow parents’ night out? Traditional happy hour type thing for Thursdays? ---
**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:** [March 12, 2020, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2502 "2020-03-12T20:26:37Z")
Does this relate at all to Thor (other than the day on which it happened being named after him, of course)? ---
**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:** [March 12, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2503 "2020-03-12T20:41:24Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > Was there a Thursday “date night” tradition for some reason? > > NO > > Sponsored child care that night to allow parents’ night out? > > NO > > Traditional happy hour type thing for Thursdays? > > NO > [@Chronos](#): > > Does this relate at all to Thor (other than the day on which it happened being named after him, of course)? 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:** [March 13, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2504 "2020-03-13T12:41:40Z")
Was the event something that required people to leave their homes to participate in? Did the event require people to stay home to participate? Did the people recognize at the time that they were participating in an event that could be thought of 15 years later as the reason they (and a whole bunch of other Icelanders) had sex? Oh boy… Did they make everyone turn the lights off early? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2505 "2020-03-13T14:03:43Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did they make everyone turn the lights off early? It’s Iceland, in the summer it stays light until 11:00 PM. Turning the lights off wouldn’t do anything. But it does raise another question. Was this related to the seasons? Was this something that caused people to become aroused or amorous? Did it predominately affect men? Women? Or both? Was this something that caused people to remain home when they normally would be out? Like forced closing of bars or mens clubs on Thursdays? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2020, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2506 "2020-03-13T15:07:36Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was the event something that required people to leave their homes to participate in? > > NO > > Did the event require people to stay home to participate? > > NO > > Did the people recognize at the time that they were participating in an event that could be thought of 15 years later as the reason they (and a whole bunch of other Icelanders) had sex? > > YES(I’m sure they did) > > Oh boy… > Did they make everyone turn the lights off early? > > NO > [@Telemark](#): > > It’s Iceland, in the summer it stays light until 11:00 PM. Turning the lights off wouldn’t do anything. But it does raise another question. > > Was this related to the seasons? > > NO > > Was this something that caused people to become aroused or amorous? > > NO > > Did it predominately affect men? Women? Or both? > > Both equally > > Was this something that caused people to remain home when they normally would be out? Like forced closing of bars or mens clubs on Thursdays? > > NO kk ---
**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:** [March 13, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2507 "2020-03-13T16:16:37Z")
Did the event occur at a single time, or different times for different couples? Did the sex occur during the event, before the event or after the event? As the event was organized for a purpose other than encouraging sex, what was the purpose? Entertainment of the participants? Education? Social engagement? Competition? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2508 "2020-03-13T16:18:00Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did the event occur at a single time, or different times for different couples? > > \*\*Single time(like on the clock), occurring every Thursday. > \*\* > Did the sex occur during the event, before the event or after the event? > > \*\*During. > \*\* > As the event was organized for a purpose other than encouraging sex, what was the purpose? Entertainment of the participants? Education? Social engagement? > Competition? > > **Social Engagement** kk ---
**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:** [March 13, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2509 "2020-03-13T18:53:35Z")
Was the event organized by the government? Did others participate who did not have sex? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2510 "2020-03-13T19:57:51Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was the event organized by the government? > > YES > > Did others participate who did not have sex? > > YES 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:** [March 14, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2511 "2020-03-14T01:03:07Z")
So there was a government-organized event for the purpose of social engagement, at a set time every Thursday, during which many couples had sex. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2512 "2020-03-14T01:49:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So there was a government-organized event for the purpose of social engagement, at a set time every Thursday, during which many couples had sex. Yes, that is a pretty accurate way to describe it. I actually think it should be totally solvable. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2513 "2020-03-14T11:36:24Z")
Was the social engagement intended to be done in person? Over the radio? TV? Telephone? Was the goal to get Icelanders to engage with individuals from the government? ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2514 "2020-03-14T12:29:24Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was the social engagement intended to be done in person? Over the radio? TV? Telephone? > > In person. (more below) > > Was the goal to get Icelanders to engage with individuals from the government? > > NO I think we have it, but you guys are just missing the slightest bit of lateral thinking to get yourselves there. I am going to spoiler a hint to try to twist your brain. It…may give it away; I’m not sure. “Event” has been a tricky word. Yes…I have said “yes” to an event. It’s more like a “thing that was done” or “a thing that was not done” instead of an event. Event, to me, is like Christmas, the Super-Bowl, or even Bible-study at church. This is more like “a thing that took place regularly on Thursdays”…to promote social interaction in person. Feel free to read that if you want my nudge. I think we are just dancing around the solution. (no, dancing isn’t a clue and it isn’t “the event”). ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2515 "2020-03-14T14:02:07Z")
The government sponsored or recommended Thursday Nights as a time for Icelanders to engage socially with other Icelanders? Was it to fix a perceived failure of comradery among Icelanders? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2516 "2020-03-14T16:20:47Z")
Were all TV broadcasts suspended every Thursday night, leaving couples with no other entertainment available? ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2517 "2020-03-14T18:22:10Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > The government sponsored or recommended Thursday Nights as a time for Icelanders to engage socially with other Icelanders? Was it to fix a perceived failure of comradery among Icelanders? YES > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Were all TV broadcasts suspended every Thursday night, leaving couples with no other entertainment available? YES \*\*And that is it. Until 1987(or 1983 if you read some citations), Iceland did not have television broadcasts on Thursday night so that people would socialize with each other. This lead to a generation of people all saying, “Well…we were all probably conceived on a Thursday…” as an ongoing inside joke. \*\* ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2518 "2020-03-14T19:02:18Z")
I’ll give one a try. Let’s see how it goes: **Joe S. was at the bar with some old friends when he suddenly blurted out “October 15th!” Half of his friends laughed and raised a glass in appreciation, half were confused, one didn’t like the joke at all. What was the joke about?** ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2519 "2020-03-14T19:21:01Z")
Was the joke at the expense of that last person? Could this happend at a different social setting that a bar? Is a historical event relevant? ---
**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:** [March 14, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2520 "2020-03-14T19:32:15Z")
Was it a punchline to a joke? Had something happened at that bar on October 15th? Was Oct. 15 the date that day? Were the patrons participating in a game of some sort? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=125) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=127)