# 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:** 127
**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, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2521 "2020-03-14T19:35:06Z")
Was it October 15 when he said this? Is it relevant what language they were speaking? Is the specific significance of that date known to the (appropriately-educated) world at large? Is this related to the conversion from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar? ---
**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, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2522 "2020-03-14T21:20:12Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Was the joke at the expense of that last person? NO > > Could this happend at a different social setting that a bar? YES > > Is a historical event relevant? NO > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Was it a punchline to a joke? NO > > Had something happened at that bar on October 15th? NO > > Was Oct. 15 the date that day? NO > > Were the patrons participating in a game of some sort? NO > [@Chronos](#): > > Was it October 15 when he said this? NO > Is it relevant what language they were speaking? NO > Is the specific significance of that date known to the (appropriately-educated) world at large? NO > Is this related to the conversion from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar? NO Thanks all! ---
**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, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2523 "2020-03-14T21:24:36Z")
Would the answer be obvious if you gave the full name? Is the S. short for Stalin? ---
**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, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2524 "2020-03-14T22:43:11Z")
Would the puzzle work as well if it were some other arbitrary date at an arbitrary point in the year? ---
**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, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2525 "2020-03-14T23:06:55Z")
Did somebody previously ask “What is the 288th day of the year?” ---
**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, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2526 "2020-03-14T23:47:33Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Would the answer be obvious if you gave the full name? NO, the name is specific to the puzzle but is effectively irrelevant. > Is the S. short for Stalin? NO > [@Chronos](#): > > Would the puzzle work as well if it were some other arbitrary date at an arbitrary point in the year? Mostly NO, but slightly YES > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did somebody previously ask “What is the 288th day of the year?” NO tks ---
**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 15, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2527 "2020-03-15T00:07:46Z")
Is there a pun or any word play involved? ---
**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 15, 2020, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2528 "2020-03-15T11:12:18Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is there a pun or any word play involved? No pun or word play, all participants are adult human beings. ---
**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 15, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2529 "2020-03-15T15:22:22Z")
Was “October 15th” pertinent to the preceding conversation? Was “October 15th” a guess? Had something happened on that date to the person who didn’t like the 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 15, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2530 "2020-03-15T17:17:30Z")
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? > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Was “October 15th” pertinent to the preceding conversation? YES! > Was “October 15th” a guess? NO > Had something happened on that date to the person who didn’t like the joke? NO As a nudge, the date is not the only part of the puzzle that matters. ---
**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 15, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2531 "2020-03-15T18:59:12Z")
Was the date relevant to something that happened a set or predictable time period before or after Oct 15? Such as being conceived 9 months before or giving birth 9 months after? ---
**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 15, 2020, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2532 "2020-03-15T20:30:39Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Was the date relevant to something that happened a set or predictable time period before or after Oct 15? Such as being conceived 9 months before or giving birth 9 months after? NO Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**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 16, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2533 "2020-03-16T03:54:25Z")
Did Oct. 15th also reference a certain location? Did it reference a certain event? Any astrological significance? ---
**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:** [March 16, 2020, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2534 "2020-03-16T08:10:11Z")
Was there some sort of social group division of the people who were confused versus the people who laughed? By Age? Sex? Race? Something else? Did Joe say the specific words “October 15th” and only that? Was it in reply to a question someone had asked? If so: was it the right answer? Did it take Joe some time to figure it out? Did the people who laughed already know that it was the right answer? ---
**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 16, 2020, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2535 "2020-03-16T10:47:27Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did Oct. 15th also reference a certain location? YES > Did it reference a certain event? YES > Any astrological significance? NO > [@Aspidistra](#): > > Was there some sort of social group division of the people who were confused versus the people who laughed? By Age? Sex? Race? Something else? YES THERE IS A GROUP DIVISION, BUT IT IS SOMETHING ELSE > > Did Joe say the specific words “October 15th” and only that? JOE’S ENTIRE UTTERANCE WAS “October 15th!” > > Was it in reply to a question someone had asked? YES > > If so: was it the right answer? Did it take Joe some time to figure it out? Did the people who laughed already know that it was the right answer? It was A right answer not necessarily THE right answer. He knew the answer by heart. They immediately recognized it as an appropriate answer, but may have answered it differently themselves. ---
**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 16, 2020, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2536 "2020-03-16T10:56:31Z")
Did the preceding question actually ask when something took place? Was the subject matter concerning a certain accomplishment? (like “when did you lose your virginity?”) ---
**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 16, 2020, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2537 "2020-03-16T11:47:18Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did the preceding question actually ask when something took place? > Was the subject matter concerning a certain accomplishment? (like “when did you lose your virginity?”) NO 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:** [March 16, 2020, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2538 "2020-03-16T12:56:43Z")
Was the division between the reactions based on politics? ---
**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 16, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2539 "2020-03-16T14:15:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was the division between the reactions based on politics? NO, but this is a good avenue of questioning. ---
**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 16, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2540 "2020-03-16T14:38:44Z")
Were they discussing sports? Music? TV show? Movie? Celebrity? Local topic? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=126) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=128)