# 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:** 145
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2882 "2020-05-20T17:38:05Z")
Could Stan have saved himself between the crack and the stabbing? Was the cause of the knife stabbing Stan just something that happened between the knife and the pencil, or was something else involved? ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2883 "2020-05-20T17:41:59Z")
Is there anything else we need to know? He was sharpening a pencil, his knife slipped and he cut himself, and then he bled to death. Are any relevant details missing there? ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2884 "2020-05-20T17:49:02Z")
Did Stan fall on to the knife? Was the crack sound the reason Stan fell? ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2885 "2020-05-20T18:21:09Z")
Was the crack the sound of the pencil breaking while he was trying to sharpen it? ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2886 "2020-05-20T18:55:16Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Could Stan have saved himself between the crack and the stabbing? > > YES - in theory > > Was the cause of the knife stabbing Stan just something that happened between the knife and the pencil, or was something else involved? > > SOMETHING ELSE > [@Chronos](#): > > Is there anything else we need to know? He was sharpening a pencil, his knife slipped and he cut himself, and then he bled to death. Are any relevant details missing there? Yes, his knife did not slip would be a key detail. At least not how I think of it. > [@Folly](#): > > Did Stan fall on to the knife? > > NO > > Was the crack sound the reason Stan fell? > > NO > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was the crack the sound of the pencil breaking while he was trying to sharpen it? 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:** [May 20, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2887 "2020-05-20T19:16:09Z")
We have Stan, he is sitting outdoors in a city with a pencil in one hand and a knife in the other hand. He is sharpening the pencil with the knife. There is a crack sound, and he then is stabbed with the knife, which kills him. Are the following details relevant to the situation? Stan is sitting Stan is outside Stan is in a city Is the knife that stabs and kills him the same knife he is using to sharpen the pencil? Was the crack sound related to his sharpening of the pencil? Did he interact with any other person or animal? Did his chair break? ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2888 "2020-05-20T19:31:54Z")
Did Stan stab himself because of the crack sound? Was it due to momentarily forgetting that there was a knife in his hand? Spilling a cup of coffee because you are checking the time situation? A pirate walks into a bar and the bartender says, “Hey, I haven’t seen you in a while. What happened, you look terrible!” “Arrh – Not at ‘tall.” the pirate replies, “I be fine.” The bartender says, “But what about that wooden leg? You didn’t have that before.” “Arrh!,” says the pirate, “We were in a battle at sea and a cannon ball hit me leg. But the surgeon fixed me up, and I be fine, really.” “Yeah,” says the bartender, “But what about that hook? Last time I saw you, you had both hands.” “Aye,” says the pirate, “We were in another battle and we boarded the enemy ship. I was in a sword fight and me hand was cut off. But the surgeon fixed me up with this hook, and I be feeling great, really.” “Oh,” says the bartender, “What about that eye patch? Last time you were in here you had both eyes.” “Arrh,” says the pirate, “One day when I was swabbing me deck, some gulls were flying over the ship. I looked up, and one of them–arrgh, he, pooped–in me eye.” “So?” replied the bartender, “what happened? You couldn’t have lost an eye just from that!” “Well,” says the pirate, "'Twas me first day with me hook.” ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2889 "2020-05-20T21:37:11Z")
\*\* Stan was just sitting there, holding his pencil, minding his own business. A moment later, there was a crack. A moment after that, he was dead. How did he die?\*\* > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > We have Stan, he is sitting outdoors in a city with a pencil in one hand and a knife in the other hand. He is sharpening the pencil with the knife. There is a crack sound, and he then is stabbed with the knife, which kills him. > > Are the following details relevant to the situation? > Stan is sitting > Stan is outside > Stan is in a city > > NOT REALLY, but his location is relevant. However, he could have been standing. Could have been inside, and could have been in the country. He just wasn’t… > > Is the knife that stabs and kills him the same knife he is using to sharpen the pencil? > > YES > > Was the crack sound related to his sharpening of the pencil? > > NO > > Did he interact with any other person or animal? > > YES > > Did his chair break? > > NO > [@Folly](#): > > Did Stan stab himself because of the crack sound? > > NO > > Was it due to momentarily forgetting that there was a knife in his hand? > > NO > > Spilling a cup of coffee because you are checking the time situation? > > 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:** [May 21, 2020, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2890 "2020-05-21T10:55:40Z")
Was Stan still holding the knife when he was stabbed with it? Did he interact with another person? Did that other person take the knife and stab him with it? ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2891 "2020-05-21T12:30:13Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was Stan still holding the knife when he was stabbed with it? > > YES > Did he interact with another person? > > YES - but somewhat irrelevant. > > Did that other person take the knife and stab him with it? > > 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:** [May 21, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2892 "2020-05-21T13:14:39Z")
Was the knife propelled by Stan’s muscles when he was stabbed with it? Did something hit Stan that caused him to be stabbed? ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2893 "2020-05-21T15:46:06Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was the knife propelled by Stan’s muscles when he was stabbed with it? > > NO > > Did something hit Stan that caused him to be stabbed? > > YES, the knife hit Stan. Ha ha. But YES, something hit the knife into Stan, it was not propelled by his own muscles. I think we’ll get this one if we keep going along the discussion lines you are all on. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2894 "2020-05-21T15:48:45Z")
Would someone like to put together what you know into a few sentences? It helps. Chronos did that and I saw that he thought Stan fell, which he didn’t. It helps and may even shed some new light on the situation once you see it all laid out. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2895 "2020-05-21T16:24:10Z")
We have Stan, he is sitting outdoors in a city (but he could have been standing, indoors, or in the country) with a pencil in one hand and a knife in the other hand. He is sharpening the pencil with the knife. There is a crack sound, which precipitates something hitting the knife into Stan, killing him. Was it the crack of the bat? Was he watching a ballgame? Hit by a foul ball? ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2896 "2020-05-21T16:35:20Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > We have Stan, he is sitting outdoors in a city (but he could have been standing, indoors, or in the country) with a pencil in one hand and a knife in the other hand. He is sharpening the pencil with the knife. There is a crack sound, which precipitates something hitting the knife into Stan, killing him. > > Was it the crack of the bat? Was he watching a ballgame? Hit by a foul ball? See? You did it! Solved! This is the true story of Stanton Walker. He was at a ballgame(I decided that was outdoors) and he was keeping score. He asked a friend to borrow a knife to sharpen his pencil. His friend handed him a knife and a player hit a ball that, by incredible coincidence, hit his hand/knife and drove the knife into him. He fell silently to the ground and died almost immediately. He was still grasping the handle of the knife after he died… Note: The article I cite here clarifies the knife was being handed to him, not that he was already sharpening his pencil. I guess I kind of changed that detail for the puzzle. [Read the brief news article from 1902 here.](https://twitter.com/tshieber/status/944272347510558722/photo/1) ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2897 "2020-05-21T19:47:20Z")
**Roy had three children. Later they became famous. Roy became famous too. And yet the children never knew Roy was famous, and Roy never knew his children were famous, even though they were all alive at the time of their fame. Why?** ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2898 "2020-05-21T20:44:30Z")
Did Roy know his three children? Were they separated or adopted? Were they famous for the same reason? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2899 "2020-05-21T20:57:21Z")
**reply to Cheesesteak** Did Roy know his three children? **Yes** Were they separated or adopted? **separated**. Were they famous for the same reason? **No** ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2900 "2020-05-21T22:12:47Z")
Is this a true story? What year were they all famous(or range of years)? Have all of us most likely heard of them? Were the sons all famous for the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2901 "2020-05-21T22:29:44Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** : Is this a true story? **Not exactly** What year were they all famous(or range of years)? **20th century** Have all of us most likely heard of them? **Yes, definitely.** Were the sons all famous for the same thing? **The offspring were all famous for the same thing, but not the same thing as Roy.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=144) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=146)