# 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:** 148
**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 23, 2020, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2942 "2020-05-23T04:43:17Z")
**reply to Go\_Arachnid\_Laser** Is “Roy” the name the first character you mentioned was known as? **No** Is “Roy” the name of the actor that played the first character you mentioned? **No** Is it Roy Rogers? **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:** [May 23, 2020, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2943 "2020-05-23T04:57:41Z")
Where either of the two sets of characters detectives or investigators of some kind? ---
**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 23, 2020, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2944 "2020-05-23T05:03:44Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Where either of the two sets of characters detectives or investigators of some kind? **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 23, 2020, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2945 "2020-05-23T10:30:56Z")
To summarize where we are right now. We have a TV show with 3 sisters who are not detectives or in a band but who do become entertainers and famous in their fictional world. We have a different long running TV show with Roy, where he is eventually retconned into being the father of the 3 sisters. Were there any siblings besides the 3 sisters in the first TV show? Were the sisters orphans or adopted in their show? 3 sisters, adopted, no father… Brady Bunch? ---
**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 23, 2020, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2946 "2020-05-23T11:52:38Z")
**reply to Cheesesteak** : To summarize where we are right now. We have a TV show with 3 sisters who are not detectives or in a band but who do become entertainers and famous in their fictional world. We have a different long running TV show with Roy, where he is eventually retconned into being the father of the 3 sisters. Were there any siblings besides the 3 sisters in the first TV show? **Yes** Were the sisters orphans or adopted in their show? **Yes** 3 sisters, adopted, no father… Brady Bunch? **Yes!** ---
**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 23, 2020, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2947 "2020-05-23T12:57:39Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > 3 sisters, adopted, no father… Brady Bunch? **Yes!** Wait. Is Brady Bunch the actual answer? **Did a show(or some other media) reveal the birth-father of the Brady-girls was a famous character on another show(Roy?)?** If that is the case, I do not know who “Roy” is, but he obviously was on a TV show pre-Brady and it was never referenced. ---
**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 23, 2020, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2948 "2020-05-23T13:05:08Z")
D’oh, yes, I should have remembered that! The mother’s previous husband was later revealed to have been Roy Hinkley, who was lost at sea and presumed dead. ---
**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 23, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2949 "2020-05-23T13:08:39Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Wait. Is Brady Bunch the actual answer? > > **Did a show(or some other media) reveal the birth-father of the Brady-girls was a famous character on another show(Roy?)?** > > If that is the case, I do not know who “Roy” is, but he obviously was on a TV show pre-Brady and it was never referenced. Not exactly so… 😉 But if you think of this as a traditional lateral thinking puzzle you can figure it out… even without knowing the reference. Sure you could ask every tv character and figure it out by date, network, random guessing and process of elimination. But that’s not lateral thinking. There is enough evidence from the original and subsequent information here for someone to identify that character right now using lateral thinking, basic TV knowledge, and without asking further questions. ---
**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 23, 2020, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2950 "2020-05-23T13:11:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > D’oh, yes, I should have remembered that! The mother’s previous husband was later revealed to have been Roy Hinkley, who was lost at sea and presumed dead. Yes. Sigh. I was hoping someone would think about why they wouldn’t know about what was happening to each other and get it that way. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2951 "2020-05-23T14:10:28Z")
Did the castaways ever make it back to civilization? If so, there’s a really awkward conversation waiting to happen… ---
**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 23, 2020, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2952 "2020-05-23T14:18:48Z")
Yes, the Professor is the father of the Brady girls, per _A Very Brady Sequel_. The Bradys did become famous fictionally when they had their own variety show. The Professor, according to the description from _Rescue from Gilligan’s Island_ was hired by a university when the castaways returned because of his fame and not because of his intellect. So both sets of characters became famous in real life because of their shows, and famous fictionally for bizarre reasons. And for some reason the Professor did not look up his daughters upon return, nor did his return and subsequent loss again at sea come up with the Brady Bunch reboots. I guess they left their pasts in the past. ---
**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 23, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2953 "2020-05-23T17:35:41Z")
Okay, I’ve got one more. **Two cows are standing in a ritzy New York hotel ballroom crowd, mingling while they enjoy their “hay on ice” cocktails. They overhear someone talking about a bird. Why?** ---
**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:** [May 23, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2954 "2020-05-23T17:55:04Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Is this a true story? **Not exactly** > [@Biotop](#): > > Yes, the Professor is the father of the Brady girls, per _A Very Brady Sequel_. The Bradys did become famous fictionally when they had their own variety show. The Professor, according to the description from _Rescue from Gilligan’s Island_ was hired by a university when the castaways returned because of his fame and not because of his intellect. So both sets of characters became famous in real life because of their shows, and famous fictionally for bizarre reasons. Can you explain your previous answer, please. In what way is this “not exactly” a true story? As opposed to not being true at all? ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2955 "2020-05-23T18:04:12Z")
Are we talking about literal cows as in female cattle and a literal bird as in an avian animal? Or like… Scottish human women? ---
**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 23, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2956 "2020-05-23T18:32:26Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Can you explain your previous answer, please. In what way is this “not exactly” a true story? As opposed to not being true at all? It was true that they became famous in the real world. But they also became famous in the fictitious world. ---
**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 23, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2957 "2020-05-23T18:43:27Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > Are we talking about literal cows as in female cattle and a literal bird as in an avian animal? Or like… Scottish human women? **Actual moo moo bovine cows standing amidst a crowd of partying wealthy New York uppercrust and who overhear something about a bird. No human female references.** ---
**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 23, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2958 "2020-05-23T18:49:43Z")
Is this in a comic strip? Print comic? Cartoon? New Yorker comic? Is it a part of a joke? ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2959 "2020-05-23T19:06:33Z")
Was this a real event? Were the cows part of the reason for the event? Were the cows there intentionally? Were they the only non-human animals invited/brought to the event? Were they there as decoration? Were they there as part of a tradition? Was the bird present at the time? ---
**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 24, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2960 "2020-05-24T00:37:34Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Is this in a comic strip? > Print comic? > Cartoon? > New Yorker comic? > Is it a part of a joke? **No to all** ---
**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 24, 2020, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2961 "2020-05-24T00:55:27Z")
**reply to SurrenderDorothy** Was this a real event? \*\*Yes, though certain, um, liberties have been taken. \*\* Were the cows part of the reason for the event? **Yes** Were the cows there intentionally? **Yes** Were they the only non-human animals invited/brought to the event? **Not sure, probably no others.** Were they there as decoration? **No** Were they there as part of a tradition? **No** Was the bird present at the time? **I don’t think so…** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=147) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=149)