# 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:** 155
**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 31, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3082 "2020-05-31T02:23:28Z")
Did he trade large amounts of pepsi for military vehicles with guns? ---
**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 31, 2020, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3083 "2020-05-31T02:39:35Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Did he trade large amounts of pepsi for military vehicles with guns? YES, this is pretty much the solution. However, anyone want to guess the details, like the with whom and so forth? ---
**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 31, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3084 "2020-05-31T03:18:58Z")
Was north korea 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:** [May 31, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3085 "2020-05-31T04:13:05Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Was north korea involved? No, the Soviet Union. I think we’ll just wrap it up. I tweaked things a bit to make it work, but the answer is: Donald Kendall was a major executive for Pepsi in the mid-20th century. He got Pepsi introduced at a World’s Fair and got Khrushchev to try one. Eventually, Pepsi became desirable in the Soviet Union. This culminated in 1989 when the USSR wanted 3 billion USD of Pepsi, but Rubles were not a very valuable currency. **Instead, the USSR traded 3 billion USD and paid with 17 old submarines and three warships.** \*\*Briefly, Pepsi(then I think run by Kendall) became the 6th largest military in the world. Very briefly and only jokingly. \*\*They recycled/melted the military equipment down and took the money they got from that. Kendall told a US official that Pepsi was disarming the USSR quicker than the US. It also got Pepsi a corner on the sugar-soda market in the USSR for quite awhile, making them money. Coke is now more popular, but Pepsi got there first. ---
**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 31, 2020, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3086 "2020-05-31T05:18:46Z")
That seems…quite bizarre. I guess there wasn’t a locally produced version of sugar-soda or if there was, no one wanted it. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3087 "2020-06-01T00:19:11Z")
**The furniture Company IKEA once ran a full page ad in a popular fashion magazine asking readers to do something rather unusual with that ad in order to get a discount. Many customers did. I am pretty sure no business before or since has ever proposed its customers to do this with one of their ads. What was the request and the reasoning behind it?** ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3088 "2020-06-01T00:54:38Z")
Did this happen in Sweden? Elsewhere in Europe? In the USA? Would it help to know what magazine? Would it help to know the time period? Is the fact that IKEA sells assemble-your-own furniture relevant? Is some other aspect of IKEA’s corporate identity (e.g., restaurants and kids’ play areas in stores) 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:** [June 1, 2020, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3089 "2020-06-01T02:30:37Z")
Did they burn the ad? Did they use it as toilet paper? Did they damage it in any way? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3090 "2020-06-01T02:34:37Z")
Did they have to eat the ad? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3091 "2020-06-01T03:16:04Z")
**reply to Fretful Porpentine** : Did this happen in Sweden? **Yes**. Elsewhere in Europe? **Just in Sweden as far as I know, but maybe elsewhere**. In the USA? **I don’t think so.** Would it help to know what magazine? **Probably not**. Would it help to know the time period? \*\*It was in the last few years. I don’t think time period is overly relevant. \*\* Is the fact that IKEA sells assemble-your-own furniture relevant? **Tangently. It is an ad, after all, for IKEA.** Is some other aspect of IKEA’s corporate identity (e.g., restaurants and kids’ play areas in stores) relevant? **No, their regular business.** ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3092 "2020-06-01T03:18:02Z")
**reply to Mahaloth** : Did they burn the ad? **No**. Did they use it as toilet paper? **No**. Did they damage it in any way? **Yes**. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3093 "2020-06-01T03:19:59Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did they have to eat the ad? **No. That would seem an iffy ad campaign healthwise!** ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3094 "2020-06-01T03:33:06Z")
Did they have to cut up the ad? Reassemble it? Something like a jigsaw puzzle? Or a tangram? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3095 "2020-06-01T03:49:02Z")
Did they have to physically interact with it in some way in the store, such as holding it up to their face or wearing it as an article of clothing? Did they have to fold it? If someone handed you the ad while you were in line in IKEA, would you have been able to do the thing by the time you reached checkout? Did you have to do something embarrassing? Was it an ad for a specific item or a general ad for IKEA? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3096 "2020-06-01T03:51:27Z")
Did they wear the ad as clothing? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3097 "2020-06-01T04:02:43Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did they have to cut up the ad? > Reassemble it? > Something like a jigsaw puzzle? Or a tangram? **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:** [June 1, 2020, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3098 "2020-06-01T04:11:24Z")
**reply to SurrenderDorothy** : Did they have to physically interact with it in some way in the store, such as holding it up to their face or wearing it as an article of clothing? **No**. Did they have to fold it? **No**. If someone handed you the ad while you were in line in IKEA, would you have been able to do the thing by the time you reached checkout? **Yes**. Did you have to do something embarrassing? **Yes. Or at least I think I would be embarrassed. YMMV.** Was it an ad for a specific item or a general ad for IKEA? **Specific item**. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3099 "2020-06-01T04:12:54Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Did they wear the ad as clothing? **No** ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3100 "2020-06-01T04:20:33Z")
**addenda to a reply to SurrenderDorothy** : Did you have to do something embarrassing? \*\* I originally read this question as a followup to the previous question. I don’t think it would be embarrassing at all to do what was requested, but I do think it would be kind of embarrassing to do it in line at IKEA. After all, the protocol for standing in line is to stand in line.\*\* ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3101 "2020-06-01T04:34:03Z")
So it is an interaction with the ad that would be embarrassing to do in line at IKEA. Would the interaction be embarrassing in line because there are other people there? Because you stand in line? Would the interaction be less embarrassing in a seated or prone position? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=154) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=156)