# 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:** 156
**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, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3102 "2020-06-01T04:51:26Z")
**reply to Folly** : So it is an interaction with the ad that would be embarrassing to do in line at IKEA. **I think so.** Would the interaction be embarrassing in line because there are other people there? **Yes** Because you stand in line? **Yes. It would be noticed if you did it in a line of people. When in line there is a certain subdued and patient behavior expected from adults and I don’t think this qualifies. At least my 36 years in retail judges such.** Would the interaction be less embarrassing in a seated or prone position? **No. It is not something folks expect to see happening in a line at IKEA, no matter your body position.** ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3103 "2020-06-01T05:14:24Z")
Did it contain a stereogram or otherwise hidden or distorted text? ---
**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, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3104 "2020-06-01T05:43:44Z")
**reply to kk fusion** : Did it contain a stereogram **No** …or otherwise hidden or distorted text? **Yes**. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3105 "2020-06-01T05:54:26Z")
Small font? Low contrast? Encryption? Watermark? Was it presented as a puzzle for the reader? ---
**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, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3106 "2020-06-01T07:47:25Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Small font? > Low contrast? > Encryption? > Watermark? > > Was it presented as a puzzle for the reader? **No to all** ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3107 "2020-06-01T08:09:02Z")
Did the ad contain a rude word? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3108 "2020-06-01T10:12:46Z")
Were you required to remove the ad from the magazine, and present it to the cashier for the discount? Were you required to alter the ad in a specified way before presenting it to the cashier? Do the alterations require removing something from the page, adding something to the page, or simply altering the page without adding or removing something? ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2020, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3109 "2020-06-01T10:48:28Z")
Did they have to get a tattoo of the ad? ---
**Author:** ![Calavera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calavera/32/70_2.png) [@Calavera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calavera)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2020, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3110 "2020-06-01T11:13:16Z")
Does the behaviour involve: speaking/screaming/yelling in a louder than normal tone? dancing? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3111 "2020-06-01T14:41:24Z")
Would the behavior have increased the visibility of the ad to the general public? Would any tools (including, for instance, scissors or a pen) have been needed for modifying the ad in the requested way? If not needed, would tools have been notably useful for modifying the ad in such a way (such that, for instance, a person in their home who had the tool and knew where it was would fetch the tool before making the modification)? ---
**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, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3112 "2020-06-01T15:19:08Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Did the ad contain a rude word? **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, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3113 "2020-06-01T15:22:25Z")
**reply to Cheesesteak** : Were you required to remove the ad from the magazine, and present it to the cashier for the discount? **No** Were you required to alter the ad in a specified way before presenting it to the cashier? **No. The ad was “altered” but not presented to cashier**. Do the alterations require removing something from the page, adding something to the page, or simply altering the page without adding or removing something? **Adding** ---
**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, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3114 "2020-06-01T15:24:48Z")
**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?** * * * > [@kitap](#): > > Did they have to get a tattoo of the ad? **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, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3115 "2020-06-01T15:26:28Z")
> [@Calavera](#): > > Does the behaviour involve: > > speaking/screaming/yelling in a louder than normal tone? > dancing? **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, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3116 "2020-06-01T15:27:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Would the behavior have increased the visibility of the ad to the general public? > Would any tools (including, for instance, scissors or a pen) have been needed for modifying the ad in the requested way? > If not needed, would tools have been notably useful for modifying the ad in such a way (such that, for instance, a person in their home who had the tool and knew where it was would fetch the tool before making the modification)? **No to all** ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3117 "2020-06-01T17:19:20Z")
In order to get the discount, I presume one needs to inform the cashier that you are eligible for the discount. If the physical ad itself is not presented to the cashier, is another physical object presented to the cashier for visual inspection? Some other sort of inspection? Is the cashier told something verbally to obtain the discount? Does the customer signal the cashier in a non-verbal way? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3118 "2020-06-01T17:26:19Z")
Does getting the discount involve taking a picture of something? ---
**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, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3119 "2020-06-01T17:26:28Z")
**reply to Cheesesteak** : In order to get the discount, I presume one needs to inform the cashier that you are eligible for the discount. **Yes** If the physical ad itself is not presented to the cashier, is another physical object presented to the cashier for visual inspection? **No** Some other sort of inspection? \*\* No.\*\* Is the cashier told something verbally to obtain the discount? **Yes** Does the customer signal the cashier in a non-verbal way? **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, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3120 "2020-06-01T17:27:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does getting the discount involve taking a picture of something? **No** ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3121 "2020-06-01T17:35:38Z")
Does the something require special skill? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=155) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=157)