# 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:** 187
**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:** [August 12, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3723 "2020-08-12T17:41:19Z")
Was the poisonous chemical in a liquid? in a solid? in a gel? in a powder? Did Alice and Benjamin know the diplomat? Did they know each other? Were they married? Is the time period this takes place particularly relevant? ---
**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:** [August 12, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3724 "2020-08-12T18:15:28Z")
reply to Folly: Was the poisonous chemical in a liquid? No in a solid? yes in a gel? No in a powder? Yes Did Alice and Benjamin know the diplomat? Probably, but not sure. Did they know each other? Yes Were they married? Don’t know. Their relationship is unimportant. They are just the launderers. Is the time period this takes place particularly relevant? Cold War post WWII ---
**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:** [August 12, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3725 "2020-08-12T18:34:42Z")
Was the poisonous chemical the laundry detergent? ---
**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:** [August 12, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3726 "2020-08-12T19:56:55Z")
Was the diplomat actually harmed or sickened by the poisonous powder? Was the powder a commonly available substance in the country where the attempted murder happened? Did this happen in the US? Does the location matter? ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3727 "2020-08-13T00:44:12Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Was the poisonous chemical the laundry detergent? 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:** [August 13, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3728 "2020-08-13T01:48:40Z")
reply to Cheesesteak: Was the diplomat actually harmed or sickened by the poisonous powder? Yes Was the powder a commonly available substance in the country where the attempted murder happened? Not sure. I wouldn’t think so. Did this happen in the US? Does the location matter? Not US, but location is only important historically, not really helpful in solving the riddle. ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3729 "2020-08-13T02:05:43Z")
Was there actually an attempted murder? Did A and B do something that actually is attempted murder? Did A and B do something that could be mistaken for attempted murder? ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3730 "2020-08-13T03:33:32Z")
reply to Folly: Was there actually an attempted murder? Did A and B do something that actually is attempted murder? Did A and B do something that could be mistaken for attempted murder? No to the first two. But A and B did the laundry, and the result was mistaken for attempted murder. All I am asking is… how? ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3731 "2020-08-13T14:38:52Z")
When A and B did the laundry: did they use drycleaning chemicals? use any non-standard washing chemicals? use any non-standard method of drying or pressing the clothes? apply something to the clothing that would not have been used by a typical someone else doing the laundry? Do A and B own a laundry based business not connected to the embassy (other than an arms length business relationship)? ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3732 "2020-08-13T15:55:06Z")
reply to Cheesesteak: When A and B did the laundry: did they use drycleaning chemicals? Don’t know. Not relevant use any non-standard washing chemicals? Probably not use any non-standard method of drying or pressing the clothes? Not that I know of. Probably not. apply something to the clothing that would not have been used by a typical someone else doing the laundry? Probably not. Do A and B own a laundry based business not connected to the embassy (other than an arms length business relationship)? No. ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3733 "2020-08-13T20:36:37Z")
Did A and B both work at a laundry business? Did the diplomat visit this business for laundry services? Was the diplomat working in the same building as or a building connected to the laundry business? Were vents or ducts involved? Did A and B know they did something that could be construed as attempted murder of the diplomat? Did A and B do something that exposed the diplomat to a poisonous powder? Did A and B have any awareness of the poisonous powder? Did A and B think the poisonous powder was something else? ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3734 "2020-08-13T22:56:02Z")
reply to Folly: Did A and B both work at a laundry business? No Did the diplomat visit this business for laundry services? No Was the diplomat working in the same building as or a building connected to the laundry business? Yes. A and B did housekeeping work at the Embassy. Were vents or ducts involved? No Did A and B know they did something that could be construed as attempted murder of the diplomat? No Did A and B do something that exposed the diplomat to a poisonous powder? Yes. They did the laundry. Did A and B have any awareness of the poisonous powder? No Did A and B think the poisonous powder was something else? No ---
**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:** [August 13, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3735 "2020-08-13T23:32:03Z")
So A and B doing the laundry at the Embassy exposed the diplomat to a poisonous powder although A and B were not aware that this happened? Did the poisonous powder end up on clothing that the diplomat was wearing? towels? bedsheets or other linen? Did the poisonous powder end up in a washing machine? in a dryer? Were the laundered items dried outside? ---
**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:** [August 14, 2020, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3736 "2020-08-14T03:26:27Z")
reply to Folly: So A and B doing the laundry at the Embassy exposed the diplomat to a poisonous powder although A and B were not aware that this happened? Yes Did the poisonous powder end up on clothing that the diplomat was wearing? Yes towels? Maybe…? bedsheets or other linen Yes Did the poisonous powder end up in a washing machine? No in a dryer? No Were the laundered items dried outside? No. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2020, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3737 "2020-08-15T04:52:33Z")
Did A and B use the poisonous powder as part of laundering Embassy things? Was the poisonous powder meant to be used as poison? Was it rat poison? Did A and B do the laundry in an unusual way? Was there anything different about doing the laundry than what A and B usually did when the poisoning happened? ---
**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:** [August 15, 2020, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3738 "2020-08-15T05:07:00Z")
reply to Folly: Did A and B use the poisonous powder as part of laundering Embassy things? No Was the poisonous powder meant to be used as poison? No Was it rat poison? No Did A and B do the laundry in an unusual way? No Was there anything different about doing the laundry than what A and B usually did when the poisoning happened? Yes ---
**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:** [August 15, 2020, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3739 "2020-08-15T22:17:46Z")
Was the laundry done in a different location than usual? Using different machines than usual? Was the type of laundry done different than usual? Was the time the laundry was done different than usual? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3740 "2020-08-15T23:09:05Z")
Did they use cleaning fluid instead of detergent? ---
**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:** [August 16, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3741 "2020-08-16T00:51:56Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Was the laundry done in a different location than usual? > Using different machines than usual? > Was the type of laundry done different than usual? > Was the time the laundry was done different than usual? 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:** [August 16, 2020, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3742 "2020-08-16T00:52:38Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Did they use cleaning fluid instead of detergent? No [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=186) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=188)