# 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:** 188
**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 17, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3743 "2020-08-17T18:56:59Z")
Really the puzzle comes down to is how can you accidentally poison a person by doing the laundry? The case is real. The CIA really did suspect foul play. I should have simply posed the puzzle in this way. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3744 "2020-08-17T19:56:16Z")
Did the people get poisoned by laying in bed? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3745 "2020-08-17T20:37:56Z")
Was the poison one to which most typical people would be susceptible (as opposed to, say, an allergen, or something to which the diplomat had a hypersensitivity)? Was the poison a substance which is typically used in the process of laundering clothes? Did A and B mistake the poison for a different substance, which is typically used Is the poison a substance which is typically found in nontrivial quantities on laundered clothes? Is the poison typically used as a drug? Was the poison transferred from some other cloth item that was being laundered at the same time? ---
**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 17, 2020, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3746 "2020-08-17T20:47:38Z")
Did it have anything to do with the vibration of washing and/or dryer machines? Were A and B washing items that caused an imbalanced load or otherwise caused extra vibration? ---
**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 17, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3747 "2020-08-17T22:11:02Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > Did the people get poisoned by laying in bed? Yes. Only one person poisoned though. ---
**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 17, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3748 "2020-08-17T22:16:29Z")
reply to Chronos: Was the poison one to which most typical people would be susceptible (as opposed to, say, an allergen, or something to which the diplomat had a hypersensitivity)? Yes Was the poison a substance which is typically used in the process of laundering clothes? No Did A and B mistake the poison for a different substance, which is typically used No. Is the poison a substance which is typically found in nontrivial quantities on laundered clothes? No Is the poison typically used as a drug? No Was the poison transferred from some other cloth item that was being laundered at the same time? 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 17, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3749 "2020-08-17T22:18:19Z")
reply to Folly: Did it have anything to do with the vibration of washing and/or dryer machines? Yes Were A and B washing items that caused an imbalanced load or otherwise caused extra vibration? No, that is not my understanding anyway. ---
**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 17, 2020, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3750 "2020-08-17T23:28:41Z")
Did the vibration of the machine(s) knock loose some poisonous dust from somewhere? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3751 "2020-08-17T23:41:00Z")
Was the poison organic? Was the poison produced by a living thing growing in or near the laundry machines? Was the poison a part of something that was intended for non-poisonous purposes? Was the poison a heavy metal? ---
**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 18, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3752 "2020-08-18T01:10:56Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Did the vibration of the machine(s) knock loose some poisonous dust from somewhere? You got it. Clare Booth Luce was United States Ambassador to Italy in the mid-fifties, and a staunch anti-communist. She was found to be ill suffering from arsenic poisoning, and because Luce the only one in the Embassy to become sick , it was assumed she had been intentionally attacked and there was much outrage. However further investigation found that the ceiling of the Ambassador’s room was covered with Scheele’s Green. [Scheele’s Green](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheele%2527s_Green&ved=2ahUKEwiUqPbAxaPrAhWqknIEHSChC5kQFjAgegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3Pqrgw5eaa6vr3g3u9mLiG) The ambassador’s room was directly below the laundry. A laundry machine became defective and shaky. However, it still worked and thus continued to be used. But the shaking sent lethal arsenic dust from the ceiling into the room below, and Luce became ill. Interestingly enough, some believe Napolean may have died because of exposure to Scheele’s Green in his room. ---
**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 26, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3753 "2020-08-26T16:30:12Z")
There are a hundred lamps in the lobby of a company building. You are encouraged to come and look at them. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3754 "2020-08-26T16:31:23Z")
Is it an art installation? Are the lamps being used for lighting? ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3755 "2020-08-26T16:36:24Z")
Does the company sell lamps? Are all of the lamps lit? Any of them? Does the number of lamps lit change in any way? ---
**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 26, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3756 "2020-08-26T16:38:50Z")
Is it exactly one hundred lamps? Is the number, one hundred, significant to the puzzle? Do some of them have light bulbs? All of them? Is it related to a scientific experiment? ---
**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 26, 2020, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3757 "2020-08-26T16:39:53Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Is it an art installation? > Are the lamps being used for lighting? 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 26, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3758 "2020-08-26T16:43:10Z")
reply to Zyada: Does the company sell lamps? No Are all of the lamps lit? Yes Any of them? All Does the number of lamps lit change in any 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:** [August 26, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3759 "2020-08-26T16:47:40Z")
reply to Folly: Is it exactly one hundred lamps? I think so. But it may be an approximation. Is the number, one hundred, significant to the puzzle? No Do some of them have light bulbs? Yes All of them? Yes Is it related to a scientific experiment? 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 26, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3760 "2020-08-26T17:16:27Z")
Do the lamps spell anything? Do they form any shape(s) meant to be viewed? Each lamp next to something specific? Do the lamps draw your attention to something else other than lamps? ---
**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 26, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3761 "2020-08-26T17:50:05Z")
reply to Folly: Do the lamps spell anything? Do they form any shape(s) meant to be viewed? Each lamp next to something specific? Do the lamps draw your attention to something else other than lamps? No to all ---
**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 26, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3762 "2020-08-26T18:03:26Z")
Are the light bulbs approximately the size of a standard household lightbulb? Larger? smaller? Is the age of the lamps particularly interesting? the age of the light bulbs? Do the lamps have a single designer? If so, is the designer interesting? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=187) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=189)