# 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:** 189
**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, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3763 "2020-08-26T20:02:41Z")
reply toFolly: Are the light bulbs approximately the size of a standard household lightbulb? smaller Larger? smaller? Is the age of the lamps particularly interesting? No the age of the light bulbs? No Do the lamps have a single designer? Probably. If so, is the designer interesting? Not really relevant I don’t think… ---
**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:** [August 26, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3764 "2020-08-26T22:33:12Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > There are a hundred lamps in the lobby of a company building. You are encouraged to come and look at them. Why? Are the lamps lit? Do they work? Are they modern lamps? Are they electric lamps? I’ll make an insane out of nowhere follow up guess/question: Is it something like 100 failed attempts at a functioning lamp that preceded an inventors successful invention of one? ---
**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, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3765 "2020-08-26T23:01:38Z")
Are the light bulbs approximately the size of a christmas tree light? Larger? smaller? Are they all the same size? Can the viewers see the bulbs themselves? Would it help to know what the company does? Are you encouraged to come look at the lamps once you are at the company for company business? Are you encouraged to come look at the lamps even if you are elsewhere unaware of what the company does? ---
**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, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3766 "2020-08-26T23:24:11Z")
Note above that we’ve established that the lamps have bulbs and are all lit. Could I pick up a lamp and take it with me, if I wasn’t stopped by security? Are the lamps the attraction? ---
**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 27, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3767 "2020-08-27T00:16:44Z")
reply to Mahaloth Are the lamps lit? Yes Do they work? Yes Are they modern lamps? I guess you could say that. Are they electric lamps? Yes I’ll make an insane out of nowhere follow up guess/question: Is it something like 100 failed attempts at a functioning lamp that preceded an inventors successful invention of one? 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 27, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3768 "2020-08-27T00:26:07Z")
reply to Folly: Are the light bulbs approximately the size of a christmas tree light? Larger? Larger smaller? Are they all the same size? Yes Can the viewers see the bulbs themselves? No Would it help to know what the company does? Yes Are you encouraged to come look at the lamps once you are at the company for company business? Anyone is encouraged to see them. Are you encouraged to come look at the lamps even if you are elsewhere unaware of what the company does? Sure, if you want. ---
**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 27, 2020, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3769 "2020-08-27T00:33:06Z")
reply to Zyada: Note above that we’ve established that the lamps have bulbs and are all lit. Could I pick up a lamp and take it with me, if I wasn’t stopped by security? Yes. But I imagine security would stop you. 🙂 Are the lamps the attraction? Yes. They are what you would go to see. ---
**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 27, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3770 "2020-08-27T01:53:38Z")
Does the interest come from where the lamps once were? ---
**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 27, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3771 "2020-08-27T02:54:24Z")
reply to Folly: Does the interest come from where the lamps once were? No ---
**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 27, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3772 "2020-08-27T14:52:40Z")
If I took one lamp, would all the rest still work? Are all the lamps the same? ---
**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 27, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3773 "2020-08-27T15:22:27Z")
reply to Zyada: If I took one lamp, would all the rest still work? Yes Are all the lamps the same? Yes. Well almost. ---
**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 27, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3774 "2020-08-27T15:30:16Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Would it help to know what the company does? Yes Is the company in the manufacturing industry? The energy field (oil & gas, coal, electricity production, etc)? Information Technology? Retail? Telephony? Is there something unusual about the way the lamps are powered? ---
**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 27, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3775 "2020-08-27T16:05:48Z")
reply to Zyada: Is the company in the manufacturing industry? No The energy field (oil & gas, coal, electricity production, etc)? No Information Technology? Yes Retail? No Telephony? No Is there something unusual about the way the lamps are powered? No ---
**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 27, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3776 "2020-08-27T16:27:03Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Information Technology? Yes Does the company make software for a normal person, or is it primarily for a particular industry? Would I possibly recognize the lamp as being strongly associated with the company ? ---
**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 27, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3777 "2020-08-27T16:44:43Z")
Do the lamps convey some kind of information by which are lit and which not? ---
**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 27, 2020, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3778 "2020-08-27T16:46:20Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Are all of the lamps lit? **Yes** Any of them? All Does the number of lamps lit change in any way? No > [@Teuton](#): > > Do the lamps convey some kind of information by which are lit and which not? He’s already answered that, all lamps are lit ---
**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 27, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3779 "2020-08-27T17:21:41Z")
reply to Zyada: Does the company make software for a normal person, or is it primarily for a particular industry? particular industry Would I possibly recognize the lamp as being strongly associated with the company ? 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 27, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3780 "2020-08-27T17:23:58Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Do the lamps convey some kind of information by which are lit and which not? No ---
**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 27, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3781 "2020-08-27T17:24:17Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Would I possibly recognize the lamp as being strongly associated with the company ? > No So, not Pixar then? ---
**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 27, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3782 "2020-08-27T17:53:29Z")
Would we recognize the company name? Would we reasonably associate the company name with lamps or a particular lamp? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=188) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=190)