# 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:** 196
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3903 "2020-09-10T14:16:16Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > If someone sitting next to Josh… If someone sitting next to Josh ordered the same beverage, would that person have paid $5? **Yes** , almost undoubtedly If Josh ordered another serving, would it cost him $5, or the larger “rent deposit” amount? **unanswerable** , note, there is approximate zero chance of Josh getting another serving that night Did Josh pay in cash? **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:** [September 10, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3904 "2020-09-10T14:17:11Z")
> [@CardboardBoxx](#): > > OK seems to be a discrepancy… OK seems to be a discrepancy: you say any 40% ABV drink will count, but also that it needs to be made with a particular ingredient. I think the only common ingredient in all spirits is water. Is water the ingredient you referred to? **No** , let’s call it an ‘extra’ ingredient Would a bourbon and a vodka both work? **Yes** ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3905 "2020-09-10T14:32:57Z")
Was Josh known to the bartender or bar owner outside of being a customer of the business? Did Josh owe money to the bar? Was he recognized by his choice of drink? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3906 "2020-09-10T14:53:57Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was Josh known to the bartender or bar owner outside of being a customer of the business? > > Did Josh owe money to the bar? Was he recognized by his choice of drink?.. **No** , to all ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3907 "2020-09-10T15:34:52Z")
Did Josh get sick after drinking his rent deposit drink? Have some other adverse consequence? When you say there’s no chance of Josh getting another drink … is that because the bar would be unwilling to sell to him? Or unable to? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3908 "2020-09-10T15:38:38Z")
Is the ‘particular ingredient’ the drink is made from a solid? Something else that doesn’t mix with alcohol? Is it a body part? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3909 "2020-09-10T15:46:20Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Did Josh get sick… Did Josh get sick after drinking his rent deposit drink? Have some other adverse consequence? **No** , I don’t think so. When you say there’s no chance of Josh getting another drink … is that because the bar would be unwilling to sell to him? Or unable to? **Unwilling** Is the ‘particular ingredient’ the drink is made from a solid? **Yes** Something else that doesn’t mix with alcohol? Is it a body part? **Yes** ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3910 "2020-09-10T15:50:46Z")
Is it that drink with a toe in it? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3911 "2020-09-10T15:55:37Z")
**Yes**! I think we’re very close. What did Josh do!!! ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3912 "2020-09-10T15:57:16Z")
Did he… eat the toe? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3913 "2020-09-10T16:10:06Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did he… eat the toe?.. Yes! (graphic images in links) Josh (from New Orleans as it happened) was in the Yukon, home of [the famous Sour Toe cocktail.](https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/08/27/yukon_bar_patron_swallows_famous_sourtoe_pays_fine_leaves_town.html) This drink of infamy features a mummified toe and you get a certificate if you drink your drink and your lips touch the toe. The fine for damaging or losing the toe was $500. Josh, having gotten his rent deposit back was trying to decide between buying a round of drinks for patrons at a different bar, or going to the “Downtown Hotel” and ‘swallow the toe.’ He decided on the latter, ordered the drink, swallowed the drink in one gulp, chugged a beer, slammed $500 down on the table, and walked out of the bar. [The facility had a spare toe](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2407009/Joshua-Clark-The-man-deliberately-swallowed-toe-bizarre-cocktail-ritual-famous-Hurricane-Katrina-survivor.html), but the ‘fine’ for drinking the toe has since been increased to $2500. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3914 "2020-09-10T16:14:46Z")
Oh and originally you could get the toe in all sorts of drinks including beers and champagne, but health inspectors have limited the practice to beverages of 40% abv or above. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3915 "2020-09-10T22:12:40Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > health inspectors have limited the practice to beverages of 40% abv or above. _Health inspectors_ have … signed off on the practise of drinking a drink with a mummified toe in it. Including the possibility that someone might eat the toe, since this has in fact happened. **EWWWW!** (good puzzle though) **“It’s all Greek to me” said Mike, and earned a place in the history books. What happened?** ---
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3916 "2020-09-10T22:31:25Z")
Is this to do with the Rosetta stone? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3917 "2020-09-10T22:50:59Z")
Does this relate to spoken language? Does this relate to written language? Was the language, in fact, Greek? Specifically: Is this about the Linear B script? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3918 "2020-09-10T23:29:01Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > _Health inspectors_ have … signed off on the practise of drinking a drink with a mummified toe in it. Canada, amirite? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3919 "2020-09-10T23:33:38Z")
Did Mike say this in English? ---
**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:** [September 11, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3920 "2020-09-11T01:18:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does this relate to spoken language? > Does this relate to written language? > Was the language, in fact, Greek? > > Specifically: Is this about the Linear B script? No/Yes/Yes/Yes … you know this one already, right? I knew at least one person on the boards did, because it was mentioned in the “good biographies” thread. [Michael Ventris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ventris) and the decipherment of Linear B (which is, yes, Greek) ---
**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:** [September 11, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3921 "2020-09-11T01:55:44Z")
I didn’t know any specifics about the individual who figured it out, but I knew the general story, that it was a script that was mysterious for a long time until someone figured out that it was just transliterated Greek. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2020, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/3922 "2020-09-11T02:20:49Z")
Aw. Died so young. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=195) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=197)