# 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:** 207
**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:** [October 8, 2020, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4123 "2020-10-08T12:55:54Z")
**The skeleton was asking questions. Why?** > [@Biotop](#): > > Is this Halloween… Is this Halloween related? **No** Did the skeleton ask a person the questions? People? **Person** (one at a time) Did the skeleton ask questions for more than a day?More than a week? A month? **No** to all (for any given person) Is the skeleton still asking questions? **Probably not** Was it one skeleton only that asked questions? **Probably** (Could have been many in an alternate universe) Did the answers to the questions matter to anyone? **Yes** Does the location matter? **No** Did a skeleton asking questions surprise anyone? **Yes** Was it a joke? **No** ---
**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:** [October 8, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4124 "2020-10-08T20:07:51Z")
Is this a long-running cultural custom of some sort? Is there a particular place where this happens? Is there a particular time of year where this happens? Does the ‘skeleton’ purport to have supernatural knowledge? ---
**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:** [October 8, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4125 "2020-10-08T20:20:33Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Is this a long-running… Is this a long-running cultural custom of some sort? **No** Is there a particular place where this happens? **Hard to answer**. It would be more associated with particular places. Is there a particular time of year where this happens? **No**. Does the ‘skeleton’ purport to have supernatural knowledge? **No**. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4126 "2020-10-08T20:27:25Z")
Was there an educational purpose behind the skeleton asking questions? An entertainment purpose? ---
**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:** [October 8, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4127 "2020-10-08T20:33:56Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Was there an educational purpose behind the skeleton asking questions? An entertainment purpose? **No** to both. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4128 "2020-10-08T20:44:21Z")
Does this happen in a carnival, funfair or theme park? Does it travel? Does this happen in a play performed on stage? Is it Yorick? Is it the pointing skeleton in Treasure Island? ---
**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:** [October 8, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4129 "2020-10-08T20:53:04Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Does this happen in a carnival, funfair or theme park? > Does it travel? > > Does this happen in a play performed on stage? > Is it Yorick? > Is it the pointing skeleton in Treasure Island? **No** to all. Except maybe in theory the skeleton could be moved to different locations. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4130 "2020-10-09T17:57:05Z")
Would it help to know more about … – whose skeleton it was? (Or, if not an actual human skeleton, whose skeleton it _supposedly_ was?) – who it was asking the questions _of?_ – the content of the questions? Did the person lending his / her voice to the skeleton already know the answers to the questions? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4131 "2020-10-09T18:09:47Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Would it help to… Would it help to know more about … – whose skeleton it was? (Or, if not an actual human skeleton, whose skeleton it _supposedly_ was?) **No** – who it was asking the questions _of?_ **Yes** – the content of the questions? **Yes** Did the person lending his / her voice to the skeleton already know the answers to the questions? **No** ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4132 "2020-10-09T18:22:40Z")
Is crime involved? If yes, was the person being asked the questions a suspect in the crime? Did this occur in an educational setting (broadly defined – school, museum, library, etc.)? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4133 "2020-10-09T18:23:46Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Is crime involved?.. Is crime involved? If yes, was the person being asked the questions a suspect in the crime? **Yes** Did this occur in an educational setting (broadly defined – school, museum, library, etc.)? **No** ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4134 "2020-10-09T18:26:47Z")
Does this have anything to do with folklore about the corpses of murdered people being able to identify their murderers? Was the person / people making the skeleton “talk” hoping to make the criminal give himself or herself away? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4135 "2020-10-09T18:27:59Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Does this have anything… Does this have anything to do with folklore about the corpses of murdered people being able to identify their murderers? **No**. Was the person / people making the skeleton “talk” hoping to make the criminal give himself or herself away? **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:** [October 9, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4136 "2020-10-09T18:29:53Z")
Calling it. Close enough. Good Job! The skeleton relates to a patent from 1927 for a lie detector (or interrogation device) where a suspect would be placed inside a dark box, suddenly confronted by an illuminated skeleton interrogating them. Apparently, this should be enough to make anyone immediately and truthfully confess all their misdeeds. Also, their reactions were recorded on film mounted inside (and out the back of the skull) [Tom Scott Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU2hjhw1RCs&t=0s) [Article](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/criminal-confession-skeleton-patent) ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4137 "2020-10-09T18:51:40Z")
OK, I’ve got a new one! It’s based on a situation that is currently in the news and may be local to some Dopers, so if you already know about it, please don’t spoil it: **Neither Adam’s untimely death nor Mike’s unexpected success would have done any harm to Angela on its own, but since they _both_ happened, she’s likely to lose her job, at least for a while.** ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4138 "2020-10-09T19:55:39Z")
Was Mike responsible for Adam’s death? Were all three related? Coworkers? Does Angela work in insurance? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4139 "2020-10-09T19:57:05Z")
Was Mike responsible for Adam’s death? No. Were all three related? Coworkers? No to both. Does Angela work in insurance? No. ---
**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:** [October 9, 2020, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4140 "2020-10-09T20:00:16Z")
Are all three human adults? Is there a single point in time that determined Mike’s success? Is the cause of Adam’s death relevant? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4141 "2020-10-09T20:07:33Z")
Are all three human adults? **Yes.** Is there a single point in time that determined Mike’s success? **Yes (if I understand the question correctly).** Is the cause of Adam’s death relevant? **No.** ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4142 "2020-10-09T20:18:51Z")
Does Angela lose her job because she gets promoted to fill in for Adam or Mike? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=206) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=208)