# 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:** 209
**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:** [October 15, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4163 "2020-10-15T18:50:24Z")
Did the death postpone an election? Did the death change participants in an election? Are the results of an election in question? ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4164 "2020-10-15T19:09:24Z")
When Angela loses her job, will it be because her position no longer exists? (Should have thought of that in my last post.) ---
**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 15, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4165 "2020-10-15T19:52:01Z")
Did the death postpone an election? **Yes.** Did the death change participants in an election? **Yes.** Are the results of an election in question? **No (except in the broad sense that the two “yes” answers above might eventually affect the results).** When Angela loses her job, will it be because her position no longer exists? **Her position would continue to exist, but would be vacant.** I’d say this is about 90% there – pretty much the only unsolved part is “what does Mike’s success have to do with anything?” ---
**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:** [October 15, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4166 "2020-10-15T19:54:41Z")
Did Mike’s success occur in a primary? ---
**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 15, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4167 "2020-10-15T19:56:08Z")
Did Mike’s success occur in a primary? **No.** ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4168 "2020-10-15T20:25:24Z")
Is Angela a campaign manager for Mike and/or Adam? Is Angela’s position a temporary one (under normal circumstances)? That is, is it only expected to be filled under certain temporary conditions? ---
**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 16, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4169 "2020-10-16T00:38:45Z")
Is Angela a campaign manager for Mike and/or Adam? **No.** Is Angela’s position a temporary one (under normal circumstances)? That is, is it only expected to be filled under certain temporary conditions? **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:** [October 16, 2020, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4170 "2020-10-16T04:24:33Z")
Did (does) Angela have an elected position? ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2020, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4171 "2020-10-16T04:49:05Z")
You said that Adam’s death changed the participants in an election… Was Adam running in that election before he died? Did Mike join the race after it was postponed? Or were these two separate elections? ---
**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 16, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4172 "2020-10-16T13:03:35Z")
Did (does) Angela have an elected position? **Yes.** You said that Adam’s death changed the participants in an election… Was Adam running in that election before he died? **Yes.** Did Mike join the race after it was postponed? **No.** Or were these two separate elections? **Adam and Mike were running in two separate elections.** ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4173 "2020-10-17T22:07:29Z")
Do any of these people have any relationship other than political opponents? Did Mike’s success change the outcome of the election he was in? Of another election? Are there other important players in this situation we should know about? (I’m close to running out of questions at this point.) ---
**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 18, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4174 "2020-10-18T00:27:06Z")
Do any of these people have any relationship other than political opponents? **No.** Did Mike’s success change the outcome of the election he was in? **Not as far as I know – if it did, it’s not relevant.** Of another election? **Potentially, it could (TBD at this point).** Are there other important players in this situation we should know about? **Well, there’s Paul, I guess. Paul is dead, but if he hadn’t died when he did, this puzzle wouldn’t exist.** ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2020, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4175 "2020-10-19T11:13:15Z")
I feel like we have most of the pieces at this point, but I’m still stumped about how they fit together. You said the part we’re missing is about what Mike’s success has to do with anything, so… Is Mike’s success relevant because it affected how the media covered the election? …because it means he’s likely to run in another election? …because it means he won’t? …because of something else Mike will do? …because of something Angela will do? ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2020, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4176 "2020-10-19T11:21:00Z")
Once this gets solved, I’d like to give the next puzzle. I’ve thought of one that I hope won’t be too easy. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4177 "2020-10-19T15:18:18Z")
Don’t worry about too easy. I have learned I can never tell what will be solved right away and what will be a challenge. ---
**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 19, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4178 "2020-10-19T16:32:42Z")
I haven’t had a chance to participate, but here is my attempt at a contribution. A compilation of ‘yes’ answers. **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.** All three are human adults. A single point in time determined Mike’s success. Angela’s specific job is relevant (Adam and Mike’s jobs not so much). They all ‘kind of’ work in the same field. Angela’s position would continue to exist but would be vacant when she loses her job. It is an elected position. Mike’s unexpected success is getting more votes than expected. All are politicians (or at least have run for public office at some point). Different political parties. A political party benefited from Mike’s success in the competition. Adam’s death postponed an election and changed participants in an election. Adam was running in the election. (Mike was running in a separate election) ---
**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 19, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4179 "2020-10-19T18:10:18Z")
Thanks for the summary! This is all basically correct, except for a couple of small clarifications: > [@Folly](#): > > They all ‘kind of’ work in the same field. I answered that one before the “are all three of them politicians?” question was asked. They do not have a common field of work _other_ than being politicians, broadly defined. > [@Folly](#): > > Different political parties _Angela_ is in a different party from Adam, and she is also in a different political party from Mike. Nobody, so far has asked about the Adam - Mike dyad, but I’ll give you that one for free: **Adam and Mike are in the same political party as each other.** ---
**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 19, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4180 "2020-10-19T18:12:17Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Is Mike’s success relevant because it affected how the media covered the election? > > …because it means he’s likely to run in another election? > > …because it means he won’t? > > …because of something else Mike will do? > > …because of something Angela will do? **None of the above.** ---
**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 19, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4181 "2020-10-19T18:12:23Z")
Is it Angela Merkel? ---
**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 19, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4182 "2020-10-19T18:16:14Z")
Is it Angela Merkel? **No. (FWIW, this takes place in the US and everyone involved is American.)** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=208) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=210)