# 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:** 215
**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 30, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4283 "2020-10-30T15:02:57Z")
Was the congressional hearing the result of something overheard at the lunch? Did this happen in real life? ---
**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 30, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4284 "2020-10-30T15:05:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Was the congressional hearing the result of something overheard at the lunch? **No** > Did this happen in real life? **Yes** ---
**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 30, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4285 "2020-10-30T16:31:34Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > **His lunch was the subject of a congressional hearing. Why?** Was he: - president - in congress - in government at 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:** [October 30, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4286 "2020-10-30T16:33:37Z")
Is this a hearing of the United States congress? 21st Century+ 20th+ ---
**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 30, 2020, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4287 "2020-10-30T16:41:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Was he: > > - president > - in congress > - in government at all? **No to all.** > [@](#): > > Is this a hearing of the United States congress? **Yes** > 21st Century+ > 20th+ **20th century** Note, just in case I’m getting something wrong: I’m actually not entirely sure I’m using the word “hearing” correctly. “Review” is the word the article I read used. Either way, it was officially discussed by a congressional committee. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4288 "2020-10-30T17:20:00Z")
Was the review held due to the food that was eaten at the lunch? ---
**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 30, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4289 "2020-10-30T17:22:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Was the review held due to the food that was eaten at the lunch? **Yes** ---
**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 30, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4290 "2020-10-30T17:26:59Z")
Was his lunch part of a scientific study? Did a scientific study follow the lunch? Was “he” a human? A laboratory animal? A rat? ---
**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 30, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4291 "2020-10-30T17:28:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Was his lunch part of a scientific study? **No** > Did a scientific study follow the lunch? **No** > Was “he” a human? A laboratory animal? A rat? **Human** ---
**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 30, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4292 "2020-10-30T17:49:20Z")
Did the hearing/review have to do with a suspicion that something was wrong with the food at lunch? Did it have to do with adulterated food or ingredients? Suspected fake food or ingredients? Did it have to do with misrepresentation of what the food was? Illegal ingredients? ---
**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 30, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4293 "2020-10-30T17:53:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Did the hearing/review have to do with a suspicion that something was wrong with the food at lunch? > > Did it have to do with adulterated food or ingredients? > > Suspected fake food or ingredients? > > Did it have to do with misrepresentation of what the food was? > > Illegal ingredients? **No to all** ---
**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 30, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4294 "2020-10-30T18:06:23Z")
Was the purpose of the review related to … Health and safety? The environment? Agriculture / food production? Business / trade / commerce? Corruption or malfeasance? Would it help to know more about the specific food(s) involved? ---
**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 30, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4295 "2020-10-30T18:15:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Was the purpose of the review related to … > > Health and safety? **Yes** > > The environment? **No** > > Agriculture / food production? **No** > > Business / trade / commerce? **No** > > Corruption or malfeasance? **Only in a very loose sense** > > Would it help to know more about the specific food(s) involved? **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:** [October 30, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4296 "2020-10-30T19:43:56Z")
Was it condiment related? ---
**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 31, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4297 "2020-10-31T14:56:23Z")
**No** ---
**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 31, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4298 "2020-10-31T16:57:19Z")
Was the lunch primarily meat? Vegetable? Grain? Pasta? Entree and sides? Fast food? From a restaurant or cafeteria? Self-prepared? ---
**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 31, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4299 "2020-10-31T17:02:04Z")
Was “he” a child? A resident of an institution of some sort? A member of the military? Was the Congressional committee primarily interested in the nutritional content of the lunch? Or some other health / safety issue? ---
**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 31, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4300 "2020-10-31T17:14:05Z")
Ooh, thought of another one: If an identical lunch were produced and served to the members of the Congressional committee, would most of them have been willing to eat it? (Assuming they had no individual issues, like being a vegetarian or hating cilantro or whatever.) ---
**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:** [October 31, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4301 "2020-10-31T18:26:29Z")
Did the lunch actually occur in the US? ---
**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 31, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4302 "2020-10-31T18:28:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Was the lunch primarily meat? > Vegetable? > Grain? > Pasta? > Entree and sides? > Fast food? > From a restaurant or cafeteria? > Self-prepared? **Meat and grain, from a deli.** > [@](#): > > Was “he” a child? **No** > > A resident of an institution of some sort? **No** > > A member of the military? **Yes, but I had to look that up, since it’s not directly relevant here.** > > Was the Congressional committee primarily interested in the nutritional content of the lunch? Or some other health / safety issue? **Other** > [@](#): > > If an identical lunch were produced and served to the members of the Congressional committee, would most of them have been willing to eat it? (Assuming they had no individual issues, like being a vegetarian or hating cilantro or whatever.) **Yes** > [@](#): > > Did the lunch actually occur in the US? **No** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=214) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=216)