# 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:** 229
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4563 "2021-04-11T14:37:04Z")
reply to Ana\_Byrd: Did that body part come from the famous person she was associated with? No From Mary? Not sure…probably I guess… Is the body part’s owner significant? No Was the time and/or manner of her death relevant? No People have been calling the container a jar, but was it? Yes ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4564 "2021-04-11T14:42:02Z")
reply to Chronos: Was her rise in fame the result of being included in a fiction book? No Was her rise in fame the result of being included in any fictional work? Not sure. Is Mary widely known for anything other than the alleged body part in a container? That and the grain ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4565 "2021-04-11T14:53:26Z")
Was the body part something that’s regularly shed and discarded (like hair, nails, baby teeth, etc.)? Was the body part something that a person can live without? Was the body part something you can see on the outside of a person without opening them up? Was the body part just stuffed willy-nilly in the jar? Arranged in some artful way? Was the body part normal/healthy (apart from being in a jar)? ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4566 "2021-04-11T15:33:38Z")
reply to SurrenderDorothy: Was the body part something that’s regularly shed and discarded (like hair, nails, baby teeth, etc.)? No Was the body part something that a person can live without? No, unless maybe by some medical miracle… Was the body part something you can see on the outside of a person without opening them up? Yes Was the body part just stuffed willy-nilly in the jar? Do not know Arranged in some artful way? Do not know Was the body part normal/healthy (apart from being in a jar)? Not sure. I think it is implied that it is normal/healthy. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4567 "2021-04-11T15:44:03Z")
Interestingly enough I see that a document signed by our “Mary” when she was only 15-years old was recently auctioned for over $150,000. Not bad for someone who probably saw little money during her lifetime. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4568 "2021-04-11T17:53:25Z")
While the body part was allegedly in a jar, was it still attached to the rest of the body? ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4569 "2021-04-11T18:37:16Z")
reply to Chronos: While the body part was allegedly in a jar, was it still attached to the rest of the body? This is not really clear but I don’t think so. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4570 "2021-04-11T18:47:00Z")
Would it help to know more about the famous person Mary is associated with? About the nature of their association? Did Mary live in the United States? Was the body part real? Was it from a human body? Was it a head? Part of a head? “Grain” as in a food crop, like wheat or oats? Or in some other sense? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2021, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4571 "2021-04-11T20:13:41Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Many visitors will tell you Mary once possessed an unusual item: a body part in a container! 😲 This is not true. But she _did_ pick up that rice in the church where a wedding has been, right? ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4572 "2021-04-11T22:13:57Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > But she _did_ pick up that rice in the church where a wedding has been, right? Aaaah… ha ha ha… That must be it. > [@Biotop](#): > > Many visitors will tell you Mary once possessed an unusual item: a body part in a container! But who was it for? ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4573 "2021-04-11T23:28:19Z")
I was just about to ask if the body part was a face. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2021, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4574 "2021-04-11T23:53:18Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > and died in 1944 Nitpick - she died in 1939, aged 44. Nice question. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4575 "2021-04-12T01:22:27Z")
You guys got it while I was at work. Good job The Other Waldo Pepper! ---
**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:** [April 12, 2021, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4576 "2021-04-12T01:32:37Z")
So… Anyone want to officially answer it, for the benefit of the rest of us? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4577 "2021-04-12T01:48:34Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > You guys got it while I was at work. Good job The Other Waldo Pepper! Thanks; I just wish I had something as good ready to go! Best I have is this: once upon a time, a criminal got caught because his wife mentioned a bear instead of mentioning a rodent… ---
**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:** [April 12, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4578 "2021-04-12T01:52:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So… Anyone want to officially answer it, for the benefit of the rest of us? **Eleanor Rigby** , though I didn’t know she was based on a real person. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4579 "2021-04-12T02:34:54Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > **Eleanor Rigby** , though I didn’t know she was based on a real person. “Based on” is being generous. McCartney has said he made up the name whole cloth. Though, since the grave of Eleanor was near where McCartney and Lennon regularly visited in their teens, McCartney has apparently said it might be a case of cryptomnesia for the name. But other than the name, the character in the song has nothing to do with the real life person. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2021, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4580 "2021-04-12T04:31:49Z")
> **[The Beatles: What really inspired Eleanor Rigby?](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-41162284)** > > The deeds for Eleanor Rigby's grave are for sale, but what's the real story behind The Beatles' hit? ---
**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:** [April 12, 2021, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4581 "2021-04-12T04:36:27Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > once upon a time, a criminal got caught because his wife mentioned a bear instead of mentioning a rodent… Is the type of bear significant? The type of rodent? Did the wife mention this to the police? Did the wife mention this to the victim of the crime? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4582 "2021-04-12T04:54:53Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Is the type of bear significant? > The type of rodent? > Did the wife mention this to the police? > Did the wife mention this to the victim of the crime? I guess I’d have to answer _yes_ to #1 and #2, and _no_ to #4 — but as for #3, I’ll just say the police had first-hand knowledge of her statement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=228) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=230)