# 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:** 239
**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:** [September 29, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4763 "2021-09-29T00:38:46Z")
Huh, I think the line in _A Christmas Carol_ about Marley’s face having “a dismal light about it, like a bad lobster in a dark cellar” is FINALLY making sense to me. Who knew? ---
**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 6, 2021, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4764 "2021-10-06T01:06:28Z")
There have been several documented attempts to try and measure something. A major university study using humans and machines: 364. With humans only: 252 Another major university experiment involving humans and machines: 411 A study by a group of high school students involving humans only: 144 Private research involving animals only: 3 What are all these researchers trying to find out? ---
**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 6, 2021, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4765 "2021-10-06T01:33:18Z")
Is it: - length of time to do something? - quantity of something? - distance? - length or height, etc.? ---
**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 6, 2021, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4766 "2021-10-06T02:00:38Z")
Mahaloth: Is it: - length of time to do something? No - quantity of something? Yes - distance? No - length or height, etc.? 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 6, 2021, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4767 "2021-10-06T02:47:50Z")
And for clarity the adjective “major” modifies the individual universities, not the studies. (FWIW, Purdue and University of Michigan, according to Wikipedia.) ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4768 "2021-10-06T19:43:37Z")
Does using google constitute lateral thinking ? ---
**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 6, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4769 "2021-10-06T20:11:16Z")
Is this something I could measure? Is it the weight of something? Or mass? Is it the amount of a group that could do something? Is bias a factor in the widely different results? ---
**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 6, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4770 "2021-10-06T20:11:59Z")
reply to pjd Does using google constitute lateral thinking ? Google is not allowed. If you become frustrated with a puzzle and use Google, it is understandable but you should not post afterwards to that puzzle. Lateral thinking puzzles should not require Google. ---
**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 6, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4771 "2021-10-06T20:41:51Z")
reply to Mahaloth: Is this something I could measure? Yes Is it the weight of something? No Or mass? No Is it the amount of a group that could do something? No Is bias a factor in the widely different results? No ---
**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 6, 2021, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4772 "2021-10-06T21:55:03Z")
Is there any wordplay or clues within the wording of this puzzle? ---
**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 6, 2021, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4773 "2021-10-06T22:29:06Z")
reply to Mahaloth: Is there any wordplay or clues within the wording of this puzzle? No wordplay or similar trickery. 😉 ---
**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 6, 2021, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4774 "2021-10-06T22:46:21Z")
I need more people to come in and start asking some questions. I’m bad at getting the right angle going. @Folly @BigT @Aspidistra @Chronos Come on in and help! ---
**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 6, 2021, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4775 "2021-10-06T22:56:02Z")
heh okay 🙂 Is the measurement representable as an SI unit? Is it a measurement of time? Is it a measurement of something biological? Is it a universal constant of some kind? In the study involving humans, did the humans follow specific instructions in order for the study to be done? ---
**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:** [October 6, 2021, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4776 "2021-10-06T22:56:27Z")
I think I know what the answer to this one is. Let me just see if I’m correct: > [@Biotop](#): > > Private research involving animals only: 3 Was this specific study funded by someone with a fiscal interest in the thing being measured? ---
**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 6, 2021, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4777 "2021-10-06T23:02:38Z")
Aspidistra: Is the measurement representable as an SI unit? No, simply a quantitative count. Is it a measurement of time? No Is it a measurement of something biological? No Is it a universal constant of some kind? No In the study involving humans, did the humans follow specific instructions in order for the study to be done? I assume so. ---
**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 6, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4778 "2021-10-06T23:04:38Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think I know what the answer to this one is. Let me just see if I’m correct: > > > [@Biotop](#): > > > > Private research involving animals only: 3 > > Was this specific study funded by someone with a fiscal interest in the thing being measured? Yes! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4779 "2021-10-06T23:14:16Z")
Chronos’ question makes me immediately jump to this idea: Does it involve the tobacco industry? The pharmaceutical industry? ---
**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 7, 2021, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4780 "2021-10-07T00:00:19Z")
I know this one. So ill just be in the back, peaking over shoulders. ---
**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 7, 2021, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4781 "2021-10-07T01:02:42Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Chronos’ question makes me immediately jump to this idea: > > Does it involve the tobacco industry? The pharmaceutical industry? No to both. ---
**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 7, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/4782 "2021-10-07T01:22:34Z")
Is it a measure of number of times the experimental subjects can or do perform an intentional act? Is the ‘fiscal interest’ **Chronos** referred to in the animal research due to the researchers owning the specific animals used in that research? Was the point of that research to prove that animals could do something that normally only humans do? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=238) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=240)