# 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:** 25
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/481 "2019-11-15T01:54:29Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Was the bird a ship or flying vehicle of some sort? **YES** > > If so, was it twinkling in the sky like a star? **NO** dr. s ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/482 "2019-11-15T01:56:45Z")
Is the bird a military aircraft? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/483 "2019-11-15T01:58:47Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > Is the bird a military aircraft? **NO** dr. s ---
**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:** [November 15, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/484 "2019-11-15T02:08:55Z")
Was the bird a space shuttle? Was the bird a rocket? Did the bird contain any human beings inside? Anything alive at all? Was the bird an airplane? Was the bird a helicopter? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/485 "2019-11-15T02:12:47Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Was the bird a space shuttle? **NO** > > Was the bird a rocket? **NO** > > Did the bird contain any human beings inside? Anything alive at all? **YES** and **YES** > > Was the bird an airplane? **YES** > > Was the bird a helicopter? **NO** dr. s ---
**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:** [November 15, 2019, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/486 "2019-11-15T02:38:18Z")
Does darkness mean “absence of light”? Is “the darkness” the name of something? Is “the darkness” the name of the airplane? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/487 "2019-11-15T02:41:02Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Does darkness mean “absence of light”? **YES** > > Is “the darkness” the name of something? **NO** > > Is “the darkness” the name of the airplane? **NO** dr. s ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/488 "2019-11-15T03:45:02Z")
By twinkle do you mean light that flickers from bright to faint? Did the plane go on to reach its intended destination? Was it a specific part of the aeroplane that was twinkling? Is this part found on most planes? If no, is it unusual (or unexpected) to find this part on an aeroplane? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/489 "2019-11-15T04:33:03Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > By twinkle do you mean light that flickers from bright to faint? **YES** > > Did the plane go on to reach its intended destination? **YES** > > Was it a specific part of the aeroplane that was twinkling? **NO** > > Is this part found on most planes? **CANNOT ANSWER** > > If no, is it unusual (or unexpected) to find this part on an aeroplane? **CANNOT ANSWER** dr. s ---
**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:** [November 15, 2019, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/490 "2019-11-15T04:40:10Z")
Was the “bird” the Spruce Goose? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/491 "2019-11-15T04:41:22Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Was the “bird” the Spruce Goose? **NO** dr. s ---
**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:** [November 15, 2019, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/492 "2019-11-15T04:46:08Z")
Is the twinkle from a nuclear explosion? Little boy? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/493 "2019-11-15T04:50:45Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Is the twinkle from a nuclear explosion? **NO** > Little boy? **NO** dr. s ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/494 "2019-11-15T04:54:23Z")
Is the “twinkle” reflected sunlight? ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/495 "2019-11-15T04:56:34Z")
The light source (whether being reflected or not), is it: Sunlight? Starlight? Lightning? Fire/explosion? Bioluminescence? Light generated from a man-made object designed to produce light? (eg a lamp, LED, torch, headlight, etc) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/496 "2019-11-15T04:58:01Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > The light source (whether being reflected or not), is it: > > Sunlight? **YES** > Starlight? **NO** (ignoring that the sun is a star) > Lightning? **NO** > Fire/explosion? **NO** > Bioluminescence? **NO** > Light generated from a man-made object designed to produce light? (eg a lamp, LED, etc) **NO** dr. s ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/497 "2019-11-15T05:01:48Z")
Was the thing that twinkled attached to the plane at take-off? If yes, did it remain attached to the plane until it landed? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/498 "2019-11-15T05:02:50Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > Was the thing that twinkled attached to the plane at take-off? **NO** > If yes, did it remain attached to the plane until it landed? **NO** dr. s ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/499 "2019-11-15T09:11:30Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > Is the “twinkle” reflected sunlight? **YES** Sorry, I missed this. It is not quite redundant with the other answers, so it deserves a separate response. ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/500 "2019-11-15T10:22:50Z")
Is this a factual event, or from fiction? Is the twinkling object observed from the plane? Is the twinkling object an artifact? Is the twinkling object sitting on the ground? Are the reflective surfaces of the twinkling object -Water? -Snow/ice? -Metal? -Glass? -Rock? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=26)