# 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:** 257
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5123 "2022-03-06T21:19:07Z")
Does it matter what specific type of event it was (party, show, political event, etc.) Did any of the specific people attending the event form a relevant personal relationship with someone of a different race as a result of this event? Or were people simply “brought together” in the larger sense of ending segregation? Did it become obvious, as a result of this event, that segregation had negative consequences that were _unintended_ by its supporters? Did anyone at the event openly protest or resist the segregation? If so, were they physically injured? Did they get in legal trouble? Did anybody _else_ get in legal trouble as a result of the event? If yes: the bouncer? Other people supporting / enforcing segregation? ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5124 "2022-03-06T21:22:34Z")
The organizers of the event. Did they represent an organization that could be characterized as a business? a school? a religious group? any kind of politically active group? a governmental entity specifically? Was the event a wedding? ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5125 "2022-03-06T22:36:30Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Does it matter what specific type of event it was (party, show, political event, etc.) Yes, I would say that it matters quite a bit. Understanding the event will help unwrap the puzzle. > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Did any of the specific people attending the event form a relevant personal relationship with someone of a different race as a result of this event? Or were people simply “brought together” in the larger sense of ending segregation? I don’t think anyone got to know each other, but some people were deeply affected by the event. “Brought together” refers to ending segregation in a region of USA. > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Did it become obvious, as a result of this event, that segregation had negative consequences that were _unintended_ by its supporters? Wow, hard to answer. I think “ **yes** ” is accurate here. Unintended, though? I can’t get into intentions and unintentions of segregation. > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Did anyone at the event openly protest or resist the segregation? If so, were they physically injured? Did they get in legal trouble? No. > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Did anybody _else_ get in legal trouble as a result of the event? If yes: the bouncer? Other people supporting / enforcing segregation? No, though segregation is a legally related thing and its legality was impacted by this event. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5126 "2022-03-06T22:38:03Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > The organizers of the event. Did they represent an organization that could be characterized as > > a business? > a school? > a religious group? > any kind of politically active group? > a governmental entity specifically? They might have been politically active in some way, but not in relation to segregation. Irrelevant political impact to this puzzle except for how segregation ended up being impacted. No to all of your types listed, but that is a very good line of questioning to pursue. Who were these people??? ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5127 "2022-03-06T22:47:21Z")
Was the event: – Primarily social in nature? – Primarily educational? – Primarily civic? – Sports-related? – Related to culture or entertainment? Were the participants mostly adults? Is their age / gender relevant? Was it a regular, recurring event? Annual? One-time? Did it mark any sort of special occasion or milestone? ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5128 "2022-03-06T22:47:54Z")
Was it a funeral? ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5129 "2022-03-06T23:06:16Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > – Primarily social in nature? > – Primarily educational? > – Primarily civic? > – Sports-related? > – Related to culture or entertainment? > > Were the participants mostly adults? Is their age / gender relevant? > > Was it a regular, recurring event? Annual? One-time? > > Did it mark any sort of special occasion or milestone? It was a Christmas party, so it was held annually(Christmas does not factor into the solution). - social in nature - yes - participants were adults - yes - educational - no - civic - what do you mean “civic”? - sports - definitely NO - culture or entertainment - no, just a party It did not mark a milestone except Xmas. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5130 "2022-03-06T23:06:38Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Was it a funeral? No, it was a Xmas party. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2022, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5131 "2022-03-06T23:15:46Z")
Was the party open to the public–to anyone who wanted to show up? Was it restricted to people who met some kind of requirement such as being employed at a certain place or at a certain type of business, or being a member of some kind of club? ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5132 "2022-03-06T23:17:07Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Was the party open to the public–to anyone who wanted to show up? No, it was not. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5133 "2022-03-06T23:17:16Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Was it restricted to people who met some kind of requirement such as being employed at a certain place or at a certain type of business, or being a member of some kind of club? Some kind of club. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2022, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5134 "2022-03-06T23:19:11Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > civic - what do you mean “civic”? I guess I mean anything in the broad category of “public life at the local / municipal level, including but not limited to political or governmental functions.” Like, say, a Fourth of July parade or the dedication of a public building. I’m guessing the answer is no if it was a Christmas party, unless it was at city hall or something. Were the rules about segregation at this party similar to ones enforced at similar parties in the past? If yes, did they have different consequences at this particular party? ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5135 "2022-03-07T00:22:15Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > I guess I mean anything in the broad category of “public life at the local / municipal level, including but not limited to political or governmental functions.” Like, say, a Fourth of July parade or the dedication of a public building. I’m guessing the answer is no if it was a Christmas party, unless it was at city hall or something. No, then. Not civic. > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Were the rules about segregation at this party similar to ones enforced at similar parties in the past? If yes, did they have different consequences at this particular party? They were the same as previous parties, I assume. This time, however, there were just some consequences(positive, really) that hadn’t been produced before. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5136 "2022-03-07T02:25:36Z")
Would it be helpful to know what kind of club it was? Were both black and white people invited to the party as guests? But expected to stay in separate areas? Would it help to know more about the building(s) / location involved? Did the event result in the end of segregation nationally? In a particular state? Only locally? ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5137 "2022-03-07T02:26:46Z")
I think I’ve read about this story. Just to confirm if I have or not: Did the party happen in 1945 and was across the street from another party? ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5138 "2022-03-07T02:40:31Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Would it be helpful to know what kind of club it was? > > **Yes, _definitely_.** > > Were both black and white people invited to the party as guests? But expected to stay in separate areas? > > **Yes.** > > Would it help to know more about the building(s) / location involved? > > **It was in Louisiana, I think. But no, not really.** > > Did the event result in the end of segregation nationally? In a particular state? Only locally? > > **State-wide at the most. Perhaps just locally or partially. Not nationwide.** Answered in quote. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5139 "2022-03-07T02:41:02Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > Did the party happen in 1945 and was across the street from another party? No. Does not sound like you have it. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5140 "2022-03-07T02:43:58Z")
I’m pretty sure I do. Especially because according to your last answer it takes place in Louisiana. Was the party full of blind people and so they couldn’t self-segregate? ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5141 "2022-03-07T02:52:28Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > Was the party full of blind people and so they couldn’t self-segregate? Yes, and indeed I did just re-read and see another party was happening across the street. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2022, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5142 "2022-03-07T13:18:04Z")
I guess I 'll just call this solved, then. It was 1945, not the 1950’s, but it didn’t affect the puzzle. **The association for the blind had its annual Christmas party. They hired sighted separators/spotters to come and guide the Whites and Blacks to their respective party locations. A judge saw this happening and was struck how even though they can not see each other, they were being assisted with their segregation, which happened even when you can 't see the color of everyone’s skin. He was so moved, he ended up pushing for the end of segregation in Louisiana schools.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=256) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=258)