# 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:** 270
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2022, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5388 "2022-10-17T01:35:08Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > There may have been a space cat in Fat Freddyverse. But not relevant here. Not what I meant, but, OK. I think I still got my answer. FTR, I meant, was there ever a cat, on a space ship, module, station, whatever, who was named “Fat Freddy’s Cat” after the comic book character. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2022, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5389 "2022-10-17T01:42:45Z")
Were these non-human astronauts named for human or humanoid (Superman, Thor) characters, or other animal characters? Were these non-human characters mammalian? primate? canid? felid? rodent? non-mammalian? avian? ---
**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 17, 2022, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5390 "2022-10-17T02:04:45Z")
reply to RivkahChaya: Were these non-human astronauts named for human or humanoid (Superman, Thor) characters, or other animal characters? No. The animals in the space missions were identified in a way that relates to their comic book appearance\*. Were these non-human characters mammalian? No. primate? No canid? No. felid? No rodent? No. non-mammalian? Yes. avian? No. \* This may be helpful. I was reading up on these certain comic book characters last week because American culture is just bizarre and fun and why not? I didn’t previously know/remember that they had gone into space. But that factoid was on their Wiki page and it made me smile. The character’s names are not important because in one sense the space animals are named after the fictional comic book counterparts, but in another sense they are not. Probably depends on whether the scientists involved in space flight had a sense of humor. In any case I do not know how to answer whether the space animals were named after the comic book characters. But it is surely how most if us would relate to them. ---
**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 17, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5391 "2022-10-17T17:34:36Z")
Well-known independent comic characters, not technically superheroes, animals can be named after them but not _really_ after them… Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? ---
**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 17, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5392 "2022-10-17T17:41:22Z")
reply to Ana\_Byrd: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? No. ---
**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 17, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5393 "2022-10-17T18:42:53Z")
Dang. Really thought I had it. But it does bring up a question: Did the characters and the real space animals share names? If so, because they were named after the same people/things? ---
**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 17, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5394 "2022-10-17T21:09:32Z")
reply to Ana\_Byrd: Did the characters and the real space animals share names? If so, because they were named after the same people/things? As far as I know none of the space animals had specific names other than simply being the animals they were. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5395 "2022-10-17T21:12:12Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > As far as I know none of the space animals had specific names other than simply being the animals they were. Wait, what? So we’re talking about something like a space bat, space spider, and space wolverine? ---
**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:** [October 17, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5396 "2022-10-17T21:18:37Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > reply to Ana\_Byrd: > > Did the characters and the real space animals share names? If so, because they were named after the same people/things? > As far as I know none of the space animals had specific names other than simply being the animals they were. Are we, then, trying to find the name of a group? ---
**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 17, 2022, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5397 "2022-10-17T22:04:09Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Wait, what? So we’re talking about something like a space bat, space spider, and space wolverine? 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 17, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5398 "2022-10-17T22:12:31Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Are we, then, trying to find the name of a group? You are trying to tell me who the comic book characters are who went into space. Once you figure out the characters, I bet you understand. Anyway, while noted above these characters were not official EC or DC characters, their original illustrator was well known for his work in those popular comic book lines. The artist’s wiki page explicitly mentions these characters in question. ---
**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:** [October 17, 2022, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5399 "2022-10-17T22:28:21Z")
So, just to be clear: Do these characters, in and of themselves, compose a recognized group in a formal or semiformal way? If so, does this group have a name? ---
**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 17, 2022, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5400 "2022-10-17T22:44:36Z")
reply to dirtball: So, just to be clear: Do these characters, in and of themselves, compose a recognized group in a formal or semiformal way? Yes. If so, does this group have a name? Yes. ---
**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 18, 2022, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5401 "2022-10-18T05:20:35Z")
Were the real animals all the same species? All different? Were they reptiles? Amphibians? Fish? Insects? Other invertebrates? ---
**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 18, 2022, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5402 "2022-10-18T11:18:19Z")
reply to Ana\_Byrd: Were the real animals all the same species? Yes. All different? No. Were they reptiles? No. Amphibians? No. Fish? No Insects? No. Other invertebrates? 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 18, 2022, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5403 "2022-10-18T11:57:39Z")
Were the animals aquatic (ocean or fresh water) or land based? ---
**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 18, 2022, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5404 "2022-10-18T12:01:31Z")
reply to Cheesesteak: Were the animals aquatic (ocean or fresh water) Yes. or land based? No. ---
**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 18, 2022, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5405 "2022-10-18T12:10:08Z")
Arthropods? Molluscs? Annelids? Echinoderms? Cnidarians? Did the mission planners intend to take the animals on the mission? Or did they hitch a ride uninvited? (I’m thinking, maybe spiders that built webs on the Space Shuttle prior to launch, or something similar) Did they return to Earth? Did they survive their trip? ---
**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 18, 2022, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5406 "2022-10-18T12:26:01Z")
reply to Peter\_Morris: My zoological ignorance threatens to show. Let me see now… Arthropods? Yes. Molluscs? No. Annelids? No. Echinoderms? No. Cnidarians? No. Did the mission planners intend to take the animals on the mission? Yes. Or did they hitch a ride uninvited? (I’m thinking, maybe spiders that built webs on the Space Shuttle prior to launch, or something similar) No. Did they return to Earth? Yes. Did they survive their trip? Some of them did. ---
**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 18, 2022, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/5407 "2022-10-18T12:48:03Z")
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