# 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:** 29
**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 19, 2019, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/561 "2019-11-19T12:11:14Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Would it help if we knew what kind of bird Mindy and her friends are? A LITTLE > Would it help if we knew the location of Mindy and her friends? MAYBE > Would it help if we knew the location of Elena and her friends? MAYBE > Are Elena and her friends engaged in an activity made more difficult by Mindy and her friends? YES > Are there other people involved, besides Elena and her friends? NO > [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Was Mindy ever examined by veterinarians or research scientists? YES > Is “Mindy” known by that name to other people besides Elena and her friends? NO > Is Elena the leader of her peer group? NO > [@Aspidistra](#): > > Are Mindy and her friends costing money by something they are eating? NO > …somewhere they are living? YES > …some effect they are having on the environment? NO > …some effect they are having on humans? NO kk ---
**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:** [November 19, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/562 "2019-11-19T13:20:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Would it help if we knew what kind of bird Mindy and her friends are? A LITTLE Starlings? Is Shakespeare involved? ---
**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:** [November 19, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/563 "2019-11-19T15:28:47Z")
Is the fact that Mindy (and friends) are costing Elena (and friends) money related to the fact that Mindy (and friends) are vectors for some disease? ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/564 "2019-11-19T16:41:50Z")
nm ---
**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:** [November 19, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/565 "2019-11-19T16:44:05Z")
Is the specific wording “_an arm and a leg_” significant? Would the puzzle work equally well if you has written “_a lot of money_” instead? ---
**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 19, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/566 "2019-11-19T17:21:48Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Starlings? Is Shakespeare involved? No and No. (I know that puzzle, though) > [@Chronos](#): > > Is the fact that Mindy (and friends) are costing Elena (and friends) money related to the fact that Mindy (and friends) are vectors for some disease? NO > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Is the specific wording “_an arm and a leg_” significant? NO > > Would the puzzle work equally well if you has written “_a lot of money_” instead? YES ---
**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:** [November 19, 2019, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/567 "2019-11-19T17:36:44Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > (I know that puzzle, though) I thought you might. 🙂 ---
**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 19, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/568 "2019-11-19T17:41:22Z")
Is the fact that Mindy is an organism that spreads or causes disease irrelevant to the solution then? Do Elena and her friends know that Mindy and her friends are costing them a lot of money? Does it have to do with their nesting behavior? Does it have to do with what they eat or drink? Does it have to do with the physical size of Mindy and her friends? ---
**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 19, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/569 "2019-11-19T18:36:01Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Is the fact that Mindy is an organism that spreads or causes disease irrelevant to the solution then? YES, it’s irrelevant > > Do Elena and her friends know that Mindy and her friends are costing them a lot of money? YES > > Does it have to do with their nesting behavior? NO > > Does it have to do with what they eat or drink? NO > > Does it have to do with the physical size of Mindy and her friends? NO kk ---
**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:** [November 19, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/570 "2019-11-19T19:10:40Z")
Is “Mindy” a name for a specific individual of that species? Is “Mindy” just a generic name Elena (and possibly friends) use to refer to an arbitrary member of that species? Would the puzzle have worked just as well if “Mindy” were referred to by some other arbitrarily-chosen name? Is “Elena” the real name of a specific human? Would the puzzle work just as well if “Elena” were called something else? ---
**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 19, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/571 "2019-11-19T19:17:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is “Mindy” a name for a specific individual of that species? YES, it’s just one bird > Is “Mindy” just a generic name Elena (and possibly friends) use to refer to an arbitrary member of that species? YES(the birds have no actual names, they just named one of them Mindy) > Would the puzzle have worked just as well if “Mindy” were referred to by some other arbitrarily-chosen name? YES > Is “Elena” the real name of a specific human? YES > Would the puzzle work just as well if “Elena” were called something else? YES Names are just names, though true to the real situation(which makes it googleable). You do not need to worry about the names. “jimmy” or “susan” would have worked fine. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/572 "2019-11-19T20:30:19Z")
Are Elena and her friends unable to undertake some project, which would make money, because of the presence of Mindy and her friends? Are Mindy et al an endangered species? ---
**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 19, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/573 "2019-11-19T21:08:06Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Are Elena and her friends unable to undertake some project, which would make money, because of the presence of Mindy and her friends? > > NO > Are Mindy et al an endangered species? > > YES \*\*Mindy and her friends have really been costing Elena and her friends an arm and a leg lately. Why is that? \*\* ---
**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 19, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/574 "2019-11-19T21:21:04Z")
Do Elena and friends have to engage in some sort of extraordinary efforts because of the presence of Mindy and friends? If they were not endangered, would they cost Elena and friends an arm and a leg? ---
**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 19, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/575 "2019-11-19T21:43:31Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Do Elena and friends have to engage in some sort of extraordinary efforts because of the presence of Mindy and friends? > > YES > > If they were not endangered, would they cost Elena and friends an arm and a leg? > > YES \*\*Mindy and her friends have really been costing Elena and her friends an arm and a leg lately. Why is that? \*\* ---
**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:** [November 19, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/576 "2019-11-19T21:50:10Z")
I just read about this today, so I’m not going to participate since I know the answer. It’s actually a cool story with a happy ending. I wonder if you read it in the same source I did, Mahaloth. I’ll spoil the source I found it in: Randy Cassingham’s premium edition of his “This Is True” newsletter. ---
**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 20, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/577 "2019-11-20T19:02:50Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > I wonder if you read it in the same source I did, Mahaloth. NO(I read about it elsewhere if you have the same story in mind. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/578 "2019-11-20T20:30:42Z")
Do Mindy and friends exist in a public place? Are they confined to cages? Do Elena and friends have to clean up after them? ---
**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 20, 2019, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/579 "2019-11-20T22:41:09Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Do Mindy and friends exist in a public place? YES > Are they confined to cages? NO > Do Elena and friends have to clean up after them? NO KK ---
**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 20, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/580 "2019-11-20T22:59:52Z")
Do elena and her friends now have to travel more than they did before? Did Elena and friends have easier access to Mindy and friends before? Do Elena and friends want to be near/see Mindy and friends? Do Elena and friends want to spend the money? Would Elena and friends be sad if Mindy and friends no longer existed? Did Mindy and friends have to move because of habitat loss? Kind of flailing around here… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=30)