# 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:** 36
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/701 "2019-11-28T19:35:11Z")
_ **Gabriel was waiting to kill his best friend. People who saw what he was doing were angry at him, but nobody called the police. Why?** _ > [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Does “kill” refer to the act of homicide? NO > Do “his”, “he”, and “him” all refer to Gabriel? YES > > Could this happen at any time and place? NO ---
**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 28, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/702 "2019-11-28T19:39:24Z")
Is his best friend human? ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/703 "2019-11-28T19:53:00Z")
“Kill” in a competition? “Kill” in an electronic messaging system, i. e. put him or her on ignore? Is his best friend also a romantic interest? ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/704 "2019-11-28T19:58:48Z")
_ **Gabriel was waiting to kill his best friend. People who saw what he was doing were angry at him, but nobody called the police. Why?** _ > [@Folly](#): > > Is his best friend human? YES > [@kk\_fusion](#): > > “Kill” in a competition? NO > “Kill” in an electronic messaging system, i. e. put him or her on ignore? NO > > Is his best friend also a romantic interest? NO ---
**Author:** ![Calavera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calavera/32/70_2.png) [@Calavera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calavera)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/705 "2019-11-29T00:38:34Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/706 "2019-11-29T00:57:14Z")
Did the friend know Gabriel was waiting to kill him? ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/707 "2019-11-29T03:17:25Z")
Were the police/law enforcement already present? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/708 "2019-11-29T03:26:38Z")
Gabriel was the police. He had been an undercover cop in the mob for years and grew close to his best friend. But he was outed as a cop, and his best friend was now coming to kill him. Gabriel had to take him down first. ---
**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 29, 2019, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/709 "2019-11-29T03:44:10Z")
Were Gabe and his friend playing a game? ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/710 "2019-11-29T05:41:16Z")
_ **Gabriel was waiting to kill his best friend. People who saw what he was doing were angry at him, but nobody called the police. Why?** _ > [@Personal](#): > > Did the friend know Gabriel was waiting to kill him? NO > [@KellyCriterion](#): > > Were the police/law enforcement already present? NO > [@Isamu](#): > > Gabriel was the police. He had been an undercover cop in the mob for years and grew close to his best friend. But he was outed as a cop, and his best friend was now coming to kill him. Gabriel had to take him down first. NO > [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > Were Gabe and his friend playing a game? YES ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/711 "2019-11-29T08:08:21Z")
So does “kill” refer to his friend’s elimination from a (non-competitive) game? Was it a video game? A tabletop game? Indoor physical activity (“Sport” sounds competitive)? Outdoor physical activity? ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/712 "2019-11-29T09:42:45Z")
_ **Gabriel was waiting to kill his best friend. People who saw what he was doing were angry at him, but nobody called the police. Why?** _ > [@kk\_fusion](#): > > So does “kill” refer to his friend’s elimination from a (non-competitive) game? YES > > Was it a video game? YES > A tabletop game? NO > Indoor physical activity (“Sport” sounds competitive)? NO > Outdoor physical activity? NO ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/713 "2019-11-29T10:39:07Z")
Was it a role-playing game (in a broad sense)? Was it a sandbox game? Was Gabriel cheating? ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/714 "2019-11-29T10:58:46Z")
Gabriel was waiting to kill his best friend. People who saw what he was doing were angry at him, but nobody called the police. Why? > [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Was it a role-playing game (in a broad sense)? NO > Was it a sandbox game? NO > > Was Gabriel cheating? NOT TECHNICALLY ---
**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 29, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/715 "2019-11-29T14:38:05Z")
Was the “kill” the death of an avatar or other representation of a creature within the game? True or false: He was attempting to “kill” his friend by using some method which is permitted within the game, but which is widely regarded by the player community as being unfair or usporting, and that’s the reason why people were upset with him. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/716 "2019-11-29T15:13:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was the “kill” the death of an avatar or other representation of a creature within the game? > > True or false: He was attempting to “kill” his friend by using some method which is permitted within the game, but which is widely regarded by the player community as being unfair or usporting, and that’s the reason why people were upset with him. Yes. At this point that’s the whole thing: Gabriel is playing a First Person Shooter with some friends, and he intends to Spawn Camp, or waiti in front of the point where a character is supposed to appear, to get an easy kill. That’s allowed by game rules, but considered poor form by the players. ---
**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 29, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/717 "2019-11-29T19:19:10Z")
\*\*Fred just missed out on a great new job. If he had only gone to the bathroom, he might have gotten it. What happened? \*\* ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/718 "2019-11-29T20:27:59Z")
Was he interviewed? Was the bathroom in question at the interview location? Is the specific job relevant? ---
**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 29, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/719 "2019-11-29T20:53:15Z")
\*\*Fred just missed out on a great new job. If he had only gone to the bathroom, he might have gotten it. What happened? \*\* > [@kk\_fusion](#): > > Was he interviewed? NO(that I am aware of) > Was the bathroom in question at the interview location? NO > Is the specific job relevant? NO ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/720 "2019-11-29T21:07:17Z")
Was Fred aware of the job offer? Did he send an application? Was there something to read in the bathroom? Something to hear? Something to smell? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=35) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=37)