# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![newme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e0b2c6/32.png) [@newme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newme)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/61 "2019-10-25T21:07:34Z")
Did he use a gold plated “V” nickel? [Liberty Head nickel - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel) Enterprising fraudsters soon realized that the new nickel was close in diameter to that of the [five-dollar gold piece](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Eagle), and if the new coin was gold-plated, it might be passed for five dollars. They soon did so, and had success in passing the coin.[[11]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontgomeryBorckardtKnight200527%E2%80%9329-12) Some coins were given a reeded edge by the fraudsters, to make them appear more like the gold coins.[[12]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPetersMohon199546-13) A widespread tale is that one of the perpetrators of this fraud was a man named [Josh Tatum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Tatum), who would go into a store, select an item costing five cents or less, and offer the gold-plated piece in payment—and many clerks gave him $4.95 in change. According to the tale, the law had no recourse against Tatum, as he had tendered the value of his purchase and had merely accepted the change as a gift.[[11]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontgomeryBorckardtKnight200527%E2%80%9329-12) By some accounts, Tatum could not have misrepresented the value of the coin as he was a deaf-mute.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTELange2006123-2) ---
**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:** [October 25, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/62 "2019-10-25T21:12:01Z")
> [@newme](#): > > Did he use a gold plated “V” nickel? > > [Liberty Head nickel - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel) > Enterprising fraudsters soon realized that the new nickel was close in diameter to that of the [five-dollar gold piece](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Eagle), and if the new coin was gold-plated, it might be passed for five dollars. They soon did so, and had success in passing the coin.[[11]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontgomeryBorckardtKnight200527%E2%80%9329-12) Some coins were given a reeded edge by the fraudsters, to make them appear more like the gold coins.[[12]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPetersMohon199546-13) A widespread tale is that one of the perpetrators of this fraud was a man named [Josh Tatum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Tatum), who would go into a store, select an item costing five cents or less, and offer the gold-plated piece in payment—and many clerks gave him $4.95 in change. According to the tale, the law had no recourse against Tatum, as he had tendered the value of his purchase and had merely accepted the change as a gift.[[11]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontgomeryBorckardtKnight200527%E2%80%9329-12) By some accounts, Tatum could not have misrepresented the value of the coin as he was a deaf-mute.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Head_nickel#cite_note-FOOTNOTELange2006123-2) Uh, yeah…that’s it. So you figured all that out and pulled up the article to confirm it? OK…neat. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/63 "2019-10-28T21:05:53Z")
Dangit, missed the conclusion to one, and an entire second one, while I was out of town. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/64 "2019-10-28T21:41:20Z")
I have another one if you guys are up for it. Very open to someone else posing one if you get a chance. I do not believe this one is in the other thread. I searched and did not see it. **A man lies dead in his dining room. On his plate are two uneaten buttered muffins and one half eaten buttered muffin. What happened?** ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/65 "2019-10-28T21:48:15Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I have another one if you guys are up for it. Very open to someone else posing one if you get a chance. > > I do not believe this one is in the other thread. I searched and did not see it. > > **A man lies dead in his dining room. On his plate are two uneaten buttered muffins and one half eaten buttered muffin. What happened?** Did the muffins cause his death? Did he… choke? Allergic reaction? Was it Rev. Green in the Dining Room with the candlestick? ~Max ---
**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:** [October 28, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/66 "2019-10-28T21:58:04Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Did the muffins cause his death? > Did he… choke? > Allergic reaction? > Was it Rev. Green in the Dining Room with the candlestick? NO to all. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/67 "2019-10-28T23:16:52Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > NO to all. Is the dead man literally lying down? Is the “plate” a flat tableware? Does (did) the man own the plate? When you say “muffins”, do you mean a form of bread? If not, was the man a rapist? Was the man alive when the muffins were baked? Is this a wake? ~Max ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/68 "2019-10-28T23:18:01Z")
By muffin, do you refer to a bready/cakey food as we commonly understand that term? Is that true for all 3 examples? By butter, you mean edible churned dairy cream? On all of the buttered muffins? Did the man who lies dead eat half of the half eaten muffin? Is he dead? (No play on “lies”?) ---
**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:** [October 28, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/69 "2019-10-28T23:28:10Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Is the dead man literally lying down? NO > Is the “plate” a flat tableware? YES > Does (did) the man own the plate? YES > When you say “muffins”, do you mean a form of bread? YES If not, was the man a rapist? (NO) > Was the man alive when the muffins were baked? YES > > Is this a wake? NO > > ~Max > [@eschrodinger](#): > > By muffin, do you refer to a bready/cakey food as we commonly understand that term? > Is that true for all 3 examples? > By butter, you mean edible churned dairy cream? On all of the buttered muffins? > Did the man who lies dead eat half of the half eaten muffin? > Is he dead? (No play on “lies”?) YES to everything. (and correct, no play on the word “lies”). ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/70 "2019-10-28T23:29:59Z")
Did he have a heart attack? Did he have an allergic reaction? Are there any visible signs or indications of cause of death on the corpse, e.g. rash, blunt force trauma, gunshot wounds? Were the muffins related in any way to his death? ---
**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:** [October 28, 2019, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/71 "2019-10-28T23:47:04Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Did he have a heart attack? NO > Did he have an allergic reaction? NO > Are there any visible signs or indications of cause of death on the corpse, e.g. rash, blunt force trauma, gunshot wounds? YES > Were the muffins related in any way to his death? YES Yep. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/72 "2019-10-29T00:06:55Z")
If someone else came along and ate the other half of the half-eaten muffin, would that person die? Could this scenario occur with toast instead of muffins? Could it occur if none of the muffins had been buttered? ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/73 "2019-10-29T00:15:07Z")
Was there a napkin? Was there a knife? Was the butter melted? ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/74 "2019-10-29T00:15:42Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > If someone else came along and ate the other half of the half-eaten muffin, would that person die? NO > > Could this scenario occur with toast instead of muffins? YES > > Could it occur if none of the muffins had been buttered? YES Yep ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/75 "2019-10-29T00:18:10Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > Was there a napkin? > Was there a knife? > Was the butter melted? I have no idea for these three. IRRELEVANT. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/76 "2019-10-29T00:19:46Z")
Ooh, wait, I know! He didn’t want to eat the muffins in an agitated manner, because the butter would probably get on his cuffs, so he sat there calmly eating muffins, and therefore became … perfectly heartless 🙂 (This theory is not being proposed in earnest.) ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/77 "2019-10-29T00:38:39Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > (This theory is not being proposed in earnest.) Unlike the muffins, which were certainly in Ernest (for some value of Ernest) Would the man have died if he hadn’t sat at the table? Would he have died if he had sat at the table but not eaten a muffin? ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/78 "2019-10-29T00:42:16Z")
Was his death a result of natural causes? An accident? A suicide? A murder? ---
**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/79 "2019-10-29T00:48:19Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Unlike the muffins, which were certainly in Ernest (for some value of Ernest) > > Would the man have died if he hadn’t sat at the table? YES > > Would he have died if he had sat at the table but not eaten a muffin? NO > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Was his death a result of natural causes? NO > > An accident? NO > > A suicide? YES > > A murder? NO Yep ---
**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 29, 2019, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/80 "2019-10-29T00:50:08Z")
[del]Death penalty? The muffins were his last meal? [/del] Edit - obviously not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=5)