# 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:** 6
**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 30, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/101 "2019-10-30T20:27:10Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Was eating the muffin a test to see if a problem was over or resolved, and upon discovering that it wasn’t he killed himself? NO > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did eating the muffin somehow make suicide a better experience for the man? NO > Was the butter used for another purpose besides being spread on the muffin? NO > Did the muffin contain something? NO > If so, did the man find it after taking a bite? NO > > Theory: somebody put a bullet in the muffin and the guy was in a jail cell, deciding that suicide was better than his eventual punishment. NO to your theory > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Is his motivation for committing suicide relevant? YES > > Did the medical condition have an impact on his motivation (e.g. he committed suicide because he was depressed, or just didn’t want to live with his condition any more)? > > \*\*He did not want to live with his condition anymore. > \*\* > > Did it have an impact on the WAY he committed suicide? > > NO > > Might a person without this condition have also committed suicide under similar circumstances? > > YES. I mean, lots of people have shot themselves over the years, which is what I believe has been revealed to be the case here. > > Would such a person have eaten half a muffin first? > > OK, I think this case is unique or would be if this is not a true story. > [@Max\_S](#): > > Was the man a diabetic? NO > Was he depressed? NO(???) Maybe, I’m not sure. > Did he have an eating disorder? Well…YES(not anorexia or bulemia…) > Did he resolve to test his restraint by placing muffins in front of him but forbidding himself to eat them, to shoot himself if he gave in? NO > Was the man alone when he shot himself? YES > > ~Max I may reveal the answer tonight. It’s not my favorite and may just be a groaner for you guys. Anyone have one for after this one? ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/102 "2019-10-30T23:35:17Z")
Did the man bake the muffins himself? Was the man severely malnourished? Did the man feel free to go outside? Was other food available, which the man would have accepted? Was the man’s mental disorder something like paranoia or OCD? (I’m thinking, of course, of the famous mathematician Kurt Gödel’s strange and bizarre death – which, however, didn’t involve any shooting.) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/103 "2019-10-31T00:14:17Z")
Did the man have OCD? Was he obsessed with counting or numbers? ---
**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 31, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/104 "2019-10-31T01:41:29Z")
> [@Ignotus](#): > > Did the man bake the muffins himself? IRRELEVANT > > Was the man severely malnourished? NO > > Did the man feel free to go outside? IRRELEVANT > > Was other food available, which the man would have accepted? NO > > Was the man’s mental disorder something like paranoia or OCD? NO > > (I’m thinking, of course, of the famous mathematician Kurt Gödel’s strange and bizarre death – which, however, didn’t involve any shooting.) > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Did the man have OCD? Was he obsessed with counting or numbers? NO ---
**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 31, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/105 "2019-10-31T01:51:00Z")
This puzzle isn’t good enough to go on this long. I’m going to reveal because it really is not that great in my opinion. He loved buttered muffins, but they gave him severe indigestion. In his extreme desire to have them(to the point of crazy delusion), he decided to shoot himself and eat the muffins, knowing it would at least prevent him from suffering the indigestion. It killed him. I know, not great. But there it is. I’m sure I can find a (better) one, but does anyone else have a good one? ---
**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 31, 2019, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/106 "2019-10-31T01:54:04Z")
OK, I’ll have a try at posing one: If only the angry man had said something else, it would save $800 million a year. What did he say? ---
**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 31, 2019, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/107 "2019-10-31T02:11:25Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > If only the angry man had said something else, it would save $800 million a year. > > What did he say? Would it save the angry man $800 million a year? Would it save a company the $800 million? Is the angry man a real man? ---
**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 31, 2019, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/108 "2019-10-31T02:21:05Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Would it save the angry man $800 million a year? No. > [@](#): > > Would it save a company the $800 million? No. > [@](#): > > Is the angry man a real man? Yes – more or less. ---
**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 31, 2019, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/109 "2019-10-31T12:27:49Z")
Does $800 million in your question mean 800,000,000 U.S. dollars? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/110 "2019-10-31T13:17:38Z")
Would it save the government $800 million? Would is save the general public $800 million? Was the money lost because someone else heard what the angry man said and took action as a result? ---
**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 31, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/111 "2019-10-31T15:19:36Z")
Was what the man said an expression of his anger? Was what he said a declarative statement? Was what he said an imperative? Was what he said a question? Was what he said a matter of fact? Was what he said a matter of opinion? Was the angry man in a position of authority? Was the angry man in a position of sufficient authority that he would ordinarily have control of hundreds of millions of dollars? Was the angry man involved in politics? Was the angry man involved in business? ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/112 "2019-10-31T17:27:38Z")
Was he angry over a financial issue? Was he angry over a health issue? Was he angry because something needed repairing? Was he angry over a relationship or family issue? Was he angry because something was misplaced? Was he angry because his coworkers and managers are incompetent idiots and don’t listen to him? ---
**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 31, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/113 "2019-10-31T19:47:37Z")
Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply to these! Busy day! Does $800 million in your question mean 800,000,000 U.S. dollars? **Yes.** Would it save the government $800 million? **No, though it would likely save the government some part of that amount**. Would is save the general public $800 million? **Yes.** Was the money lost because someone else heard what the angry man said and took action as a result? **Yes.** Was what the man said an expression of his anger? **Yes.** Was what he said a declarative statement? **Yes.** Was what he said an imperative? **No.** Was what he said a question? **No.** Was what he said a matter of fact? **No.** Was what he said a matter of opinion? **Yes, pretty much.** Was the angry man in a position of authority? **Yes.** Was the angry man in a position of sufficient authority that he would ordinarily have control of hundreds of millions of dollars? **No.** Was the angry man involved in politics? **Yes.** Was the angry man involved in business? **No.** Was he angry over a financial issue? **Hmm, tricky. This is not how I would primarily characterize it, although finances were involved.** Was he angry over a health issue? **No.** Was he angry because something needed repairing? **No.** Was he angry over a relationship or family issue? **Yes.** Was he angry because something was misplaced? **No.** Was he angry because his coworkers and managers are incompetent idiots… **No.** … and don’t listen to him? **Yes-ish.** ---
**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 31, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/114 "2019-10-31T20:59:36Z")
Was the statement by the angry man one that: denied people access to something? denied the use of something tangible? denied intangible rights to something, like a copyright or patent? claimed responsibility for something or someone? disclaimed responsibility for something or someone? gave access or rights to something? Is the $800 million an ongoing expense every year, in perpetuity? Does it vary? Does it vary with inflation? Does it vary with population? If it varies, does it consistently increase, or decrease, or is not consistent in that way? ---
**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 31, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/115 "2019-10-31T21:07:33Z")
Was the statement by the angry man one that: denied people access to something? denied the use of something tangible? denied intangible rights to something, like a copyright or patent? claimed responsibility for something or someone? disclaimed responsibility for something or someone? gave access or rights to something? **No to all of these.** Is the $800 million an ongoing expense every year, in perpetuity? **Yes (but with variance in the exact amount, see below).** Does it vary? **Yes.** Does it vary with inflation? **Probably.** Does it vary with population? **Most likely yes.** If it varies, does it consistently increase, or decrease, or is not consistent in that way? **It is not consistent.** ---
**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 31, 2019, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/116 "2019-10-31T22:49:19Z")
Did this involve PBS funding? Did it involve Fred Rogers? I’m shooting for the time Fred Rogers saved PBS with his plea to congress. ---
**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 31, 2019, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/117 "2019-10-31T23:15:51Z")
Did this involve PBS funding? **No.** Did it involve Fred Rogers? **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 31, 2019, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/118 "2019-10-31T23:54:19Z")
Is it something to do with worn-out bills being recycled? ---
**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 31, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/119 "2019-10-31T23:57:22Z")
Is it something to do with worn-out bills being recycled? **No.** ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/120 "2019-11-01T00:47:20Z")
Did Mr. Angry get divorced recently? Is Mr. Angry wealthy? Did Mr. Angry misunderstand something? Did somebody misunderstand something about Mr. Angry? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=7)