# 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:** 62
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1221 "2019-12-22T04:07:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Were the trees cut down because it was inconvenient/annoying/troublesome/whatever for them to be in the locations where they were? > Were the trees cut down to harvest some resource (such as wood) from them? \*\*No to all \*\* ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1222 "2019-12-22T04:41:02Z")
Would it be helpful to know why the trees were cut down? Anyone else have any idea why else a tree would be cut down? It seemed to me that those two questions, between them, about covered it. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1223 "2019-12-22T04:56:10Z")
**reply to Chronos** : Would it be helpful to know why the trees were cut down? \*\*Yes \*\* Anyone else have any idea why else a tree would be cut down? It seemed to me that those two questions, between them, about covered it. 😕 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1224 "2019-12-22T05:13:33Z")
Are they on a slope? We’re talking about a specific time period- so is this related to some historical event? Is it related to a natural disaster? Is the region itself relevant? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1225 "2019-12-22T05:16:47Z")
**reply to SurrenderDorothy** Are they on a slope? **No** We’re talking about a specific time period- so is this related to some historical event? **Yes** Is it related to a natural disaster? **Yes** Is the region itself relevant? **Yes** ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1226 "2019-12-22T12:04:32Z")
Natural disasters: Avalanche? Landslide? Earthquake? Sinkhole? Volcanic eruption? Flood? Tsunami? Limnic Eruption? (CO2 pocket erupting from a lake) Cyclonic storm? Blizzard? Hailstorm? Ice storm? Cold wave? Heat Wave? Drought? Thunderstorm? Tornado? Wildfire? Something man made? Something involving animals? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1227 "2019-12-22T12:21:07Z")
Was this: before 1000 AD? between 1001-1800 AD? between 1801-1900 AD between 1901-1950 AD? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1228 "2019-12-22T13:20:49Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Natural disasters: > > Avalanche? > > Landslide? > > Earthquake? > > Sinkhole? > > Volcanic eruption? > > Flood? > > Tsunami? > > Limnic Eruption? (CO2 pocket erupting from a lake) > > Cyclonic storm? > > Blizzard? > > Hailstorm? > > Ice storm? > > Cold wave? > > Heat Wave? > > Drought? > > Thunderstorm? > > Tornado? > > Wildfire? > > Something man made? > > Something involving animals? **Yes to earthquake. No to the rest**. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1229 "2019-12-22T13:21:59Z")
> [@calavera](#): > > was this: > > Before 1000 ad? > Between 1001-1800 ad? > Between 1801-1900 ad > between 1901-1950 ad? **1801 -1900** ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1230 "2019-12-22T13:32:17Z")
Did they intentionally align with sunrise/ sunset? Was there some sort of religious principle involved? Was it a legal requirement? Anything to do with Feng Shui, or similar? Did this take place in: - North America - South America - Europe - Africa - Asia - Australia - Other? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1231 "2019-12-22T13:36:38Z")
**reply to Peter Morris** Did they intentionally align with sunrise/ sunset? **No** Was there some sort of religious principle involved? **No** Was it a legal requirement? **No** Anything to do with Feng Shui, or similar? **No** Did this take place in: - North America **Yes** - South America - Europe - Africa - Asia - Australia - Other? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1232 "2019-12-22T14:25:49Z")
right, you said that there was another geographical feature involved. Was it… A mountain? A hill? A lake? A volcano? A cliff? A valley? An ocean? A sea? A lake? A swamp? Something man made? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1233 "2019-12-22T14:28:37Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > right, you said that there was another geographical feature involved. Was it… > > A mountain? > > A hill? > > A lake? > > A volcano? > > A cliff? > > A valley? > > An ocean? > > A sea? > > A lake? > > A swamp? > > Something man made? **No to all** ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1234 "2019-12-22T14:34:48Z")
Uhhh… a desert? A second river? A forest? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1235 "2019-12-22T14:45:17Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Uhhh… a desert? > > A second river? > > A forest? **No. Though there are forests and other rivers in the region.** ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1236 "2019-12-22T14:47:59Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > **No. Though there are forests and other rivers in the region.** But they are not the meaningful geographical feature you mentioned earlier, right? So, that feature, is it related to land? Water? plants? Rocks? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1237 "2019-12-22T14:58:46Z")
**reply to Go\_Arachnid\_Laser** But they are not the meaningful geographical feature you mentioned earlier, right? So, that feature, is it related to land? **Yes** Water? **No** plants? **No** Rocks? **No** **I suppose it is more accurate to describe a “fault line” as a geological feature as opposed to a geographical feature. As “earthquake” has already been accurately guessed by SurrenderDorothy, there is no point being mysterious about it. My mistake, sorry**. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1238 "2019-12-22T16:41:41Z")
Are the people hiring Moe committing some kind of insurance fraud? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1239 "2019-12-22T16:44:38Z")
> [@Calavera](#): > > Are the people hiring Moe committing some kind of insurance fraud? **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:** [December 22, 2019, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1240 "2019-12-22T16:48:47Z")
Were the trees used to monitor the movement of the ground in some way? Monitor the angle of the tree relative to magnetic north to see if the tree crosses the fault line? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=61) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=63)