# 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:** 76
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1501 "2020-01-08T01:09:44Z")
The other lives that were lost, were they all before Norman did his thing? Was the collision with something partially submerged (such as a rocky coast)? Was the collision with something completely submerged (such as a reef)? Was the object he repurposed something that is ordinarily used in the operation of a ship? Was the object he repurposed part of a cargo the ship was carrying? Was the object he repurposed part of the personal effects of one of the people on the ship? Was Norman a member of the ship’s crew? Was Norman a passenger? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1502 "2020-01-08T01:55:14Z")
\*\*Norman’s saved 449 lives from brutal deaths and he did it with some very quick and ingenious thinking. What was the situation and what did Norman do? \*\* > [@Chronos](#): > > The other lives that were lost, were they all before Norman did his thing? > > \*\*I am not sure. Irrelevant. > \*\* > > Was the collision with something partially submerged (such as a rocky coast)? > > It’s a reef, though I think a reef qualifies as “mostly, but kind of partially submerged” > > Was the collision with something completely submerged (such as a reef)? > > YES - **reef is what I read,** but it may be partially submerged, but partly just above the surface > > Was the object he repurposed something that is ordinarily used in the operation of a ship? > > YES > > Was the object he repurposed part of a cargo the ship was carrying? > > NO > > Was the object he repurposed part of the personal effects of one of the people on the ship? > > NO(a little bit yes, but almost entirely NO) > > Was Norman a member of the ship’s crew? > > YES > > Was Norman a passenger? > > NO ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1503 "2020-01-08T04:13:34Z")
Was it a single object? Many of the same or similar object? Multiple objects used to create one or more new objects? Is the apostrophe s in “Norman’s” just a contraction for “has”, or does it have additional significance? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1504 "2020-01-08T12:26:31Z")
\*\*Norman saved 449 lives from brutal deaths and he did it with some very quick and ingenious thinking. What was the situation and what did Norman do? \*\* > [@eschrodinger](#): > > Was it a single object? > > NO > > Many of the same or similar object? > > YES > > Multiple objects used to create one or more new objects? > > YES(kind of) > > Is the apostrophe s in “Norman’s” just a contraction for “has”, or does it have additional significance? > > It’s a typo. Fixed up above. Honestly, I think you guys are doing this quite well. If you keep pursuing the paths you are on, you’ll get there(or close enough, anyway). I’m not sure if anyone feels they are getting closer, but you are. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1505 "2020-01-08T12:45:34Z")
Were the brutal deaths deaths by all or mostly one cause? If so was it: Impact? Drowning? Fire? Explosion? Dangerous animals? Hostile people? Was the vessel military? Passenger transport? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1506 "2020-01-08T15:22:25Z")
Did the objects Norman use for the rescue float? Were these objects normally used in the kitchen? Dining areas? Bedroom? Lavatory? Cargo bay? Was there a shortage of lifeboats or other means of rescue? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1507 "2020-01-08T16:38:59Z")
Were the objects used for protection such as covering the head? Used for floatation? Used collectively, like all the passengers holding them up together? Used individually? Used in small groups? Used for signaling? Is the color important? Were they made primarily of: Metal Cloth Rubber Wood Pottery ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1508 "2020-01-08T17:10:58Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Were the brutal deaths deaths by all or mostly one cause? > > Unclear, but I will still answer your Q’s: > > If so was it: > > Impact? > > Probably YES > > Drowning? > > Probably YES > > Fire? > > NO > > Explosion? > > NO > > Dangerous animals? > > NO > > Hostile people? > > NO > > Was the vessel military? Passenger transport? > > MILITARY(I’ll double check later, but pretty sure) > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did the objects Norman use for the rescue float? > > NO(I mean, not really. Possibly, but not really or naturally). > > Were these objects normally used in the kitchen? > Dining areas? > Bedroom? > Lavatory? > Cargo bay? > > I’ll say NO to the above Q’s, but some might have been in those areas a bit. Irrelevant? > > Was there a shortage of lifeboats or other means of rescue? > > Must have been. I did not read that, but **YES** , I guess so. > [@eschrodinger](#): > > Were the objects used for protection such as covering the head? > Used for floatation? > Used collectively, like all the passengers holding them up together? > Used individually? > Used in small groups? > Used for signaling? > Is the color important? > Were they made primarily of: > Metal > Cloth > Rubber > Wood > Pottery I’m going to go ahead and tell you all: \*\*The “objects” are the people themselves and the things on their persons. \*\* ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1509 "2020-01-08T20:16:09Z")
OK, I was thinking Norman might have floated everybody to safety, thus my line of questioning. Did the people link with each other somehow, like joining hands or grabbing the ankles of the person next to them? Did they all carry something that aided in their rescue? Would the brutal deaths have resulted from collision with the reef? Were the people’s lives at risk from the ship collapsing? Did they escape the ship? Did Norman somehow enable a means of protection? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1510 "2020-01-08T20:45:54Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > OK, I was thinking Norman might have floated everybody to safety, thus my line of questioning. > > Did the people link with each other somehow, like joining hands or grabbing the ankles of the person next to them? > > YES, I think they did > > Did they all carry something that aided in their rescue? > > NO > > Would the brutal deaths have resulted from collision with the reef? > > YES, and drowning I’m sure. > > Were the people’s lives at risk from the ship collapsing? > > I’m sure. > > Did they escape the ship? > > YES, though not immediately in an evacuation way > > Did Norman somehow enable a means of protection? > > NO. kk ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1511 "2020-01-09T13:46:48Z")
So Norman didn’t use any objects other than the passengers themselves, and they escaped the ship but not by floating, correct? Did the passengers survive by escaping the ship? Were they submerged before escaping the ship? Was there a particular area of the ship the survivors went to that prevented them from harm? Did the survivors make some kind of formation? Did they use dead bodies somehow? I’m really grasping at straws at this point. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1512 "2020-01-09T15:11:13Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > So Norman didn’t use any objects other than the passengers themselves, and they escaped the ship but not by floating, correct? > > Uh, the ship was floating. They did not have flotation devices that they used to float on the water or emergency boats that they used. The ship was floating like normal, though. > > Did the passengers survive by escaping the ship? > > Eventually, yes. > Were they submerged before escaping the ship? > > NO > > Was there a particular area of the ship the survivors went to that prevented them from harm? > > NO, but they did go to a particular area. > > Did the survivors make some kind of formation? > > YES > > Did they use dead bodies somehow? > > NO > > I’m really grasping at straws at this point. **Norman organized the men and used them in a unique way(formation) that saved them from crashing into a reef, which would have killed them upon impact or at least injured a lot of them.** ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1513 "2020-01-09T15:27:33Z")
Did Norman tell the other sailors to gather on one side of the ship so that it leaned to steer away from the reef? ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1514 "2020-01-09T16:04:20Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did Norman tell the other sailors to gather on one side of the ship so that it leaned to steer away from the reef? Or did he tell them to go fore or aft for similar purposes? ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1515 "2020-01-09T19:38:47Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did Norman tell the other sailors to gather on one side of the ship so that it leaned to steer away from the reef? > [@Telemark](#): > > Or did he tell them to go fore or aft for similar purposes? No, amazingly you guys are wrong even though your thinking is so right. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1516 "2020-01-09T19:45:50Z")
Were the passengers placed on different places all over the boat? All together in one place? If so: Were they in the deck? In the hull? In the mast? Outside the boat? -The bow (front)? -The stern (back)? -Starboard (right)? -Port (left)? ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1517 "2020-01-09T20:28:54Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Were the passengers placed on different places all over the boat? > All together in one place? > > \*\*ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE > \*\* > > If so: > Were they in the deck? > In the hull? > In the mast? > Outside the boat? > -The bow (front)? > -The stern (back)? > -Starboard (right)? > -Port (left)? > > \*\*ALL ON THE MAST > \*\* This should create an image in your mind of what happened. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1518 "2020-01-09T20:38:44Z")
Did they manage to tip the ship over so the keel didn’t strike the reef, but instead sailed right over it with the ship almost on its side? ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1519 "2020-01-09T20:57:48Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Did they manage to tip the ship over so the keel didn’t strike the reef, but instead sailed right over it with the ship almost on its side? No. Even better and odder. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1520 "2020-01-09T21:03:35Z")
Was the weight of the sailors relevant? Were the senses of the sailors relevant? Was the strength of the sailors’ muscles relevant (beyond the amount of strength they needed to climb)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=75) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=77)