# 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:** 77
**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, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1521 "2020-01-09T21:13:24Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 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)? NO(strength was needed like you say and maybe even more, but it isn’t relevant). _Weight_ I don’t think mattered… ---
**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, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1522 "2020-01-09T21:13:48Z")
We’re the sailors used as sails? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**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, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1523 "2020-01-09T22:25:00Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > We’re the sailors used as sails? Yes, and I think this solves it. [Norman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_von_Heldreich_Farquhar) was captain of the USS Trenton. In 1889, the USS Trenton was caught up in cyclone and almost crashed into the reef. It’s steam and rudder was lost, so he had all the men climb to the top of the mast and serve as a “sail made of men”. Acting as a sail, the men veered the ship away from the reef and they were saved. 1 man died, 449 lived. Ship was destroyed(well, damaged to the point of being “totalled”). Died a hero years later. ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1524 "2020-01-10T03:32:53Z")
**You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixon, Comet and Cupid, Donder and Blitzen. But do you recall…Polly? What did Polly do for six weeks that made her one of the most famous reindeer of all?** ---
**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 10, 2020, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1525 "2020-01-10T04:22:38Z")
Is Polly a real reindeer? Is what she did at all related to Christmas? ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1526 "2020-01-10T04:29:35Z")
**reply to Aspidistra** Is Polly a real reindeer? **Yes** Is what she did at all related to Christmas? **No** ---
**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 10, 2020, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1527 "2020-01-10T04:47:59Z")
Did Polly do her thing in the 21st century? 20th? 19th? Before then? Did she do her thing alone? As part of a team of animals/humans? Did people come to see Polly doing her thing while she was doing it? Was Polly doing her thing filmed? ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1528 "2020-01-10T04:56:48Z")
**reply to Aspidistra** : Did Polly do her thing in the 21st century? 20th? 19th? Before then? **Yes to 20th**. Did she do her thing alone? **No** As part of a team of animals/humans? **Yes**. Did people come to see Polly doing her thing while she was doing it? **No**. Was Polly doing her thing filmed? **No.** ---
**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 10, 2020, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1529 "2020-01-10T08:12:45Z")
Was Polly doing something for six weeks: -Unusual for a reindeer? -Helpful? -Annoying? -Intentional? ---
**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 10, 2020, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1530 "2020-01-10T08:27:01Z")
Was she doing something usually done by a horse? ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1531 "2020-01-10T12:39:21Z")
Was Polly helping humans to explore uncharted territory? Did she accompany Peary? Amundsen? ---
**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 10, 2020, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1532 "2020-01-10T12:52:57Z")
Did Polly have the ability to deliver presents to children the world over in one night? (Had to rule it out. You never know.) ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1533 "2020-01-10T13:53:17Z")
**reply to Go\_Arachnid\_Laser** : Was Polly doing something for six weeks: -Unusual for a reindeer? **Yes** -Helpful? **No, though I think you could argue she was in some ways helpful.** -Annoying? **No, though I think you could argue she was in some ways annoying.** -Intentional? **Explain further what you are asking, please.** ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1534 "2020-01-10T13:54:45Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Was she doing something usually done by a horse? **No** ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1535 "2020-01-10T13:55:50Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was Polly helping humans to explore uncharted territory? > > Did she accompany Peary? Amundsen? **No to all**. ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1536 "2020-01-10T13:57:25Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did Polly have the ability to deliver presents to children the world over in one night? > > (Had to rule it out. You never know.) **No**. ---
**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 10, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1537 "2020-01-10T14:09:30Z")
Was Polly domesticated? (strictly speaking, this should be “yes”, since “reindeer” means “domesticated caribou”, but I want to be sure). Was Polly working as a beast of burden? Was Polly deliberately placed on exhibit for humans to see (as in a zoo, circus, or similar)? ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1538 "2020-01-10T14:21:26Z")
Was the thing Polly did survive? As in remain alive. Was she part of a science experiment? ---
**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 10, 2020, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1539 "2020-01-10T14:39:37Z")
Was Polly helping a human accomplish a task? Was Polly doing something that a different animal would do without it being considered unusual? (e.g. herding sheep, catching mice) ---
**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:** [January 10, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1540 "2020-01-10T14:57:24Z")
**reply to Chronos** Was Polly domesticated? (strictly speaking, this should be “yes”, since “reindeer” means “domesticated caribou”, but I want to be sure). **Yes** Was Polly working as a beast of burden? **No** Was Polly deliberately placed on exhibit for humans to see (as in a zoo, circus, or similar)? **Yes, but only after she did what she did, and to some fanfare**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=76) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=78)