# 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:** 78
**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, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1541 "2020-01-10T15:00:08Z")
\*\* reply to Paintcharge\*\*: Was the thing Polly did survive? As in remain alive. **No. Though she survived just fine**. Was she part of a science experiment? **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, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1542 "2020-01-10T15:07:14Z")
**reply to Cheesesteak** : Was Polly helping a human accomplish a task? **No. Not directly. Indirectly, however, she was.** Was Polly doing something that a different animal would do without it being considered unusual? (e.g. herding sheep, catching mice) **No. Pretty much unusual for any animal**. ---
**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, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1543 "2020-01-10T15:43:52Z")
At the \*start \*of the six weeks was Polly alive? dead? In good health? Injured/ unwell? At the \*end \*of the six weeks was Polly alive? dead? In good health? Injured/ unwell? ---
**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, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1544 "2020-01-10T15:48:22Z")
**reply to Peter Morris** At the \*start \*of the six weeks was Polly alive? dead? In good health? Injured/ unwell? **Alive and in good health**. At the \*end \*of the six weeks was Polly alive? dead? In good health? Injured/ unwell? **Alive and in good health**. ---
**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, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1545 "2020-01-10T21:44:44Z")
Did the ‘team’ that Polly was part of consist of humans (apart from her)? Other reindeer? More than one different species of animal? Did she start doing her thing unexpectedly? As a response to something else that happened? Did she stop unexpectedly? As a response to something else that happened? Was Polly in North America? Europe? Asia? A Pole? ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1546 "2020-01-10T22:19:43Z")
Did Polly dig something up, or help uncover something that was hidden under grass/rocks/dirt? Was Polly’s behavior unusual for a reindeer? ---
**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, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1547 "2020-01-10T23:36:46Z")
Was Polly captured on film? Did Polly act like a human? Did Polly do something with an object or living thing? ---
**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, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1548 "2020-01-10T23:59:50Z")
**You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, 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?** ××××× **reply to Aspidistra** : Did the ‘team’ that Polly was part of consist of humans (apart from her)? \*\*Yes \*\* Other reindeer? \*\*No \*\* More than one different species of animal? \*\*No \*\* Did she start doing her thing unexpectedly? **No**. As a response to something else that happened? **Yes**. Did she stop unexpectedly? \*\*No \*\* As a response to something else that happened? **Yes**. Was Polly in North America? \*\*No \*\* Europe? \*\*Yes \*\* Asia? \*\*No \*\* A Pole? **In the Arctic Circle** ---
**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 11, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1549 "2020-01-11T00:01:36Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Did Polly dig something up, or help uncover something that was hidden under grass/rocks/dirt? > > Was Polly’s behavior unusual for a reindeer? **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 11, 2020, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1550 "2020-01-11T00:06:17Z")
**reply to Knowed Out** : Was Polly captured on film? **I have found one photo. There are probably others**. Did Polly act like a human? \*\*No \*\* Did Polly do something with an object or living thing? \*\*Object I guess, and also the people. \*\* ---
**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 11, 2020, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1551 "2020-01-11T06:23:48Z")
**You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, 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? _And why?_** (amended) +++++ \*\* amended reply to Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\*\*: Was Polly doing something for six weeks: -Intentional? **I think you can say yes intentional. What happened was not an accident, though the circumstances are unusual. Indeed _why_ Polly did what she did for six weeks is an integral part of this riddle.** ---
**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 11, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1552 "2020-01-11T16:33:31Z")
Did Polly’s six-week activity have something to do with the weather or climate? Did she eat something reindeer don’t normally eat? Did she move or drag something? Did she travel somewhere? ---
**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 11, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1553 "2020-01-11T16:38:54Z")
**reply to Knowed Out** : Did Polly’s six-week activity have something to do with the weather or climate? **No** Did she eat something reindeer don’t normally eat? **Yes** Did she move or drag something? **No** Did she travel somewhere? **Yes** ---
**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 11, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1554 "2020-01-11T17:29:51Z")
Was what she ate natural? Did she travel on her own accord? Did she crawl into a vehicle and eat the contents before she was discovered? ---
**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 11, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1555 "2020-01-11T18:07:31Z")
**reply to Knowed Out** : Was what she ate natural? **Some yes, some no**. Did she travel on her own accord? **No**. Did she crawl into a vehicle and eat the contents before she was discovered? **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 11, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1556 "2020-01-11T18:19:37Z")
Was what she ate something that humans would ordinarily eat? Was what she ate something that some sort of animal would ordinarily eat? ---
**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 11, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1557 "2020-01-11T18:38:05Z")
**reply to Chronos** : Was what she ate something that humans would ordinarily eat? **Yes, some.** Was what she ate something that some sort of animal would ordinarily eat? **In addition to the human food, she also ate something that reindeer would normally eat. But not any other non-reindeer animal type food.** ---
**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 11, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1558 "2020-01-11T20:45:40Z")
Did Polly find the food in a stationary place? Did Polly ride? Did Polly eat any crackers? ---
**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 11, 2020, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1559 "2020-01-11T22:17:26Z")
Was the human food she ate meat? Was it dairy? Was it egg-based? Was it a fruit (in the culinary sense)? Was it a vegetable (in the culinary sense)? Was it a grain product? ---
**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 11, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1560 "2020-01-11T22:46:35Z")
**reply to Knowed Out** : Did Polly find the food in a stationary place? \*\*Sometimes, I guess, but not always. \*\* Did Polly ride? \*\*Yes \*\* Did Polly eat any crackers? **I don’t think so, but it possible I guess.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=77) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=79)