# 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:** 99
**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 28, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1961 "2020-01-28T23:36:51Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > Is the “woman” a human female? > > YES > > Is she based a real person? > > YES > > Is her identity relevant? > > NO(not really) > > The equipment is for some sort of work. Her work? > > YES > > Is knowing what the equipment is used for relevant? > > YES(kind of) > > By “local train” you mean the train in the place the woman was living then? > > YES > > Is the fact that it’s “local” relevant? > > I have no idea. Sure? Maybe not? > > Is the co-worker’s identity relevant? > > NO > > The train is one of the fastest ever built, but when was it built? > Before 1900? > Before 1920? > Before 1950? > Before 1979? > Before 2000? > After 2000? > > 2004 or so? Perhaps after? > > “Short distance” means… > More than a mile? > More than ten miles? > More than 100 miles? > More than 500 miles? > > NO - less than 1 mile > > By “left on time” you mean the train departed at the right time the right day. > > YES kk ---
**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 28, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1962 "2020-01-28T23:39:51Z")
What could be a 100 mph non-railroad train? Is the train used in manufacturing? Mining? Tunnel boring? Is it on Earth? Is an elevator involved? A crane? Is the train both traveling under its own power and being transported by something else at the same time? Is the route roughly like a straight line, like a circle, or some other shape? If it’s some other shape, is it a closed shape, or an open one? Is it a train on something big like a cruise ship? ---
**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 29, 2020, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1963 "2020-01-29T00:14:54Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > What could be a 100 mph non-railroad train? > > This. > > Is the train used in manufacturing? > Mining? > Tunnel boring? > > NO > > Is it on Earth? > > NO > > Is an elevator involved? > A crane? > > NO > > Is the train both traveling under its own power and being transported by something else at the same time? > > YES > > Is the route roughly like a straight line, like a circle, or some other shape? > If it’s some other shape, is it a closed shape, or an open one? > > Circular, I think. > > Is it a train on something big like a cruise ship? > > YES KK ---
**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 29, 2020, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1964 "2020-01-29T00:33:02Z")
Is it on a water vehicle? Is it on a land vehicle? Is it on an air vehicle? Does it run on tracks? Specifically, does it run tracks consisting of a pair of parallel rails? Does it run on wheels? Does it consist of multiple cars connected together via flexible couplings of some sort? ---
**Author:** ![Delayed\_Reflex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/delayed_reflex/32/3172_2.png) [@Delayed\_Reflex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delayed_Reflex)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1965 "2020-01-29T00:35:08Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > They put different things on the train at different times. This is not a one-time incident and the train carries many different things. I would say that the things that go on this train are possibly: > > **electronic-related > machine-related** > > But NO to most of the categories above. Is the train itself some sort of industrial equipment? Some sort of specialized delivery device? Are there multiple “cars” on this train? Was the delivery trip expected to take over an hour? Was the train traveling at \>100 mph relative to a stationary observer on the ground for the whole duration of the trip? Is the train’s speed particularly relevant to the delivery of the equipment, or is the larger vehicle/platform that it is on that is the dominating factor in how long the delivery takes? Is the purpose of the train to move equipment from one location to another, or does it serve some other purpose (eg. centrifuging stuff, or something like that?) ---
**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 29, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1966 "2020-01-29T00:36:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is it on a water vehicle? > > NO > > Is it on a land vehicle? > > NO > > Is it on an air vehicle? > > NO > > Does it run on tracks? > > YES > > Specifically, does it run tracks consisting of a pair of parallel rails? > > NO, I think not. > > Does it run on wheels? > > YES > > Does it consist of multiple cars connected together via flexible couplings of some sort? > > NO kk ---
**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 29, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1967 "2020-01-29T00:38:00Z")
> [@Delayed\_Reflex](#): > > Is the train itself some sort of industrial equipment? > > NO(I think no) > > Some sort of specialized delivery device? > > YES > > Are there multiple “cars” on this train? > > NO > > Was the delivery trip expected to take over an hour? > > YES > > Was the train traveling at \>100 mph relative to a stationary observer on the ground for the whole duration of the trip? > > YES > > Is the train’s speed particularly relevant to the delivery of the equipment, or is the larger vehicle/platform that it is on that is the dominating factor in how long the delivery takes? > > The train’s speed. > > Is the purpose of the train to move equipment from one location to another, or does it serve some other purpose (eg. centrifuging stuff, or something like that?) > > Just moving stuff, mainly. kk ---
**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 29, 2020, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1968 "2020-01-29T01:06:53Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Specifically, does it run tracks consisting of a pair of parallel rails? > > NO, I think not. Is it a monorail? ---
**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 29, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1969 "2020-01-29T01:09:30Z")
Is it in space? ---
**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 29, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1970 "2020-01-29T01:17:18Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Is it a monorail? NO > [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Is it in space? YES(I did say it was not on Earth) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1971 "2020-01-29T01:43:55Z")
Would an average person who saw a picture of the vehicle identify it as a train? ---
**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 29, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1972 "2020-01-29T01:58:39Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Would an average person who saw a picture of the vehicle identify it as a train? I would say NO, at least not standing still. If it was transporting things, maybe YES. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1973 "2020-01-29T02:06:56Z")
Is it the space shuttle? Is it a multi-stage rocket? ---
**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 29, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1974 "2020-01-29T02:08:43Z")
Was it a camel train? ---
**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 29, 2020, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1975 "2020-01-29T02:15:00Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Is it the space shuttle? > > Is it a multi-stage rocket? NO to both > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was it a camel train? 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:** [January 29, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1976 "2020-01-29T02:28:13Z")
Did the train leave the track? ---
**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 29, 2020, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1977 "2020-01-29T02:31:32Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did the train leave the track? NO ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1978 "2020-01-29T02:58:51Z")
So it’s a train on a track, but it’s in outer space. Are you sure you’re not thinking of an old Tom Swift book? ---
**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 29, 2020, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1979 "2020-01-29T03:00:31Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > So it’s a train on a track, but it’s in outer space. Are you sure you’re not thinking of an old Tom Swift book? I’m sure. ---
**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 29, 2020, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/1980 "2020-01-29T05:28:47Z")
I’m stumped. Are we talking about orbital rings here? Was the “track” carried by a rocket? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=98) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=100)