# Lateral Thinking Puzzles - third time is best! **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 18, 2023, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214 "2023-07-18T13:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 106
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2101 "2024-06-28T16:48:24Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > He didn’t run out because of the fire? > > **He did not run out _IMMEDIATELY_ from the fire.** > > Did he run out for a secondary reason associated with the fire? > > **NO** > > Did the fire directly or indirectly result in his death? > > **Indirectly. I would say burning to death or smoke inhalation are the two direct ways fire kills. He did not die from either of those.** > > Was a giraffe on of the other lighthouse keepers? > > At Toys Я’ Us You know, he did try to put out the fire initially. That’s why he didn’t head straight out immediately. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2102 "2024-06-28T16:51:39Z")
Did the lighthouse, or some part of it, fall on him after he ran out? ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2103 "2024-06-28T16:53:04Z")
**NOPE** I won’t do a hint yet, but I have some hints in my mind. Keep going, folks, you are doing quite well. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2104 "2024-06-28T17:15:00Z")
Was he injured before he ran out? ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2105 "2024-06-28T17:24:45Z")
I think I know the answer. Vague trivia memories. Was metal involved? ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2106 "2024-06-28T17:27:11Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Was he injured before he ran out? **YES** > [@Paintcharge](#): > > I think I know the answer. Vague trivia memories. > > Was metal involved? **YES** , although I wish people who knew answers wouldn’t share. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2107 "2024-06-28T17:47:58Z")
Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2108 "2024-06-29T12:24:43Z")
Was there some shrapnel lodging in his body somewhere, including gunpowder, and the heat caused it to ignite, injuring him internally? ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2109 "2024-06-29T13:23:40Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Was there some shrapnel lodging in his body somewhere, including gunpowder, and the heat caused it to ignite, injuring him internally?. **NO** ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2110 "2024-06-29T13:39:47Z")
Were the other lighthouse keepers aware of his injury? Was it an unusual injury? Did he die near to the lighthouse (might have been answered already, but I think we’ve just established “outside”) Did the lighthouse fire consume the building on the same day it started? On the same day he died? ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2111 "2024-06-29T14:01:07Z")
Did one of the other people present do something to cause the fatal injury? Did they fail to do something that we could reasonably assume would have prevented it? ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2112 "2024-06-29T15:25:36Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Were the other lighthouse keepers aware of his injury? Was it an unusual injury? > > **They were aware of his injury and YES, it was extremely unusual, hence the puzzle and the reason we remember Henry today.** > > Did he die near to the lighthouse (might have been answered already, but I think we’ve just established “outside”) > > NO, not near the lighthouse. > > Did the lighthouse fire consume the building on the same day it started? On the same day he died? > > **Same day the fire started. NO, not the day he died. He died 12 days later, remember.** yeppers ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2113 "2024-06-29T15:27:30Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Did one of the other people present do something to cause the fatal injury? > > **NO. I would call this a freak accident that no one was responsible for.** > > Did they fail to do something that we could reasonably assume would have prevented it? > > **NO. I mean we can get into details on how the fire could have been prevented, but once the nature of Henry’s ultimately fatal injury could not be reasonably expected to be prevented once the fire was happening.** Yeppers ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2114 "2024-06-29T15:41:27Z")
Was this a real event? A fictional one? If real, is it chiefly remembered through a creative work, such as a song or story about the event? ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2115 "2024-06-29T15:59:47Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was this a real event? A fictional one? > > **REAL** > > If real, is it chiefly remembered through a creative work, such as a song or story about the event? > > **NO** There is a plaque commemorating Henry, but it really is mainly just due to him being a good guy and the unusual way he died. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2116 "2024-06-29T16:16:44Z")
Did something burn him? Fall on him? Somehow get sent shooting across the room and hit him? Did he fall? ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2117 "2024-06-29T16:41:17Z")
Did he die rescuing or attempting to rescue someone in danger? Maybe a ship that got in trouble because of the lack of a lighthouse? Did he die when he returned to the ruins of the lighthouse? ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2118 "2024-06-29T16:53:37Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Did something burn him? > > **YES** > > Fall on him? > > **YES** , I think that is fair to say. > > Somehow get sent shooting across the room and hit him? > Did he fall? > > **NO to these** > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did he die rescuing or attempting to rescue someone in danger? > > Maybe a ship that got in trouble because of the lack of a lighthouse? > > Did he die when he returned to the ruins of the lighthouse? **NO** to everything here. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2119 "2024-06-29T17:23:44Z")
It was established upthread that it started at the kitchen stove. Would it help to go into greater detail about exactly what happened there? Was something being cooked at the time? ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2120 "2024-06-29T18:07:47Z")
Here is how the fire went as far as they could figure out later: It started in the kitchen, exited through a cracked stove-pipe and went into the lantern room, then went out the roof. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=105) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=107)