# 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:** 114
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2261 "2024-08-01T16:53:39Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > So was a drinks container (i.e. barrel) heated by the fire so that bacteria multiplied to dangerous levels? I know that British style ales were more popular in the US before the 20th century so I guess that these were more dangerous to drink than modern lager if not stored correctly **No ale was involved in this incident. Bacteria levels, to my knowledge, were not increased. You are right that containers did burst, though.** ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2262 "2024-08-01T17:02:56Z")
Damn, I thought I had it there! Was a type of moonshine or other distilled spirit involved? Just to check: did containers burst due to heat? ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2263 "2024-08-01T17:11:51Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Was a type of moonshine or other distilled spirit involved? > > Just to check: did containers burst due to heat? Yes, the containers burst from heat. It was a hard liquor. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2264 "2024-08-01T17:33:27Z")
Did the burst containers hold the hard liquor? ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2265 "2024-08-01T17:36:23Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Did the burst containers hold the hard liquor?. They sure did. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2266 "2024-08-01T17:38:04Z")
Did the victims simply drink too much of otherwise potable hard liquor? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2267 "2024-08-01T17:42:24Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > They sure did. I needed a **NO** for my theory to work! I thought maybe liquid from burst containers of some other substance could have seeped into and poisoned the liquor. But how about the opposite? The liquor burst out of the containers and poured over containers of something poisonous. Because the labelling was inadequate those containers now smelled like liquor, fooling people into thinking they contained the sweet alcoholic embrace they craved most after a horrible fire. It’s the best I’ve got for now… ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2268 "2024-08-01T17:44:17Z")
I was thinking this, like, the barrels were free to loot and people just drank more than they usually would ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2269 "2024-08-01T17:50:39Z")
Did the heat change the chemical composition of the alcohol, and made it deadly, or more deadly than normal? ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2270 "2024-08-01T17:51:56Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > I was thinking this, like, the barrels were free to loot and people just drank more than they usually would. This is closer, but still not right. There was theft(??) of alcohol. My ?? is only because the stuff was pouring out and people probably figured it was free for the taking since any not gathered would be washed down drains. I hardly consider it theft. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2271 "2024-08-01T17:55:50Z")
Did they drink industrial alcohol, mistaking it for drinking alcohol? ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2272 "2024-08-01T17:57:09Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did they drink industrial alcohol, mistaking it for drinking alcohol?. Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2273 "2024-08-01T18:01:03Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Did the heat change the chemical composition of the alcohol, and made it deadly, or more deadly than normal? I think you missed my question. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2274 "2024-08-01T18:03:54Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Did the heat change the chemical composition of the alcohol, and made it deadly, or more deadly than normal? **NOPE** ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2275 "2024-08-01T18:41:34Z")
So: There was a fire at an alcohol storage/creating place Lots of containers of alcohol were breached, creating a flood People drank the flooded alcohol Those that drank died. Did all those that drank die? ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2276 "2024-08-01T19:04:39Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Did all those that drank die? No. Remember, 11 were hospitalized and many others probably weren’t even hospitalized. ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2277 "2024-08-01T20:06:25Z")
Was the alcohol tainted because the containers burst? If so, was it because it spilled onto unclean streets or waterways? ---
**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:** [August 1, 2024, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2278 "2024-08-01T20:26:19Z")
Was the deadly poison some other kind of alcohol (e.g., methanol, isopropanol, etc.)? Was it something deliberately added to alcohol to make it not drinkable (such as the additives added to fuel alcohol)? Was it mouthwash? ---
**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:** [August 2, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2279 "2024-08-02T19:41:46Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Was the alcohol tainted because the containers burst? > > If so, was it because it spilled onto unclean streets or waterways? **No to both.** > [@Chronos](#): > > Was the deadly poison some other kind of alcohol (e.g., methanol, isopropanol, etc.)? > > Was it something deliberately added to alcohol to make it not drinkable (such as the additives added to fuel alcohol)? > > Was it mouthwash? No to all. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2280 "2024-08-02T19:51:26Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did they mistake what type of drink they were consuming? > > **YES** , though I might add a “kind of” tot his. Did the hard liquor get into the local water supply, and so they drank it without realising? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=113) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=115)