# 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:** 40
**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 26, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/781 "2023-08-26T18:30:15Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Did THEY eat the crocodile and die of food poisoning? > > **NO** > > Would the deaths be considered accidental? If yes, was the accident precipitated by their trying to avoid the reptile? > > **YES to accidental.** > > **YES to avoiding the reptile.** > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was it a vehicle accident? > > **YES** > > Maybe caused by a driver trying to avoid an animal in the road? > > **NO** > > Was it a crocodile? Alligator? Caiman? Gharial? False gharial? > > **Crocodile.** Keep 'em coming. ---
**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 26, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/782 "2023-08-26T18:36:55Z")
Did the accident happen because a driver was scared by the crocodile? Was the crocodile inside the vehicle? Was more than one crocodile involved? Was it an adult? Juvenile? Baby? Egg? Was it alive? dead? was it part of a crocodile, e.g. the skin? ---
**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 26, 2023, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/783 "2023-08-26T19:11:48Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did the accident happen because a driver was scared by the crocodile? > > **NO** > > Was the crocodile inside the vehicle? > > **YES** > > Was more than one crocodile involved? > > **NO** > > Was it an adult? Juvenile? Baby? Egg? > > **Adult, I think.** > > Was it alive? dead? was it part of a crocodile, e.g. the skin? > > **Alive** Keep 'em coming. ---
**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 26, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/784 "2023-08-26T19:34:55Z")
Gotta ask this: was the croc driving? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/785 "2023-08-26T19:44:07Z")
Was the vehicle a boat? A car? A bus? ---
**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 26, 2023, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/786 "2023-08-26T21:15:55Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Gotta ask this: was the croc driving? Nope. > [@kayaker](#): > > Was the vehicle a boat? A car? A bus?. No to all of these. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/787 "2023-08-26T21:22:11Z")
Was the vehicle a train? A trolley? ---
**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:** [August 26, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/788 "2023-08-26T21:28:36Z")
Was the croc being transported? ---
**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 26, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/789 "2023-08-26T21:39:23Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Was the vehicle a train? A trolley? No to both. > [@dirtball](#): > > Was the croc being transported?. Yes. ---
**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 27, 2023, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/790 "2023-08-27T05:03:52Z")
A truck, then? Did the croc get loose inside the vehicle? Did the croc get loose _out_ from the vehicle? Did the croc interfere with the driver somehow? ---
**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:** [August 27, 2023, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/791 "2023-08-27T09:59:50Z")
The victims–were some or all of them not on the vehicle but, rather, were folks who were unfortunate enough to be somewhere along the route at the wrong time? Was transporting the croc the main or only reason for the vehicle to be in transit? Or was the croc just one of several items of cargo? ---
**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 27, 2023, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/792 "2023-08-27T12:24:33Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > A truck, then? > > Did the croc get loose inside the vehicle? > > Did the croc get loose _out_ from the vehicle? > > Did the croc interfere with the driver somehow No to everything here. ---
**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 27, 2023, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/793 "2023-08-27T12:25:07Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > The victims–were some or all of them not on the vehicle but, rather, were folks who were unfortunate enough to be somewhere along the route at the wrong time? > Was transporting the croc the main or only reason for the vehicle to be in transit? No to these. ---
**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 27, 2023, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/794 "2023-08-27T12:25:42Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Or was the croc just one of several items of cargo? Yes to this. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/795 "2023-08-27T16:42:36Z")
Not many transport options left … Was it on an Airplane ? Hot air balloon ? Rocket ? ---
**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:** [August 27, 2023, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/796 "2023-08-27T17:16:39Z")
Noah’s Ark?! ---
**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 27, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/797 "2023-08-27T19:02:29Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > Was it on an Airplane ? Yes, to airplane. ---
**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 27, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/798 "2023-08-27T19:02:41Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Noah’s Ark?! Nope. ---
**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 27, 2023, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/799 "2023-08-27T19:07:07Z")
Okay, croc’s on a plane. Did it cause the plane to crash? Did it do something to the air in the cabin? E.g., causing a drop in air pressure? ---
**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 27, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/800 "2023-08-27T19:26:51Z")
I’m a little unclear here on what remains to be solved. An airplane was carrying a crocodile (among other cargo), the croc startled the pilot and caused a crash, and the crash killed 20 people. Aside from the slight incongruity of a crocodile being transported by plane (but hey, they have to get to zoos somehow), this all seems straightforward. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=39) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=41)