# 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:** 71
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1401 "2023-11-23T07:15:05Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Does the ability to perform a task that A is supposed to be deprived of have something to do with his profession? No. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > To add, was it expected A would survive? Yes. > [@](#): > > Was there a way for A to survive the blood loss and shock had he self-amputated? Like he’s in a hospital with docs right there? Yes. (Actually, I think there’s a way for quick amputation even outside of hospitals, but let’s not get too technical here. 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1402 "2023-11-23T15:35:43Z")
I don’t see how A would recuperate in time to mail the arms anywhere before they were so rotten that the stink would be a massive giveaway. I’m not even sure if A would survive the experience. Certainly not without help to bandage the wounds. > [@Monty](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Was there a way for A to survive the blood loss and shock had he self-amputated? Like he’s in a hospital with docs right there? > > Yes. Oh. So how is A supposed to pull this off, while in a hospital with people all around who are going to prevent it? And wouldn’t there have been a huge fuss on the news about the character who went into, or was already in, a hospital and somehow managed to cut both of their arms off – which fuss C would have been watching for, as opposed to the equal fuss about the wino found with both arms cut off (though I suppose A might have concealed the entire body and it hasn’t been found yet by the time C sees A with arms still on.) – ok, at this point I guess I’m just fighting the presumption. But I’m having a lot of trouble getting past this to think of any way for this story to make sense. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1403 "2023-11-23T15:41:09Z")
Was there a medically-justifiable reason to amputate A’s arms? Was there anything wrong with anyone’s arms prior to the intended amputation? Is there any actual supernatural element in this story? Does the story depend on anyone (perhaps incorrectly) assuming that there was a supernatural element involved? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1404 "2023-11-23T16:20:18Z")
I’m having a tough time with a guy cutting off both his arms off by himself and not only surviving but jauntily strolling off to the UPS store. I know that’s not what actually happened (hence the hobo) but that was the expectation. Is that scenario part of the lateralness of this puzzle? Is it a “Don’t fight the hypothetical” scenario? ---
**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:** [November 23, 2023, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1405 "2023-11-23T16:27:48Z")
Would a living, arm-having A have presented some sort of threat to C? (Read “threat” in a very broad sense.) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1406 "2023-11-25T22:27:22Z")
Does any of this have to do with the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1407 "2023-11-27T08:18:56Z")
This one seems to have died out. Let me know if anyone still wants to give it a go; otherwise, I’ll post the answer my group got and the puzzle poser ages ago agreed we had it. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1408 "2023-11-27T09:27:27Z")
Died out? There are 4 question posts still waiting for your answers. We’re still playing. > [@Chronos](#): > > Was there a medically-justifiable reason to amputate A’s arms? > > Was there anything wrong with anyone’s arms prior to the intended amputation? > > Is there any actual supernatural element in this story? > > Does the story depend on anyone (perhaps incorrectly) assuming that there was a supernatural element involved? > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’m having a tough time with a guy cutting off both his arms off by himself and not only surviving but jauntily strolling off to the UPS store. I know that’s not what actually happened (hence the hobo) but that was the expectation. > > Is that scenario part of the lateralness of this puzzle? > > Is it a “Don’t fight the hypothetical” scenario? > [@dirtball](#): > > Would a living, arm-having A have presented some sort of threat to C? (Read “threat” in a very broad sense.) > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Does any of this have to do with the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms? In addition: When B shot A, had B already received the hobo’s arm? If not, was there a certain time by which A had to do the self-amputation? Does any of this have to do with insurance? In a similar circumstance, would C have shot A? Were two associates of A needed for this plan? In other words, could just A and B have been in collusion and the story would have played out the same? Instead of C, could the third person had been random dude D? Like (and I don’t think this is a solution, just illustrating what I mean) A, B, C are all siblings and the fact they’re related is critical. The puzzle wouldn’t work if D was in on it but not a sibling. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1409 "2023-11-28T01:15:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was there a medically-justifiable reason to amputate A’s arms? No. > [@](#): > > Was there anything wrong with anyone’s arms prior to the intended amputation? I’m assuming you mean the amputation of the wino’s arms. Yes. > [@](#): > > Is there any actual supernatural element in this story? No. > [@](#): > > Does the story depend on anyone (perhaps incorrectly) assuming that there was a supernatural element involved? No. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’m having a tough time with a guy cutting off both his arms off by himself and not only surviving but jauntily strolling off to the UPS store. I know that’s not what actually happened (hence the hobo) but that was the expectation. What can I say? We were young soldiers, bored, living in the barracks in an expensive place; and most of the new soldiers had an early curfew. > [@](#): > > Is that scenario part of the lateralness of this puzzle? No. > [@](#): > > Is it a “Don’t fight the hypothetical” scenario? Let’s go with Yes. 😃 > [@dirtball](#): > > Would a living, arm-having A have presented some sort of threat to C? (Read “threat” in a very broad sense.) No. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Does any of this have to do with the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms? No. (Too bad you didn’t write _bare arms_. 😉 ) > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > When B shot A, had B already received the hobo’s arm? Yes. > [@](#): > > If not, was there a certain time by which A had to do the self-amputation? Actually, Yes, there was a deadline for the self-amputation. > [@](#): > > Does any of this have to do with insurance? No. > [@](#): > > In a similar circumstance, would C have shot A? Yes. > [@](#): > > Were two associates of A needed for this plan? In other words, could just A and B have been in collusion and the story would have played out the same? I had to think on this one overnight. No, if there had just been A and B, it likely would have played out the same. > [@](#): > > Instead of C, could the third person had been random dude D? Like (and I don’t think this is a solution, just illustrating what I mean) A, B, C are all siblings and the fact they’re related is critical. The puzzle wouldn’t work if D was in on it but not a sibling. No, no random dude in the solution. And thank you, @Saint_Cad for pointing out that there were questions pending! (I’ve been busy. Remember, one of my heros is SNL’s Middle Aged Man (I think he was on SNL). ---
**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:** [November 28, 2023, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1410 "2023-11-28T11:39:20Z")
Had A promised to donate his own arms to C for an arm transplant ? Had A lost his arms to C in a bet ? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2023, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1411 "2023-11-29T09:11:50Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > Had A promised to donate his own arms to C for an arm transplant ? No. > [@](#): > > Had A lost his arms to C in a bet ? No. (It was not really a bet.) ---
**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:** [November 29, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1412 "2023-11-29T15:16:10Z")
Did A set to benefit from sending the arms or was it a sort of punishment? ---
**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:** [November 29, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1413 "2023-11-29T15:27:47Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > No. (It was not really a bet.) From this, might we assume that A made some sort of, shall we say, “poor decision” in his dealings with C that led to this whole awful arm thing? At the time this plan was set into motion, was it possible that events could have played out in such a way that A might not end up being expected to cut off his arms? Did A enter into this plan aware of the risk? (As opposed to the arm-cutting originating at some moment after the plan commenced)? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1414 "2023-11-29T15:38:20Z")
I don’t know about y’all but I keep thinking of that _Scarface_ shower scene. Have we made any headway in this at all? I feel like we are at the same spot we were when we started. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2023, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1415 "2023-11-30T00:41:59Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > From this, might we assume that A made some sort of, shall we say, “poor decision” in his dealings with C that led to this whole awful arm thing? Yes, a decision was made in the past which led to the whole arm thing. > [@](#): > > At the time this plan was set into motion, was it possible that events could have played out in such a way that A might not end up being expected to cut off his arms? No, I don’t think so. > [@](#): > > Did A enter into this plan aware of the risk? (As opposed to the arm-cutting originating at some moment after the plan commenced)? Yes, A entered into the plan with full knowledge. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I don’t know about y’all but I keep thinking of that _Scarface_ shower scene. I’ve never seen _Scarface_. I’ll try to get to it this weekend. > [@](#): > > Have we made any headway in this at all? I feel like we are at the same spot we were when we started. Yes, y’all have made headway. ---
**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:** [November 30, 2023, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1416 "2023-11-30T00:51:24Z")
Might the person who received the other arm have killed A if he/she had seen an arm-having A first? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1417 "2023-11-30T01:48:00Z")
Is all we have remaining to solve is determining what sort of arrangement A had with C? Was cutting off the arm meant as some kind of punishment of A by C? Was the sending of the arm purely for proof that the amputation of A’s arm had occurred or did C have a use for the arm? Did C know that the other arm was supposed to be sent? Did C know where the other arm was supposed to be sent? If A had sent C his arm but had failed to send his other arm to the other address would C have been satisfied? ---
**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:** [November 30, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1418 "2023-11-30T14:46:56Z")
Do tattoos come into this? Sorry if already been asked ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1419 "2023-11-30T15:11:02Z")
I still want to know how A was expected to talk the hospital personnel into the original plan. Though I suppose we won’t get that information until we either figure this out or give up. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2023, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1420 "2023-12-01T01:24:32Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Might the person who received the other arm have killed A if he/she had seen an arm-having A first? Yes. > [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Is all we have remaining to solve is determining what sort of arrangement A had with C? Yes. > [@](#): > > Was cutting off the arm meant as some kind of punishment of A by C? I’m going to have say Yes (as a payback). > [@](#): > > Was the sending of the arm purely for proof that the amputation of A’s arm had occurred or did C have a use for the arm? Yes, the arm sending was for proof of amputation. > [@](#): > > Did C know that the other arm was supposed to be sent? Yes. > [@](#): > > Did C know where the other arm was supposed to be sent? Yes. > [@](#): > > If A had sent C his arm but had failed to send his other arm to the other address would C have been satisfied? I think if C would have been satisfied so long as C did not see the arm-having A after receiving the wino’s arm. > [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Do tattoos come into this? Sorry if already been asked No. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I still want to know how A was expected to talk the hospital personnel into the original plan. Though I suppose we won’t get that information until we either figure this out or give up. “Don’t fight the hypothetical!” 😉 On a serious note, I suppose we can say that A decided not to talk the hospital personnel into the plan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=70) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=72)