Questions tagged [lateral-thinking]
A puzzle solved through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable only using logic.
1,212
questions
4
votes
1
answer
586
views
Just a regular multiplication
What's the two-word phrase I'm looking for?
tr x 4 = T
re x 6 = C
tr x 8 = O
pe x 12 = D
tr x 20 = I
- 18.5k
5
votes
1
answer
177
views
Which Goes Where? Hint: Old Kid?
Usual folks! Each ellipse corresponds to an as-yet-unknown category - two tiles are placed for you - and each remaining tile belongs to at least one category - so the question remains - which goes ...
- 1,974
2
votes
1
answer
315
views
German number sequence
Classical format, here is a sequence of numbers, you need to find out how it continues:
5, 4, 14, 8, 0, 4, 2, 2, 2, 0, -3, -1, -2, -3, -7, -7, -6
This puzzle should also have the tag 'Germany' ...
- 709
12
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Only these six belong but which, where and why?
The two ellipses represent as-yet-unknown categories and of all the countries only the six shown belong to at least one of the categories. One is placed for you and for the remainder which belong ...
- 1,974
4
votes
2
answers
315
views
IQ Puzzle with a Twist
This my first puzzle in a very long time so if I've done something wrong let me know. I think there should be enough information to rule out wrong answers, but I don't know of a good way to verify ...
- 931
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How do I solve these Math IQ problems?
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #2: IQ Puzzle Parody
I have no idea how to approach this problem. It is from an IQ test. If you can give me some hints, I will be really thankful. ...
- 2,572
7
votes
1
answer
390
views
Fifteen minuter? Give it a shot
Exactly one of the seven tiles on the bottom will go in each of the seven curved regions formed by the overlapping circles. Two additional tiles have been placed for you - but the question is which ...
- 1,974
12
votes
1
answer
648
views
I need a help with this HQ test puzzle I found online
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #2: IQ Puzzle Parody
Which option (a.,b.,c.,d. or e.) completes the sequence above?
- 5,042
9
votes
1
answer
307
views
Get-a-Clue™ Crossword
Complete the crossword.
Each answer is one word.
(n) is noun and (v) is verb.
collection
1D. ↑ (n)
1A. ↑ (n)
2D. ↑ (n)
3D. ↑ (n)
4A. ↑ (v)
5A. ↑ (n)
6D. ↑ (v)
7D. ↑ (v)
8A. ↑ (n)
9A. ↑ (v)
10A. ↑ (v)...
- 17.3k
5
votes
1
answer
293
views
There are a lot of gifts missing
1-108-121-128-146-157-195-227-305-315-???
There are a lot of gifts missing
There is a missing 11th number which is it?
This is not on OEIS :)
- 5,895
5
votes
1
answer
256
views
It's Hot! Need somewhere to go Doc?
You can have a HOLIDAY but as for the rest: which tiles, where, and why?
- 1,974
3
votes
2
answers
292
views
A logic puzzle with some lateral thinking
Original puzzle below created by me. The writing is... to be honest, not that good, but it's a puzzle. Focus on the puzzle part.
Your name is John D. Tectif, and you're looking for 4 notorious ...
- 596
6
votes
1
answer
270
views
Simplicity Itself?
Usual format: each ellipse represents an as-yet-unknown category. Each tile belongs in at least one ellipse - but which ones where and why?
- 1,974
0
votes
1
answer
125
views
Rules, rules, rules... still not enough!
I hadn't gotten a letter from any of my friends in a while, so I was quite surprised when I received one from my companion, O. He usually only contacts me when he has a problem, so I was quite ...
- 619
9
votes
1
answer
747
views
The Queen of Starts - Is Her Bark Worse Than Her Bite?
Each tile belongs to at least one as-yet-unknown category but which belongs where and why?
- 1,974
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Crime and Punishments - Apologies in Advance
You know the drill man!
Place the tiles to find the eight-letter solutions to the clues
- 1,974
-1
votes
3
answers
211
views
An injured surgeon [closed]
Two brothers are both surgeons. They are skiing in the Alps one snowy day. They are both overly cautious and carry the same basic tools of their trade whenever they ski. Coincidentally, both brothers ...
- 23
8
votes
1
answer
766
views
Rebus puzzle with four colored bars and diagonals between them
This is an extremely simple rebus puzzle, the answer is extremely obvious if you know where to seek, you only need some lateral thinking, and maybe some basic programming knowledge.
To make it even ...
- 481
2
votes
1
answer
189
views
What concept does the image symbolize?
Well this is much more obscure than the previous one, but the puzzle is still very simple if you think about it a little bit more.
I will give you four images, each of them are connected to the ...
- 481
2
votes
1
answer
703
views
What is 12 in this same pattern?
7 = 31674ZS
8 = 883011SO
9 = 166037352UR
10 = 434782608W...
3
votes
1
answer
323
views
A strange corporate
The employees of corporate "Clocks" have a fixed rule for working hours. All the employees start working at 16:00 and finish their work by 21:00. They take exactly one break during that time....
- 1,242
-1
votes
1
answer
175
views
Quite the Namesake
Me and a friend of mine named O were once trapped in a room with a
shapeshifter (long story). I had a gun (even longer story), which was
good because me and O needed to kill the shapeshifter (possibly ...
- 619
4
votes
2
answers
293
views
Math Crossword with a Twist
This puzzle was inspired by this one
Who will be the first to solve this tricky math crossword puzzle completely?
Across
2: Half of ({20 Across} x (smallest perfect number) + 446)
3: (Number of ...
- 17.3k
12
votes
1
answer
592
views
Who put these roof beams over the chimney, I'd like to know?
Before you read this, the credits: I came up with this puzzle entirely by myself, and the photo is mine.
I just bought a house last winter, and I was all ready to cozy up next to a warm fire in the ...
6
votes
2
answers
375
views
Seasons to be Cheerful
Happy hebdomidaire grapple fans!!
In an effort to get Stiv to have to think for more than two minutes - I've drawn a puzzle from the "
Spares" category, which is the equivalent of pulling ...
- 1,974
9
votes
1
answer
360
views
Who Are The Final Two Contenders, and Who Won?
Hello! I'm Mike, and welcome to your 3rd annual "Needle in a Haystack" awards!
We'll have just five rounds of competition, followed by judging, then your champ!
In each round, the ...
- 17.3k
10
votes
5
answers
919
views
An animal, posed in a poem
I might sound fe_ _ _ _
Yet I'm in the opposite.
Do not count my _ _ _ _s
It was one originally.
But you can spell out
A bright star in me!
And please be sure that you're
Going to the right direction!
...
- 3,329
8
votes
3
answers
993
views
Nights at the Round Table
And there you are, the famous Round Table, seeing it in all its glory makes you smile, even though you thought it was a lot bigger. Well, no matter, as soon as you arrive, you find a parchment on the ...
- 6,343
13
votes
1
answer
906
views
Naming Unconvention
This week's puzzle follows the usual convention: circles which represent as yet unknown categories.
One tile has been placed to help - your task is to place the others and explain why.
- 1,974
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Found in Africa
The answer to this puzzle is a six-letter word.
One thousand one.
"One friend"
- 18.5k
6
votes
8
answers
968
views
Strange shopping
A lady enters a clothing store.
She tries on a dress size L, but she finds it too large for her. Therefore she tries on the same dress, size XL. This one fits her perfectly.
Happy, she buys the dress ...
- 1,733
4
votes
1
answer
176
views
International Kapow! The Semi-Finalists
Simple Rules:
Each circle represents a category - which is as of yet unknown.
Each of the tiles below belongs to at least one of the categories. Two have been placed for you - where do the others go ...
- 1,974
9
votes
1
answer
401
views
Doubling Down - When a Good Idea Goes Bad
(Please note that this story is a work of fiction spun for the sake of the puzzle. It is based on little actual fact.)
Back in the early 1940's, in the dead center of WWII, there was a bit of a ...
- 619
9
votes
2
answers
729
views
Tile And A Place - Where Have The Leaders Gone?
Each circle represents an (as yet) unknown category.
Each of the six tiles belongs to at least one category.
One tile has been placed. Where do the other tiles go and why?
- 1,974
3
votes
1
answer
220
views
Jaws of Death - The Merry Tiler More Show
Three categories are depicted by circles and tiles belonging to those categories should be placed inside (or otherwise outside). Tiles can belong to any number of categories (0 to 4). Two are given to ...
- 1,974
4
votes
3
answers
552
views
Which image should replace the question mark?
The answer to this puzzle is an image.
Could you figure it out?
Hints:
Hint 1:
Hint 2:
Hint 3:
Hint 4:
3
votes
1
answer
250
views
A Few Tile Problem?
Have designed a number of puzzles - would love to know what you thought?
From the four tiles which two are A and B?
- 1,974
4
votes
1
answer
531
views
Pay Close Attention - A puzzle for all those who can think outside the box
Reclining in his chair, Watson wrapped his arms around himself in what could be conceived as a bear hug, had there been another person there. Waiting patiently, Watson hummed a small tune to himself ...
- 619
0
votes
0
answers
70
views
I promise, never again! [duplicate]
The first 15 non-negative integers are written below. The 16th number contains 4 digits! - yet it is the next and the last term.
No special knowledge required. Try see if you can find a pattern and ...
- 18.5k
0
votes
0
answers
45
views
A nice riddle: can you solve it? [duplicate]
Try to solve this
What is the beginning of the earth, the end of our time, the start of every end, and the end of every place?
- 34
-1
votes
7
answers
241
views
The smallest and the largest number [closed]
Shown below is number 10 formed with 5 sticks.
1 Move exactly 1 stick to get the smallest non-zero positive number.
2 Move exactly 1 stick to get the largest non zero positive number.
Some creative ...
- 38.9k
6
votes
1
answer
231
views
Fill in the blank word:
Fill in the blank word: (myriad, Alito, lame, moose, fleas, wash, wide, ass, know, endeavor, worth, it, _____, wind, dilemmas, shirt, ago)
- 73
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What am I pointing at?
I go into a store and point. I say "How much for 1?"
The storeowner replies "20 cents".
I then ask "So, how much is 12?" His answer: "40 cents".
I decide "...
- 2,587
1
vote
1
answer
134
views
The apps playground
LinkedIn, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Stackoverflow, Wechat, Telegram, LaTeX, Overleaf, Snapchat, Netflix, WhatsApp, Formula 1, Pinterest, GitHub, YouTube, [...] are all playing checkers.
Instagram ...
- 5,895
6
votes
4
answers
821
views
Paris and Wife Matchstick
Here are two matches dates that I hold with love in my heart:
The current sum is 1970 + 1997 = 3967.
You must requisition at most 10 matches so that the sum is "as big as possible". We will ...
- 5,895
2
votes
4
answers
553
views
Beyond The Edge?
Ꭵn 𝔞ges past when sailors feared the 𝚖onsters 𝔞t The Edge, life was sim⍴lꬲᴦ for me.
But ever ƽince Magellan and his cursed vهyage, I’m ever beside myself, ever before, ever after, ever surrounding ...
- 511
6
votes
3
answers
1k
views
This is... to me! (Matches Puzzle)
Make these two "equivalent" equations true by simply moving (changing the position of) exactly three lines (per equation). The equations are two different representations of the same (what I ...
- 18.5k
4
votes
0
answers
275
views
"What sport is this medal table?" is back
On exactly the same spirit as "What sport is this medal table"
Can you find the values of the question marks in this medal table?
Three questions for you:
Is it related to the Olympic ...
- 5,895
3
votes
12
answers
2k
views
This is taking too long! [closed]
Move two lines to make the equation true.
As always, no inequality symbol (≠), adding, and subtracting lines. Move the lines only.
Hint 1:
Hint 2:
- 1,404
4
votes
1
answer
178
views
Another Matchstick riddle(not puzzle)
Here are the rules in order to manipulate the matchsticks:
You are required to move exactly 3 matchsticks.
You may rotate any whole symbol(circled in blue)or number as many times as required.
Most ...
- 389