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.

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8 votes
2 answers
679 views

A fantastic puzzle

Explain why the string of letters below is equal to -1 somehow. ...
Prim3numbah's user avatar
  • 27.1k
18 votes
3 answers
1k views

Sums in a (very small) box

This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #14: Think inside the (very small) box!. Place the digits 1 to 9 in the box below in such a way that in each row, each column and each diagonal, one ...
Florian F's user avatar
  • 26.4k
2 votes
2 answers
565 views

Connect dots on a grid with one continuous line

Rules: Line must be straight. Line must be continuous. Line must not intersect itself. Line is allowed to take 45 degree turns to itself, for example: The dots:
web adventurer's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
321 views

Zodiac Signs at the Table

"And we find ourselves at another one of Ophiuchus' little themed puzzle dinners," you say while glancing at the other seven people. "I really like its puzzle dinners, honestly," ...
CatProgrammer's user avatar
27 votes
1 answer
879 views

"Missing letters (?)", a Nazo-like

This was an attempt at making a Nazo-type puzzle. Nazo puzzles are lateral thinking puzzles, centered around a single neat observation/realisation, as a way to let you find that interesting ...
Kusane Hexaku's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
158 views

Adventures of the riddle (solve the riddle)

In sports and games, I'm in the play, Bouncing and spinning, throughout the day. From basketball to tennis, I'm found, A familiar sight, rolling around. In nature's realm, I bring delight, A fruit so ...
web adventurer's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
258 views

What food am I making?

I was planning to make two portions, but didn't have enough potable water. Then I decided to make four portions, and the water was plentiful. What food was I making? Hint 1: Hint 2:
jpa's user avatar
  • 287
21 votes
1 answer
627 views

Connecting Wall with a New Gimmick

This is a connecting wall puzzle containing a gimmick that I am not aware of in PSE (or indeed anywhere else). If I learn otherwise then I would still be happy to claim “I did it better” 😊 Divide ...
happystar's user avatar
  • 7,240
5 votes
1 answer
108 views

Happy Venndredi! A Nicer Team Diet?

Bonjour The overlapping ellipses form seven curved regions. Your task is to place the seven tiles so that there is exactly one tile in each region and the four tiles in any ellipse can be re-arranged ...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
317 views

A puzzling message from the developers of this site

The developers of this site sent me an enigmatic message: Dear Stackexchange users, We know that you love exploring and finding great puzzles on Stackexchange! We made something for you all, but you ...
10010100102ohno's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
470 views

A picture of a line

Four Harvard students Bates, Denise, Dennis and Sacha had someone take a picture of them with all of them holding a specific drink in their hands. All four of them were also wearing the same type of ...
Prim3numbah's user avatar
  • 27.1k
6 votes
2 answers
809 views

State of the Union?

Good evening all! Further advenntures in wordplay. Same rules as ever - the three overlapping ellipses form seven curved regions. Place one tile in each region, so that the tiles in any ellipse can be ...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
174 views

You will meet someone, and he will throw your father in a deep fryer

You are going to meet someone special. You'll love him, I swear. But there are some things you need to know about him first. If he says you're going to be liberated, bring a jacket. He always has a ...
Dotan's user avatar
  • 2,401
1 vote
1 answer
173 views

Enclosed yet another sequence

There are so many sequences here already, I cannot guarantee that this is new. At least, I haven't found anything like this yet. But I can assure you that you will not find the sequence on OEIS. $$ 0, ...
theozh's user avatar
  • 1,214
0 votes
0 answers
239 views

What's the answer?

(Created Myself!) Layer 1: (Solve for number, addition, 2 digits, E12 series) At the trains station, there are brown stairs, green moss growing all around, and black railings. Further on, a sea of ...
Michael Chen's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
813 views

How did she do that?

The King wants to test his 2 very smart advisors Sadin and Lena. In the courtyard he sets up 4 closed wooden boxes on a table. All are the exact same size. In front of each box there is a name plate. ...
RogerA's user avatar
  • 4,641
2 votes
1 answer
353 views

A and B don't know their own values

() isn't used mathematically in this puzzle. () means that whatever is inside should be evaluated in the most suitable and ...
The Amateur Coder's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
955 views

Six of one maybe?

As usual from me a Venn-based challenge. The three overlapping ellipses form seven curved regions. There are seven tiles. Place one tile in each region so that the tiles in any one ellipse can be re-...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
256 views

A take on custom ciphers

There is something hidden in the text below. Can you find out what it is? Note: no computers or tedious work required. ...
DL33's user avatar
  • 701
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

Alternative solutions to a Michael Rabin puzzle

I first heard the puzzle below around 1990 while working at Carnegie Mellon University; the puzzle was attributed to Michael Rabin. After solving it, I realized that alternative solutions are ...
Timothy Chow's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
480 views

Confusing Statement

The three overlapping ellipses form seven curved regions. There are seven tiles. Place one tile in each region so that the tiles in any one ellipse can be re-arranged to solve the corresponding clue.
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
196 views

Gratitude Denied [closed]

In a small kingdom, there once was a evil king. A dashing prince showed up one day… and immediately died to puzzles. Even more princes showed up, and it was practically a XP farm for the evil king. ...
Box Enthusiast's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
281 views

Find how this finite sequence completes

7 14 31 51 70 81 104 107 129 149 155 175 192 215 238 259 279 299 301 301 314 328 350 372 Inspired by the discussion with the author of, and the clues to its solution are in that discussion: What ...
Nick Myra's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
498 views

Next word in this progression

Given this ordered set of six words: Adapt, Abbreviate, Cacao, Forbidding, Queue, Daffodil You must discover the logical progression they follow and choose the word that should go next. Options are: ...
Green CheeseWheel's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
497 views

"Sphere ---> Circle, Ball---> ?"

I am struggling with a puzzle in Swedish. I will translate it to English: Sphere ---> Circle, Ball--->? a) Sphere b) Ring c) Circle d) ? The answer provided is "It is hottest that Ring ...
cricket900's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
174 views

Makes Switch - Literally!

Happy Venndredi everyone! The three overlapping ellipses form seven curved regions - your task is to place one tile in each region so that the tiles in any one ellipse can be re-arranged into an eight-...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
958 views

Put a number on both sides [closed]

Make the following equation correct by putting an exact same number on both sides of the equation. The final equation must be an "equal to" equation only. No "less than or greater than&...
RogerA's user avatar
  • 4,641
15 votes
1 answer
2k views

Not Bruce Wayne! Carry On!

Another advennture! The three overlapping ellipses form seven curved regions - your task is to place one tile in each region so that the tiles in any one ellipse can be re-arranged into an eight-...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
413 views

Move Two Lines to make the equation correct

Move 2 lines (one short and the other long) from one side (either) to the other side of the = sign to make the equation correct. Cannot use "not equal to" sign. You must move 2 lines as ...
RogerA's user avatar
  • 4,641
7 votes
2 answers
454 views

Find the pattern and fill in the question mark

Hint: Hint 2 (added later): Hint 3 (added later): Hint 4 (added later):
ApexPolenta's user avatar
  • 1,802
4 votes
1 answer
176 views

Mon Dieu! It's civil (servant) war!

The three overlapping ellipses form seven curved regions - place one tile in each region so that the tiles in any one ellipse can be re-arranged into an eight-letter solution to the corresponding clue!...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
625 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
Prim3numbah's user avatar
  • 27.1k
5 votes
1 answer
208 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 ...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
346 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' ...
quarague's user avatar
  • 1,319
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 ...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
448 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 ...
ash4fun's user avatar
  • 983
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. ...
ACB's user avatar
  • 5,644
7 votes
1 answer
435 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 ...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
751 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?
melfnt's user avatar
  • 5,112
9 votes
1 answer
322 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)...
JLee's user avatar
  • 17.5k
5 votes
1 answer
301 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 :)
JKHA's user avatar
  • 5,981
5 votes
1 answer
269 views

It's Hot! Need somewhere to go Doc?

You can have a HOLIDAY but as for the rest: which tiles, where, and why?
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
356 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 ...
Auride's user avatar
  • 626
6 votes
1 answer
284 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?
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
146 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 ...
Dopplegamer's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
765 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?
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
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
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
-1 votes
3 answers
228 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 ...
Te55eract's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
796 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 ...
Ξένη Γήινος's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
213 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 ...
Ξένη Γήινος's user avatar

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