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.
1,109
questions
0
votes
1answer
138 views
Totally not spam; don't delete me
Thanks for registering for our super-not-spam mailing list! We'll let you unsubscribe if you can find a super-special password!
Here are the criteria for the password:
Matches the following regex ...
5
votes
2answers
171 views
Odd numbers to Even numbers
Remember the old puzzle?
"Can you take just one letter out of an odd number and make it even?"
Note the clever wording. It just says make it even; not "make it an even number"...
...
3
votes
1answer
149 views
Knights of the Square Table
I am of the order of the valiant Knights of the Square Table, an elite fraternity—far more so than those so-called Knights of the Round Table. There are so many of them, but only two of us! I serve my ...
3
votes
1answer
156 views
Strange addition
Professor Devonshire was losing his marbles, Dr. Wallaby thought, staring at the equations filling the board in Dr. Devonshire’s office. What kind of addition was this?
1+1 = 6
2+1 = 6
1+6 = 6
2+6 = 6
...
4
votes
1answer
151 views
Larry and Laura Literal
Larry Literal loved Laura Literal, his lovely long-suffering wife. They'd lived together as husband and wife 50 long years. Longing to live near long-lost loved ones, they'd recently re-located to a ...
11
votes
1answer
285 views
Don't Pair Program a Puzzle
My friend William and I wanted to make a word search (number search?) of five digit numbers in a 5x5 grid, filling all spaces to form 12 clues.
To simplify things, we decided we would add a single ...
-1
votes
1answer
90 views
Blindly choosing a ball from a bag [closed]
You are blindfolded. You are handed a bag and told that there are three balls and two cubes, all of which are the same size and are equally likely to be chosen. You blindly choose one of the items ...
1
vote
2answers
279 views
Who is the only pre-teen that has traveled to outer space?
Who is the only pre-teen that has traveled to outer space? Sort of a trick question. But also not quite a trick question. This is a person, not a dog or chimpanzee or other animal.
15
votes
6answers
2k views
Does this equation make sense?
"The two sides of this equation appear to be different, don't they?" asked Grandpa
I looked at the numbers he had written on a piece of paper and nodded in agreement.
2011 = 1012
"Can ...
1
vote
6answers
694 views
Bizarre number sequence
My friend sent me this tricky puzzle...
Please explain the reason for the mistake in the number sequence - what is it trying to communicate?
8139, 8140, 8141, 5493, 8143, 8144
Hints:
1.
-5
votes
1answer
98 views
Fun with Letters, Words and Sentences? [closed]
I have a game, but first, I need to explain how it works.
Take a sentence, completely meaningful. Suppose the sentence is, "Yes, yesterday we ate the meal sometime at night".
In this ...
16
votes
9answers
3k views
A fun lateral-thinking Chess puzzle [closed]
Which famous movie is suggested by the following chess position (by Trevor Tao)?
7
votes
7answers
863 views
Ma turned 34 in 2002. Really?
My friend said to me:
“In February of the year 1970 at 1:12 AM Ma turned 18. Ma turned 34 in
February of the year 2002 at 2:16 AM. How is this possible?”
“And yes. Same Ma!” he ended with that.
Hint
...
3
votes
1answer
260 views
A talk with Four Brothers
Once upon a time, on going to the small park nearby to take some fresh air, I met four quite peculiar brothers and had a talk with them. Each had a different story to tell.
The first two brothers ...
6
votes
1answer
449 views
Stop the robot by changing value of variable Z
You're a computer security expert (i.e a hacker who doesn't break law). Your neighbour is infamous professor MacGoofy himself. He specializes in designing programming languages and programming ...
8
votes
3answers
381 views
With a little effort, one can prevail
What is common between the following words and names?
(Inspired by this except that I actually know the answer to this one)
Defeat
Kleenex?
Guanaco
Nerdiest
Sardar
Ian McKellen
Dingo
Gun
Diablo
...
9
votes
1answer
354 views
An X-Mensa dq question
Which of the numbers should fill in the ?.
4, 3, 4, 7, 0, 45, 7, 15, 64, 0, 1111, 55, 5, 5, 0, 20, 32, 1, ?
a) 2
b) 0
c) 20
d) 1
Hints:
1.
1
vote
1answer
155 views
Ohh, NSA Again? #2
This puzzle is the second part of story Ohh, NSA again?. Hope like this story. Here it is:
John got the target, it was Stack. Problem is, it can be Stack Overflow or Stack Exchange.
Another problem ...
1
vote
3answers
312 views
He's a real mama's baby
Monday morning baby Alex awoke in his mother's loving embrace. His mother changed him, fed him, and snuggled him, which he of course loved. But when she went to get her coat and suitcase baby Alex ...
4
votes
2answers
223 views
People have many things to say about me
You could say I'm straight, or you could say I'm gay.
You could say I'm a virgin, or you could say I've had sex.
You could say I've always been the youngest of my family, or you could say I had a ...
0
votes
2answers
170 views
The Strange Conversation
One morning, I was riding along my bicycle around town and I stopped outside the shopping center as there were 2 old-persons, one man and one woman (let's call them A and B) standing outside and ...
-5
votes
1answer
131 views
One more heart that never beats
It is from the Internet, I changed it a bit, I will put the link after it is answered.
I have a heart that never beats,
I have a home but I never sleep.
I can take a mans house and build anothers,
...
-2
votes
1answer
75 views
Can you find what I am?
Here's a simple affix-riddle .
My prefix is the sound of an animal.
My infix, the missing of the cast.
My suffix, what children like to hear.
My whole, deals with the past.
Can you guess the ...
11
votes
1answer
473 views
A No - Sensa IQ Question?
“This is a Non-sensa IQ Test Question,” said Grandpa giggling.
“It is not math but there may be some science behind it.
If
X is 527 and
I is 810 Then,
IX is?
A: 2810
B: 75310
C: 110
D: A or B
3
votes
1answer
129 views
A function. Really?
If you give me a 5, I give you a 21.
If you give me a 6, I give you a 2.
If you give me a 7, I give you a 12.
If you give me a 10, I give you a 101.
What am I processing to get the result?
Hint 1
...
0
votes
1answer
541 views
Oh no, not again
I wanted to say something, but I forget what it was. Can you help me?
10 - [A-z] (-2)
255 - #beginningfirst00
15 - Period.
0 - You forgot one. You forgot one. Since every beginning has an end,
let's ...
8
votes
1answer
268 views
A rather odd number sequence!
Can you find the next number in this baffling sequence?
925, 955, 1040, 1140, 1255, 225, 410, ?
-6
votes
2answers
97 views
A perfect split of rope [closed]
What is the correct way to split a rope into two parts?
A) Cut it using a blade or any sharp object.
B) Pull on end of the rope until it breaks.
*Note, only one of the ways mentioned above 'can' break ...
2
votes
1answer
163 views
It's been a while hasn't it?
Why can't I say hello? Anyways, it's Emma!
I know it's been a while, but I've been busy with work, and life, and I haven't had much free time lately.
With that in mind though, I've got a new puzzle!
...
-4
votes
1answer
164 views
Who is a zombie amongst the 3 and why?
Here is a picture of $3$ people eating food.
Can you spot who is a zombie amongst them? and why?
Taken From :- 7-Second Riddles
1
vote
1answer
96 views
The unknown wheat-and-chessboard problem
You can read the original story of the Wheat and Chessboard problem on Wikipedia. (But you won't get anything useful from it :))
An eternity after the original ...
9
votes
1answer
322 views
It's your turn now!
What is the simple rule behind these three relations below?
$F$ $\rightarrow$ $C$ :: $R$ $\rightarrow$ $I$ $\rightarrow$ $\sqrt{F}$ ::
$IA$ $\rightarrow$ $D$
1
vote
2answers
126 views
What should the captive say? [duplicate]
You are lost in a jungle and suddenly get caught by a tribal group who are cannibals. They keep you captive and however think of offering you a second chance to save your life.
Their leader says- &...
5
votes
1answer
257 views
Sudoku Logic From Another Planet
This is the brutally hard Tatooine Sunset Sudoku puzzle by Philip Newman ... except the Noble Happy Star has goofed! Two of the digits have been swapped and there are multiple solutions. Fortunately, ...
5
votes
5answers
808 views
Matchsticks: Fix the Equation
Here's a simple puzzle I just created:
Move just one matchstick to fix the next equation:
8
votes
2answers
350 views
Fit the board into the hole
How can you divide the board into exactly $2$ equally-shaped and sized pieces such that it fits the hole?
Bonus: Can you do the same problem in $3$ pieces, such that one of the pieces of the board ...
-1
votes
1answer
230 views
A Creepy Birthday Party
A little girl was invited to her friend's birthday party. After blowing out the candles and eating the cake, the children went out to play in the garden. The little girl's mother stayed in the kitchen ...
5
votes
11answers
2k views
Matchstick Problem: Turn 1 into 12 by removing a matchstick [closed]
Below are some matchsticks arranged to display an expression.
Your task is to remove one matchstick so that the resulting value of the expression will be twelve.
4
votes
2answers
635 views
Was someone there in the room, or it was just an illusion? [closed]
We were a very happy family of $3$ members, me and my mother and father. Sometimes my parents would go outside to visit my grandmother and I used to live alone freely, doing my work and reading ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
My infix and suffix are given, but my prefix is not
My prefix is not known,
Rather it has some meaning or some mark,
But my suffix has magic powers,
And my infix depends on smart remark.
My whole is about choice, has a meaning or two.
Can you guess ...
23
votes
1answer
1k views
What kind of car do I have?
What kind of car do I have?
The clue words:
stories, robbery, rock, minimum, old, ducks
0
votes
1answer
319 views
That's fine, most of my family doesn't want to acknowledge being related to me either [closed]
Today I share a 100% true story from my past.
I use to meet my little brother to eat together with him regularly, but any time his friends or others that knew him would meet me the conversation always ...
1
vote
1answer
118 views
Is it too early to think about Christmas?
I received an odd present today in a shiny red wrap. I was a little surprised as it was no where near Christmas yet but excited at the same time. I tried to tear the present open but was unable to do ...
9
votes
1answer
569 views
What is a “ B & A” puzzle?
I think this type of puzzle format is a bit different from some you already have seen.
I call them B & A puzzles. After you solve them you will likely know what that means.
There are six seperate ...
11
votes
0answers
445 views
Found the key, but what to unlock?
Here's a series of text messages between me and my friend.
Me: Couldn't use ebg13, so used ______ to hide my messages.
Him: What? How is this possible???
Me: A big prime ______, what else did you ...
2
votes
1answer
171 views
The fix is in : Any guesses?
My prefix is in the infix
My infix is in the suffix
My suffix is in the prefix
3 and 3 totally six
What's the word?
0
votes
1answer
259 views
NO. DIFFICULTY. PUZZLE
Up here is down on the ________ side.
The article used in this sentence.
What is this again?
The verb used above
The second answer is here too.
Open my lock with a ___.
Where is the key?
3
votes
1answer
169 views
Curved brick wall
Below is a fully functioning curved brick wall. Amazingly it uses fewer bricks than a functioning straight brick wall of comparable length. How is this possible?
-2
votes
3answers
125 views
How to become a millionaire by selling coconuts? [closed]
A woman is buying many coconuts for 5\$ a dozen. Afterwards, she is selling the coconuts for 3\$ a dozen.
After this transaction, the woman has become a millionaire!
How could that happen?
Hint:
...
3
votes
1answer
309 views
Sorry, I'm new. to this SE
spoil the unlukcy number for this text
fbeel, V'z arj fb gvuf jvyy or fchre rm.
3 > 4 and
4 > 3
^\w|[A-Z]|[^w](?=i) is the whole clue minus a letter.
Find it ...
