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.
1,076
questions
1
vote
2answers
81 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
156 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
755 views
Matchsticks: Fix the Equation
Here's a simple puzzle I just created:
Move just one matchstick to fix the next equation:
7
votes
2answers
293 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
181 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 ...
6
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
583 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
72 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
0answers
117 views
That's fine, most of my family doesn't want to acknowledge being related to me either
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
93 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
516 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 ...
10
votes
0answers
310 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
166 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?
1
vote
1answer
245 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
157 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
113 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
291 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 ...
-4
votes
3answers
168 views
Coin in a jar trick
A jar with a single key inside has its lid closed shut. How can you get the key out? The jar is glued to the table, and the lid is stuck as well. Your solution should be quick (a minute max).
1
vote
1answer
102 views
Some pocket challenges
A "pocket challenge" is a short puzzle where you don't need any complicated process nor writing material and, some times, not even a great knowledge. That's what I like to call them... Here ...
8
votes
1answer
263 views
A Simple Subtraction, Three Answers
Think laterally and you will get three answers to a simple question.
The question is:
What do you get if you minus Ten from Forty Nine?
The answers are
39
41
59
How? Please explain.
No partial ...
2
votes
3answers
288 views
Spiritual chemistry take two
When the three meet there’s a Ghost.
When one departs and another gains weight God remains.
What elementary abbreviations do I speak of?
I am looking for an exact answer - no spare letters.
A hint ...
1
vote
1answer
146 views
Spiritual chemistry spell
What three abbreviations can be used to spell Ghost and God?
This is meant to be elementary but there is a twist.
9
votes
7answers
2k views
Matchstick rearrangement: Zero to Hero
Below is an expression that has a value of 0.
How can you move only three matchsticks for the resulting value to be 49?
32
votes
2answers
1k views
Scoring a grid
As a professor of Awesomeness at the prestigious Ad Hoc University, I decided to assign my students this puzzle. Unfortunately, they were all unable to get it! I want to post it here to see if any ...
2
votes
3answers
205 views
Silent Chinese Whispers
There is an advanced course for experienced lip-readers who want to become intructors. If they qualify, they will teach lip-reading classes themselves.
All the participants in this course-for-...
5
votes
2answers
904 views
Move just one match
Make a correct equation by just moving one matchstick!
This is the source. Spoiler--source reveals answer.
8
votes
1answer
462 views
Anagram puzzles
5 independent problems in a "self-help arrangement" (which helps you figure out, what the task is, without presenting an example)
not left + up = honest
tear + boy = jail
five + I = kiln
...
6
votes
1answer
508 views
Where is the pilot flying to?
Barry is a pilot for the mafia. Due to his unique cargo, his employers have to give him his destination in code. Everywhere he has flown, from Edmonton to Frankfurt to Atlanta has had an international ...
9
votes
1answer
242 views
Old Bob is ill : Said Grandpa
“Darn good computer, this new one I just got. So you can have my old one”, said Grandpa to my sister.
I was impressed, but a bit cynical. “What’s the catch?”
Grandpa smiled. “Just guess the 4 letter ...
-1
votes
1answer
108 views
Burger Riddle, Can you solve it? [duplicate]
There once were 2 mothers and 2 daughters. One day they went to eat burgers. Each woman ate only one WHOLE burger. Yet only 3 burgers are eaten! Perplexed? Unravel this mind-boggling riddle!
28
votes
4answers
6k views
Short but impossible math problem
Given these four equations/inequalities:
1x=2
2x=4
3x=3
4x>8
What is x?
7
votes
7answers
1k views
Math-stick problem [closed]
Here are 6 matchsticks.
You should rearrange them, to make nothing
But you should not waste or get other matchsticks
2
votes
1answer
229 views
John is trying to solve this problem for his son . Can you identify the problem?
It is really easy I believe. The answer is wherever you look
Kinda my first attempt. Be kind and thanks for a great community
11
votes
1answer
274 views
Fun with ^#**#!@ flags
(h/t to @sarsaparilla and that user's Fun with Flags series of puzzles earlier this year)
"Hi Pat."
"Hey, did you get my note about our next trip?"
"If by 'note', you mean '...
8
votes
1answer
220 views
My friend's scrapbook
I was visiting with my friend Susie the other day when we got talking about our travels. As we discussed favorite cities we had been to, she suddenly got up and went to grab a dusty scrapbook from the ...
17
votes
1answer
706 views
A phone call with my travel agent
"Hi Pat, I just got the itinerary you sent over. Are you actually drinking at work?"
"Nolo contendre. But what's the problem?"
"It doesn't make any sense. I mean, one of the ...
15
votes
3answers
389 views
A Connect Fano Plane
The Fano plane is the smallest example of a finite projective plane, with 7 points and 7 lines, which has the property that every pair of points lie together on a unique line, and every pair of lines ...
8
votes
1answer
222 views
Obfuscated characters
Hidden in These Numbers, letters, and symbols YOu will find something quite Particular.
To solVE: please stAte the name foR Code LIke this
...
24
votes
21answers
3k views
When you take away two
I am an odd number.
When you take away two,
I become even.
What am I?
Edit: @hexomino got my original answer but I have come up with another valid answer.
Edit 2: @QuantumTwinkie got my other ...
13
votes
1answer
573 views
A Puzzle in The Two Towers
Our local used book store is going out of business, and I ran in to pick up another copy of Lord of the Rings. When I picked up a likely copy, a scrap of paper fell out of The Two Towers...I've done ...
6
votes
1answer
282 views
Make this equation correct
Using your creativity, conversion skills and adding one letter (anywhere) to both sides, make the following equation correct. Same letter must be added to both sides.
V I E N T = D
Hint
Check the ...
6
votes
2answers
797 views
Exam statistics
250 teenagers gather for an exam. Peeking at the roll, a math-inclined among them note that if they are split into 10 groups of 25 per alphabetical order, then in each group, there are two with the ...
8
votes
2answers
204 views
A Puzzling Family
Ben is brother to Pat;
Daisy is sister to Tori;
Gail has two big brothers: Carl and Kyle, who look very similar.
They all stay close to town, don't like to venture out. But then there's the other ...
-4
votes
2answers
159 views
Sometimes to find an answer to a short question you have to travel far. Sometimes not [closed]
This one's simple:
When and where is con the opposite of sin?
-12
votes
2answers
170 views
Mathlandia Cake Cutting (very short riddle) [closed]
In Mathlandia, everything is divided perfectly. A cake has just been cut into 9 pieces, so every piece has 0.111 of the cake, right? Jeff the cake cutter confirms this is so. But $1 - 9 \cdot 0.111 = ...
25
votes
1answer
850 views
An Evolutionary Experiment
Dr. Farnsworth entered class today and announced that we were going to conduct an experiment to see if we could force cells to evolve to communicate with us. The experiment is as follows: we are given ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
What's next? Think laterally
What is next in this sequence?
V
I V
I I I V
I I I I I V
V I I V
I V I I I I V
?
Answer is one of the following three options
A: I I I V I V I I V
B: I I I V I I I I I I V
C: V I I I V
Hint
Not a ...
6
votes
1answer
310 views
Murder on the Fairway
A body has been found at the Green Estates Fairway. Next to the body was a bloody golf club which was later confirmed by the medical examiner to be the murder weapon. Thankfully, only ten men ...
13
votes
2answers
482 views
One code to rule them all
Kurt, our crusty old mainframe admin, finally retired last week and I've been given the task of sorting through his files. Most of the files were comprehensible, if not understandable, like his old ~/....
