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.
924
questions
8
votes
1answer
321 views
Could there be some logic in this mystical gibberish?
My great uncle Sean passed away in '94 after a long battle with illness. Not many people came to his funeral; he was 105 when he died, and had outlived all of his friends and colleagues.
I'm told he ...
2
votes
1answer
206 views
I'm bored. Do you like eating bananas? They make a good breakfast
So for today, our riddle is broken into two. Can you figure out all of these clues?
Am I the Alpha, the origin, the prime?
I'm maybe victory, or part of a dime.
Take one to the face, you ...
15
votes
1answer
1k views
Let me Introduce you to the Band
If you need anything, just let me know—I'll point you in the right direction. Let me start out by counting off our members.
The tall one there is named Martin. He's kinda offensive and always pissing ...
0
votes
1answer
103 views
Another sequence of numbers [duplicate]
Here at Puzzling there are many sequences of numbers already. I come up with another one, that I haven't found so far.
...
26
votes
13answers
10k views
My roommate's short riddle
My roommate (rm) this morning suddenly give me this riddle,
rm: Hi, good morning! I have a nice riddle for you
me: Seriously? Isn't this too early?
rm: 'mon, just guess who I am
You ...
1
vote
2answers
285 views
Solution or Origin of logic puzzle
This is not my puzzle and I do not know the solution. This was shared to me by a friend. Their former boss told them this riddle. I was told this question originated from Steven's Institute of ...
4
votes
2answers
244 views
Exchange one letter and I can be silenced
Tired of short riddles yet?
I claim me, myself, and I.
I can be found in stone, and I can find stone.
I can burst, causing irreparable damage.
I am an abundance.
I am?
5
votes
1answer
158 views
I can signal the demise of the world, or I may be the key to unlocking it
I may have four legs, or I may have none-
I may have two ears, but perhaps I cannot hear.
I may have two eyes, but could it be that I cannot see?
Either way, I can be found in your home;
Either ...
10
votes
6answers
1k views
Twisted Vivaldi
There are 5 riddles. Each riddle will lead to a one word clue for the final answer. Your job is to guess the final answer. The problem is, each riddle has a twist:
1 of them is a red herring.
1 of ...
23
votes
3answers
2k views
Riddled with (w)holes
With holes, I hold.
With holes, I am whole.
Try to make more, and there are less.
Try to make more, and I am less.
What am I?
34
votes
12answers
6k views
An invisible traveller
Maybe not a typical riddle, but here it is:
I can travel from there to here by disappearing, but I can also travel from here to there by appearing.
What am I?
8
votes
2answers
472 views
What I Learned from the Attic
Now that I have moved into my parent's house for a temporary stay, it was time for me to earn my keep. My father has become quite old, and time has not been kind. There is a lot of unused and ...
9
votes
2answers
371 views
Can you guess where I am?
In the city that I‘m currently in,
there is a former marketplace, where elderly are reading outdated information.
there is a share of homeless citizens, wandering about.
there is a nice ...
0
votes
4answers
230 views
The odd blind old man [closed]
There was an old blind man returning home on a train from Switzerland. He just had surgery to make him be able to see (the surgery worked), but he had a blindfold on to let his eyes heal. Being ...
10
votes
2answers
444 views
An interesting class
"Alright, class, I'm seeing so many new faces today. Let's go around and introduce a fun fact about yourself."
A: "Hey everyone, I'm A. People tell me I'm pretty, but I wish I can buy something with ...
10
votes
2answers
354 views
Can we get some input, please?
The seven of us are pretty much surrounded.
Stevens thinks that the key is to keep together and everyone's on board with that. He's surely our most senior man, but I worry about him. He seems to ...
5
votes
2answers
363 views
A milestone achieved in ParticulEr
For I came after the forbidden.
Loved by the Italians <3
Member of the Wilson's family
Swiftly came out way, a dozen before Christmas day.
Way more to say , but will not go the further way.
...
2
votes
1answer
164 views
Jumping Spiders in the Holy See
reduce(15:93)
Jumping spiders in the Holy See
From a battle entertainer in the royale court, less than weekly
The answer is two words, and will fit into the sentence, "Video games these ...
7
votes
2answers
895 views
I come in all shapes and sizes, and I can offer all sorts of prizes
Give me a fruit, I'll turn it to pieces,
A turn of bad luck, and your plan ceases.
Mistaken for death, if I'm without friends,
Bringing with a breath, success will I send.
Let's not ...
9
votes
3answers
466 views
The Dollar Bill
Bill was asked to form as many triangles on top of a flat table using his 5 pennies (3 coins on the table where centers are connected by imaginary lines to make a triangle). His teacher told him that ...
20
votes
1answer
2k views
A Perfectly Reasonable Question
I talked with an employment counselor recently, and here are some of the findings:
I'm amenable to stipulations in my contract regarding:
Confidentiality
Termination Clause
I can be ...
6
votes
2answers
209 views
Accidental Oblivion
She was running track, as usual. He approached to stop her, but accidentally stumbled. As a result, no one remembered the next couple of minutes.
What happened?
3
votes
4answers
239 views
John and his condition
John is a nice looking guy, but he prefers to stay at home most of the time. John has a very warm relationship with Mary. Actually, Mary is the only person who is able to drag John outside once in a ...
6
votes
1answer
374 views
What's wrong with this movie?
I got this strange movie from a friend lately. It’s black-and-white and silent, although I don’t think it’s supposed to be that way. I watched it and skipped through some of the scenes, but I’m sure ...
10
votes
6answers
860 views
Where should you go? The Mysterious Disappearances (Part 1)
It is a lovely Monday afternoon, when you, Detective Ashmolean, are given a new case. Kids have been disappearing all over town, and it is your job to find the kids and arrest the kidnapper. All of ...
10
votes
3answers
324 views
That's Ounce Weird
I am alone in a room. The room is very quiet, except that one may hear a sound of something like snowing, and a sound of something resembling a cloak. In the next room behind the door, there’s also a ...
1
vote
3answers
394 views
Riddle: A low-power car mover
(This will probably be an easy one...)
What can accelerate a car fairly quickly, using only 10 watts?
3
votes
2answers
239 views
How to play this game?
If we play the game with 7, 5, 3 and 2:
727272...
If we play the game with 2 and 9:
292929...
If we play the game with 9, 3 and 5:
953953953...
If we play the game with 3, 9 and 5:
...
4
votes
1answer
243 views
Where should the Armor go? [duplicate]
At the end of World War III, the country of Puzzandia has lost many of their planes due to lack of armor. As Puzzandia's plane maker, it is your duty to put armor on the planes. Each plane has been ...
12
votes
3answers
595 views
The Celebration
Today is a very special day, a day for a party. It's time for a celebration, and you are invited. Here is my plan for our party today.
First, we'll heat things up and have a shocking game of ...
-7
votes
2answers
193 views
How much did the bananas cost [closed]
I went to the grocers today. I brought three bananas from the grocers and paid for them. How much did I pay for the three bananas.
1
vote
9answers
1k views
What can you see, while you are blinking? [closed]
This is easy, right? No, I'm not darkness. Blink, Blink, Blink.... Can you see me? No? Blink again, and tell me what you see. Nothing? Wow, you think it's that easy? No, it's surely not. And if you ...
0
votes
6answers
449 views
Data Sharing Between 3 Players [closed]
Consider a situation in which two companies hold data about individuals: the first company holds individual's names, and their age.
The second company also holds the individual's name, but instead of ...
1
vote
1answer
237 views
Who is this contact?
When I'm on Whatsapp, there is this one contact that is always online when I'm checking status of contacts. However, a friend of mine has this exact same contact and on his phone the contact doesn't ...
0
votes
3answers
356 views
A Way So Familiar [closed]
An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #35: Restricted Title 1.
Bob was mowing is lawn when he saw a white van driving around his neighborhood. Driving the van was a wiry old man. He made stops in ...
17
votes
6answers
2k views
Where can you find
A deadly river (but not today)
A monarchy ran by animals
A giant kitchen appliance
Contrary to many answers I received, this place, sadly, does not exist in real life.
Big Hint:
Very Big Hint:
...
87
votes
3answers
9k views
Do I Work with an Orangutan?
This morning I found myself face-down in front of a large building. It was obvious that I had taken a great fall from one of the rooms above me, but now I apparently had amnesia.
I went in.
I could ...
1
vote
6answers
246 views
How can he save both- his son and lot of people? [closed]
A railroad operator lived with his only son. One day, a train was to cross the moveable bridge. Because of the operator's mistake, the bridge was lifted. His son saw the train and went up to pull the ...
60
votes
3answers
3k views
A Lazy Breakfast
Clark and Albert sat at the same old table they'd met at years ago. As per usual, there was hardly anything to drink, and they'd had nothing but sips between them. Near Albert, there were some ...
9
votes
1answer
541 views
Counter-Red Spiders
An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #35: Restricted Title 1. Title based on this xkcd.This puzzle contains hints for 220 black squares (but that's not the point) but is a standalone puzzle.
...
6
votes
3answers
428 views
Brother Mine! Missing
So, just the other day, i was sitting outside trying to piece some sort of puzzle together, when my brother called. He had this rather strange message for me.
"Mostly it's you who did it boy.... for ...
3
votes
2answers
206 views
Old School riddle with a twist
Rhpeiwpa fj pejchao, ykt cqhh lb qdeo xjz iaoo
Qda pkhqpekj fo ewnikju, cnki tdwp tkqhz ya x jaoo.
Lnzejwh, Xxoyeoowh, xjz Fiiazewpa qnkqxha,
Znepeywh oareoekj jqopj’p oarawh x akqxha.
Hint:
22
votes
2answers
1k views
The Great Escape: Room 1
You wake up trapped in a room.
In front of you is a door. Next to the door there is a computer.
On the computer you see the following
Select the correct image to open the door
Tries Left: 1
...
18
votes
9answers
8k views
That's What SHE Said!
An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #35: Restricted Title 1.
Bob and Alice were talking about their friend Jenny. Alice was asking Bob why...
Jenny bought an item for 6 dollars, then she ...
8
votes
1answer
476 views
What was on the piece of paper?
A man walks into a restaurant and finds a piece of paper on the floor, he picks it up and gives it to the waiter who then gives it to his manager. The manager calls the police and the man gets ...
3
votes
2answers
851 views
A man was born in 1881 and died in 1883, yet he was 90. How?
A man was born in 1881 and died in 1883, yet he was 90. How it is possible?
21
votes
3answers
2k views
Guess a common 5-letter word!
Something with a very low pH,
though not alive, I evolve as I age.
My grandfather was used in building;
My father, though smaller, was ground-breaking.
Though I'm smarter,
I'm not much ...
3
votes
4answers
484 views
Why does nobody contact the police about the murder?
Brian found himself sitting in a very large room with a solitary
light shining from behind him. He hears a voice say, "don't move."
Brian stays still. The voice starts again, "tell me why you're ...
5
votes
1answer
248 views
The copper's already solved this one for you. Just fill in the blank
The Oxford Coppa gives you the facts:
"We've arrested Jimmy, whom we saw with an axe."
"We've arrested Bobby, whose morals appall."
"One crime, two crimes, we've got evidence for them all."
You ...
5
votes
2answers
227 views
The Beginnings of Galois Theory
I am a 4 digit number
The sum of my digits is half of me
Add a tail to one of my digit-members
Then the sum of them is three
