Just an excuse to bring live to this post, I am about to pose some riddles on lateral thinking. The topic on the economic situation now and in the future may seem hard to bear but to some of us we prefer to act like the ostrich who attempts to ignore unpleasant facts and situations.
These ten riddles may require much stretching of the imagination, not to think logically but to think laterally.
1. The Man in the Elevator.
A man lives on the tenth floor of a bulding. Every day, he takes the elevator to the first floor to go to work. When he returns, he always takes the elevator to the seventh floor and then walks the remaining flights of stairs to his apartment on the tenth floor. Why does he do this?
2. The Two Americans
There were two Americans waiting at the entrance to the National Museum. One of them was the father of the other one’s son. How could this be so?
3. A Chess Piece
Two grandmasters played five games of chess. Each won the same mumber of games and lost the same number of games. There were no draws in any of the games, How could this be so?
4. The Coal, Carrot, and Scarf
Five pieces of coal, a carrot, and a scarf are lying on the lawn. Nobody put them on the lawn, but there is a perfectly logical reason for their being there. What is it?
5. The Silent Cabbie
A Comfort driver picked up a lady who was a notorious chatterbox. He did not want to engage in conversation, so he pretended to be deaf and dumb. He pointed to his mouth and ears to indicate that he could neither speak nor hear. After she alighted, he pointed to the meter so that she could see how much she owed. She paid him and walked off. Then she realized that he could not have been a deaf mute. How did she know?
6. Happy or Sad
Three women dressed in swimsuits were standing together. Two were sad and one was happy. But the sad women were both smiling and the happy one was crying. Why should that be so?
7. The Coffee Drinker
A man in a restaurant complained to the waiter that there was a fly in his cup of coffee. The waiter took the cup away and promised to bring a fresh cup of coffee. He returned a few moments later. The man tasted the coffee and complained that this was his original cup of coffee with the fly removed. He was correct, but how did he know?
8. The Dream
The boss of a storage warehouse had just arrived at work when one of his employees burst into his office. The man explained that while asleep the previous night he had dreamed that one of the stored boxes contained a bomb that would expode at two pm,. causing a terrible fire. the boss was skeptical, but agreed to investigate. After a search, a bomb was found in the area foreseen in the man’s dream. The police were called, the bomb defused, and a tragedy averted. Afterwards, the boss thanked the employee sincerely and then fired him.
The sacked man had not planted the bomb, and his prophetic dream had saved the warehouse from destruction. Yet the manager was right to fire him. How could that be so?
9. Anthony and Cleopatra
Anthony and Cleopatra are lying dead on the floor in an Egyptian villa. Nearby is a broken bowl. There are no marks on their bodies and they were not poisoned. Not a person was in the villa when they died. How did they die?
10. Five Men
Five men were proceeding together down a country path. It began to rain. Four of the men quickened their step and began to walk faster. The fifth man made no effort to move any faster. However, he remained dry and the other four got wet. They all arrived at their destination together. How could this be so?
N.B. They relied only on foot power.
11. Family Reunion
At a family reunion, it was found that the following relationships existed between the people present: Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Uncle, Aunt, Brother, sister, Cousin, Nephew, Niece. However, there were only four people there. How could this be so?
12. Stuck Tight
A truck became wedged under a low bridge. It could not move forward or back without severely damaging its roof. The truck driver was perplexed until a little girl standing nearby suggested an easy solution. What was it?
13. Another Riddle
What is it that the man who makes it does not need; the man who buys it does not use himself, and person who uses it does so without knowing?
Hi Dan
My foggy mind says the man in the elevator is a dwarf who can only reach the 7th floor button, thus, he has to get off and walks up the remaining floors to get home.
Spot on?
A Chess Piece
Each grandmaster won 2 games and lost 2 games.
The fifth game was played but it has exceeded the time allowed.
Hi Geraldine,
You got it, your mind must be foggy but provide the correct answer at 4.00am in the morning.
Hi Robert, the answer is wrong.
A correction on the two American, it should read as ‘the father of the other one’s son’
Dan
Hi Dan
How abou this – One is a grandfather & the other is a father.
LS
I lived on the 5th floor with no elevator access. So I’m guessing the man-in-the-elevator does what I have to do EVERYDAY … ride to the 8th floor (elevator stops here) and then walk to my floor …
2 ppl in the museum ? I guess the other is his wife …
I’m still trying to understand the 3rd mind boggling … fun tho’
May
Hi Dan, like to try for no. 3:
Each Grandmaster won 5 games and lost 5 games.
(think you missed out one word, each, at end of first sentence)
LS
Hi Lydia,
The answer is wrong, No 3 wording is correct.
Tang May, correct they were husband and wife.
No 1 correct answer given by Geraldine and no 2 by Tang May.
Still no correct answer for No 3, the correct answer is ‘Who said that they are playing against each other’ haha!
New riddles coming up!
Dan
Interesting, Dan…
Let me try
1. The man is not tall enough to reach the “10” button.
2. They are husband and wife.
3. The 2 masters did not play against each other.
4. Cheeeem. don’t know leh
5. How did the driver know where she was going?
6. Still thinking…don’t tell me.
Dan, 5. This smart woman paid the cabby less than what the meter showed. hehe
Daniel,
The first three riddles answers are known.
No 5, you are quite close, try again.
Dan
Hi Dan, does the answer lies in flwg. lateral thinking?
When you are similing, it doesn’t mean you are happy.
When you are crying, it doesn’t mean you are sad.
LS
Hi Lydia,
Yes, you got it!
Dan
Let me try Q6 – the 2 sad women were snapping pictures of each other while the happy woman had sands in her eyes.
Too logical to be correct…hahaaaa but at least I tried.
Henry,
Wrong lah far from it.
Daniel, Q6 also wrong.
Lydia, you should be able to solve it. A clue, it a once a year happening.
Dan
4. A brawny farmer with a pirate-like headscarf was driving his open cart, transporting a bucket of coal, a bucket of carrots, a bucket of beetroots, and a bucket of potatoes and his friendly cocker spaniel, back to his barn. As his dog was smooching him all the way, he failed to notice his scarf had dropped off, followed by 5 pieces of coal and a carrot and there they now lie, closely scattered on the lawn.
5. The chatterbox lady realised the cab driver was not deaf after she alighted from the cab because the cab driver had driven her to her destination. He HEARD her tell him where she wanted to go. (Was she mad! She turned around to kick his cab but the nimble driver had zoomed off!)
6. The three women had just finished their swimming event and had got out of the pool to await the prize -giving. The champion was crying with joy while the runners-up were sad with disappointment but were smiling for the camera.
(paiseh! the ‘answers’ are longer than the puzzles … can’t resist story telling!)
Jassmine,
Q4, good try but not correct answer.
Q5, good, correct answer just as Daniel query how did the taxi driver know where her destination.
Q6, very close but not correct answer.
Dan
Hi Dan,
Q6: Could it be the WINNER who cried out of joy, with the other 2 disappointed ones putting up a smile to accept a good defeat?
Hi Sue,
Quite close, it was the final of the Miss World Beauty contest. The winner always cries. The disappointed runners-up smile because everyone is watching them and they are expected to look happy and radiant.
Well, we have managed tp solve 5 out of six puzzlers. Still Q4 left unsolved. Who can come up with a bright idea?
Clue, you need a clue? Okay, it got to do with children.
Dan
One day, I took a taxi, I have not talked to the drive, just let him saw a paper with the address I want to go. Then the taxi driver sent me to the correct location. I looked at the meter and paid the correct fare. I have not talked with the driver at all.
Hi Dan,
Q5 ~ those 3 items named are used to create a ‘snowman’ by mostly kids, gather it must have melted and left in the lawn?
oops..typo erro~ I’m referring to your Q4
Hi Dan
Q5 The initial part may be the lady when realised taxi driver deaf & mute, wrote on paper the place she wanna go and after paying the fare she realised he’s not dumb nor mute bcos after accepting her money then only taxi driver said thanks to her.
Thanks Andrew, your answer seem so simple, we have not even consider that.
Hamidah your guess was also a possibility but the correct answer was he was told of the destination, thank for trying.
Sue, your answer was correct for Q4, those three items remain when the snow melted away.
We have solved all the puzzlers, thank you all for your contributions. More to come,
Dan
Hi..Dan. Can I hv permission to use your “mind-stretching” questions in my communication class ? And 10 riddles ? I thought I saw nine. Is the missing question another riddle ?
Daniel,
Yes, one more to go before I closed shop, dun know whether I am infringing on any copyright issue here otherwise Chief Sitting Bull will be coming after my head!
You may look for this book entitle ‘Lateral Thinking Puzzlers by Paul Sloane, I believe there is another issue with a similar title,
Dan
7. The Coffee Drinker
the coffee brought to him the second time already have sugar in it.
8. The Dream
The employee is working night shift.
9. Anthony and Cleopatra
answer 1: died of natural death
answer 2: stage play
Hi June,
Q7, correct answer, he had sweetened the original cup of coffee with sugar. He therefore knew when he tasted the coffee that it was the same cup.
Q8, correct, the sacked employee was the warehouse night watch-man. He should have been awake all night on his security duties. Having a dream proved that he was asleep on the job. For this, he was fired.
Belly good, two out of three are correct.
Q9, wrong, try again.
Dan
Hi Dan
Alright, gonna try Q9.
With a broken bowl and no one else in the villa (how could that be?), I am guessing Anthony and Cleopatra are not humans but some kind of pets, like, fish, whose bowl was knocked over by something???
Please end my agony.
Love this thread very much. Gets my very rusty brain going.
Thanks a bunch!
Hi Geraldine,
You certainly got your thinking cap in full gear. Yes they are not human, they are goldfish. They died when their bowl was knocked over by a rather clumsy guard dog. Here end your agony.
Next topic for discussion will be ‘Puss in Boobs’!
Now for the last puzzler before I go into hiding otherwise the fairy-godmother swing the wand at me!
Dan
Hi Dan
Q10 – The 5th man waited for the rain to stop, got onto a bicycle and rode to the final destination to meet the 4 men.
may
Hi Dan
Sorry, need to amend answer for Q10.
The 5th man waited for the rain to stop, got onto a bicycle and rode along with the 4 men (who were on foot) to their final destination.
may
Hi May,
Good try but they all relied on foot power. haha, quite tricky here.
Dan
Hi Dan,
Q.10 – Were the 4 men carrying the 5th man…in a coffin?
Give us more please….
Jon
Hi Jonathan,
Belly good, right answer! All the puzzlers are solved now should I take a holiday?
Allright, let me choose some harder riddles.
Dan
11. Family Reunion
Answer: Brother and Sister, one of them have a son, and the other a daughter
12. Stuck Tight
Answer: what i can think is to remove the tires or “pancit” the tires
13. Another Riddle
Answer: Coffin
June,
You got all correct answers, no fun at all. Let’s me go into hibernation and see whether I should make a come back?
Dan
Thanks Dan!
Can’t wait for the next discussion.
Thanks Geraldine for your interest in the discussion of ‘Puss in Boobs’ which is coming up.
Hey, how come I do not get any guy showing keenness?
Dan
hmmm….still trying hard to imagine that contorted extravaganza.
Dan – hope you don’t mind, just borrow your post for this Banana Test – to check on our personality :p Click link to start test … (this is just for musing)
http://acs6163.com/pages/whoisthefastest.html
hewlee
That day I posted on joining shc at age 43 .. .actual is 45… besides 43 is 42….half of 8 =48
All 4 numbers came out in yesterday’s toto-self-pick $11 million s