Sealy

I thought this might be fun for us to do, certainly will be interesting lol
Every morning I will post a new puzzle for you to figure out.
I will post the answers to the previous day's puzzle the next morning...

First I will explain what Lateral Puzzles are:

Lateral Thinking Puzzles, unlike most puzzles, are inexact puzzles. In a sense, they are a hybrid between puzzles and storytelling -- the ratio of one to the other is determined by how you go about solving them.

In each puzzle, some basic clues to a realistic scenario are given, but the clues don't tell the full story. Your job is to fill in the details and have the resulting scenario make sense. Obviously, there is usually more than one answer to any given puzzle, but, in general, only the solution given is truly satisfying.


Ok, now ya ready?

#1
He Called the Police

A burgler broke into a house, intending to steal from it. While still in the house, he called the police. Why?

Clues:
He did not call a co conspiator on the police force.
Before breaking in, he did not intend on calling the police.
He was arrested.

Fox

Once inside the house, he injured himself somehow, and had to call 911 rather than face a very angry tenant.

DumberDrummer

If you injure yourself, you don't call the police, you call an ambulance.


My theory is that he discovered that the person inside had been murdered. He might have been arrested for breaking and entering at the least, and perhaps murder, though that would remain to be proven.

Or that he was a drug dealer and had a change of heart, deciding that his personal freedom was not worth letting a drug dealer roam the streats

numby

The owner had a dog that wouldn't let the burgler out since the owner was not home...

Fox

Yeah, but the 911 operator serves for burglary, fire, and medical-related emergencies. That's why whenever you see a house on fire, there'll be three things- a police car, an ambulance, and a fire truck.

DumberDrummer

Right.....

Lobos

The owner was home. Grabbed his ShotGun and Pitbull and Rottweiler . Had him at gun point with two angry dogs because they too were asleep and made him call the police . The police came . He was arrested.

Lobos

oh i forgot the home owner had a doberman too

Der Rabe

He got in through a window that was too high and he was unable to get back out

Chevy

Simple ... The "burglar" was breaking into his own house. Perhaps he was looking to scam the insurance company, or maybe he wanted to liberate some expensive items before a divorce.

The clue says he was arrested, but doesn't say when.

The only weak point is that he didn't intend to call the police. He could have done this spur of the moment, figuring he could say he chased the intruder out.

Sealy

Y'all did great!! I had a good time reading your solutions.. there of course could be several solutions but here's the correct answer ;)

Answer: Once inside the house, he fell, breaking his leg. Pulling the telephone down from a table, he called an emergency police number * 911* for help and, though arrested, recieved treatment for his leg.

Did ya have fun?
Good, so here's today's puzzle ;)


Driving the Wrong Car

Hermie the Hermit had a car tht needed repair but was still drivable. He had another car that worked fine. He drove the first car to the repair shop. To avoid asking someone else to drive him home, he had fastened his two cars together and towed one with the other. He therefore arrived at the repair shop with two cars and could easilu drive away with the working car. But why did he tow the working car with the broken one, and not the other way around?

Clues:
1. Did each car have a hitch and compatible bumper, allowing either car to tow the other awhile if both worked? Yes.

2. Was the broken car smashed so it would not tow easily?
No.

3. Was the only problem with the broken car related to its brakes, so the other car could be towed with its brakes partially set?
No.

Good luck

DumberDrummer

Perhaps the good car had not been fueled up in some time. By using the bad car he could assure himself of reaching the shop, and then he could refuel.

or perhaps there was no CD player in the good car, and he felt like listening to his favorite CD.

Maybe he looked cooler driving the broken car.

Perhaps his good car was parked in the garage, and rather than do a bunch of switch around stuff, he just hooked his good car onto the broken one and one.

And the best answer I can come up with is that y'know how Repair garages are just that, garages? Its like a three walled deal. Well if he used the good car to tow the bad one then it would have been a lot of jockeying the cars around to get the bad on in. If the bad one towed the good one, he could just pull in, disconnect the good one, put it in reverse, and off he goes.

Chevy

Assuming "car" is used in the generic sense - #1 is a pickup, #2 is a sedan. Logic dictates that the pickup is better for towing, and even though the sedan can hook up to the truck, it would have a tougher time towing it.

numby

He drove the "needed repair" car incase it broke down and wouldn't run, he would then have the good car to finish the trip as to get a tow truck and wouldn't cost him as much in towing and would still have a good running car to scoot around in....

Or, the "need repair" car is a big old cadi or station wagon and the good running car is a puddle jumper or the likes of a Lamborghini, which you wouldn't want to use to tow a Cadi or wagon...

Or,,,,,I just don't know....

DumberDrummer

Does the fact that he's a hermit have anything to do with it?

bry623

Now that work has alowed some, I am back! Sealy please keep these going as much as possible........... my brain needs the exercize.

My thinking is that the "broken" car was much bigger than the other. Could you imagine a Yugo towing an Expedition?

Sealy

You got it Bry and WB!

Sorry I didnt put the answers and new one up yesterday y'all... am getting my kids ready to go back home :(

Once again, y'all have done a great job at problem solving.. :) I just loved this answer of DD's : Here's the answer:

The battery on the broken car was dead, and Hermie knew that the electrical system was suspect. He wanted the car checked thoroughly. He jump started it with the working car, after which it could be driven. The working car had a manual transmission and could be towed without transmission damage. But the jump started car had an automatic transmission, which is affected by towing. Hermie, therefore, towed the car that had the manual transmission.

Sealy

Today's puzzle:

Scared of Her Shadow?

Wacky Wendy, who lives in Florida, finds it particularly important, when she is driving and sees the shadow of her car, to roll down her window. Why?

Clues:

Does the sun shine brightly in Florida?
Yes.

Is the reason or opening a car window concerned with controlling the temperature in the car?
No.

When the sun is shining brightly behind a car, which is not the same as shining in a driver's eyes, is there potential danger because something important cannot be seen?
Yes.

Happy solving!

badger

I'm never very good at these, but I'm left handed so I'll give it a go...

1) Ignoring the clues, I would have said that if the sun was behind her, it may have dazzled a driver coming the other way, increasing the likelihood of an accident. So she opened the window so that she can leap out of the window before the other car hits her.

2) Having now read the clues, I might suggest that the sun would reflect off her window, bouncing into her eyes, which obviously makes driving difficult. Opening the window eliminates this reflection.

3) Or, how about this - if the sun is behind her, (the sun is orange), other drivers wouldn't be able to see her orange indicators as well, so she opens the window so she can stick her arm out to signal (an arm would be silhouetted in the sun, and would be quite visible)

Any good?

Tim

numby

I have to agree with badgers third remark,,,
or, if she sees the shadow, she knows it isn't raining and can get fresh air with the window down because, like me, she doesn't like AC...