Lateral thinking puzzles are a great way to get you thinking outside of the box. They involve asking a question that doesn't seem to have a clear answer, but it’s often the question that’s unclear.
Some questions before you start:
- Do these puzzles assume we all have some of the same knowledge about our world? Some of them even assume cultural knowledge, not just scientific knowledge. (check out Adam & Eve)
- Is this how we tackle our science and technology problems? With assumed knowledge? (would throwing balls work on a space station?)
- Would it be better to approach our science and technology problems by 'thinking outside of the box'?
Getting Older
In the year 1201, a woman was 35 years old. In the year 1206, the same woman was 30. How is this possible?
The dates are B.C. rather than A.D.
Throwing Balls
How can you throw a ball as hard as you can so that it comes back to you? The ball should have nothing attached to it, it shouldn't hit anything, and no one else should catch it or throw it. Answer…
Throw it up in the air.
Coin in the Bottle
Put a coin in a bottle and then stop the opening with a cork. How can you get the coin out of the bottle without pulling out the cork or breaking the bottle? Answer…
Push the cork into the bottle, then shake the coin out.
Doctor
A man and his son were in a car accident. The man was killed but the son was rushed to the emergency ward. The Doctor on call took one look at the boy and exclaimed "I can't operate on this boy. He's my son". How is this true?
The Doctor was the boys mother.
Adam and Eve
An archaeologist came across two perfectly preserved and naked bodies at her dig. One was male and the other was female. Immediately she knew they were Adam and Eve. How?
They didn't have any belly buttons. (Because Adam and Eve are the Biblical first man and woman they were not born like the rest of us.)
Train
A train pulls into a station, but none of the waiting passengers move. Why not?
It was a toy train set.
Eggs in a basket
There are six eggs in the basket. Six people each take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in the basket?
The last person takes the basket too.
The Boxes
There are three boxes. One is labelled "APPLES" another is labelled "ORANGES". The last one is labelled "APPLES AND ORANGES". You know that each is labelled incorrectly. You may ask me to pick one fruit from one box which you choose. How can you label the boxes correctly?
Pick a fruit from the ‘Apples and Oranges’ box. That way you know what the correct label for that box is, then you would just have to switch the other two.
And more.....
What does this mean:
HEAD
WATER
Head above water.
_________
READ
_________
Read between the lines.