Lateral Puzzles • View topic

by **Hobbsicle** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 4:41 am

Henry was quite ready to go home, but he still had a couple of hours to go before six-o-clock. He shifted at his desk and stared blankly at nothing in particular for a few moments before looking at the clock on the wall and trying to will it forward.

Suddenly, he realized there was a problem. But it was such a small one, and certainly not anything he was going to do anything about, not being in much of an “above-and-beyond” mood just now, or ever. So instead he turned his mind to dinner, which would be ham, he decided.

A bit later, and he glanced at the time again. Hmm. Actually, there was a different problem altogether, but it was almost equally unimportant, and it was not in his job description to care. It was probably something Greg would take care of, eventually. He saw Greg meandering down the hall, listening to headphones. Then again, maybe he won’t.

A few minutes later, he checked the clock a third time. This time, he hesitated a moment, then jumped up, banging his knee against the desk in the process, and ran out of the office, his chair still spinning when the door slammed behind him. It's not quitting time yet, so why is Henry in such a rush?

by **GalFisk** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 9:31 am

Does he run because of a third problem? In order to be in time for something? In order to escape from something? Does he see the problems only from reading the time from a clock? From reading some other device or measurement? Does he run for his life? Will Greg be in trouble? Will Henry? Do they work in an office? A factory? A plant? The military? Is there a problem with the clock? With spacetime itself?

by **Balin** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 11:42 pm

Is Henry in danger? Is Greg? Is someone else?

by **Hobbsicle** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:36 am

GalFisk

Does he run because of a third problem? Yes In order to be in time for something? Yope In order to escape from something? No
Does he see the problems only from reading the time from a clock? Yes-ish From reading some other device or measurement? Yes-ish
Does he run for his life? No Will Greg be in trouble? No Will Henry? Yes-ish
Do they work in an office? yope A factory? A plant? The military? No to rest
Is there a problem with the clock? No With spacetime itself? No, but that would make an interesting story

Balin

Is Henry in danger? Possibly Is Greg? Possibly Is someone else? No

by **GalFisk** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:43 am

Is he using the clock in order to time something? Does he hear something relevant? Physically feel something relevant? Is something happening at certain intervals? Are the intervals wrong? Is Greg supposed to listen for something? Does Henry run in order to be able to prove he was not there when the problem occurred? To see that all blame for the problem falls on Greg?

by **Hobbsicle** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 8:17 pm

Is he using the clock in order to time something? No
Does he hear something relevant? No Physically feel something relevant? No
Is something happening at certain intervals? No Are the intervals wrong?
Is Greg supposed to listen for something? No
Does Henry run in order to be able to prove he was not there when the problem occurred? To see that all blame for the problem falls on Greg? No to both

by **Balin** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 10:00 pm

Are the exact times he checks the clock relevant?

by **GalFisk** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:58 am

Is the first problem one with people? Equipment? Rules? Laws?
Same questions for 2nd and 3rd problem.
Does Henry intend to return that day? The next day? Does he think his absence will go unnoticed? Will be rewarded? Will be excuses?

by **peter365** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:15 am

Is the clock a normal one i.e. one for telling the time? It's not the doomsday clock is it?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 4:42 pm

Balin

Are the exact times he checks the clock relevant? No

GalFisk

Is the first problem one with people? Equipment? This Rules? Laws?
Is the second problem one with people? Equipment? This Rules? Laws?
Is the third problem one with people? This Equipment? Also this Rules? No Laws? This-ish too
Does Henry intend to return that day? Yes, but possible FA The next day? Probably Does he think his absence will go unnoticed? No-ish Will be rewarded? yope Will be excuses? Not sure what is meant here, please rephrase

A possible FA on the last set of questions

peter365

Is the clock a normal one i.e. one for telling the time? Yes It's not the doomsday clock is it? No

by **GalFisk** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 4:52 pm

Damn autocorrect. I meant, does he think his absence will be excused, as in forgiven?
Does he run away from the workplace? Is the first and second problem with the same equipment? Is the equipment: machine(s)? Vehicle(s)? Electronics? Computer(s)? Structure(s)? Tool(s)? Is electricity involved in the problems? Is water?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:00 pm

Damn autocorrect. I meant, does he think his absence will be excused, as in forgiven? Ah, yes
Does he run away from the workplace? No!
Is the first and second problem with the same equipment? Yes, although possibly different FA lurking about
Is the equipment: machine(s)? This Vehicle(s)? Electronics? It uses electricity, though I don't think it would be considered electronic Computer(s)? Structure(s)? Tool(s)? This-ish, DOYD, no to others
Is electricity involved in the problems? Yes-ish Is water? No

by **Balin** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:20 pm

Is the clock working correctly?
Is gas leaking into his office?

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 2:32 am

Is the clock working correctly? Yes, but explore
Is gas leaking into his office? No

by **GalFisk** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 5:46 am

Does he think the clock is not working correctly? Os he checking that it does? Is some other clock not working correctly? Is something else not happening in a timely fashion? Is he running to fix a problem? To help someone? Is he running to the place with the problem? To Greg? Relevant that Greg wears headphones?

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 4:57 pm

Does he think the clock is not working correctly? YES Os he checking that it does? No Is some other clock not working correctly? No Is something else not happening in a timely fashion? No Is he running to fix a problem? Yes-ish To help someone? Yope Is he running to the place with the problem? Yes To Greg? No Relevant that Greg wears headphones? Not especially

by **GalFisk** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:58 pm

Is the clock controlled remotely? If so: by cables? Radio? Does he think the clock is: showing too much? Too little? Running at the wrong speed? Not running at all? Not always running? Is he running to alert someone to the problem? Is this third problem his responsibility? Can this third problem cause him other problems?

by **Hobbsicle** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 8:37 pm

Is the clock controlled remotely? No
If so: by cables? Radio?
Does he think the clock is: showing too much? No. Too little? Yes, at one point Running at the wrong speed? Possibly, at one point Not running at all? Also this, at another point Not always running? No
Is he running to alert someone to the problem? That will probably be involved
Is this third problem his responsibility? Yes
Can this third problem cause him other problems? yope, it's a multifaceted problem, I suppose

by **GalFisk** » Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:44 pm

Is the clock actually not running at all? Are all three problems issues with the clock? Is the clock his responsibility? Is doing something at a certain time his responsibility? Is the clock a common everyday clock? Is the time it's supposed to be showing the normal local time?

by **Hobbsicle** » Thu Mar 02, 2017 3:00 pm

Is the clock actually not running at all? No, it is actually running
Are all three problems issues with the clock? NO, only first two
Is the clock his responsibility? No
Is doing something at a certain time his responsibility? No
Is the clock a common everyday clock? Yes
Is the time it's supposed to be showing the normal local time? Yes

by **GalFisk** » Thu Mar 02, 2017 6:04 pm

Is the clock actually running accurately? Does he think it's not, at first? Is any time measuring equipment apart from this clock relevant? Was the clock Greg's responsibility?

by **Hobbsicle** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 2:29 pm

Is the clock actually running accurately? Yes!. Does he think it's not, at first? Correct Is any time measuring equipment apart from this clock relevant? Somewhat, at least at a point
Was the clock Greg's responsibility? Irr, but possibly so

by **GalFisk** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 6:05 am

Does he think the first problem is that the clock is wrong? Broken? Same q for the second problem. Are computers relevant? Is his own sense of time distorted at any point? Does some device show an incorrect time at any point? Is an interruption of the electricity supply relevant? Does the company manufacture anything? Provide a service for other companies? For people in general? For the government?

by **Hobbsicle** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 2:31 pm

Does he think the first problem is that the clock is wrong? This Broken? Same q for the second problem. For the second, he also thinks the clock is wrong, but now that is broken-ish Are computers relevant? Not really Is his own sense of time distorted at any point? Hm, maybe, depending on what this means, explore. He does not inwardly feel time moving at a different rate, if that's the question Does some device show an incorrect time at any point? Yes-ish Is an interruption of the electricity supply relevant? No Does the company manufacture anything? Provide a service for other companies? For people in general? This For the government?

by **GalFisk** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 5:27 pm

Broken-ish: running slower? Running faster? Running backwards? Is another clock involved? Does the company provide: transportation? Financial services? Healthcare? Advice? Legal services?

by **Hobbsicle** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 6:49 pm

Broken-ish: running slower? Running faster? Running backwards?
I'll say that in the first "problem", he thinks the clock is off or maybe running slow. The second problem he thinks something else, though it isn't one of these.
Is another clock involved? Not that relevantly, but only during the noticing of the first problem. Does the company provide: transportation? Financial services? Healthcare? Advice? Legal services? None of these

by **GalFisk** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:55 pm

Does he think both the first and second problem are problems with only the clock and nothing else? Does he at first have reason to think that it is later than the clock is showing? Is something else expected to happen at a particular time? Has something not happened when it should have? Has something else happened when it shouldn't have? Does the company provide a service: at their offices? In people's homes? In public? In a special area? Do they repair objects?

by **Hobbsicle** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 2:08 am

Does he think both the first and second problem are problems with only the clock and nothing else? Yes
Does he at first have reason to think that it is later than the clock is showing? Yes
Is something else expected to happen at a particular time? Has something not happened when it should have? Has something else happened when it shouldn't have? No to these
Does the company provide a service: at their offices? This, but "their offices" isn't the right way to put it In people's homes? In public? This also applies In a special area? This too, svv of special Do they repair objects? No

by **LemonCurry** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 9:13 am

Is daylight relevant? weather?

by **GalFisk** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 2:43 pm

Can the people served be called: customers? Clients? Patients? Volunteers? Victims? Does he serve people? Do they use tools? Specific objects? Are they a utility?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:07 pm

LemonCurry

Is daylight relevant? weather? No to both

GalFisk

Can the people served be called: customers? This is most accurate, though there is another term I hear more often, I think Clients? Patients? Volunteers? Victims? Does he serve people? yope Do they use tools? Not relevantly Specific objects? Kind of a broad question, yes-ish Are they a utility? No

by **GalFisk** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:14 pm

People served: guests? Diners? Consumers? Drinkers? Readers? Users? Is food involved? Drink?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:30 pm

People served: guests? This wasn't the word I was initially thinking of, but is probably one of the most common Diners? Consumers? Drinkers? Readers? Users? No to rest
Is food involved? Drink? No to both

by **LemonCurry** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 6:34 am

Is he working in a hotel or hostel?

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 3:59 pm

Is he working in a hotel or hostel? No

by **GalFisk** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:21 pm

Somewhere people: sleep? Bathe? Exercise? Sweat? Relax? Fly? Get a tan? Make some change to their body? Travel?

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:21 pm

Somewhere people: sleep? Bathe? Exercise? Sweat? Relax? This is closest, though not exactly it Fly? Get a tan? Make some change to their body? Travel? No to others

by **LemonCurry** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 6:02 am

A casino?
Is a crime going on?
(Ocean's Eleven coming into mind)

by **Hobbsicle** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:29 pm

A casino? No, but you're getting there
Is a crime going on? YES
(Ocean's Eleven coming into mind) Definitely OTRT

by **GalFisk** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:37 pm

Do people come there to gamble? To watch something? Is it a racetrack? A sports arena? Is something being stolen? Is a security system being defeated?
Edit: is it a museum?

by **Hobbsicle** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:42 pm

Do people come there to gamble? To watch something? Is it a racetrack? A sports arena? see below...
Is something being stolen? YES Is a security system being defeated? YES
Edit: is it a museum? YES

by **Balin** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:52 pm

Hmm... have the thieves made a tape loop of the room where they're committing the theft? And the clock keeps showing the same time? Or keeps only advancing a few minutes then backing up?

by **Hobbsicle** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:57 pm

Hmm... have the thieves made a tape loop of the room where they're committing the theft? YES And the clock keeps showing the same time? YES Or keeps only advancing a few minutes then backing up? No

Almost there, so what explains his three reactions?

by **GalFisk** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 3:04 pm

Did he see Greg on the tape? In real life? Relevant? Is the clock showing the wrong time at first? Does the clock appear to have stopped or gome backwards in the second? Does he see the loop skip from the end to the beginning when he runs?

by **Hobbsicle** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 4:08 pm

Did he see Greg on the tape? yes In real life? Relevant? Not terribly, maybe just to throw you off. He had a particular job that hasn't been discovered, but it's optional whether you figure it out or not
Is the clock showing the wrong time at first? Yes Does the clock appear to have stopped or gome backwards in the second? Stopped Does he see the loop skip from the end to the beginning when he runs? No, assume the loop is tight enough that the clock mostly appears frozen

by **GalFisk** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 9:21 pm

Does he run because he realizes the footage is: looping? Not realtime? Does he see Greg for a second time on the tape?
Edit: does he see Greg both in real life and on the monitor at once?

by **Hobbsicle** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 2:13 am

Does he run because he realizes the footage is: looping? Yope Not realtime? Same yope Does he see Greg for a second time on the tape? No
Edit: does he see Greg both in real life and on the monitor at once? No, but I like that idea.

by **GalFisk** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:14 am

Does he run because of a realization? Suspicion? Is he a security guard? Is it his responsibility to take actiin if the monitors show something fishy?
Edit: is he running to the place seen on the monitor? To another person? To raise an alarm? To lock something down?

by **Hobbsicle** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 3:44 pm

Does he run because of a realization? Yes Suspicion? Also yes Is he a security guard? YES Is it his responsibility to take actiin if the monitors show something fishy? As well as other things, I guess
Edit: is he running to the place seen on the monitor? To another person? To raise an alarm? To lock something down? It's irrelevant what he does after beyond "responding to the situation". The main thing you need to iron out at this point is why looking at the clock a third time alerted him to a problem

by **GalFisk** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:08 pm

Time passed between the first and second look relevant? Between the second and third look? Does he see anything relevant besides the clock the third time?

by **Hobbsicle** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:42 pm

Time passed between the first and second look relevant? Not really, a few minutes Between the second and third look? Same Does he see anything relevant besides the clock the third time? No

by **biograd** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:12 pm

Is the length of the loop long enough to see Greg walk the whole way across the field of view of the camera? speaking of which, is there a single camera? or multiple cameras? relevant?

by **Hobbsicle** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 7:08 pm

Is the length of the loop long enough to see Greg walk the whole way across the field of view of the camera? No, or irrelevant speaking of which, is there a single camera? or multiple cameras? Yes, there are multiple relevant? Not really, but only as it related to seeing Greg

by **LemonCurry** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:55 am

Did the clock also show the date? Was it wrong? Did Henry realize that Greg was having the day off? Or working a different shift? Did he remember that the clock was currently not on the wall?

by **Hobbsicle** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:19 pm

Did the clock also show the date? No Was it wrong?
Did Henry realize that Greg was having the day off? No, Greg was there and was seen in a different camera Or working a different shift? Did he remember that the clock was currently not on the wall? No

by **GalFisk** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:36 pm

Were all cameras looping? Only some? Only one? Relevant?

by **Hobbsicle** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:11 pm

Were all cameras looping? No Only some? Only one? Relevant? Only one is relevant, but it could have been more.

by **GalFisk** » Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:27 am

Is a non-looping camera also relevant? Is a comparison between two camera views relevant? Did he expect Greg to show up on the looping camera?

by **Hobbsicle** » Sun Mar 12, 2017 3:37 am

Is a non-looping camera also relevant? Yes-ish, explore Is a comparison between two camera views relevant? No Did he expect Greg to show up on the looping camera? No (although I do like the idea)

by **GalFisk** » Sun Mar 12, 2017 8:15 am

Is the clock seen on more than one camera? Is something else relevant seen on more than one camera? Can he see the clock without looking through a camera? Can he control the cameras in any way?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 1:53 am

Is the clock seen on more than one camera? No Is something else relevant seen on more than one camera? No Can he see the clock without looking through a camera? No Can he control the cameras in any way? No or irrel

by **LemonCurry** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:09 am

Is Greg involved in the theft? Is he acting suspiciously?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:31 pm

Is Greg involved in the theft? Is he acting suspiciously? No to both

Keep in mind that it is just from looking at the clock the third time that the realization is made. He doesn't see anything else of relevance

by **LemonCurry** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:03 pm

Does he think the first time that the time needs to be adjusted? Does he think the second time that the battery needs to be replaced? Does he realize the third time that the clock doesn't run in batteries at all?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:17 pm

Does he think the first time that the time needs to be adjusted? Yes. Does he think the second time that the battery needs to be replaced? Yes Does he realize the third time that the clock doesn't run in batteries at all? Another good idea, but no

by **GalFisk** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:19 pm

The third time, does the clock appear to have done something it could not have done in real life? Doe the clock have a second hand? Relevant? Is the minute hand relevant? The hour hand?

by **Hobbsicle** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 5:19 pm

The third time, does the clock appear to have done something it could not have done in real life? YES Doe the clock have a second hand? Relevant? Assume the second hand is either not there, or is too small to see clearly in the monitor Is the minute hand relevant? The hour hand? Both, to a point

by **GalFisk** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:12 pm

Does it first seem to be going wrong, then to have stopped, and finally to have gone backwards?

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:06 am

Does it first seem to be going wrong, Yes, something like that then to have stopped, Yes and finally to have gone backwards? But not this

by **GalFisk** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 6:08 am

Does it finally appear to: jump forwards? Go too fast? Jump backwards? Do something apart from moving the hands? Move one hand without the corresponding movement of the other?

by **LemonCurry** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:05 am

Apparently, no one has asked yet: had the thieves restored the normal camera view when Henry looked the third time?

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 4:00 pm

GalFisk

Does it finally appear to: jump forwards? YES, because... Go too fast? Jump backwards? Do something apart from moving the hands? Move one hand without the corresponding movement of the other?

LemonCurry

Apparently, no one has asked yet: had the thieves restored the normal camera view when Henry looked the third time? YES!!!

*************SPOILER**********

To repeat the puzzle statement, with relevant info added:

Henry was quite ready to go home, but he still had a couple of hours to go before six-o-clock AM. As the night security guard at the art museum, there was very little excitement to be had, save for maybe the rat he chased through the sculpture garden a few hours ago. He shifted at his desk and stared blankly at nothing in particular for a few moments before looking at the clock on the wall in one monitor of the live security feed and trying to will it forward.

Suddenly, he realized there was a problem. Comparing it with his watch, he noticed that the clock was nearly ten minutes behind. Probably running slow. But it was such a small one, and certainly not anything he was going to do anything about, not being in much of an “above-and-beyond” mood just now, or ever. So instead he turned his mind to dinner, which would be ham, he decided.

A bit later, and he glanced at the time again. Hmm. Actually, there was a different problem altogether, but it was almost equally unimportant, and it was not in his job description to care. The clock in the footage was showing the same time as before, so it must have run out of batteries. It was probably something Greg the night janitor would take care of, eventually. He saw Greg meandering down the hall, listening to headphones in another security monitor, in the opposite end of the museum. Then again, maybe he won’t.

A few minutes later, he checked the clock a third time. It had now been restored to the correct time, and Greg hadn't been anywhere near it. This time, he hesitated a moment, then jumped up, banging his knee against the desk in the process, and ran out of the office, his chair still spinning when the door slammed behind him. It's not quitting time yet, so why is Henry in such a rush?

Because he realizes that the footage itself must have been frozen or looped for that amount of time, which suggests that there had been, if not some kind of malfunction, then tampering with the footage by thieves. Although it might be too late, since the restored footage suggests that the job has been done, he has to do his job as a security guard and investigate!

Thanks all! It was interesting to see the different solutions proposed. There were some good ones there, but I liked the idea that he didn't notice the problem until there no longer was one.

Good job to LemonCurry for the final solve and some key questions, to GalFisk for doing a lot of the leg work, and to Balin for discovering the looped footage element. And thanks to all who participated.

[Hobbsicle] Time will Tell Tales

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