Lateral Puzzles • View topic

by **JenBurdoo** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:28 pm

A nonfiction author needs information to write a book. Unfortunately, the information he requires is classified "secret" by the government. When denied the information, he asks for a different type of information, and then writes his book. Upon publication, the government buys the first copies. Explain.

by **AlbatrossLover** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:59 pm

Relevant where this take place? When?

Is the classified information related to a war? A crime? An organisation? A specific person?

Was the other information given to him by the government? A private entity?

Did he end up publishing something the government wasn't aware of?

by **wolfier** » Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:38 am

Is the published book the same book the author had in mind initially? Still non-fiction? Did the published book write about the incident of the denial of information?

by **JenBurdoo** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:35 am

Relevant where this take place? Yes. When? Mildly; assume 1980s.

Is the classified information related to a war? Yes. A crime? Tangentially. An organisation? Yes. A specific person? No.

Was the other information given to him by the government? This. A private entity?

Did he end up publishing something the government wasn't aware of? Yes.

Is the published book the same book the author had in mind initially? Yes. Still non-fiction? Yes. Did the published book write about the incident of the denial of information? No.

by **GalFisk** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:42 am

Did the gov buy it because: they found it useful? They wanted others not to buy it? They wanted to know what was written in it? They were investigating something? A leak? Did asking for a different type of information reveal the secret? Reveal what he needed for the book?

by **wolfier** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:59 am

Was it the US Government, and the war being the Vietanam War?

by **JenBurdoo** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 6:39 am

Did the gov buy it because: they found it useful? Yes. They wanted others not to buy it? No. They wanted to know what was written in it? Yes. They were investigating something? Yes. A leak? No. Did asking for a different type of information reveal the secret? Yes. Reveal what he needed for the book? Yes.

Was it the US Government, and the war being the Vietnam War? No to both, though the US military is involved.

by **GalFisk** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 9:06 am

We're they investigating a crime? A person? A historical event? The author? A government entity? A war? Is a war relevant?

by **JenBurdoo** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:25 pm

Assuming you're referring to the government:

Were they investigating a crime? This. A person? A historical event? The author? A government entity? A war? Is a war relevant? Yes. No to the others.

by **gregoryuconn** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 12:42 am

Library of Congress relevant? Don't they always buy the first copies?

by **JenBurdoo** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 1:18 am

Library of Congress relevant? No. Don't they always buy the first copies? That's not the reason for the purchase.

by **GalFisk** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 6:41 am

Were they investigating a war crime? Did the book contain relevant information that the government didn't have? That one branch couldn't give to another? Or wouldn't? Did one person commit the crime? Is a crime being hushed up?

by **JenBurdoo** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 10:55 am

Were they investigating a war crime? No. Did the book contain relevant information that the government didn't have? Yes. That one branch couldn't give to another? Correct. Or wouldn't? No. Did one person commit the crime? No. Is a crime being hushed up? No.

by **GalFisk** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 11:01 am

Did the book help the govt get around a rule, regulation, law or procedure? Was a crime committed by a group? Gang? Someone working for the government? Was it committed in the US? In a war zone?

by **JenBurdoo** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 2:12 pm

Did the book help the govt get around a rule, regulation, law or procedure? Yes. Regulation, and procedure. Was a crime committed by a group? Gang? Assume both or either. Someone working for the government? No. Was it committed in the US? No. In a war zone? Yes, but look out for FAs.

by **GalFisk** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 2:18 pm

Relevant during which war? Was it a war with US involvement? Was the crime committed against military personnel? Against US citizens? By military personnel? During a war? Before? After? Civil war relevant? Warlike conditions not defined as war?

by **JenBurdoo** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 2:20 pm

Relevant during which war? Yes - WWII specifically. Was it a war with US involvement? Yes. Was the crime committed against military personnel? Against US citizens? By military personnel? No to all. During a war? Before? After? This. Civil war relevant? Warlike conditions not defined as war? No to all.

by **GalFisk** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 11:35 am

Nuremberg trials relevant? Escaping justice? Escaping imprisonment? Theft? Murder? Fraud? Hijacking? Was the crime committed in the US? Europe? Pacific?

by **JenBurdoo** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 2:10 pm

Nuremberg trials relevant? Escaping justice? Yes, but not in the sense of fugitives. Escaping imprisonment? Theft? Possibly. Murder? Fraud? Hijacking? Was the crime committed in the US? Europe? Pacific? For SVV of "Pacific."

No to the rest.

by **GalFisk** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 5:21 pm

Pacificy: Oceania? Asia? Antractica? American west? At sea? Relevant what the crime was, exactly? The nationality of the perpetrators? Aid relevant? Disarmament? Demilitarization? Some other winding down of war-related activities? Cleanup? Rebuilding? Did a law, rule or regulation prevent one department from giving this info to another? From requesting it from another? From knowing where to find it? Did the book lead to solving the crime? Relevant?

by **JenBurdoo** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 5:33 am

Pacificy: Oceania? Under some definitions. Asia? Antarctica? American west? At sea? No to the rest. Relevant what the crime was, exactly? No. The nationality of the perpetrators? Tangentially. Aid relevant? For SVV of "aid.". Disarmament? Demilitarization? Some other winding down of war-related activities? Yes to all. Cleanup? Rebuilding? No to both. Did a law, rule or regulation prevent one department from giving this info to another? Yes. From requesting it from another? No, but explore. From knowing where to find it? No. Did the book lead to solving the crime? Yes. Relevant? Yes.

by **GalFisk** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 6:51 am

Was the author given the secret? Did he deduce it? Relevant who gave the information? Who wanted the secret? Did the crime happen on one or more islands? Lifting occupation relevant? Changing nationality of an area? Was the book related to the crime? Written about the crime? By one of the criminals?

by **JenBurdoo** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:27 pm

The location is Australia. No further specifics required.

Was the author given the secret? Yes. Did he deduce it? More inductive than deductive reasoning, I think, but yes. Relevant who gave the information? Yes. Who wanted the secret? Yes. Did the crime happen on one or more islands? Possibly. Lifting occupation relevant? No. Changing nationality of an area? No. Was the book related to the crime? Written about the crime? By one of the criminals? No to all.

by **GalFisk** » Thu Aug 06, 2020 4:49 pm

Was it the Australian government that had the info? Wanted the info? Did those who wanted the info know who had it? Relevant why the first info the author asked for was classified secret? Why the second wasn't? Could any author do what this person did?

by **JenBurdoo** » Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:39 pm

Was it the Australian government that had the info? Wanted the info? Did those who wanted the info know who had it? Relevant why the first info the author asked for was classified secret? Why the second wasn't? Could any author do what this person did?

Yes to all!

by **GalFisk** » Fri Aug 07, 2020 6:12 am

Does the different type of information directly reveal the secret information? Indirectly? Not at all? Could the government entity that wanted the information have asked dor the same thjng ad the author's second question? If they did, would it have the same result?

by **JenBurdoo** » Fri Aug 07, 2020 5:01 pm

Does the different type of information directly reveal the secret information? Indirectly? This. Not at all? Could the government entity that wanted the information have asked for the same thing as the author's second question? Yes. If they did, would it have the same result? Yes. It simply didn't occur to them to do so.

by **JenBurdoo** » Tue Aug 18, 2020 3:47 pm

Hint: He is looking for locations.

by **GalFisk** » Tue Aug 18, 2020 4:11 pm

Did he first ask for the location of something? Did he then ask for a map? Aerial photo? Photo from the time the crime was committed? Or video? Satellite photo from modern times?

by **JenBurdoo** » Tue Aug 18, 2020 4:34 pm

Did he first ask for the location of something? Yes. Did he then ask for a map? Aerial photo? Photo from the time the crime was committed? Or video? Satellite photo from modern times? None of these.

by **GalFisk** » Fri Aug 28, 2020 6:24 am

Did he then ask for the location of something else? Of someone? WAG: did he ask for the location of a vessel, which was classified, but then ask for the location of someone or something known to be aboard or near the vessel?

by **JenBurdoo** » Fri Aug 28, 2020 1:39 pm

Did he then ask for the location of something else? Correct. Of someone? No. WAG: did he ask for the location of a vessel, which was classified, but then ask for the location of someone or something known to be aboard or near the vessel? Exactly like this, only not a vessel (the locations were on land). He did ask for information about something known to be going to those locations.

by **GalFisk** » Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:32 pm

Something: people? Supplies? Vehicles/craft? Animals?

by **JenBurdoo** » Sat Aug 29, 2020 1:07 am

Something: people? Supplies? Vehicles/craft? Animals? Any of the first three would do, but assume supplies.

by **GalFisk** » Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:23 pm

Relevant which supplies? Relevant how he knew the supplies were connected to the location? Did he first ask for the location of: human(s)? Vessel(s)? Base(s)? Battle(s)? An event? The crime? Did he, for the second question, know what to ask for specifically? Ask for a lot of information and then sifted through it to find what he wanted?

by **JenBurdoo** » Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:11 pm

Relevant which supplies? No. Relevant how he knew the supplies were connected to the location? Yes. Did he first ask for the location of: human(s)? Vessel(s)? Base(s)? This. Battle(s)? An event? The crime? Did he, for the second question, know what to ask for specifically? Yes. Ask for a lot of information and then sifted through it to find what he wanted? Assume yes.

by **GalFisk** » Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:16 am

Were the supplies also connected to the crime? To the criminals? Relevant what the supplies were? How they were used? What waste, if any, they produced from usage?

by **JenBurdoo** » Tue Sep 01, 2020 3:56 pm

Were the supplies also connected to the crime? To the criminals? No to both. Relevant what the supplies were? Furniture and office supplies, mostly. Fuel and vehicles would also work. How they were used? What waste, if any, they produced from usage? No to both.

by **JenBurdoo** » Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:43 pm

Recap:

The author wanted to find Australian military sites from WWII, which was denied. He instead used records of supplies going to those locations to find them. Why couldn't the government find this information themselves, and why did they need it?

by **JenBurdoo** » Wed Nov 04, 2020 10:19 pm

SPOILER:

The book was about airfields built in Australia during WWII. The problem was that the locations had been classified by the Southwest Pacific Area Command, which no longer existed and could therefore not declassify them. The Australian government was unable to legally access the records. But the author had a brainwave, and used records of supplies sent to the locations to determine their whereabouts.

The Australian government was aware that these sites (being forgotten and hidden) were prime places for smugglers and criminals to hide what they had stolen, and were as eager to know the locations as the author. They used his book to plan raids and surveillance.

[JenBurdoo] Overlooked

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