Lateral Thinking Puzzle #6: The Nine Cowbells!! (Solved!)

[Ming Vase of Hitler]

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That's right everypony, it's PUZZLE time again!!!

RULES:

Okay, so these things are little riddles called "lateral thinking puzzles"!! They suggest situations that sound really weird, but make so much more sense once you explain them. Yes, YOU!!!! Your job in this fun little thread is to solve the riddle... and you have as many guesses as you like!!!

If you were just guessing, though, we'd probably be here all day. So, you can also ask an unlimited number of yes or no questions! I will answer everypony's questions with "yes", "no", or "irrelevant", irrelevant as in you're asking something that just has nothing to do with the answer, silly!

If nopony gets the answer for a while, I'll give you all a hint! I usually have at least a couple of juicy hints for every riddle, so feel free to ask for one if you're collectively stumped! :D

Be careful, though! These questions can be really tricky, and you often have to take a step to the side in your assumptions to set your hooves back on the right path. You gotta think laterally!


This one should hopefully hold you guys over until my forum reign is underway! :)


PUZZLE SIX:

Twilight once told me about this little old eatery in Canterlot called "The Nine Cowbells"!! It's quite famous, I hear, and has been around for years and years! :D She ate there all the time as a kid, but always wondered why there were actually ten bells hanging outside the shop!!! TEN!!!!! :O

So, WHY were there 10 bells?

[philie]

9 were for decoration and one to alarm the staff?

[S.A.S.Cnl.Alpha]

Church bell.



Dinner Bell

[monster]

It was named when it had 9 bells. Someone added the 10th later.

[Maverick.]

Somepony's name was bell. One of the staff maybe or the owner.
Or 9 bells and the one in the name.

[nanosystem]

The 10th bell wasn't a cowbell.

[CptGorilla]

Simple. 9 cowbells represent the eatery. The 10th one belonged to the cow that is now the steak served in front of you!

Do they serve horse too? MMMmmmmm... Can't wait till you grow up Twilight Sparkle and Friends...

[Ming Vase of Hitler]

9 were for decoration and one to alarm the staff?

Nope!



Church bell.
Dinner Bell

No and no!!!



It was named when it had 9 bells. Someone added the 10th later.

Nope!!



Somepony's name was bell. One of the staff maybe or the owner.
Or 9 bells and the one in the name.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4559980/reaction/pinkiecomicXD1belle.gif

Still no! :D



The 10th bell wasn't a cowbell.

Nope! They were all cowbells!!!!



Simple. 9 cowbells represent the eatery. The 10th one belonged to the cow that is now the steak served in front of you!

Do they serve horse too? MMMmmmmm... Can't wait till you grow up Twilight Sparkle and Friends...

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I am quite frankly shocked and disgusted, sir! Nopony in Equestria would feed stuff like that to anypony!!!

[Deathfire123]

1) Were all the bells the same type of bell
2A) If not, were the first 9 bells the same type and the tenth one being a different type
2B) If not, were they all different types of bells
3) Is the position of the bells relevant or not?
4) Do the bells all belong to the same person?
5) Are they all used for the same purpose?
6A) If not, are 9 of them used for the same purpose and one of them used for somthing else?
6B) If not, are they all used for different purposes each?

[Ming Vase of Hitler]

1) Were all the bells the same type of bell
Yes, but irrelevant! :D


3) Is the position of the bells relevant or not?
Nope, not relevant!


4) Do the bells all belong to the same person?
Um, not relevant!


5) Are they all used for the same purpose?
Yeah!

Ooh, seems like you're all hitting a whole buncha dead ends! Don't let it discourage you, though!!!! :D :D :D

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[Deathfire123]

1) Were all of the bells attached to something?
2) If so, were all of the bells attached to something different?
3) If so, was one of the bells attached to something alive?

[CptGorilla]

The shop that was next to the eatery was called [u][b]The Ten Cowbells

[Tesseract]

They must all be the same type of bell, or your friend wouldn't have wondered why there were ten when the place had 'nine' in the name.

The place has been around for a long time, and many people have likely pointed out the discrepancy — but the owner has chosen to leave the ten bells in place.

So - there are ten bells because it is a marketing ploy.
Either the number of bells began as a mistake, or the owner purposely created the discrepancy.
They remain because many people come to the restaurant to point out the mistake (or to find out why there are ten when the name says nine), which is good for business.

[Ming Vase of Hitler]

1) Were all of the bells attached to something?
2) If so, were all of the bells attached to something different?
3) If so, was one of the bells attached to something alive?

All irrelevant! :D :D



The shop that was next to the eatery was called [b]The Ten Cowbells

[u]Nope!!



They must all be the same type of bell, or your friend wouldn't have wondered why there were ten when the place had 'nine' in the name.

The place has been around for a long time, and many people have likely pointed out the discrepancy — but the owner has chosen to leave the ten bells in place.

So - there are ten bells because it is a marketing ploy.
Either the number of bells began as a mistake, or the owner purposely created the discrepancy.
They remain because many people come to the restaurant to point out the mistake, which is good for business.

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SOMEPONY happens to be VERY clever, and VERY correct!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! <3

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Sweet first post, and WELCOME to the forums!!! Even though you came in during wartime, I'm sure you'll have TONS of fun! In fact, since you're new, we should throw you an ENORMOUS PARTY!!!! :D :D :D

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I'll have a new puzzle up later today! <3

[CptGorilla]

I'll volunteer to do the cooking!