Lateral Thinking Puzzle #1 Dustinoff (solved)

[Dust]

did he drop the stone because it was heavy?

Nope.

I think people can't read my hint.........

[Ash]

Was he in a city?
Was he in the jungle?
Was he at a COMmunist place?
Was he in a populated place?
Was he in a not-populated place?
Was he in a cave?
Was the COMmunist's name "Dust"?

Final answer: He threw a pokeball at a wild Squirtle thinking it was a rock, and the wild Squirtle scared him and the COMmunist got a heart attack.

[Dust]

Was he in a city?

no

Was he in the jungle?

No

Was he at a COMmunist place?

Nope

Was he in a populated place?

No

Was he in a not-populated place?

YES

Was he in a cave?

no

Was the COMmunist's name "Dust"?

This COMrade was not awesome enough for that name.

Final answer: He threw a pokeball at a wild Squirtle thinking it was a rock, and the wild Squirtle scared him and the COMmunist got a heart attack.

Lolno

[Ash]

Was he alone?
If so, was he alone because he was lost?
Did he drop the rock because he felt like it? Or was it for a reason?
Was he in the wilderness?
What does Dustinoff mean?

[Dust]

Was he alone?

Yes

If so, was he alone because he was lost?

Nope

Did he drop the rock because he felt like it? Or was it for a reason?

It was for a reason

Was he in the wilderness?

Define wilderness for me

What does Dustinoff mean?

Its Dust, but Russian ;D

[CptGorilla]

What size rock did he drop:
- pebble?
- fist sized?
- head sized?
- rather big heavy boulder? (as heavy as one can lift)
- a rock requiring more than one person?

Is the rock that he dropped:
- Directly what killed him? (ex: the rock hit him on the head, causing a fatal blow)
- Indirectly what killed him? (ex: the rock was dropped on a landmine and the landmine killed him)
- Barely involved in what killed him? (ex: heart attack, where the heavy lifting may have added extra stress)
- Unrelated to what killed him? (ex: he died and dropped whatever he was holding, which happened to be a rock at the time)

Was he indoors or outdoors?

Is the type of rock relevant? (ex: granite, regular sedimentary rock, diamond, etc)

I know this isn't yes or no, but can you clarify "If a natural death is in the accidental category then yes to accidental." To me, natural death is dying of old age with no particular cause, or causes you'd expect from dying of old age, like heart failure, kidney failure, etc.

[Dust]

Was he indoors or outdoors?

Yes to outdoors

Is the type of rock relevant? (ex: granite, regular sedimentary rock, diamond, etc)

Yes

I know this isn't yes or no, but can you clarify "If a natural death is in the accidental category then yes to accidental." To me, natural death is dying of old age with no particular cause, or causes you'd expect from dying of old age, like heart failure, kidney failure, etc.

By your definition then no, it was not a natural death.

[Lukas]

Is the rock

Hard

soft

diamond

granite

sandstone

pumice

?

[Dust]

Is the rock

Hard

soft

diamond

granite

sandstone

pumice

?

Yes to hard (that sounds so dirty)

[CptGorilla]

what about my other questions?

[Dust]

Sorry about that, I had the answers but I must have deleted them. I shall put them up now

What size rock did he drop:
- pebble?
- fist sized?
- head sized?
- rather big heavy boulder? (as heavy as one can lift)
- a rock requiring more than one person?

Irrelevant except for the last question. No to the last question.

Is the rock that he dropped:
- Directly what killed him? (ex: the rock hit him on the head, causing a fatal blow)
- Indirectly what killed him? (ex: the rock was dropped on a landmine and the landmine killed him)
- Barely involved in what killed him? (ex: heart attack, where the heavy lifting may have added extra stress)
- Unrelated to what killed him? (ex: he died and dropped whatever he was holding, which happened to be a rock at the time)

Yes to unrelated to what killed him.

[CptGorilla]

The rocks were the Elements Of Friendship. The location was Mount Doom. The Comrade believed that the fiery volcano that destroyed the "one ring to rule them all" could also destroy the Ponies' ultimate weapon. His plan backfired and the volcano erupted, killing the Comrade. As for the Elements Of Friendship, they grew ever stronger as they are made of precious stones that are naturally formed by volcanoes.

[Dust]

The rocks were the Elements Of Friendship. The location was Mount Doom. The Comrade believed that the fiery volcano that destroyed the "one ring to rule them all" could also destroy the Ponies' ultimate weapon. His plan backfired and the volcano erupted, killing the Comrade. As for the Elements Of Friendship, they grew ever stronger as they are made of precious stones that are naturally formed by volcanoes.

lolno

[Pansy]

The COMrade dropped the rock in Twilight Sparkle's cupcake mix causing the cupcake mix to be ruined the mix making Twilight Sparkle so mad cause she was making cupcakes for a party, that she pony kicked him in the chest and the Comrade died.

[CptGorilla]

Well, I just gave 3 totally plausible scenarios that would fully explain the riddle in accordance with any and all information known at the time and you refused them all.

Therefore, you will simply need to give a clue. And saying "the location is important" doesn't mean anything...

[Dust]

The COMrade dropped the rock in Twilight Sparkle's cupcake mix causing the cupcake mix to be ruined the mix making Twilight Sparkle so mad cause she was making cupcakes for a party, that she pony kicked him in the chest and the Comrade died.

Too much pony for this thread...

Well, I just gave 3 totally plausible scenarios that would fully explain the riddle in accordance with any and all information known at the time and you refused them all.

Therefore, you will simply need to give a clue. And saying "the location is important" doesn't mean anything...

Your scenarios may be plausible but they aren't the one specific one I am looking for that this all comes together. Plus, you haven't really pursued the location as much as you have the rock...

Since you ask for a clue: He died from the lack of something

[CptGorilla]

you haven't really pursued the location as much as you have the rock...

That's because "location" is far too generic. Are you looking for terrain (lakeside, desert, mountain), geographical location (Specific country, city, continent), landmark (cliff, tunnel, hole in the ground), etc. Each of those aspects would require a ton of questions just to get started. And only giving yes/no doesn't give a degree of accuracy. For example, it being non-populated: now is that general information about the area, or is the fact that there is no one around really important and relevant to the puzzle?

[Dust]

is the fact that there is no one around really important and relevant to the puzzle?

Yes

[Pansy]

The COMrade dropped the rock in Twilight Sparkle's cupcake mix causing the cupcake mix to be ruined the mix making Twilight Sparkle so mad cause she was making cupcakes for a party, that she pony kicked him in the chest and the Comrade died.

Too much pony for this thread...

Well, I just gave 3 totally plausible scenarios that would fully explain the riddle in accordance with any and all information known at the time and you refused them all.

Therefore, you will simply need to give a clue. And saying "the location is important" doesn't mean anything...

Your scenarios may be plausible but they aren't the one specific one I am looking for that this all comes together. Plus, you haven't really pursued the location as much as you have the rock...

Since you ask for a clue: He died from the lack of something

The rock resembled friendship, he dropped friendship, and died because he was forever alone, and had no power of friendship.

[CptGorilla]

He was at a wishing well. (that's a location) His wish was to become a pony, but since he had no money, (the item he was missing) he dropped in an ordinary rock. The wishing well took offense and instead of becoming a pony, the Comrade simply died.

[Dust]

The rock resembled friendship, he dropped friendship, and died because he was forever alone, and had no power of friendship.

What are you smoking in that pony party? Reminder to COMrades: Warn me that I said I would kill myself if I went into a pony party. But no this is not what I am looking for.

He was at a wishing well. His wish was to become a pony, but since he had no money, he dropped in an ordinary rock. The wishing well took offense and instead of becoming a pony, the Comrade simply died.

The '60s are coming back...

lolno to this scenario

[CptGorilla]

The Comrade was in the freezing cold of Russia, in an isolated area, all alone. He had been trying to get a fire started for the last two days, but alas! He had not matches, lighter or fire-breathing dragon friend (unlike ponies!). His last chance was to find flint rocks. He searched high and low in an area of 1 square foot (What? He's a lazy Comrade!) and none of them would make the slightest spark. His body reaching deadly hypothermic temperatures, his hands simply dropped the last rock he found and he died.

Once again... If only he had joined the ponies...

[Dust]

The Comrade was in the freezing cold of Russia, in an isolated area, all alone. He had been trying to get a fire started for the last two days, but alas! He had not matches, lighter or fire-breathing dragon friend (unlike ponies!). His last chance was to find flint rocks. He searched high and low in an area of 1 square foot (What? He's a lazy Comrade!) and none of them would make the slightest spark. His body reaching deadly hypothermic temperatures, his hands simply dropped the last rock he found and he died.

Once again... If only he had joined the ponies...

It's almost as if you're not trying to solve the puzzle -- it's like you are trying to troll me. (I know you are working on it but I haven't answered a question for a few posts. Just "answers")

No

[Pansy]

Are poniez the cause of his death?

[CptGorilla]

It's almost as if you're not trying to solve the puzzle -- it's like you are trying to troll me. (I know you are working on it but I haven't answered a question for a few posts. Just "answers")

No

Actually, I'm just pointing out how many scenarios I can come up with that "could" fit your riddle. Ponies aside, all my scenarios are perfectly plausible for the given information. Maybe it's the information given that's too generic (hint hint).

[Dust]

Are poniez the cause of his death?

No

stop with the ponies. I have to tell you something that will make you sad: the world does not revolve around ponies.

Actually, I'm just pointing out how many scenarios I can come up with that "could" fit your riddle. Ponies aside, all my scenarios are perfectly plausible for the given information. Maybe it's the information given that's too generic (hint hint).

Maybe you should use the clues I have given you to narrow the possibilities down (hint hint)

[Pansy]

No

stop with the ponies. I have to tell you something that will make you sad: the world does not revolve around ponies.

BTW: Did he drop the rock down his throat?

[Dust]

BTW: Did he drop the rock down his throat?

That is very lateral thinking. However it is not part of the answer.

[Ming Vase of Hitler]

Actually, I'm just pointing out how many scenarios I can come up with that "could" fit your riddle. Ponies aside, all my scenarios are perfectly plausible for the given information. Maybe it's the information given that's too generic (hint hint).

Silly pony! There's ALWAYS a bunch of scenarios that could possibly fit a little ol' riddle like this! However, the answer is a LATERAL one, one that you have to take a real mental step to the side to figure out!! You may come up with some pretty funny and creative guesses, but GUESSING isn't enough... you have to ask QUESTIONS, step by step, to narrow down exactly which assumptions he wants you to overturn in your little noggin! <3

If he doesn't volunteer information you deem critical to excluding solutions, it does means that he's a tricksy trickster, but it doesn't mean that it's a bad puzzle. And it CERTAINLY means you didn't ask the right questions!!!

Let a pony puzzler expert try her hoof at narrowing down this riddle...

- Would he have died anyway if he chose NOT to drop the rock??
- Did the rock just fall to the ground? Did it touch anything relevant besides the ground, after he let go of it?
- Was the rock ballast?
- Is his elevation from the ground relevant?
- Is he counting something with his rocks?? Like the amount of something critical he has left?
- Did he run out of air? Food? Water?
- Was he stranded somewhere?
- Is he in a vacuum? Not like, you know, a CLEANING vacuum, I mean like a SPACE vacuum! Like the MOON!!!
- Wait... is he ON the MOON?

[spoiler][/spoiler]

See, there's a good guess that satisfies ALL the answers so far, including what's relevant and what isn't!! The TYPE of rock was relevant because it was a MOON rock!!!! On the job as an astronaut, he knew exactly where he WAS on the moon, so he wasn't lost, but he couldn't get home! The rocks he was dropping were to count how long his air lasted or something! Dropping the stone didn't cause his death, but it was still relevant as a reflection of him running out of time!! And remember this question?

was this rock significant? (meaning its not just any rock he could have picked up off the ground)

No...but yes as well.

Makes PERFECT sense now, doesn't it? It wasn't significant because it was a random rock from the ground... but it WAS because that random rock was a MOON rock, and one that he'd especially selected among a bunch such rocks to count how long he had to stay alive!!



BUCK YEAH, puzzle! You've just been PINKIE PIED!!!! <3

And guess what? I could very well be wrong! But even if I am, my questions should help get everypony to the answer MUCH faster!!! Because that's just how I roll.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Dust]

- Would he have died anyway if he chose NOT to drop the rock??

Yes. He would have died anyway.

- Did the rock just fall to the ground? Did it touch anything relevant besides the ground, after he let go of it?

No, it did not.

- Was the rock ballast?

Nope

- Is his elevation from the ground relevant?

Nope

- Is he counting something with his rocks?? Like the amount of something critical he has left?

He is not

- Did he run out of air? Food? Water?

Yes to air

- Was he stranded somewhere?

Yes

- Is he in a vacuum? Not like, you know, a CLEANING vacuum, I mean like a SPACE vacuum! Like the MOON!!!
- Wait... is he ON the MOON?

He is on the moon.

see, there's a good guess that satisfies ALL the answers so far, including what's relevant and what isn't!! The TYPE of rock was relevant because it was a MOON rock!!!! On the job as an cosmonaut, he knew exactly where he WAS on the moon, so he wasn't lost, but he couldn't get home! The rocks he was dropping were to count how long his air lasted or something! Dropping the stone didn't cause his death, but it was still relevant as a reflection of him running out of time!! And remember this question?

You are very close. Except for one misspelling of cosmonaut you are missing WHY he dropped the rock.

[S.A.S.Cnl.Alpha]

you are missing WHY he dropped the rock.

FOR SCIENCE

[CptGorilla]

You said earlier he was not trying to die.

Did he know he was going to die?
Did he die in an effort to save other people?
Did he make any attempt to save himself?


He was removing rocks that pinned his spacecraft down, saving his fellow pony crew. But he ran out of air just as he was done.

or

He wanted to be the first man buried on the moon and did it himself by stacking rocks around him and then placing them over him.

[Zacharee]

is the rock at all important? slightly important? very important?

[Dust]

Did he know he was going to die?

Yes

Did he die in an effort to save other people?

Nope

Did he make any attempt to save himself?

Nope

He was removing rocks that pinned his spacecraft down, saving his fellow pony crew. But he ran out of air just as he was done.

or

He wanted to be the first man buried on the moon and did it himself by stacking rocks around him and then placing them over him.

No and no

is the rock at all important? slightly important? very important?

The rock itself is not important

[CptGorilla]

Is the fact that it's the last rock important?

Are the other rocks before it relevant in any way whatsoever?

[Dust]

Is the fact that it's the last rock important?

Yes

Are the other rocks before it relevant in any way whatsoever?

Yes

[Pansy]

Did poniez trap him on the moon?

[Dust]

Did poniez trap him on the moon?

I'm not gonna answer that until you stop with the ponies.

[Sabrina]

The space shuttle that was sent to the moon crash landed and he was the only survivor. He got out of the shuttle and measured how much time he had left to live. He gathered up a group of rocks and because he wanted to do something special in his last moments in life, he started creating a structure of the American Flag on the ground. He wanted it to be visible from a great distance away and he wanted the last rock to be placed at the moment of his death.

He finished the Flag, and placed the last rock next to him as he died because of the lack of oxygen.

If this is incorrect, did the rock hold special meaning to him because it was the last of some sort of sculpture or something he wanted to create?

Did it hold meaning because it was the last?

Did it even hold meaning?

[Pedobear]

His space craft crashed on the moon.

He did not have a cosmnonaust suit on, therefor for the lack of oxygen he suffocated on the moon.

The rock was just something he was holding at the time of his death, and he dropped the rock because he died.

[Dust]

The space shuttle that was sent to the moon crash landed and he was the only survivor. He got out of the shuttle and measured how much time he had left to live. He gathered up a group of rocks and because he wanted to do something special in his last moments in life, he started creating a structure of the American Flag on the ground. He wanted it to be visible from a great distance away and he wanted the last rock to be placed at the moment of his death.

No to your scenario

He finished the Flag, and placed the last rock next to him as he died because of the lack of oxygen.

No

If this is incorrect, did the rock hold special meaning to him because it was the last of some sort of sculpture or something he wanted to create?

It did not hold special meaning to the COMrade. This is a two part question. Yes it was something he wanted to create.

Did it hold meaning because it was the last?

Nope

Did it even hold meaning?

No

His space craft crashed on the moon.

No

He did not have a cosmnonaust suit on, therefor for the lack of oxygen he suffocated on the moon.

He did have his cosmonaut suit on. (If you didn't have it on then the lack of oxygen would be the least of your worries)

The rock was just something he was holding at the time of his death, and he dropped the rock because he died.

No

[TheAccusedOne]

He was holding onto a part of the moon, his grip was released, thus technically dropping it. He floated away rand out of air and died.

WHAT DO I WIN?

[Dust]

He was holding onto a part of the moon, his grip was released, thus technically dropping it. He floated away rand out of air and died.

Nope

WHAT DO I WIN?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

[Microman]

Did he intentionally drop the rock?
Was he on the moon of his volition at the time of his death?
Did he come to the moon originally of his own volition?
Was there oxygen available to him at his time of death?
If there was, would he have been able to save his life with it?
And would he have if he had been able?
Did he want to die?
Was his death a direct result of another's actions?
Was it an indirect result of another's actions?
Was his death a direct result of his own actions?
Was it an indirect result of his own actions?
Did he arrive in a spacecraft?
Did the spacecraft contain oxygen?
Was the spacecraft operable in the time immediately preceding his death?

If the spacecraft was operable:
Did he know it was operable?
Was he able to operate the spacecraft?

If he was able to operate it:
Did he choose to operate the spacecraft?
Did he operate the spacecraft?

If he was unable to operate it:
Was it due to location?
Was it due to a physical barrier?
Was it due to a sentient being?
Was it due to a physical disability?

Sorry for the long post and sorry if any of the questions have been asked already.

~Microman

[Dust]

Holy shit I'm gonna have a long reply to those questions.

Did he intentionally drop the rock?

Yes

Was he on the moon of his volition at the time of his death?

No

Did he come to the moon originally of his own volition?

Yes

Was there oxygen available to him at his time of death?
If there was, would he have been able to save his life with it?
And would he have if he had been able?

There was no oxygen available.

Did he want to die?

No

Was his death a direct result of another's actions?
Was it an indirect result of another's actions?
Was his death a direct result of his own actions?
Was it an indirect result of his own actions?

Yes to direct result of another's actions.

Did he arrive in a spacecraft?
Did the spacecraft contain oxygen?

Yes
No

Was the spacecraft operable in the time immediately preceding his death?

Yes

If the spacecraft was operable:
Did he know it was operable?

Yes

Was he able to operate the spacecraft?

No

If he was unable to operate it:
Was it due to location?
Was it due to a physical barrier?
Was it due to a sentient being?
Was it due to a physical disability?

Yes to location

[CptGorilla]

His fellow COMrades left him on the moon, and eventually he died. He dropped rocks all over the moon's surface and now he's the man in the moon

[Microman]

1. Was there much time between when he dropped the rock and when he died?
-Under 1 second
-Under 10 seconds
-Under 5 minutes
-Under 30 minutes
-30 minutes or longer
2. By stating "he was alone" (or something to that effect), do you mean he was the only one on the moon or in a spacecraft on the moon at that time?
3. Had he been alone for the entire duration of his trip?
4. Were there any corpses with him?
5. Did he intend to be alone?
6. At the time of his death, would he have chosen to be alone?
7. Did he have a choice in being alone at the time of death?
8. Did he drop the rock in attempting to create a sculpture?
9. Was the "some sort of sculpture or something he wanted to create" tangible?
10. Was it symbolic?
11. At the time of death, would others capable of viewing his creation (if on the moon and close enough to it)?

Edit: I didn't see CptGorilla's post at the time I posted. But I like that answer.

[Dust]

His fellow COMrades left him on the moon, and eventually he died. He dropped rocks all over the moon's surface and now he's the man in the moon

Not quite.... Remember he had a reason for dropping the rocks.

1. Was there much time between when he dropped the rock and when he died?
-Under 1 second
-Under 10 seconds
-Under 5 minutes
-Under 30 minutes
-30 minutes or longer

Irrelevant

2. By stating "he was alone" (or something to that effect), do you mean he was the only one on the moon or in a spacecraft on the moon at that time?

Only one on the moon.

3. Had he been alone for the entire duration of his trip?

No

4. Were there any corpses with him?

Nope

5. Did he intend to be alone?

Nope

6. At the time of his death, would he have chosen to be alone?

Could you word this differently? I don't understand the question.

7. Did he have a choice in being alone at the time of death?

No

8. Did he drop the rock in attempting to create a sculpture?

No

9. Was the "some sort of sculpture or something he wanted to create" tangible?

What do you mean by "tangible"?

10. Was it symbolic?

Yes

11. At the time of death, would others capable of viewing his creation (if on the moon and close enough to it)?

Yes.

[Microman]

Actually, ignore question six.

I feel that the following definition from merriam-webster.com is appropriate:

"1 a : capable of being perceived especially by the sense of touch : palpable"

So is the thing he was creating capable of being touched/physically existing?


~Microman

[Dust]

So is the thing he was creating capable of being touched/physically existing?

Yes