[Guest]

Beginning a small series of lateral thinking puzzles, gathered from various sources. A lateral thinking puzzle would generally require you to ask various questions before arriving at a solution.

Here is first in the series:

Jack and Jill were on a journey to a far away land. In the middle of their journey, they faced a problem that could prove fatal. There was nothing they could do to alleviate the problem with available resources. Though they worked tirelessly to prevent the problem from aggravating further. After two days, the problem ceased to bother them. Explain.

[Guest]

What was the nature of the problem? Was the problem related to their location at the time? After 2 days, had they moved on to a new location where they did not have the problem ie out of a desert, etc?

[Guest]

@nana

the questions that you should ask should be only Yes/No type. I'll provide additional info if I find a yes/no answer leading to ambiguity.

[Guest]

Was the problem related to their location at the time?

After 2 days, had they moved on to a new location where they did not have the problem ie out of a desert, etc?

After the 2 days, were they at their destination?

Oh, speaking of final destinations, were they dead at the end?

[Guest]

My answers inline

Was the problem related to their location at the time?

They were in transit so in a way yes.

After 2 days, had they moved on to a new location where they did not have the problem ie out of a desert, etc?

They were still in transit

After the 2 days, were they at their destination?

No

Oh, speaking of final destinations, were they dead at the end?

No

[Guest]

During the two days, was it raining?

Edited April 30, 2011 by Psychosmurf

[Guest]

During the two days, was it raining?

No

You need not ask your questions in spoilers. In fact, I would rather that you don't.

[Guest]

Did they have to cross a large body of water?

[Guest]

Did they have to cross a large body of water?

Yes

[Guest]

Was at least half their journey spent crossing a large body of water?

Were they crossing the body of water when they faced the problem?

Were they crossing the body of water after the 2 days?

[benjer3]

Were Jack and Jill dying of thirst until they went up a hill to fetch a pail of water? (Of course, then they'd be in another perilous situation, as you know what happens next.)

[Guest]

Beginning a small series of lateral thinking puzzles, gathered from various sources. A lateral thinking puzzle would generally require you to ask various questions before arriving at a solution.

Here is first in the series:

Jack and Jill were on a journey to a far away land. In the middle of their journey, they faced a problem that could prove fatal. There was nothing they could do to alleviate the problem with available resources. Though they worked tirelessly to prevent the problem from aggravating further. After two days, the problem ceased to bother them. Explain.

It started raining on the way and it was lightning that arouse fatal problem. It stopped raining after two days so they stopped bothering.

[Guest]

Jack fell down and jill came tumbling after. They got injured and some other person fetched water.

[Guest]

Beginning a small series of lateral thinking puzzles, gathered from various sources. A lateral thinking puzzle would generally require you to ask various questions before arriving at a solution.

Basically, we're playing 20 questions?

Edited April 30, 2011 by jkdecd03

[Guest]

Were Jack and Jill children?

Were Jack and Jill adults?

Were Jack and Jill starving?

Were they thirsty?

Were they tired?

Were they lost?

Were they attacked by insects?

Were they attacked by animals?

Were they in a desert?

Were they in a jungle?

Were they on a mountain?

Were they in a city?

Were they a couple?

Were they friends?

Were they vegetable, mineral, or animal? (lol)

[Guest]

Was at least half their journey spent crossing a large body of water?

Were they crossing the body of water when they faced the problem?

Were they crossing the body of water after the 2 days?

"Yes" as the response to all these questions

[Guest]

Basically, we're playing 20 questions?

I've not though of any such limit on number of questions, but it would be good to keep them at minimal and logical

[Guest]

Were Jack and Jill children?

Were Jack and Jill adults?

Were Jack and Jill starving?

Were they thirsty?

Were they tired?

Were they lost?

Were they attacked by insects?

Were they attacked by animals?

Were they in a desert?

Were they in a jungle?

Were they on a mountain?

Were they in a city?

Were they a couple?

Were they friends?

Were they vegetable, mineral, or animal? (lol)

"Irrelevant" as response to all these questions. Though I guess they must have been pretty tired as hinted in the question.

[benjer3]

Did the environment cause the problem to go away?

[Guest]

Did the environment cause the problem to go away?

I'm not sure what you have in mind as 'environment'. Let's say the problem disappeared 'naturally'.

[benjer3]

Are Jack and Jill human?

[Guest]

Are Jack and Jill human?

Pretty much so.

[benjer3]

Did they have a common ailment?

[Guest]

They were infants traveling through the mother's womb. After 2 days they were born!

[benjer3]

Nice one, Jk. I was thinking in the biological functions area. Though it's probably more like two sperm travelling to two eggs. Most of the credit goes to you, though.

EDIT: Or maybe it's twin zygotes travelling to the uterus.

Edited April 30, 2011 by benjer3

[Guest]

Nice one, Jk. I was thinking in the biological functions area. Though it's probably more like two sperm travelling to the egg. Most of the credit goes to you, though.

I thought of the sperm too, but the op said that they were both alive at the end...if they had been 2 sperm, when the first one implanted, the other would have died, so that's not possible. Thus, fraternal twins on their way out!

edit: ok, you edited your post before I got my reply in...yeah, it could be either way!

Edited April 30, 2011 by jkdecd03