Here are the answers to Lateral Thinking Puzzles #2.
- The earring fell into a can of (dry) ground coffee, not her cup.
- They were at a staff social function, not in the classroom.
- The man had hung the hat on the barrel of his rifle.
- Take the second glass, empty it into the seventh glass, and put it back. Then, take the fourth glass, empty it into the ninth glass, and put it back. The full and empty glasses now alternate, and you have moved only two glasses.
- The bus schedule is such that the southbound bus always arrives 1 minute after the northbound bus. For example, say that the northbound bus arrives at 6:00, 6:10, 6:20, 6:30, ... and the southbound bus arrives at 6:01, 6:11, 6:21, 6:31, ... . If the man arrives between 6:00 and 6:10, he will only catch the southbound bus if he arrives between 6:00 and 6:01, and the northbound if he arrives between 6:01 and 6:10.
- The other end of the rope is not tied to anything.
- The man is a sleepwalker. He has had episodes in the past where he has gone outside at night and walked in front of traffic. He hopes that the sensation of cold water would awaken him if he were to grab the key in his sleep.
- The clerk had sold the man a round-trip ticket to Switzerland for himself and a one-way ticket for his wife.
- Chico is a horse.
- The taxi driver was walking down the street.
Want more lateral thinking puzzles? See lateral thinking puzzles #3.