Yes, this is the 6th thread on these. I couldn't stand how long the last one was getting and had to start a new thread.

For anyone new joining, here's the basic rules. You get a statement or scenario of some sort and have to figure out what happened. You ask yes or no questions, which get answered with yes, no or irrelevant, though other answers may come about. Take a look at the posts and you'll get the idea.

EDIT: We tend to start new puzzles when one is finished, so sometimes it's best to start at the end of the thread and work backwards to find the start of the newest puzzle.

The smiling man handed the little girl a stick, and after a minute or two she exclaimed "It's broken!" even though the stick was whole and not visibly broken in any way

Was the girl playing?
Was she playing with dolls?
Was the stick shorter than an ordinary pencil?

Is it relevant why he man handed the girl the stick?
Does the man have another role besides handing the stick?
Is he related to the girl?
Does he know the girl?

You found the new thread. :) (I assume you saw the solution on the other. It seems so easy once you know it. :rolleyes:) Unfortunately I'm going to bed soon, but I'll check in one more time beforehand.

Was the girl playing? Great, you've stumped me first question out. Sorta, I guess.
Was she playing with dolls? No.
Was the stick shorter than an ordinary pencil? No.

Is it relevant why he man handed the girl the stick? Yes.
Does the man have another role besides handing the stick? Yes.
Is he related to the girl? No.
Does he know the girl? No.

Lol, okay, I'll ask more later on to encourage you to go to sleep ;)

Aw, gee, and I came back just to see if you had more questions. But hopefully I'll be around before you're in bed again.

I know this one, so I'll bow out of it.

And I thought I'd found something more obscure... got it from a different site, but maybe that site got it from one of the other typical places.

Well, Adam hasn't shown up, so Unky, it might be all up to you unless QLP or jm make an appearance.

I don't know that I've ever heard it as a lateral thinking puzzle... I just knew the answer as soon as I read it, and didn't want to ruin the fun for others.

Only time for a quick look so I'll just ask:
Did the little girl think the stick was supposed to be a magic wand?

Did the little girl think the stick was supposed to be a magic wand? Of sorts, yes.

And even if only one question, nice to see you. :)

A broomstick?

A broomstick? No.

(Wonder what's happened to Unky. Maybe he got busying studying again?)

Yes, I'm slowing becoming busier :(

Was the expression about 'it's broken' really about the stick?
Was the man involved in the stick later on?
Is the location of both person relevant?
Is there a third party involved? More than one more person?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Unknown008

Yes, I'm slowing becoming busier :(

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Ah, well, if you need to take a break cause you're too busy, just let me know. I did find some little bit easier ones that you might be able to fit in between studying.

Was the expression about 'it's broken' really about the stick? Yes.

Was the man involved in the stick later on? If you mean after the little girl got it, no.

Is the location of both person relevant? This exchange could be anywhere - at someone's house, at some public place, in any city.

Is there a third party involved? Yes. More than one more person? Yes.

Is the location of both person relevant? This exchange could be anywhere - at someone's house, at some public place, in any city.

I'm having a bit of trouble with this. There is actually a location where it may logically have taken place, but it does not have to have been there.

Are there a specific number of 3rd parties?

Are their number relevant?

Is the stick made of wood?

Was the girl previously 'using' (for lack of better word) another similar stick?

Is the location of both person relevant? Yes.

I'm changing my answer to this. I think it'll be easier. (Could've happened later, elsewhere, but easier if we don't mess with that.)

I was hoping to change this before you caught me. :D

Are there a specific number of 3rd parties? Yes.

Are their number relevant? Yes.

Is the stick made of wood? Yes.

Was the girl previously 'using' (for lack of better word) another similar stick? No.

Does this happen in a park?
- Hospital?

Are there 2 more people? 3? 4? 5? More?
- Are any of them related to the girl?
- Related to the man perhaps?

Did the girl need the stick?

Can I ask that? : Was the stick really broken? :confused:

Does this happen in a park? No, we're not playing horseshoes again. :p
- Hospital? No.

Are there 2 more people? Yes. 3? 4? 5? More? No to the rest.
- Are any of them related to the girl? Yes.
- Related to the man perhaps? No.

Did the girl need the stick? No.

Can I ask that? You can ask whatever you want, as long as it's yes or no. ;)
Was the stick really broken? No.

Does that happen on a beach perhaps?
In the woods?

Are the two people the parents of the girl?
If so, do they have some role with associated with the stick?

Was the girl pretending that the stick was broken?

Does that happen on a beach perhaps? No. LOL.
In the woods? No.

Are the two people the parents of the girl? Yes.
If so, do they have some role with associated with the stick? Yes, indirectly. (Don't really like the word "role." They were involved.)

Was the girl pretending that the stick was broken? No, she really thought it was.

Is this stick a simple branch? (I expect a no, but to avoid making assumptions)

Is this stick man made?

Does it have joints that allow the stick to bend?

Can the stick be 'separated' into two parts? (like mounting and un-mounting)

Is the stick usually used as a walking stick/cane?

Does that happen in a gym?
- Somewhere where sports is involved?
- Somewhere where leisure activities are involved?

Is this stick a simple branch? No.

Is this stick man made? Yes.

Does it have joints that allow the stick to bend? No.

Can the stick be 'separated' into two parts? No.

Is the stick usually used as a walking stick/cane? No.

Does that happen in a gym? No.
- Somewhere where sports is involved? No.
- Somewhere where leisure activities are involved? Yes, for some people

Did it happen at a swimming pool?

Does the stick has any particular relevant 'extra'?
- Like a net?
- A hook?
- A thread?

Did it happen at a swimming pool? No.

Does the stick has any particular relevant 'extra'? Don't know what you mean by 'extra.' If you mean like another part to it, or a "partner" with it, no.
- Like a net?
- A hook?
- A thread? None of these.

I'll be back later, I have to think more about it... I'm out of ideas right now. :(

Okay, I'm reading your answers, and maybe my original assumption that I knew was wrong. In white, so I don't spoil it, but your answers counter what I was thinking.

Was she flying a kite and the string broke?

Haha - interesting. But totally off. :p I can see why my answers don't mesh. Honestly, I thought you probably had the right idea, but not the whole "story" that goes with it. But nope.

Is the place open? (no roof, as opposed to a closed building)

Were the parents looking after the girl properly?

Did an accident happen?
- Was someone injured?

Is the place open? (no roof, as opposed to a closed building). It can be, but typically no.


Were the parents looking after the girl properly? Yes.

Did an accident happen? No.
- Was someone injured? No.

Was the stick physically broken even though it appeared not to be?
Was the stick functionally broken? i.e. didn't do something it was supposed to be able to do.
Was the little girl sad the stick was broken?
Or relieved?
Or glad?

Was the stick physically broken even though it appeared not to be? No.
Was the stick functionally broken? i.e. didn't do something it was supposed to be able to do. No.
Was the little girl sad the stick was broken? Yes.
Or relieved? No.
Or glad? No.

Good question about her mood. (Never occurred to me you wouldn't know - but, how could you?)

Was anything other than the stick broken?
Did the appearance of the stick change in any way after it was given to the little girl?
Did the smiling man say anything to the girl when he handed her the stick?
Was the stick some kind of musical instrument?
Did the girl think the stick was broken because she didn't know how to use it?
Was the girl being presented with the stick in some kind of ceremony?
Was the man a teacher?

Was anything other than the stick broken? No.

Did the appearance of the stick change in any way after it was given to the little girl? No.

Did the smiling man say anything to the girl when he handed her the stick? I would assume so.

Was the stick some kind of musical instrument? No.

Did the girl think the stick was broken because she didn't know how to use it? Something like that.

Was the girl being presented with the stick in some kind of ceremony? No.

Was the man a teacher? No.

Could the stick only be used properly by certain people?
Was the smiling man special in some way?
Was being given the stick some kind of test?

Could the stick only be used properly by certain people? Properly, yes.

Was the smiling man special in some way? What do you mean by this?

Was being given the stick some kind of test? No.

Was the little girl holding the stick incorrectly?
Does the gender of the person holding the stick matter?
Does the size of the person holding the stick matter?
Is the stick made of ONLY wood?
Are there any significant markings on the stick?
Is the stick hollow?
Are there any holes in the stick?
Is the stick symmetrical in cross-section?
Was the man a magician?
Were the parents disappointed by the girls reaction?

Sorry - Saturdays are bad days.

Was the little girl holding the stick incorrectly? No.

Does the gender of the person holding the stick matter? No.

Does the size of the person holding the stick matter? No.

Is the stick made of ONLY wood? Yes.

(It's possible a tiny bit is something else, but it's not terribly relevant.)

Are there any significant markings on the stick? No.

Is the stick hollow? No.

Are there any holes in the stick? No.

Is the stick symmetrical in cross-section? In a cross-section, yes.

Was the man a magician? No. (I wondered when someone would ask that.)

Were the parents disappointed by the girls reaction? I'd imagine probably yes.

Quote:

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Is the stick symmetrical in cross-section? In a cross-section, yes.

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Oops, depends on which way you do the cross-section. The easy way is symmetrical. The difficult way is not, which is why I didn't think of it.

Going off my favorite joke... is the stick a boomerang?