Remarkable Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Lateral puzzle duo Paul Sloane and Des MacHale releases a lot of puzzle books throughout the years. Every time I see a new title by them, usually “(insert adjective) Lateral Puzzles”, I need to make sure they are not reprints. I already own close to 20 titles by them since I’m a fan of their lateral puzzles since Great Lateral Thinking Puzzles (1994). Lately, a lot of their stuff is reprinted. Rest can be assured since Remarkable Lateral Thinking Puzzles is (finally) all new! The situations in this book are divided into “lateral situations”, your usual lateral puzzle and “lateral factuals”, where the given situations are based on an actual true story. As per usual, there are the clues section and the answers at the back. Here are two examples from Lateral Factuals: You often see sugar in action movies. Why? The fake glass in which stuntmen jump through is made of sugar crystals to prevent injury. Why does my hotel room have extra floor covering and an arrow on the ceiling? The hotel room is in the Middle East, the extra floor covering is a prayer’s mat for Muslims and the arrow is pointing at the direction of the Mecca. Another fun collection, though I do miss those Wally tests…

THIS BOOK HELPS ONE REALIZE JUST HOW IN THE BOX THEIR THINKING ACTUALLY IS. WORKING THIS CHALLENGES WILL HELP ONE CLIMB OUT OF THE BOX AND ACTUALLY EXPAND THEIR THINKING CONSIDERING A BROADER SET OF POSSIBILITIES.

Fun for all! I'm going to use in my classroom as starters for the day and as a filler.

You either know what a lateral puzzle is or you do not. If you do not, this is a good introduction, but should carry a government warning on its cover: Can be addictive. Likely to cause the sufferer to strike his/her forehead with his/her hand. Not all of them are like that, of course. Some puzzles are easy enough for a bright 5th-grader. For example: the zoo worker who inked a B on the back of one hand and a D on the other. Some are difficult for even the practiced lateralist, even with clues to help you along: Why did a woman have one brown leg and one white one? (No, one leg wasn't wooden!) You may learn new things, have some myths busted, and recognize old friends in these puzzles. The only thing I miss from previous lateral puzzle books by Sloane & McHale is the Wallys: a page or two of questions with smart-aleck, but lateral, answers. Maybe I am still a 5th-grader at heart!

I didn't realize it was for a group activity and not a solo logic problem book.

Lateral thinking puzzles are always fun, and this book brings a fair amount of them. The book is split into two sections, fictional and factual. The fictional puzzles are generally better, but both can be fun. About a third of the puzzles overall are dumb or too simple, another third are okay, and the last third are really good. Overall this gives you a somewhat hit-or-miss experience. We enjoyed playing them for 6+ hours in one sitting, so I feel I got my money's worth.

Half of these are not actually lateral thinking puzzles, but more of 'did you know' questions. Example: "What did the ancient Romans do that still troubles gardeners in Britain today?" (They brought snails to the British Isles). Or "what person's remains lie in the remotest grave of all time?" (A man's ashes aboard a spacecraft headed to Pluto). My husband, children, and I like to do true lateral thinking problems during dinner, and we were sorely disappointed.

This is a lovely book for children at home

Have this book on hand to fill in the time and challenge others. You can not make any assumptions at all! Fun and worth getting the family together!

I usually buy second hand books but splashed out on this one as we already had a similar book by Paul Sloane. This one is awful and I am miffed that I bought it. I really thought it would be as good as the one we have but with different puzzles in. Firstly the book looks normal size but only a small amount of it is actually puzzles. Another sections is clues or hints to those puzzle and another section is the answers. Another bit is not puzzles at all but more weird facts. Also the lateral thinking puzzles are ridiculous. How anyone could possibly get to the answers without looking at them is beyond me. In my opinion they are not lateral at all just random.

These are puzzles alright, but to call them Lateral Thinking puzzles is, in the case of most, not true. Many rely on general knowledge and some of that needs to be based on the USA. One or two of the answers are plain wrong. So some fun, but a disappointment overall.