Lateral Logic Puzzles

by Erwin Brecher, Lucy Corvino (Illustrator)

Become a master of the lateral logic puzzle. The clues to solving each puzzle can be found within it, but to figure them out you need to break free from conventional thinking and toss aside core assumptions. Ninety entertainingly illustrated puzzles, from murder mysteries to treasure hunts, will challenge your thinking skills. There are clues for each puzzle if you need them, and of course you can peek at the answer if you really get stumped. 96 pages, 25 b/w illus., 5 3/8 x 8 1/4.

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1994

Reviews

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, "lateral" thinking puzzles are both easier and harder to solve, because you just have to concoct a convincing answer that (hopefully) matches the book's answer, regardless of how ludicrous it is. I read them anyway because it's still a thought exercise, and I like to at least in the abstract avoid getting caught in a narrow way of thinking.

There's probably a better way to write that, but I'm SUPPOSED to be working on things other than book reviews I GUESS.

Thing is some of them are... meh. Like, I don't come up with the answer because it involves one of the people is having an affair and needs to cover it up, and that's a mindset I can't really get myself into. Subterfuge just fills me with too much anxiety! Also I have to eyeroll every time the "buying house numbers" puzzle comes up AGAIN... like, I can't say I would do much better writing a puzzle book, but I would at least TRY to avoid the same ones EVERYONE ELSE has written before.

That said, I doubt I'll remember any of these, other than the one about the guy picking fruit who falls to his death NOT from falling out of a tree (he lived on the 14th floor of a highrise and tripped and fell OFF THE ROOF, because CLEARLY guardrails are for chumps)... what. yeah, Encyclopedia Brown recycled a bunch of puzzles, but they were at least memorable because the cases were part of an ongoing narrative, vs. forgettable singles, I think is the difference.

(at least this one improves upon the last book I reviewed, which repeated itself IN THE SAME BOOK)

[Chris Peckover · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why is it most lateral thinking puzzle collections have about 5 great ones and then 95 middling, or forced, or flat out non-lateral thinking ones?

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some puzzles seem forced (they were just added to make the book thicker) but a number are really great. A great ice breaker in gatherings where you have nothing else to do and a lot of time to burn.

[Daniel Low · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the collection of puzzles in this book.