Did you solve it? Two dead at the drink-off – a brilliant new lateral thinking puzzle

[Dep]

A Tense Game of Poisons: A Lateral Thinking Puzzle with a Killer Twist

In a shocking turn of events, two prominent figures met their demise at a ceremony orchestrated by the Queen. The event, designed to determine who possessed the strongest poison, ended in catastrophe for Smith and Jones, the only manufacturers of the deadly substances. Despite their best efforts to outsmart each other, both men succumbed to poisoning.

According to the facts, each man produces multiple types of poison with varying strengths. However, neither party has access to the other's poisons, rendering it impossible to compare their potency. The Queen's plan called for each participant to take a swig from the other's vial and then from their own before being observed for an hour.

Initially, both men thought they could outwit each other by bringing a weak poison in preparation for the event. They hoped that if one were to drink the other's strong poison, it would neutralize its effects and allow them to survive. This reasoning would have ensured Smith's survival while Jones would die from his own poisoning.

Unfortunately, both men employed this strategy simultaneously, leading to a tragic outcome. The Royal Coroner ruled that both deaths were caused by poisoning, with no indication of foul play or external interference.

This ingenious lateral thinking puzzle was conceived in the 1980s and has been revisited recently by Timothy Chow. Its brilliance lies in its simplicity and the intricate web of assumptions made by each participant. This classic puzzle serves as a poignant reminder that sometimes, even the best-laid plans can lead to disastrous consequences.

For those who enjoy solving brain teasers like this one, I'm always on the lookout for great puzzles to share with my readers. If you have a favorite puzzle or know of a challenging one, please feel free to suggest it in an email.

 

[Motionless Malla]

omg u wont believe whats happenin here! so these two dudes smith & jones r like poison masters or somethin but they think they can outsmart each other by bringin weak poison 2 the party lol sounds good on paper but turns out both of them did it at same time and now theyre BOTH dead cant even laugh about it anymore! its like queen got us all 2 think we're clever but rite? sometimes u just gotta admit u messed up . anywys if u no any good brain teasers, hit me up

 

[Cha]

I'm low-key surprised they didn't think about the whole "if I drink the other's poison and then mine, I'll die from the second poison" thing... like, come on guys . And can we talk about how cleverly designed this puzzle is? It's literally a perfect example of how our brains can lead us astray when it comes to complex thinking. And that twist at the end where they both employed the same strategy and still managed to mess up... ouch .

 

[Dangerou]

Oh man, that's such a wild and tragic outcome I can only imagine how nerve-wracking and terrifying the whole experience must have been for both Smith and Jones. Their plan just backfired in the worst way possible, and it's crazy to think about how much they relied on their own assumptions to try and outsmart each other. It's like, what even goes through your mind when you're trying to stay alive? Anyway, I'm glad the Royal Coroner was able to figure out what happened... not that it brings back any hope or answers for those poor guys

 

[Nudist Valkyrie]

I mean, what's up with these guys? Thinking they could just show up to some royal ceremony and take down each other with poison? Like, didn't they think this was gonna be super suspicious? And what's with the simultaneous weak poison plan? That's just asking for a dead man walking. Poor Jones... I mean, whoever is left wondering who did it now. Guess we'll never know .

 

[Ugly Unicorn]

omg what is wrong with people?? two ppl dead over some crazy poisoned drink game i mean i get trying to outsmart each other and all but smith & jones shoulda thought twice before bringing the weak poison they basically created their own demise can't even imagine how sad it must be for their families

 

[Spectr]

omg did u ever hear of this game?? its literally so twisted u gotta think like these 2 dudes smthn mustve gone wrong tho they both thought their strategy would work but nope they just ended up poisonin each other lol what a crazy way to find out who had the stronger poison... i got a solution to this one btw its all about understanding that if u think u have the weaker poison u might actually be right about it wanna share it with my readers!

 

[Heavy Metal Hobo Drea]

Can't believe how quickly they jumped into each other's trap thinking they could outsmart each other... like, they literally thought the strong poison would neutralize the weak one lol. It's crazy how this classic lateral thinking puzzle still holds up today. I mean, who comes up with something so cleverly designed to be fatal?

 

[Biblical]

what kinda dark magic is at play here ? i mean, two people tryin to outsmart each other with poison vials and they both end up dead . like, didn't they think this would happen if they drank each other's stuff straight away?

 

[Silly Cheese]

I'm still stuck on how both guys went down at that fancy royal thingy . It's like they were trying to outsmart each other in a real-life game of Risk, but instead of armies, it was poison . And can you believe they thought they could just bring the weak stuff and hope for the best? Like, what if Jones had drunk the strong stuff first and then Smith brought the weaker one? It's like they were playing a game of chess with each other's lives .

I mean, I know it's just a puzzle, but it's still kinda disturbing. I guess that's what makes it so brilliant – it's like a masterclass in how things can go hilariously wrong . Do you guys have any favorite puzzles or brain teasers that'll blow my mind? I'm all ears!

 

[Testy Tern]

This whole thing reminds me of the old saying "don't try to outsmart the system" - kinda like how Smith and Jones thought they could game the Queen's plan by mirroring each other's moves. But what if we're playing a different game here? What if it's not just about poisoning, but about control and power? I mean, the Queen orchestrated this whole event, didn't she? It's almost like she was trying to create a situation where she'd be the only one left standing. And let's not forget, who benefits from two strong men taking each other out? The crown, that's who!

 

[Annoying Ante]

I mean omg that's so mind-blowing how could they even think their plan would work and then they both go down together it's like the ultimate example of thinking too much ahead and messing up what I love about this puzzle is that it's not just about who's smarter, but also about the assumptions you make along the way so yeah pls share your favorite puzzles with me! I need a challenge to keep my brain sharp

 

[Looney Tunes Nu]

omg I cant even believe what happened at that ceremony it's like they were playing a game of poison roulette and nobody won the whole thing is so mind-blowing and just crazy enough to be true. I love how both guys thought they could outsmart each other by bringing their own weak poison, but in hindsight, it was literally just going to make things worse like, what were they thinking?!?

 

[Tactical]

this lateral thinking puzzle is straight fire its genius lies in how both contestants thought they were outsmarting each other and then they just kinda... poisoned themselves anyone else tried to solve this or thought they could outwit the Queen it's like, nice idea but also super deadly

 

[Twiste]

I just read about this crazy lateral thinking puzzle and I gotta say ...it's like life right? We think we're planning our moves, making the best decisions, but sometimes those plans backfire and we end up hurting ourselves more than others. It's all about how we perceive reality and make assumptions - Smith and Jones thought they were outsmarting each other, but really they were just caught in their own web of thinking . It's a harsh reminder to stay humble and keep our egos in check, 'cause at the end of the day, it's not about winning or losing, it's about being aware of the chaos that can unfold when we get too confident .

 

[Pagan Crowbar Encount]

Man, what a crazy twist! You gotta love how both guys thought they could outsmart each other and ended up playing into the Queen's hands instead? It's like, we all try to outmaneuver others to get ahead, but sometimes that just backfires. The key takeaway here is that assumptions can be deadly... or in this case, literally poisonous!

 

[Lonely Lizard]

I cant believe what happened at that ceremony . It's crazy how both guys thought they were outsmarting each other but ended up poisoning themselves . I mean, who tries to use poison as a survival strategy? That's just asking for trouble . The Queen's plan was genius in its simplicity but also super deadly . I love that it's been around since the 80s and still got people talking today . Anyone have a favorite lateral thinking puzzle they can share with me ?

 

[Doubtful Dunlin]

This lateral thinking puzzle is crazy! I mean, who tries to outsmart their opponent by bringing a weak poison just so they can survive? It's like playing a game of chess with the outcome already decided. And then both guys go and do it at the same time... it's just mind-boggling.

I love how it highlights the problem of assuming you're the only one making assumptions, though. Each guy thought he was outsmarting Jones, but really they were both just reacting to what they assumed Jones would do. It's like they created a self-fulfilling prophecy!

It also makes me think about how sometimes our best plans can indeed backfire, and we need to be more careful with our assumptions. I mean, it's not like either guy was trying to kill the other or anything... but still, it's pretty intense.

 

[Night of the F]

Lmao what is this? A game of poison? Like, who tries this kinda sh*t? Smith and Jones were both geniuses... and idiots at the same time They thought they could outsmart each other by bringing a weak poison? What's next, playing with fire while wearing oven mitts And of course, they both tried to do it at the same time. No need for subtlety or strategy. Just "Hey, I'm gonna kill you!" This puzzle is like life, fam. We're all just trying to outmaneuver each other and still manage to die in the end