A situation puzzle is a game in which one person describes a scenario and asks the players to explain it. The situation is deliberately lacking in details, but the players may acquire more information by asking questions — however, these can only be answered with “yes” or “no.” A player wins by describing the approximate events that led up to the situation. To do so, they must use a blend of logical and lateral thinking.
A famous example of this is sometimes known as “Turtle Soup.” Here’s the riddle: “A man in a restaurant orders turtle soup, tastes it once, and then runs outside to kill himself. Why?” After some innovative questioning, players should arrive at the following explanation. The man was once stranded on an island with his fellow sailors. Though food was scarce and many sailors starved, the captain ensured the survival of the others by feeding them something he called turtle soup. However, when the man ordered this in the restaurant and it tasted different, he came to the realization that he’d consumed human flesh back on the island. Horrified by what he’d done, the man took his own life. As you can see, the solution is a little obscure and will only be reached by creative ideas and questions. Like many such puzzles, this one is characterized by elements of horror.
To solve situation puzzles, one must think outside the box. Lateral thinking is a method of problem solving that involves ignoring the obvious approach in favor of something more indirect, and it can be beneficial in many fields. You’ll undoubtedly need it to solve a fiendish situation puzzle.
Photo: Freepik 照片：Freepik
情境猜謎是一種遊戲，指其中一個人描述一個情境，然後要求其他玩家解釋它。此情境故意缺乏細節，但玩家可以透過提問來獲得更多資訊;然而，這些問題只能以「是」或「否」回答。玩家透過描述此情境發生前的大略事件來獲勝。為此，他們必須結合合邏輯思考與橫向思維。
其中一個著名的例子有時會被稱為「海龜湯」。此謎題是：「一位男人在一家餐廳點了海龜湯，嚐了一口，然後就跑出去自殺了。為什麼？」在一些創新的提問後，玩家應該能夠得出以下解釋。這名男人曾經與其他船員們一起被困在一個島上。儘管食物缺乏，許多船員挨餓，船長仍藉由餵食他們所謂海龜湯的東西來確保其他人的生存。然而，當這名男人在餐廳點了這道菜，並且嚐到它的味道不同於之前的時候，他意識到他曾在島上食用了人肉。男人對於他所做的事情感到震驚，選擇了自殺。正如你所見，這個解釋有點模糊不清，只有透過創意的想法和問題才能得出。如同許多情境猜謎一樣，這題謎題也帶有恐怖的元素。
要解決情境猜謎，必須跳脫框架思考。橫向思維是一種解決問題的方法，它忽視了明顯的方法，而支持更間接的方式，並且在許多領域都是有益的。毫無疑問地，你需要它來解決一個刁鑽的情境猜謎！
MORE INFORMATION
approximate adj. 大約的；大概的
lateral adj. 橫向的
realization n. 明白；意識到
fiendish adj. 刁鑽的；巧妙而又困難的
KEY VOCABULARY
1. scenario n. 場景；情境
The scenario for the science fiction movie was a future world with advanced technology.
這部科幻電影的場景是一個擁有先進科技的未來世界。
2. logical adj. 合乎邏輯的；合理的
If you’re cold, the logical thing would be to put on a sweater.
如果你感到冷，合乎邏輯的做法就是穿上毛衣。
3. riddle n. 謎語；謎題
During the campfire, Risa entertained the group with a fascinating riddle.
在野營的時候，黎莎用一個有趣的謎語娛樂大家。
4. explanation n. 解釋；說明
Martin is a very good teacher; his explanations are always crystal clear.
馬丁是一位非常優秀的老師；他的解釋總是非常清晰易懂。
5. horrify vt. 使恐懼；使震驚
The sudden scream from the haunted house horrified the visitors on the Halloween tour.
來自鬼屋的突然尖叫聲使萬聖節遊覽的遊客感到震驚。
6. obscure adj. 晦澀的；模糊的
Sally’s handwriting is so obscure that it’s hard to read. 莎莉的字跡非常模糊以致於很難閱讀。
7. characterize vt. 是……的特徵
The director’s short films are characterized by their dramatic endings. 這位導演的短片以戲劇性的結局為特點。
8. beneficial adj. 有益的；有利的
Regular exercise and a balanced diet are beneficial for maintaining good health.
定期的運動和均衡的飲食有益於保持良好的健康。
9. undoubtedly adv. 毫無疑問地；肯定地
The team’s hard work and cooperation undoubtedly led to their victory in the competition.
團隊的辛勤工作和合作毫無疑問地使他們在比賽中獲得勝利。
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