noun
a heuristic for solving problems; you try to look at the problem from many angles instead of tackling it head-on
• Hypernyms: ↑heuristic, ↑heuristic rule, ↑heuristic program
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noun : thinking that is not deductive
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lateral thinking noun
Thinking which seeks new ways of looking at a problem and does not merely proceed by logical steps from the starting-point of what is known or believed
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Main Entry: ↑lateral
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lateral thinking UK US noun [uncountable]
a way of solving a problem in which you use your imagination to try to think about it in a different or unusual way
Thesaurus: ways of solving problemssynonym
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lateral thinking,
a method of solving problems by approaching them indirectly from various angles instead of dwelling on any one aspect at length: »
As the name implies, lateral thinking is thinking sideways: not developing a pattern but restructuring a pattern (Edward de Bono).
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noun [noncount]
chiefly Brit : a method for solving problems by making unusual or unexpected connections between ideas
lateral thinker noun, pl ⋯ -ers [count]
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a way of solving problems by using your imagination to find new ways of looking at the problem
Useful english dictionary. 2012.