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class="interlanguage-link interwiki-az mw-list-item"><a href="https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qutunun_xaricind%C9%99_d%C3%BC%C5%9F%C3%BCnm%C9%99" title="Qutunun xaricində düşünmə – Azerbaijani" lang="az" hreflang="az" data-title="Qutunun xaricində düşünmə" data-language-autonym="Azərbaycanca" data-language-local-name="Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Azərbaycanca</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pensar_fora_de_la_caixa" title="Pensar fora de la caixa – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Pensar fora de la caixa" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blick_%C3%BCber_den_Tellerrand" title="Blick über den Tellerrand – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Blick über den Tellerrand" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pensar_fuera_de_la_caja" title="Pensar fuera de la caja – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Pensar fuera de la caja" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AA%D9%81%DA%A9%D8%B1_%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AC_%D8%A7%D8%B2_%DA%86%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%86%D9%88%D8%A8" title="تفکر خارج از چارچوب – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="تفکر خارج از چارچوب" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking_outside_the_box" title="Thinking outside the box – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Thinking outside the box" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berpikir_di_luar_kotak" title="Berpikir di luar kotak – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Berpikir di luar kotak" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buiten_het_kader_denken" title="Buiten het kader denken – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Buiten het kader denken" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A0%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%88%D1%99%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B5_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%88%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8_%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BD" title="Размишљање на шири начин – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Размишљање на шири начин" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%A4nka_utanf%C3%B6r_ramarna" title="Tänka utanför ramarna – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Tänka utanför ramarna" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%9A" title="การคิดนอกกรอบ – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="การคิดนอกกรอบ" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%97%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE_%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B2%27%D1%8F%D1%82%D1%8C_%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%BE%D0%BA" title="Задача про дев'ять точок – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Задача про дев'ять точок" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-yue mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%96%BA%E5%80%8B%E7%9B%92%E4%BB%A5%E5%A4%96%E8%AB%97%E5%98%A2" title="喺個盒以外諗嘢 – Cantonese" lang="yue" hreflang="yue" data-title="喺個盒以外諗嘢" data-language-autonym="粵語" data-language-local-name="Cantonese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>粵語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%8D%E8%90%BD%E7%AA%A0%E8%87%BC%E5%9C%B0%E6%80%9D%E8%80%83" title="不落窠臼地思考 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="不落窠臼地思考" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q1981020#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div 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searchaux" style="display:none">Metaphor for unconventional thinking</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable"><span>"Outside the box" redirects here. For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/Outside_the_Box_(disambiguation)" class="mw-redirect mw-disambig" title="Outside the Box (disambiguation)">Outside the Box (disambiguation)</a>.</span> <span>Not to be confused with <a href="/wiki/Out-of-the-box_functionality" class="mw-redirect" title="Out-of-the-box functionality">Out-of-the-box functionality</a>.</span></div> <p><b>Thinking outside the box</b> (also <b>thinking out of the box</b><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or <b>thinking beyond the box</b> and, especially in <a href="/wiki/Australian_English" title="Australian English">Australia</a>, <b>thinking outside the square</b><sup id="cite_ref-aussi_example_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-aussi_example-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>) is an <a href="/wiki/Idiom" title="Idiom">idiom</a> that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. The phrase also often refers to novel or creative thinking. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Thinking_outside_the_box&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The origin of the phrase is unclear. "Think beyond the boundary"-metaphors, that is, metaphors that allude to think differently or with less constraints, seem to have an old history. For example, in 1888, <a href="/wiki/The_Annual_Register" title="The Annual Register">The Annual Register</a> records the phrase <i>think outside the lines</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1273380762/mw-parser-output/.tmulti">.mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner{display:flex;flex-direction:column}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{display:flex;flex-direction:row;clear:left;flex-wrap:wrap;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{margin:1px;float:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .theader{clear:both;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;align-self:center;background-color:transparent;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbcaption{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-left{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-right{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-center{text-align:center}@media all and (max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbinner{width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:none!important;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{justify-content:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{float:none!important;max-width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle .thumbcaption{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow>.thumbcaption{text-align:center}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner span:not(.skin-invert-image):not(.skin-invert):not(.bg-transparent) img{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner span:not(.skin-invert-image):not(.skin-invert):not(.bg-transparent) img{background-color:white}}</style><div class="thumb tmulti tright"><div class="thumbinner multiimageinner" style="width:208px;max-width:208px"><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:102px;max-width:102px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:9dots.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Nine dots puzzle" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/9dots.svg/100px-9dots.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/9dots.svg/150px-9dots.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/9dots.svg/200px-9dots.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></a></span></div></div><div class="tsingle" style="width:102px;max-width:102px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Ninedots.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Puzzle solution" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Ninedots.svg/100px-Ninedots.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Ninedots.svg/150px-Ninedots.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Ninedots.svg/200px-Ninedots.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></a></span></div></div></div><div class="trow" style="display:flex"><div class="thumbcaption">The "nine dots" puzzle (left) has the goal of linking all 9 dots using four straight lines or less, without lifting the pen. Its solution (right) is to draw those lines "outside the box".</div></div></div></div><p> Since at least 1954, the <a href="/wiki/Nine_dots_puzzle" title="Nine dots puzzle">nine dots puzzle</a> has been used as a metaphor of the type "think beyond the boundary". Early phrasings include <i>go outside the dots</i> (1954),<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-wordorigins_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wordorigins-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i>breakthrough thinking that gets outside the nine-dot square</i> (1959),<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <i>what are the actual boundaries of the problem?</i> (1963).<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-wordorigins_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wordorigins-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Norman_Vincent_Peale" title="Norman Vincent Peale">Norman Vincent Peale</a> writes about this puzzle in a 1969 article for the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Tribune" title="Chicago Tribune">Chicago Tribune</a>, quote:<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style></p><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>There is one particular puzzle you may have seen. It's a drawing of a box with some dots in it, and the idea is to connect all the dots by using only four lines. You can work on that puzzle, but the only way to solve it is to draw the lines so they connect outside the box. It's so simple once you realize the principle behind it. But if you keep trying to solve it inside the box, you'll never be able to master that particular puzzle. </p><p>That puzzle represents the way a lot of people think. They get caught up inside the box of their own lives. You've got to approach any problem objectively. Stand back and see it for exactly what it is. From a little distance, you can see it a lot more clearly. Try and get a different perspective, a fresh point of view. <b>Step outside the box</b> your problem has created within you and come at it from a different direction. </p><p> All of a sudden, just like the puzzle, you'll see how to handle your problem. And just like the four lines that connect all the dots, you'll discover the course of action that's just right in order to set your life straight.</p></blockquote> <p>In 1970, the phrase <i>think outside the dots</i> appears without mentioning the nine dots puzzle.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-wordorigins_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wordorigins-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Finally, in 1971, the specific phrase <i>think outside the box</i> is attested, again appearing together with the nine dots puzzle.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1976, the phrase is used in England<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and 1978 in the USA,<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> both without mentioning the nine dots puzzle. </p><p>Beyond the above attestations, there are several unconfirmed accounts of how the phrase got introduced. According to <a href="/wiki/Martin_Kihn" title="Martin Kihn">Martin Kihn</a>, it goes back to management consultants in the 1970s and 1980s challenging their clients to solve the "nine dots" puzzle.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to <a href="/wiki/John_Adair_(author)" title="John Adair (author)">John Adair</a>, he introduced the nine dots puzzle in 1969, from which the saying comes.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It is claimed that the use of the nine-dot puzzle in consultancy circles stems from the <a href="/wiki/Corporate_culture" class="mw-redirect" title="Corporate culture">corporate culture</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Walt_Disney_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Walt Disney Company">Walt Disney Company</a>, where the puzzle was used in-house.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2022)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Thinking_outside_the_box&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Egg_of_Columbus" title="Egg of Columbus">Egg of Columbus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Einstellung_effect" title="Einstellung effect">Einstellung effect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eureka_effect" title="Eureka effect">Eureka effect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Functional_fixedness" title="Functional fixedness">Functional fixedness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gordian_Knot" title="Gordian Knot">Gordian Knot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kobayashi_Maru" title="Kobayashi Maru">Kobayashi Maru</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lateral_thinking" title="Lateral thinking">Lateral thinking</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Thinking_outside_the_box&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161121234309/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/box">"box - definition of box in English - Oxford Dictionaries"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/box">the original</a> on November 21, 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=box+-+definition+of+box+in+English+-+Oxford+Dictionaries&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fen.oxforddictionaries.com%2Fdefinition%2Fbox&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/think-outside-the-box?showCookiePolicy=true">"think outside the box - Definition, meaning & more - Collins Dictionary"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=think+outside+the+box+-+Definition%2C+meaning+%26+more+-+Collins+Dictionary&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collinsdictionary.com%2Fdictionary%2Fenglish%2Fthink-outside-the-box%3FshowCookiePolicy%3Dtrue&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-aussi_example-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-aussi_example_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/features/thinking-outside-square">"Thinking Outside The Square"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Thinking+Outside+The+Square&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.limelightmagazine.com.au%2Ffeatures%2Fthinking-outside-square&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_3tdAAAAIAAJ&q=%22think+outside+the+lines%22&pg=PP9"><i>The Annual Register: a review of public events at home and abroad, for the year 1887</i></a>. London: Rivingtons, Waterloo Place. 1888. p. 168. <q>[Lord Hartington] said that [...] the Liberal party became a one-man party, which scarcely ventured to <b>think outside the lines</b> prescribed by its dictator.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Annual+Register%3A+a+review+of+public+events+at+home+and+abroad%2C+for+the+year+1887.&rft.place=London&rft.pages=168&rft.pub=Rivingtons%2C+Waterloo+Place&rft.date=1888&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D_3tdAAAAIAAJ%26q%3D%2522think%2Boutside%2Bthe%2Blines%2522%26pg%3DPP9&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFO'Toole2010" class="citation web cs1">O'Toole, Garson (2010-05-03). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2010-May/098893.html">"Antedating of "Outside the Box"<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Antedating+of+%22Outside+the+Box%22&rft.date=2010-05-03&rft.aulast=O%27Toole&rft.aufirst=Garson&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Flistserv.linguistlist.org%2Fpipermail%2Fads-l%2F2010-May%2F098893.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAnderson1954" class="citation news cs1">Anderson, John F. (1954-10-30). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archives.dallasnews.com/uncategorized/IO_968f2bc4-5474-46df-ac8f-1b6b8a166d6b/">"Down to Earth"</a>. <i>Dallas Morning News</i>. p. 1. <q>An instructor at M.I.T. began his course with a group of graduate students one day by walking to the blackboard and drawing nine dots in this fashion [...] We are not here to go through old routines. Don't let your thinking be contained in a small square of knowledge. Learn to <b>go outside the dots</b> and you may be the one to solve man's most puzzling problems.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Dallas+Morning+News&rft.atitle=Down+to+Earth&rft.pages=1&rft.date=1954-10-30&rft.aulast=Anderson&rft.aufirst=John+F.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchives.dallasnews.com%2Funcategorized%2FIO_968f2bc4-5474-46df-ac8f-1b6b8a166d6b%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-wordorigins-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-wordorigins_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-wordorigins_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-wordorigins_7-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWilton2021" class="citation web cs1">Wilton, David (2021-07-19). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/think-outside-the-box">"think outside the box"</a>. <i>Wordorigins.org</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Wordorigins.org&rft.atitle=think+outside+the+box&rft.date=2021-07-19&rft.aulast=Wilton&rft.aufirst=David&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wordorigins.org%2Fbig-list-entries%2Fthink-outside-the-box&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHumphrey1959" class="citation news cs1">Humphrey, Hal (1959-11-13). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/98259134/">"<span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>'Breakthrough thinking' gets outside 9-dot square"</a></span>. <i>Detroit Free Press</i>. p. 41. <q>One of our biggest advertising agencies [writes] "Breakthrough thinking is the fresh approach, the new concept, that gets outside the nine-dot square."<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span></q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Detroit+Free+Press&rft.atitle=%27Breakthrough+thinking%27+gets+outside+9-dot+square&rft.pages=41&rft.date=1959-11-13&rft.aulast=Humphrey&rft.aufirst=Hal&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newspapers.com%2Fimage%2F98259134%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTréguer2021" class="citation web cs1">Tréguer, Pascal (2021-04-28). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wordhistories.net/2021/04/28/think-outside-box/">"<span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>'to think outside the box': meaning and origin"</a>. <i>word histories</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=word+histories&rft.atitle=%27to+think+outside+the+box%27%3A+meaning+and+origin&rft.date=2021-04-28&rft.aulast=Tr%C3%A9guer&rft.aufirst=Pascal&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwordhistories.net%2F2021%2F04%2F28%2Fthink-outside-box%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPlatzer1963" class="citation news cs1">Platzer, Norbert A. J. (1963-04-18). "Incentiveness, Motivation, Training Needs of a Scientist". <i>The Springfield Union</i>. p. 52. <q>[...] the next aplitude for creative thinking [is] defining the problem. We must ask ourselves: "What are the actual boundaries of the problem?" Perhaps some of you have seen this little problem before. Here are nine dots [...]. This teaches us, we should avoid imposing limitations that are not in our problem, as I told you before in the cases of <a href="/wiki/Charles_F._Kettering" title="Charles F. Kettering">Kettering</a> and <a href="/wiki/Walter_Reppe" title="Walter Reppe">Reppe</a>.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Springfield+Union&rft.atitle=Incentiveness%2C+Motivation%2C+Training+Needs+of+a+Scientist&rft.pages=52&rft.date=1963-04-18&rft.aulast=Platzer&rft.aufirst=Norbert+A.+J.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPeale1969" class="citation news cs1"><a href="/wiki/Norman_Vincent_Peale" title="Norman Vincent Peale">Peale, Norman Vincent</a> (1969-10-25). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://newspaperarchive.com/chicago-tribune-oct-25-1969-p-13-335162371-fullpage.jpg">"Blackmail Is the Problem"</a></span>. Chicago Tribune. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://newspaperarchive.com/chicago-tribune-oct-25-1969-p-13-335162371-fullpage.jpg">13</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Blackmail+Is+the+Problem&rft.pages=13&rft.date=1969-10-25&rft.aulast=Peale&rft.aufirst=Norman+Vincent&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fnewspaperarchive.com%2Fchicago-tribune-oct-25-1969-p-13-335162371-fullpage.jpg&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLiberman2005" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Mark_Liberman" title="Mark Liberman">Liberman, Mark</a> (2005-06-02). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002220.html">"Language Log: X-ing outside the Y"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Language+Log%3A+X-ing+outside+the+Y&rft.date=2005-06-02&rft.aulast=Liberman&rft.aufirst=Mark&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fitre.cis.upenn.edu%2F~myl%2Flanguagelog%2Farchives%2F002220.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWestell1970" class="citation news cs1">Westell, Anthony (1970-05-23). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/43253372/">"Canada Entering Big League In Research"</a></span>. <i>Ottawa Journal</i>. p. 7. <q>The problem, says William Dav[i]d Hopper, is to <b>think "outside the dots"</b> about the questions of how to feed a hungry world. He means that the need is to think imaginatively, creatively, about the development of less-developed countries, and not merely to keep pouring more money and technology into patterns of foreign aid established, not very successfully, over the past 20 years.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Ottawa+Journal&rft.atitle=Canada+Entering+Big+League+In+Research&rft.pages=7&rft.date=1970-05-23&rft.aulast=Westell&rft.aufirst=Anthony&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newspapers.com%2Fimage%2F43253372%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFNotaro1971" class="citation magazine cs1">Notaro, Michael R. (1971). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/sim_information-executive_1971-09_9_9/page/76">"Management of Personnel: Organization Patterns and Techniques"</a>. <i>Data Management</i>. Vol. 9/#9. Data Processing Management Organization. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/sim_information-executive_1971-09_9_9/page/77">77</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Data+Management&rft.atitle=Management+of+Personnel%3A+Organization+Patterns+and+Techniques&rft.volume=9%2F%239&rft.pages=77&rft.date=1971&rft.aulast=Notaro&rft.aufirst=Michael+R.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fsim_information-executive_1971-09_9_9%2Fpage%2F76&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/22297?redirectedFrom=think+outside+the+box#eid1294628220">"box, n.2"</a>. <i>OED Online</i>. Oxford University Press.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=OED+Online&rft.atitle=box%2C+n.2&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oed.com%2Fview%2FEntry%2F22297%3FredirectedFrom%3Dthink%2Boutside%2Bthe%2Bbox%23eid1294628220&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHall1976" class="citation news cs1">Hall, David (1976-07-18). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/750596070/?terms=%22think%20outside%20the%20box%22&match=1">"Ex officer's strategy for business success"</a></span>. Sunday Telegraph. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/750596070/?terms=%22think%20outside%20the%20box%22&match=1">24</a>. <q>[...] it is abundantly clear that Service people can turn their hand to many jobs provided they can think "outside the box."<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span></q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Ex+officer%27s+strategy+for+business+success&rft.pages=24&rft.date=1976-07-18&rft.aulast=Hall&rft.aufirst=David&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newspapers.com%2Fimage%2F750596070%2F%3Fterms%3D%2522think%2520outside%2520the%2520box%2522%26match%3D1&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRobert_S.1978" class="citation news cs1"><a href="/wiki/Robert_S._Mendelsohn" title="Robert S. Mendelsohn">Robert S., Mendelsohn</a> (1978-03-31). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/288820411/?terms=%22think%20outside%20the%20box%22&match=1">"People's Doctor"</a></span>. The Newark Advocate. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/288820411/?terms=%22think%20outside%20the%20box%22&match=1">10</a>. <q>Some of my best teachers have been those who utilize the techniques of shock and surprise to rouse me out of conventional habits of thought, forcing me to question accepted teaching and stimulating me to think "outside the box."<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span></q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=People%27s+Doctor&rft.pages=10&rft.date=1978-03-31&rft.aulast=Robert+S.&rft.aufirst=Mendelsohn&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newspapers.com%2Fimage%2F288820411%2F%3Fterms%3D%2522think%2520outside%2520the%2520box%2522%26match%3D1&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:0-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-:0_18-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Kihn, Martin. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/95/debunk.html">"'Outside the Box': the Inside Story,"</a> <i>FastCompany</i> 1995</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAdair2007" class="citation book cs1">Adair, John (2007). <span class="id-lock-limited" title="Free access subject to limited trial, subscription normally required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/artcreativethink00adai"><i>The art of creative thinking how to be innovative and develop great ideas</i></a></span>. London Philadelphia: Kogan Page. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/artcreativethink00adai/page/n137">127</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780749452186" title="Special:BookSources/9780749452186"><bdi>9780749452186</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+art+of+creative+thinking+how+to+be+innovative+and+develop+great+ideas&rft.place=London+Philadelphia&rft.pages=127&rft.pub=Kogan+Page&rft.date=2007&rft.isbn=9780749452186&rft.aulast=Adair&rft.aufirst=John&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fartcreativethink00adai&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Thinking_outside_the_box&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAdams1979" class="citation book cs1">Adams, J. L. (1979). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/conceptualblockb00adam_0"><i>Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas</i></a></span>. New York: <a href="/wiki/W._W._Norton" class="mw-redirect" title="W. W. Norton">W. W. Norton</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-201-10089-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-201-10089-1"><bdi>978-0-201-10089-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Conceptual+Blockbusting%3A+A+Guide+to+Better+Ideas&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=W.+W.+Norton&rft.date=1979&rft.isbn=978-0-201-10089-1&rft.aulast=Adams&rft.aufirst=J.+L.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fconceptualblockb00adam_0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-201-10089-4" title="Special:BookSources/0-201-10089-4">0-201-10089-4</a> (more solutions to the nine dots problem - with less than 4 lines!)</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFScheerer1963" class="citation journal cs1">Scheerer, M. (1963). "Problem-solving". <i><a href="/wiki/Scientific_American" title="Scientific American">Scientific American</a></i>. <b>208</b> (4): <span class="nowrap">118–</span>128. <a href="/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Bibcode (identifier)">Bibcode</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1963SciAm.208d.118S">1963SciAm.208d.118S</a>. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fscientificamerican0463-118">10.1038/scientificamerican0463-118</a>. <a href="/wiki/PMID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="PMID (identifier)">PMID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13986996">13986996</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Scientific+American&rft.atitle=Problem-solving&rft.volume=208&rft.issue=4&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E118-%3C%2Fspan%3E128&rft.date=1963&rft_id=info%3Apmid%2F13986996&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1038%2Fscientificamerican0463-118&rft_id=info%3Abibcode%2F1963SciAm.208d.118S&rft.aulast=Scheerer&rft.aufirst=M.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGolombSelfridge1970" class="citation journal cs1"><a href="/wiki/Solomon_W._Golomb" title="Solomon W. Golomb">Golomb, Solom W.</a>; <a href="/wiki/John_L._Selfridge" class="mw-redirect" title="John L. Selfridge">Selfridge, John L.</a> (1970). "Unicursal polygonal paths and other graphs on point lattices". <i>Pi Mu Epsilon Journal</i>. <b>5</b>: <span class="nowrap">107–</span>117. <a href="/wiki/MR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="MR (identifier)">MR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mathscinet.ams.org/mathscinet-getitem?mr=0268063">0268063</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Pi+Mu+Epsilon+Journal&rft.atitle=Unicursal+polygonal+paths+and+other+graphs+on+point+lattices&rft.volume=5&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E107-%3C%2Fspan%3E117&rft.date=1970&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fmathscinet.ams.org%2Fmathscinet-getitem%3Fmr%3D0268063%23id-name%3DMR&rft.aulast=Golomb&rft.aufirst=Solom+W.&rft.au=Selfridge%2C+John+L.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AThinking+outside+the+box" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Thinking_outside_the_box&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/60px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/80px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Look up <i><b><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/outside_the_box" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:outside the box">outside the box</a></b></i> in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.</div></div> </div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/29/messages/1149.html">Out-of-the-box vs. outside the box</a> citing Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (OALD), Word of the Month</li></ul>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; 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