A charcoal grill connected by a flexible duct to a smaller grill on the left, and a valve draining dark liquid from a vehicle on the right.
via Canva

It’s fun to approach “problems” with outside-the-box solutions. Through this kind of trouble shooting, one is able to get all kinds of wonderfully inventive over figuring out how to make something operate at a high level outside of its prior limitations.

1. French unions have designed special barbecues that fit in train tracks so they can grill sausages while they march.

People walking in a street protest under umbrellas. Some carry flags, including red and black ones. A grill with food smoking is visible, and protestors wear casual clothing and high-visibility vests. It's a rainy day with wet pavement.
standardkillchain

2. Who’s laughing now?

A tan sedan with large, elevated wheels driving through a flooded street. The driver is visible through the window. A wet floor caution sign and a large spherical object are partially submerged in the water.
Cautious-Ad-7628

3. Thoroughly impressed with this Facebook Marketplace find

A red wagon modified as a mobile fire pit with flames coming out, carrying a propane tank. A person stands in the background. Text below reads "Mobile fire pit $200 Just listed • 4 hours ago." Playground equipment is visible in the background.
thefancysurprise

4. This homemade cheese smoker on Facebook Marketplace

A black kettle grill on a wooden deck has a metal hose connecting it to another smaller grill on the ground. Smoke is rising from the larger grill. A folding chair with a cup holder is nearby, holding a soda can. A covered grill and garden hose are in the background.

5. “In-laws are visiting, and they keep pushing random buttons to the point the TV was wrecked.”

A homemade remote control crafted from cardboard is split into two parts. The first part is the base with buttons, including a directional pad and numeric keys. The second part, covered in colorful packaging, has additional buttons like volume.
Sea_Ganache620

6. 6 people have their own lock and each person can open the gate with their own key.

Multiple padlocks are attached to a metal device securing a gate. The locks are layered over each other, with some appearing worn and rusty. The background shows a textured, weathered metal surface.
Snicker10101

7. This is actually pretty brilliant.

Split image: Left shows a car parked on a narrow driveway with tire imprints in the grass. Right shows a person under the car adjusting something. A blurred license plate is visible on the car's back.
ChipperPowers

8. So rather than fixing the button or the first floor, that buzzes someone on the first floor to call the elevator.

A taped-up elevator panel with mismatched buttons and a pink note saying "Do Not Touch this Area." A sign next to it reads, "Press the door bell button for 1 floor," with an arrow pointing left.
1984Oldblue

9. “Wife needed a cap for a spray can before packing in luggage.”

A hand holds a can of dry shampoo with two pencils and a pen taped to it. The pencils, one yellow and one black, and the pen are secured to the can with white tape. The background is a soft, light-colored fabric.
ItsaChainReactionWOO

10. Tennessee makeshift bridge using two trailers

A black SUV crosses a narrow bridge over a flowing river. The area is wooded, and there's a small house visible in the background. The scene is surrounded by lush greenery and a winding dirt road.
userdeleted

11. This dryer saw is very amusing

A washing machine with the top panel removed and a circular saw blade protruding from a wooden board placed on top. The machine is in a cluttered workshop with tools and materials around it.
Tiziek

12. Why aren’t these types of oil valves a thing?

A vehicle's oil is being drained through a metal valve installed in the oil pan. The oil is flowing in a steady stream onto the ground below. The underside of the vehicle and parts of the exhaust system are visible.
Axle_Geek_092

13. Footballs to increase payload on this economy car

A car's rear suspension with footballs used as makeshift coil springs. The footballs are inflated and placed between the axle and the chassis to support the vehicle. The car has a large tire with a visible tread pattern on a concrete surface.
grundlemon

14. You have to admit that this track truck looks fun.

A white pickup truck modified with tank-like treads instead of wheels, parked next to a building. The truck has a distinct front grille and is positioned in a grassy area with a ladder nearby.
DellieCurtis

15. “I told my landlord the flush wasn’t working. I came home to this fix.”

A bathroom with a toilet, which has a string labeled "rope chain" for flushing. A handwritten sign above the tank explains how to flush by pulling the string. A pink trash bin with tissues and a toilet paper roll on the floor are visible.
AfricanHornCucumber

16. Forgot to pack a spoon

A person holds a makeshift tool with a loop of wire and plastic wrap, possibly used for DIY purposes. Nearby are a cooler with stickers, a black tape roll, and a container with small compartments filled with items.
mikeg_34

17. No cup holders? Here’s the solution.

A car interior featuring a cinder block serving as a makeshift cup holder between two seats. The block holds two cups with yellow straws and a red item, possibly a packet. The car seats have patterned fabric.
Mother_Arm7423

18. The kitchen faucet snapped and the stores were closed

A sink faucet with a green garden hose taped onto it using duct tape. The hose extends in a loop. The sink is stainless steel with a white tiled backsplash.
CImGoodFella

19. Where on the Gulf Coast do you think this is?

Man sitting on a beach chair near the ocean with a portable air conditioner on a cooler, powered by a red generator. A woman in a swimsuit walks in the background towards the water. Sunny day with waves in the sea.
TheNextBC

20. Kitten-proofing the underside of the couch

A couch covered with a makeshift barrier made of chicken wire sits on a wooden floor. Tools, including a drill and a tool case, are nearby. Sunlight streams in, casting shadows on the floor.
CleverName9999999

Meet the Writer

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt’s caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.