Trust Me I’m an Engineer: 35 Outside-the-Box Solutions for Everyday Problems

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John Summers • Contributor
Aug 10, 2025 9:00 PM EDT

Sometimes life throws you problems that are too small for a real solution but too annoying to ignore. That's when human ingenuity kicks in — and by "ingenuity" I mean duct tape, questionable physics, and ideas that probably came to someone at 3 a.m. after too much caffeine.

This list is 35 glorious examples of what happens when ordinary problems meet people who refuse to do things the "normal" way. We're talking pasta strained through a tennis racket, ladders moonlighting as bookshelves, and fixes so bizarre you'll find yourself asking, "Does this count as genius… or a cry for help?"

These aren't polished Pinterest hacks or HGTV-approved makeovers. This is the raw, unfiltered MacGyver energy of people who looked at a problem and thought, "I can work with this." It's creativity with a wink, a little chaos, and zero regard for the instruction manual.

So grab your metaphorical Swiss Army knife, prepare to be impressed, and maybe - just maybe - you'll be inspired to solve your next problem with something lying around the house. Just… maybe skip the tennis racket pasta thing.

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  • 01
    Energizer INDUSTRIAL ALTRAGE/NONDESTINE AUC 旺
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  • 02
    PO
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    YIELD
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    Cheezburger Image 10540749568
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    101054
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    SIGNAL END OF CYCLE Low HIGH PUSH TO START
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    Cheezburger Image 10540751104
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  • 08
    TOP GE
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  • 09
    fish
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  • 10
    TAMRON AXIS
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  • 11
    PULL
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  • 12
    HAWAIIAN PUNCH SSELS
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    3:50
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    Cheezburger Image 10540753408
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    910
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    Cheezburger Image 10540753152
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    RARE A BLEND OF THE OLD SCOTCH W JUSTERIN& Bos SUPER James BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY ESTO 1749
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    Cheezburger Image 10540753920
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    Y MOA
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    HO
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    A
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    Cheezburger Image 10540754688
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    Cheezburger Image 10540755200
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    MAINSTAYS w Table Black Oak Finish Acabado en Roble Negro Storage drawer with nickel finish hardware Use as a writing or console table Preserted hardware for easy ambly 858 in Wx 1748 in Dx 2896107.4mx 36cm
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    Cheezburger Image 10540756480
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    Cheezburger Image 10540755968
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    Cheezburger Image 10540757248
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    Cheezburger Image 10540756736
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    Cheezburger Image 10540757504
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    SUZUKI
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  • 31
    + FM1 95.9MHz
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    Cheezburger Image 10540758272
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  • 33
    8 GARBA TIFIBER VHT
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  • 34
    A FOWER TEC
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  • 35
    1568
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