It's often the simplest tips that are the most useful. It also helps that no matter where you are, the sun rises in the east, and sets in the west.
Reader Kuan Chung sent this tip in, and it's so blindingly simple—and effective—that we can't believe we never thought of it. By figuring out the direction the sun has moved toward at a particular time of day, it can be used to determine the four cardinal directions. North, south, east and west.
Of course, this only works if it's a sunny day out and you aren't in New York or London during winter. (It's sooo cold!)
For many of us, finding east and west is a matter of relying on a blessed sense of direction, using a compass, or asking someone on the street to orient ourselves. Even then, how good is their sense of direction?
Great for: dead phones, biking, hiking, getting lost at sea, or any Lord of the Flies/Amelia Earheart-esque situations.