# Bride of Three Minute Mysteries **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 29, 2000, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335 "2000-03-29T19:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/21 "2000-03-29T20:24:00Z")
The thief palms the stamp while it’s being passed around and then arranges to be the one to open the door when the police arrive. While letting them in, he hides the stamp somewhere just outside the room that is searched and then retrieves it later. ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/22 "2000-03-29T20:25:00Z")
Was the stamp hidden outside the room? ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/23 "2000-03-29T20:25:00Z")
Lemmie guess, he licked it, dropped it on the floor and steped on it so it’d stick to the sole of his shoe, then walked off with it even after bieng throughly searched? ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/24 "2000-03-29T20:25:00Z")
Was the stamp in the room at the time of the search? ---
**Author:** ![Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/25 "2000-03-29T20:28:00Z")
Does it matter which actual rare stamp it is? Inverted Jenny, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/26 "2000-03-29T20:28:00Z")
Water, that question was just answered ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/27 "2000-03-29T20:29:00Z")
Did the room have any open windows or other openings? Was the stamp smuggled underneath the door? ---
**Author:** ![MtnMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@MtnMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MtnMan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/28 "2000-03-29T20:30:00Z")
Was the stamp passed through a window? Did a guest intentionally steal the stamp? Did the guest lick or moisten the stamp? ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/29 "2000-03-29T20:31:00Z")
Did the thief attach the stamp to the owner when he left the room? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/30 "2000-03-29T20:32:00Z")
Destroy the stamp (drop it in the fireplace, swallow it, whatever), then sell a counterfeit on EBay. ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/31 "2000-03-29T20:32:00Z")
Is it at all relevant how the doors locked? Was there a keyhole in the doors? ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/32 "2000-03-29T20:32:00Z")
Hey, phouka, inquiring minds want to know. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/33 "2000-03-29T20:33:00Z")
_The thief palms the stamp while it’s being passed around and then arranges to be the one to open the door when the police arrive. While letting them in, he hides the stamp somewhere just outside the room that is searched and then retrieves it later._ No. _Was the stamp hidden outside the room?_ No. _Lemmie guess, he licked it, dropped it on the floor and steped on it so it’d stick to the sole of his shoe, then walked off with it even after bieng throughly searched?_ No, the police are smarter than that. _Was the stamp in the room at the time of the search?_ No. _Does it matter which actual rare stamp it is? Inverted Jenny, etc._ No, only that it was unique, not rare. You know, this is a terrific way to pad one’s posting count. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/34 "2000-03-29T20:34:00Z")
Was anyone bragging about the size of the stamp in a phone booth? * * * New and Improved Enright3 ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/35 "2000-03-29T20:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Finagle: > **Destroy the stamp (drop it in the fireplace, > swallow it, whatever), then sell a counterfeit on EBay.** Yep. That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![MtnMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@MtnMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MtnMan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/36 "2000-03-29T20:36:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Was anyone bragging about the size of the stamp in a phone booth? ROFL ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/37 "2000-03-29T20:37:00Z")
Was there a time after the stamp was displayed but before the meeting was over? Did the stamp pass through the doors after it was brought out for display? ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/38 "2000-03-29T20:38:00Z")
“During the meeting, the host brings out a unique and extremely valuable stamp and allows it to be passed amongst the guests. Before he does so, however, he locks the doors to the study so that no one can leave.” Can I assume that they were actually IN the study at the time? ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/39 "2000-03-29T20:38:00Z")
seriously? No fair. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335/40 "2000-03-29T20:41:00Z")
OK, something’s amiss here. The stamp wasn’t hidden **outside** while room was being searched, and it wasn’t **in** the room while it was being searched. So the stamp was outside the room, but wasn’t **hidden**? * * * New and Improved Enright3 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bride-of-three-minute-mysteries/15335.md?page=3)