# Invisible Idiots **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 21, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968 "2003-03-21T02:14:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/1 "2003-03-21T02:14:05Z")
In one of a series of short stories about a bar called Callahan’s, Spider Robinson introduced a type of puzzle he called Invisible Idiots, so named because of a story about a language-translation program that when fed the phrase “Out of sight, out of mind” returned “invisible idiot”. In this type of puzzle, the clues are separated by commas for parts of a word, and words are separated by semicolons. An example will clarify this: incorrect, ancient; laser pistol = wrong, old; ray gun = Ronald Reagan. So, here’s a few to start. Enjoy! - dwelling, not him; whiny person, male heir - baby cow, dried grass; fourth note, central Scotland river - _chiroptera_ member, powered up; shade of red Feel free to make up your own. ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/2 "2003-03-21T02:47:16Z")
_dwelling, not him; whiny person, male heir_ Home, Her: Idunno, Son. _baby cow, dried grass; fourth note, central Scotland river_ Calf, Idunno; G?, Not a clue _chiroptera member, powered up; shade of red_ Chiro what?, on?, Crimson? I no good at this game ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/3 "2003-03-21T02:52:59Z")
Well, the first is “Homer Simpson”. As for the second, the fourth note is “fa”; did you mean the sixth note? No clue about the third one. ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/4 "2003-03-21T03:01:45Z")
Oh, wait! The third one’s “Baton Rouge”! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/5 "2003-03-21T03:06:19Z")
You’re on the right track with the second one, **Lindy**. Very good! **Osip** you had the idea, you just had to put them together. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/6 "2003-03-21T03:06:27Z")
whiny person = simper?? baby cow, dried grass; fourth note, central Scotland river calf, hay (cafe) ; ?? ---
**Author:** ![lightingtool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@lightingtool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightingtool)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/7 "2003-03-21T03:07:32Z")
2nd one’s Cafe Latte!! Yippeeeeee. ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/8 "2003-03-21T03:08:50Z")
The third one is Baton Rouge - a cold symptom; consume food; auditory apparatus; third note - relaxing resort; receive; hot brewed beverage; uses a sharp, toothed tool ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/9 "2003-03-21T03:16:44Z")
- a cold symptom; consume food; auditory apparatus; third note I’ll get back to you on that one - relaxing resort; receive; hot brewed beverage; uses a sharp, toothed tool Spaghetti sauce BTW, you should have put it like this: - relaxing resort, receive, hot brewed beverage; uses a sharp toothed tool Leave out commas in adjective strings for clarity (screw grammar), separate clues that pertain to one word by commas, and separate whole words with semicolons. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/10 "2003-03-21T03:18:24Z")
- a cold symptom; consume food; auditory apparatus; third note coffee, tea or me. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/11 "2003-03-21T03:34:50Z")
Band name! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/12 "2003-03-21T03:41:23Z")
- affirmative, bag; third king of Judah, grayish violet. - bibation, monarch; hay ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/13 "2003-03-21T03:49:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*- bibation, monarch; hay \*\* Drinking straw? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/14 "2003-03-21T03:56:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LindyHopper \* > \*\*Drinking straw? \*\* Ding ding ding! Give the lady/gentleman a cigar. Care to take a shot at the other one? ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/15 "2003-03-21T04:08:59Z")
Well, I’ve got “Isaac”, but as I don’t know the third king of Judah, I’m stuck. Can someone else help? Oh, and it’s “gentleman”, by the way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![peri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/16 "2003-03-21T04:14:59Z")
affirmative, bag; third king of Judah, grayish violet Isaac Asimov ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/17 "2003-03-21T04:19:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peri \* > \*\*affirmative, bag; third king of Judah, grayish violet > > Isaac Asimov \*\* **Peri** , you’re good! The third king of Judah was Asa, for those wondering. Anyone else want to post some? ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/18 "2003-03-21T04:30:25Z")
Ah, that would make Q.E.D’s first one “Isaac Asimov” (which on preview has already been noted). Hmm, let’s see… - kilted Celt ; sum up, retainers of resevoirs - slang for joint ; double pirate exclamation; road usage payment, relative - electric ear (short), propel a canoe, mushy; breeze, bucks’ mates God, I’m such a geek… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/19 "2003-03-21T04:35:26Z")
- electric ear (short), propel a canoe, mushy; breeze, bucks’ mates Microsoft Windows. Stumped me on the others, for now. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Mook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mr.Mook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Mook)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968/20 "2003-03-21T04:42:08Z")
- kilted Celt ; sum up, retainers of resevoirs Macadam? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invisible-idiots/162968.md?page=2)