# Lateral Thinking Puzzles. Let's do it again! **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [October 23, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193 "2019-10-23T21:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 137
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2722 "2020-04-27T00:38:04Z")
Yay, lateral thinking puzzles are back! Is the time period when this happened relevant? Is the country relevant? Was Roger a member of the military? If yes, during a war? Does the secret involve: Something Roger did that was illegal? Something somebody else did that was illegal? Something not illegal, but immoral? Something neither illegal nor immoral, but usually stigmatized (e.g., illiteracy)? Something that is not usually stigmatized, but that was under Roger’s particular set of circumstances? (Like, I dunno, being in ROTC in 1960s Berkeley?) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2723 "2020-04-27T01:07:13Z")
\*\*Roger was a hero in the eyes of many, though I’m sure some disliked him along the way. He received numerous commendations and medals in his lifetime. The thing is, Roger had a secret he kept almost his entire life, one that he feared would get out. What was Roger’s secret and why was he so afraid of it getting out? \*\* > [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Was Roger a non-white person passing as a white person? > > NO > > Was Roger gay? > > NO > > Had Roger committed a crime in the past? > > NO > > ETA: Is this a true story or fiction? > > TRUE > > Is Roger Human? > > YES > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Yay, lateral thinking puzzles are back! > > Is the time period when this happened relevant? > > NO > > Is the country relevant? > > NO > > Was Roger a member of the military? > > YES > > If yes, during a war? > > YES > > Does the secret involve: > > Something Roger did that was illegal? > > NO > > Something somebody else did that was illegal? > > NO > > Something not illegal, but immoral? > > NO > > Something neither illegal nor immoral, but usually stigmatized (e.g., illiteracy)? > > NO > > Something that is not usually stigmatized, but that was under Roger’s particular set of circumstances? (Like, I dunno, being in ROTC in 1960s Berkeley?) > > NO kk ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2724 "2020-04-27T01:33:18Z")
Was Roger not properly qualified for his job? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2725 "2020-04-27T02:17:53Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Was Roger not properly qualified for his job? NO - He was qualified. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2726 "2020-04-27T03:02:27Z")
Would Roger have been able to join the military if his secret had been known before he joined? If his secret had become public… Would he have been kicked out of the military? Would he have lost money? Would he have lost the respect of people in the community? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2727 "2020-04-27T03:42:38Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Would Roger have been able to join the military if his secret had been known before he joined? > > YES > > If his secret had become public… > Would he have been kicked out of the military? > > NO > > Would he have lost money? > > NO > > Would he have lost the respect of people in the community? > > NO(probably?) - but he thought YES kk ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2728 "2020-04-27T19:34:35Z")
Was Roger’s secret something he was born with or was otherwise an inherent part of his character? (such as having six toes or being homosexual) Something he chose to do of his own free will? Something he was forced to do by someone else? (such as ballet lessons his mom made him take) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2729 "2020-04-27T21:37:41Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was Roger’s secret something he was born with or was otherwise an inherent part of his character? (such as having six toes or being homosexual) > > NO > > Something he chose to do of his own free will? > > NO - not as I understand it, anyway > > Something he was forced to do by someone else? (such as ballet lessons his mom made him take) > > YES - as I understand it kk ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2730 "2020-04-28T06:56:34Z")
Was Roger pretending to have qualifications for a job he was not officially qualified to do? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2731 "2020-04-28T09:10:41Z")
Was Roger’s secret something he was made to do as a child? by his parents? involving acquiring a skill? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2732 "2020-04-28T13:31:07Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Was Roger pretending to have qualifications for a job he was not officially qualified to do? NO > [@Aspidistra](#): > > Was Roger’s secret something he was made to do as a child? > > YES > > by his parents? > > YES > > involving acquiring a skill? > > NO Great questions. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2733 "2020-04-28T14:03:35Z")
Was he made to be a member of an organization? KKK? Communist Party? Hitler Youth? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2734 "2020-04-28T18:48:31Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Was he made to be a member of an organization? KKK? Communist Party? Hitler Youth? No. None of those and no organization at all. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2735 "2020-04-28T20:09:48Z")
Would it be useful to know which war Roger was in? Was Roger afraid that he would be in any sort of physical danger if his secret got out? Was he afraid he would be in trouble with authorities? Was he afraid he would be embarrassed? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2736 "2020-04-28T20:45:03Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Would it be useful to know which war Roger was in? > > Vietnam. I don’t know if that is useful in any way, but no reason not to say. > Was Roger afraid that he would be in any sort of physical danger if his secret got out? > > NO > > Was he afraid he would be in trouble with authorities? > > NO > > Was he afraid he would be embarrassed? > > YES kk ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2737 "2020-04-28T22:08:11Z")
Was Roger entered into some sort of competition by his parents as a child? If so: was it some competition involving physical attractiveness? Did he win? Was there photographic evidence of his embarassing secret? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2738 "2020-04-28T22:11:38Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Was Roger entered into some sort of competition by his parents as a child? > > YES > > If so: was it some competition involving physical attractiveness? Did he win? > > NO on attractiveness. He did win, though. > > Was there photographic evidence of his embarassing secret? > > NO kk ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2739 "2020-04-28T22:19:15Z")
Was he a gerber baby? In advertisement in some way? ETA: I didn’t see the most previous questions. Probably not advertising then… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2740 "2020-04-28T22:23:42Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Was he a gerber baby? > > In advertisement in some way? No to the gerber baby. It is possible an advertisement appeared, but that is not the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2741 "2020-04-28T22:45:58Z")
Was it a competition involving the ability to do something? Something adults don’t normally do? Was he under 10? under 5? under 2? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=136) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=138)