# 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:** 139
**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 29, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2762 "2020-04-29T19:50:41Z")
Basically a talent contest… was there a single talent being judged, or did each child pick a talent to present? Could the embarrassing nickname have been applied to any winner of this competition, or was it somehow specific to Roger? ---
**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 29, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2763 "2020-04-29T21:48:08Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Did the contest have corporate sponsors? > > Not to my knowledge. IRRELEVANT > > Was the contest associated with a celebrity? > > Not to my knowledge. IRRELEVANT > > Is Roger’s military rank relevant? > > NO, not really. He made it up to Major. > [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Was the combination of the name of the prize and “Roger’s” name a factor? NO > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Basically a talent contest… was there a single talent being judged, or did each child pick a talent to present? > > IRRELEVANT. > > Could the embarrassing nickname have been applied to any winner of this competition, or was it somehow specific to Roger? > > Let me clarify below. The embarrassing incident and secret is not winning the talent show. The talent show was a step towards his secret embarrassment, if you will. ---
**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 29, 2020, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2764 "2020-04-29T23:37:37Z")
Did the embarrassing incident happen at an event that Roger was eligible to be at due to his winning the talent show? ---
**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 29, 2020, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2765 "2020-04-29T23:59:52Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Did the embarrassing incident happen at an event that Roger was eligible to be at due to his winning the talent show? YES, pretty much. ---
**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 30, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2766 "2020-04-30T00:21:04Z")
Was it an accident or was it a planned part of the show? ---
**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 30, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2767 "2020-04-30T00:25:28Z")
Did Roger damage something? ---
**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 30, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2768 "2020-04-30T00:34:53Z")
Was Roger able to meet someone as a result of winning the talent show? Someone famous? ---
**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 30, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2769 "2020-04-30T00:35:29Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Was it an accident or was it a planned part of the show? Nothing of interest happened at the talent contest other than Roger winning. Nothing embarrassing or that he kept secret happened at the talent contest. Winning the talent contest was a step towards his secret embarrassment. > [@Aspidistra](#): > > Did Roger damage something? NO ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2770 "2020-04-30T12:12:31Z")
Was Roger’s talent something girls were supposed to be good at and not boys? ---
**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 30, 2020, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2771 "2020-04-30T12:22:44Z")
Is the embarrassment related directly with the talent Roger displayed to win the contest? Was the followup event one to recognize winning the contest? Is the nature of the followup event relevant? ---
**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 30, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2772 "2020-04-30T12:26:08Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Was Roger’s talent something girls were supposed to be good at and not boys? NO - it is irrelevant, but his talent shown was tap dancing. However, tap dancing has nothing to do with the secret-embarrassment. Note: I literally did not know what his winning talent was until I looked into it today. I just knew he won a talent contest. > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Is the embarrassment related directly with the talent Roger displayed to win the contest? > > NO > > Was the followup event one to recognize winning the contest? > > NO > > Is the nature of the followup event relevant? > > The “followup event” (if we are referring to the same thing) is the thing he was embarrassed about, so 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 30, 2020, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2773 "2020-04-30T12:38:07Z")
**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?** Roger won a talent contest and, as a result, was eligible to attend an event where his embarrassing secret/incident happened. Did Roger do something at the event that caused the incident? Was it an individual act, or did he participate in the incident with a group? Did Roger simply witness an embarrassing incident? Was Roger’s mere presence at the event the embarrassment? ---
**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 30, 2020, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2774 "2020-04-30T12:44:43Z")
So, a massively famous person who is not Roger was involved: Was this famous person present at the original contest? At the subsequent event? Did Roger ever meet this person? Was the potentially-embarrassing nickname related to this person? Was the famous person an entertainer? A politician? Famous for something generally regarded as negative (like being involved in a scandal)? Or positive? ---
**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 30, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2775 "2020-04-30T13:56:39Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Did Roger do something at the event that caused the incident? > > YES > > Was it an individual act, or did he participate in the incident with a group? > > It was something he did, but many people were involved. > Did Roger simply witness an embarrassing incident? > > NO > > Was Roger’s mere presence at the event the embarrassment? > > NO > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > So, a massively famous person who is not Roger was involved: > > Was this famous person present at the original contest? > > NO > > At the subsequent event? > > PROBABLY > > Did Roger ever meet this person? > > PROBABLY > > Was the potentially-embarrassing nickname related to this person? > > NO > > Was the famous person an entertainer? > > YES > > A politician? > > NO > > Famous for something generally regarded as negative (like being involved in a scandal)? Or positive? > > POSITIVE kk ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2776 "2020-04-30T15:15:03Z")
Did the embarrassing event occur while Roger was still a child? Was the embarrassing event broadcast? Was the embarrassing event scripted or otherwise planned in advance? ---
**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 30, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2777 "2020-04-30T15:44:20Z")
Other people were involved in the incident, were they working with Roger in causing the incident or were they otherwise involved, either as spectators or victims of the incident? Was the incident considered embarrassing at the time, or only in hindsight? Was the incident a famous event in any way? Is the notoriety of the incident the cause for embarrassment? Was the incident accidental? ---
**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 30, 2020, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2778 "2020-04-30T16:03:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Did the embarrassing event occur while Roger was still a child? > > **YES** > > Was the embarrassing event broadcast? > > **YES - (later)** > > Was the embarrassing event scripted or otherwise planned in advance? > > **Scripted, but not scripted to be embarrassing.** > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Other people were involved in the incident, were they working with Roger in causing the incident or were they otherwise involved, either as spectators or victims of the incident? > > \*\*They were working to cause it, but not to make it embarrassing. \*\* > > Was the incident considered embarrassing at the time, or only in hindsight? > > **HINDSIGHT only** > > Was the incident a famous event in any way? Is the notoriety of the incident the cause for embarrassment? > > **1. Yes, very famous. > 2. It has ZERO notoriety at all, so NO.** > > Was the incident accidental? > \*\* > NO - incident may not be the right word. Let me restate below\*\* Roger won a talent contest. Because of that, he was part of something(call that the “incident”) that was, in hindsight, embarrassing to him. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2779 "2020-04-30T17:32:39Z")
Was the famous person also a tapdancer? Did Roger resemble the famous person? Did Roger do something that he didn’t realize was a social taboo at the time? (wore blackface, mocked Asians, etc) ---
**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 30, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2780 "2020-04-30T20:10:08Z")
Was the event a live show put on in front of an audience? ---
**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 30, 2020, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2781 "2020-04-30T20:50:39Z")
Would other people involved in the Incident have also found it embarrassing in retrospect? If so, for the same reasons as Roger? Was the Incident embarrassing-in-retrospect because of: Changes in social mores? Changes in language use / slang? Changes in the public image of some person involved? Some intervening historical event? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=138) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=140)