# Lateral Thinking Puzzles - third time is best! **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 18, 2023, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214 "2023-07-18T13:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/181 "2023-07-25T22:41:13Z")
Are the circumstances of the supply loading the thing (or one of the things) that makes this notable? (For example, rescuing irreplaceable supplies from a burning warehouse, or from a flood up to his shoulders, or while taking fire from an enemy overrunning the place, or . . . whatever?) Is the destination of the supplies relevant? ---
**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:** [July 25, 2023, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/182 "2023-07-25T22:42:26Z")
Is he human? Is he a bear? ---
**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:** [July 25, 2023, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/183 "2023-07-25T22:50:07Z")
Answer below > [@dirtball](#): > > Are the circumstances of the supply loading the thing (or one of the things) that makes this notable? (For example, rescuing irreplaceable supplies from a burning warehouse, or from a flood up to his shoulders, or while taking fire from an enemy overrunning the place, or . . . whatever?) **no** > > Is the destination of the supplies relevant? **no** ---
**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:** [July 25, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/184 "2023-07-25T23:02:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is he human? **no** > > Is he a bear? **YES!** And that does it. The soldier in question is [Wojtek](https://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/wojtek-the-bear-that-joined-the-polish-army-and-fought-the-nazis-a-844056.html) . Rescued as a cub by a young boy in Iran, Wojtek was adopted by Poland’s 22nd Artillery Supply Company in 1942. In 1944, the company was being shipped to Italy to support the action there, and the port would only allow active duty soldiers to make the trip. Wojtek was thus officially enlisted into the company as a private, with all his papers in order, he was allowed to take the trip. In the Battle of Monte Cassino he was observed loading trucks with ordinance (accounts vary as to whether it was artillery shells or mortar rounds) and his legend was cemented. He received a promotion to Corporal, and when the war was over accompanied his fellow soldiers to Scotland. He stayed in Scotland at the Edinburgh Zoo rather than be shipped back to communist Poland. He remained a celebrity at the Zoo, did some TV appearances, and remains celebrated in Poland with numerous statues, and is the official emblem for his old unit, a bear carrying an artillery shell. ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/185 "2023-07-28T14:09:51Z")
**Jim was so good at his job, he lost $6 million. Why?** ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/186 "2023-07-28T14:30:19Z")
Did Jim physically lose the money? Was the $6 million actual cash? Is Jim an accountant? Was Jim doing some kind of cost-cutting procedure? Did this have something to do with currency devaluation? ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/187 "2023-07-28T14:33:30Z")
Was losing the money what he was supposed to do? Was it his intent, but not what he was supposed to do? ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/188 "2023-07-28T14:49:53Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Did Jim physically lose the money? > > **NO.** > Was the $6 million actual cash? > > **It’s real money, but no, not paper-cash.** > > Is Jim an accountant? > **NO** > Was Jim doing some kind of cost-cutting procedure? > **NO** > Did this have something to do with currency devaluation? > \*\* > > > [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > > > Was losing the money what he was supposed to do? > > > > **NO** > > > > Was it his intent, but not what he was supposed to do? > > > > **NO, he wanted the money and was supposed to get it.** > > \*\* Word count. ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/189 "2023-07-28T14:54:06Z")
Was being good at his job what put him in a position to gain/lose that money? Was there some kind of game or contest involved? Trading stocks? Is Jim a politician? ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/190 "2023-07-28T14:55:58Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Was being good at his job what put him in a position to gain/lose that money? > > **YES** > > Was there some kind of game or contest involved? > > **YES** > > Trading stocks? > > **NO** > > Is Jim a politician? > > **NO** Good questions. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/191 "2023-07-28T15:45:51Z")
Did Jim get something else instead of the money? Did Jim get the money back? ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/192 "2023-07-28T17:00:05Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Did Jim get something else instead of the money? > > **NO** > > Did Jim get the money back? > > NO, he never got the $6 million. Word count. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/193 "2023-07-28T17:13:24Z")
Was Jim working under cover? Was he acting as a saboteur. ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/194 "2023-07-28T17:14:05Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was Jim working under cover? Was he acting as a saboteur **No, but great thought.** ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/195 "2023-07-28T17:15:48Z")
Did he lose the money gambling? In a failed business venture? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/196 "2023-07-28T17:18:36Z")
Was the loss of 6 million dollars better than the anticipated loss? ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/197 "2023-07-28T17:40:25Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Did he lose the money gambling? In a failed business venture? 1. No gambling at all. 2. Business venture? I’ll say “NO”, but a badly planned business venture is involved if I understand that concept correctly. > [@kayaker](#): > > Was the loss of 6 million dollars better than the anticipated loss? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/198 "2023-07-28T17:42:10Z")
Was Jim on a game show? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/199 "2023-07-28T17:46:38Z")
If a guy with no special knack for Jim’s job had magically been swapped in for Jim at the relevant time, do you figure he’d have lost more than six million, or less, or done pretty much the same? ---
**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:** [July 28, 2023, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/200 "2023-07-28T17:52:27Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Was Jim on a game show? **NO** , but I’m sure he was televised at some point. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > If a guy with no special knack for Jim’s job had magically been swapped in for Jim at the relevant time, do you figure he’d have lost more than six million, or less, or done pretty much the same? **I think they would be dead or earn absolutely zero dollars. Jim was exceptionally good at his job.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=11)