# 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:** 109
**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 3, 2024, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2161 "2024-07-03T20:23:02Z")
reply to dirtball: Does he prepare the green tea as he would if he were going to drink it and then use the liquid for something? No Does he do some kind of other off-label preparation? No Or does he use the “virginal” tea leaves and/or teabags as-is? Neither. ---
**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 3, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2162 "2024-07-03T20:24:04Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Does John use green tea for something other than drinking? Yes. First thing in the morning John likes using green tea for something other than drinking. I really hope it’s not an enema. Please tell me it’s not that. This idea has unfortunately crowded out all other ideas in my head. ---
**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 3, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2163 "2024-07-03T20:25:43Z")
Does he make green tea because he likes the pleasing aroma that fills the kitchen? ETA: A good follow-up to the enema question. 🤣 ---
**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 3, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2164 "2024-07-03T20:31:40Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Is this to do with time zones? Perhaps the price of green tea is set in an Eastern Country and the price of black tea in in the west and John is some sort of trader or buyer. No. John usually goes to sleep at 11pm and gets up at 7am. ---
**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 3, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2165 "2024-07-03T20:32:47Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > First thing in the morning John likes using green tea for something other than drinking. I really hope it’s not an enema. Please tell me it’s not that. > > This idea has unfortunately crowded out all other ideas in my head. Yikes. No. ---
**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 3, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2166 "2024-07-03T20:33:41Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Does he make green tea because he likes the pleasing aroma that fills the kitchen? No. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2024, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2167 "2024-07-03T20:37:14Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > John usually goes to sleep at 11pm and gets up at 7am Are these specific times relevant? Or are you just providing some colour? ---
**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 3, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2168 "2024-07-03T20:44:58Z")
Fiendish\_Astronaut: Are these specific times relevant? Or are you just providing some colour? Just trying to sneak a hint in that would not be helpful if John lived in California instead of North Carolina. So while this is not about time zones they come into play. ---
**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 3, 2024, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2169 "2024-07-03T21:58:34Z")
Just to clarify and be fair, the tea my tutor brother “generally” prefers to drink is black, not green. The morning tea he uses is not a drink or leaves. He hopes that tea will be green. ---
**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 3, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2170 "2024-07-03T22:05:12Z")
Is there anything relevantly unusual about his use of black tea? The green tea that he uses: Is it in liquid form at the time? Does he prepare it (in whatever way) himself for use, or does he buy it already prepared? Is the tea consumed (by which I mean “used up”, not necessarily “ingested”) by his use of it? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2024, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2171 "2024-07-03T22:43:09Z")
Does he want to have the green tea so he can provide it to somebody else? ---
**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 3, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2172 "2024-07-03T22:58:23Z")
reply to Chronos: Is there anything relevantly unusual about his use of black tea? No. The green tea that he uses: Is it in liquid form at the time? No. Does he prepare it (in whatever way) himself for use, or does he buy it already prepared? Neither. Is the tea consumed (by which I mean “used up”, not necessarily “ingested”) by his use of it? No ---
**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 3, 2024, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2173 "2024-07-03T23:02:28Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Does he want to have the green tea so he can provide it to somebody else? No. He is just happy when as much of his tea is green as possible first thing in the morning. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2024, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2174 "2024-07-03T23:10:35Z")
Is he using the tea for a culinary purpose other than drinking it, e.g., as an ingredient in a recipe? Is he using the tea for some non-culinary household purpose? (Like, say, housecleaning ingredient or insect repellent?) A professional purpose? Is he making art with tea? Doing some sort of science project with it? Is the green tea physically in his possession when he “has” it? Is it in his home? Is the tea green because it’s a live plant? ---
**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 3, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2175 "2024-07-03T23:13:25Z")
So, to be clear: Your brother is a tea drinker, who drinks it in basically normal ways, and for drinking purposes, he prefers black (though he might still drink green tea if black weren’t available). In addition to this, he also has some other, unusual, way that he uses tea, but only in the morning. Although black tea could be used for this mysterious purpose, he prefers green for it. Is his use of green tea… Medicinal? Cosmetic? Hygenical? ---
**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 3, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2176 "2024-07-03T23:24:38Z")
reply to Fretful\_Porpentine: Is he using the tea for a culinary purpose other than drinking it, e.g., as an ingredient in a recipe? No Is he using the tea for some non-culinary household purpose? (Like, say, housecleaning ingredient or insect repellent?) No. A professional purpose? No Is he making art with tea? Doing some sort of science project with it? No to both. Is the green tea physically in his possession when he “has” it? Is it in his home? I am not sure how to answer this I guess he has it in his home, but not physically… Is the tea green because it’s a live plant? No. ---
**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 3, 2024, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2177 "2024-07-03T23:32:00Z")
reply to Chronos: So, to be clear: Your brother is a tea drinker, who drinks it in basically normal ways, and for drinking purposes, he prefers black (though he might still drink green tea if black weren’t available). Yes In addition to this, he also has some other, unusual, way that he uses tea, but only in the morning. Yes, but not that unusual. Though I do not use tea that way!.Although black tea could be used for this mysterious purpose, he prefers green for it. No, not exactly. He just hopes his tea is green in the morning. Is his use of green tea… Medicinal? Cosmetic? Hygenical? No to all. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2178 "2024-07-03T23:48:20Z")
Is the packet (or some other container) his regular black tea comes in green in color? Is his tea sometimes a color other than green in the mornings? Is he growing tea? ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2179 "2024-07-03T23:48:34Z")
Is the tea virtual, such as part of a computer game or similar? ---
**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 3, 2024, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2180 "2024-07-03T23:52:07Z")
reply to SurrenderDorothy: Is the packet (or some other container) his regular black tea comes in green in color? No. Is his tea sometimes a color other than green in the mornings? Yes. Is he growing tea? No. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=108) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=110)