# 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:** 135
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2024, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2681 "2024-10-11T00:37:45Z")
Do you think that they changed their names to make them more easy to pronounce by either their employer or the other employees? Do you think that they changed their names to make them more easy to remember by either their employer or the other employees? ---
**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:** [October 11, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2682 "2024-10-11T00:46:29Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Do you think that they changed their names to make them more easy to pronounce by either their employer or the other employees? No, their own names might be just as easy to pronounce. Or even _easier_ to pronounce. > [@](#): > > Do you think that they changed their names to make them more easy to remember by either their employer or the other employees? I don’t believe that was the goal. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2024, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2683 "2024-10-11T01:47:30Z")
was the name a connection to the place they worked. Like if they worked at a “Snow white” themed restaurant, the employees would be named: Doc, Grumpy, Happy etc. So is there some similar connection between the place and their name? “I work at the Halloween Dinner Theatre; my name is Frank N. Stein.” ---
**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:** [October 11, 2024, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2684 "2024-10-11T01:48:57Z")
No, nothing like that. Should I just mention one of the names? ---
**Author:** ![Nauplius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nauplius/32/51_2.png) [@Nauplius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nauplius)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2685 "2024-10-11T17:28:56Z")
When they gave you the information did they pronounce something in a way that made you suspect they wouldn’t normally pronounce the name the way they did? ---
**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:** [October 11, 2024, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2686 "2024-10-11T17:31:35Z")
No, the pronunciation was unremarkable. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2687 "2024-10-11T17:37:09Z")
Might the employees have adopted fake names that stand out better and are more easily recognized than ordinary names in the midst of a bunch of background noise and chatter and hustle and bustle and whatnot, if they have to get one another’s attention? ---
**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:** [October 11, 2024, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2688 "2024-10-11T17:41:32Z")
Nope. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2024, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2689 "2024-10-11T22:08:33Z")
Are the employees using other names because their real names might be confused for some other word / name? Were you able to draw any conclusions about what the employee’s real name actually _was_? Or just that it was something other than the name they gave you? ---
**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:** [October 11, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2690 "2024-10-11T23:03:56Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Are the employees using other names because their real names might be confused for some other word / name? No. > [@](#): > > Were you able to draw any conclusions about what the employee’s real name actually _was_? No; like I’d said at the outset, the name the employee gave may actually _be_ their real name — but I’d bet money that, no, it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2024, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2691 "2024-10-12T01:14:18Z")
Did you suspect that they were using a pseudonym because the name that they were using had some property that you found too coincidental to be by chance? (like Orville handing out popcorn even if it wasn’t that) Did you suspect they were using a pseudonym because the name that they were using didn’t seem to fit them in some way? (like a man having a woman’s name) ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2692 "2024-10-12T01:21:41Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Did you suspect that they were using a pseudonym because the name that they were using had some property that you found too coincidental to be by chance? (like Orville handing out popcorn even if it wasn’t that) > > Did you suspect they were using a pseudonym because the name that they were using didn’t seem to fit them in some way? (like a man having a woman’s name) I think I can answer both of these by just mentioning one of the names. Should I? ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2693 "2024-10-12T03:01:31Z")
athe name some sort of pun, like Sam Fransisco, or Jim Shu? ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2694 "2024-10-12T12:53:01Z")
No, not a pun. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2695 "2024-10-12T13:05:52Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Did you suspect that they were using a pseudonym because the name that they were using had some property that you found too coincidental to be by chance? (like Orville handing out popcorn even if it wasn’t that) > > Did you suspect they were using a pseudonym because the name that they were using didn’t seem to fit them in some way? (like a man having a woman’s name As far as I can tell, the name doesn’t suggest anything “like Orville handing out popcorn” (be it “Bud” serving beers, or “Penny” making change, or whatever) and isn’t a mismatch when it comes to sex or gender or the like. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2696 "2024-10-12T15:36:10Z")
Would the hypothetical reason for the alleged fake names have anything at all to do with making the job easier, more efficient, etc.? Would it have anything to do with customer expectations? Would it be simply for amusement value? ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2697 "2024-10-12T16:12:09Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Would the hypothetical reason for the alleged fake names have anything at all to do with making the job easier, more efficient, etc.? > Would it have anything to do with customer expectations? > Would it be simply for amusement value? I’d have say the goal would involve — making it easier to do an amusement-value part of a job? But, as for customer expectations: if you’d asked me, before I was given a name, what I expected to hear — well, I suppose I would’ve said something like, _“uh, no; you could tell me that he’s Al or Ben or Charlie or Doug or Eddie or whatever and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised; oh, and is there a young woman in the next room who also works here? Same idea: you could tell me she’s Faith or Gwen or Helen or Isabel or Jamie; none of those would run afoul of my expectations either.”_ ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2698 "2024-10-12T20:14:30Z")
Were they working somewhere, or in some other circumstance such that, you would have expected their actual names not to be Anglicized? ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2699 "2024-10-12T20:31:47Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Were they working somewhere, or in some other circumstance such that, you would have expected their actual names not to be Anglicized? No, the location (and other circumstances) would’ve been a perfect fit for the names that were given. But maybe I’m misunderstanding your question? I thought I’d done a pretty solid job of addressing this with my latest post: I’d said that, if I’d been asked to guess their names before any introductions got made, I may well have shrugged and suggested anything from “Al” to “Jamie” as a possibility — which is to say, precisely _because_ I wouldn’t have been surprised if any of those turned out to be the name I was about to hear. (And, per a question that got asked upthread: if I’d instead met her at a party, and been told that her name was Jamie, well, then, I — would’ve simply accepted it at face value, as such a thing wouldn’t be at all unexpected.) ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2700 "2024-10-12T20:35:29Z")
Would it be fair to say the names were part of a bigger scheme to project a fictitious image to customers or an audience? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=134) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=136)