# 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:** 144
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2861 "2025-03-13T18:47:43Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Is the usefulness of the cat as a replacement for X related to its production of body heat? No. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2862 "2025-03-13T18:47:53Z")
was the rationed item a food item or a non-food item? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2863 "2025-03-13T18:48:14Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Was the “product” produced somehow from the cat purring? 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:** [March 13, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2864 "2025-03-13T18:48:51Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > was the rationed item a food item or a non-food item? Not a food item. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2865 "2025-03-13T18:49:59Z")
Just to make sure it wasn’t the standard cat/toast meme… Did it involve the cat spinning while falling with buttered toast on its back to run an electric generator? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2866 "2025-03-13T18:54:30Z")
. > [@Sigene](#): > > Just to make sure it wasn’t the standard cat/toast meme… > > Did it involve the cat spinning while falling with buttered toast on its back to run an electric generator? Say whuh… ??? … NO. You kid me right? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2867 "2025-03-13T19:03:38Z")
You’ve not heard of: > **[Buttered cat paradox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttered_cat_paradox)** > > The buttered cat paradox is a common joke based on the combination of two adages: > The paradox arises when one considers what would happen if one attached a piece of buttered toast (butter side up) to the back of a cat, then dropped the cat from a large height. The buttered cat paradox, submitted by artist John Frazee of Kingston, New York, won a 1993 Omni magazine competition about paradoxes. The basic premise, stating the conditions of the cat and bread and posed as a question, was presented in... ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2868 "2025-03-13T19:07:14Z")
That is friggin hilarious. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2869 "2025-03-13T19:21:52Z")
Typical cat behavior… is it related to: Licking/grooming Stretching Swatting/scratching Climbing Ignoring people Playing with mice or toys (no lasers in 1943!) Having 9 lives Hating dogs Poofing when scared Meowing Using a sandbox Making little cats ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2870 "2025-03-13T19:30:38Z")
reply to Cheesesteak: Typical cat behavior… is it related to: Licking/grooming No Stretching No Swatting/scratching No Climbing No Ignoring people No Playing with mice or toys (no lasers in 1943!) No Having 9 lives No Hating dogs No Poofing when scared No Meowing Yes Using a sandbox No Making little cats No ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2871 "2025-03-13T19:35:31Z")
So a cat meowing made money for Nancy and Sluggo due to the rationing (due to WW2) of a finished object (not raw material) that is not food? Just a specific finished object or multiple objects? Like just a dishwasher or a dishwasher/clotheswasher/shower/&c. that all use water. ETA: An alarm clock? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2872 "2025-03-13T19:39:27Z")
reply to Saint\_Cad: So a cat meowing made money for Nancy and Sluggo due to the rationing (due to WW2) of a finished object (not raw material) that is not food? Yes Just a specific finished object or multiple objects? Like just a dishwasher or a dishwasher/clotheswasher/shower/&c. that all use water. specific finished object . ETA: An alarm clock? No ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2873 "2025-03-13T19:53:04Z")
Horn on a car? instead of the rubber bulb to squeeze ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2874 "2025-03-13T20:02:37Z")
. > [@Sigene](#): > > Horn on a car? instead of the rubber bulb to squeeze No ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2875 "2025-03-13T20:19:22Z")
Summary: A cat’s meow is a finished product for a WWII rationed item that is not food. Is this summary correct? I’ll add a question…is this a rationed item in the US? or a different country? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2876 "2025-03-13T20:28:48Z")
reply to Sigene: Summary: A cat’s meow is a finished product for a WWII rationed item that is not food. Is this summary correct? No. I’ll add a question…is this a rationed item in the US? Yes.or a different country? No. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2877 "2025-03-13T20:30:14Z")
A doorbell? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2878 "2025-03-13T20:34:25Z")
. > [@iamatractorboy](#): > > A doorbell? No ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2879 "2025-03-13T21:31:14Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Were pillows or slippers or hot water bottles ever rationed? Not sure about all of these. Shortages of materials made many items completely unavailable. One site I just checked said that slippers and sandals simply disappeared from all stores at the time. If the hot water bottles were made from needed material, I would guess they might be unavailable. Pillows… if the material was needed for the war, maybe? > > Is it of those things of which I said? > Not exactly, but I don’t think I can say firmly no. I’m stumped. So this is an item that’s somehow at least vaguely similar to pillows, slippers, and/or hot water bottles, none of which make noise. Yet the cat’s ability to meow is the crucial factor which makes it possible for it to substitute for this item. Is that right? ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2880 "2025-03-13T21:33:04Z")
Right. I just discounted my latest guess because of that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=143) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=145)