# 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:** 147
**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 15, 2025, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2921 "2025-03-15T10:39:04Z")
. > [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Did the kids take advantage of fuel rationing to market their own at-home tourist attraction? 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 15, 2025, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2922 "2025-03-15T11:19:17Z")
Was there a third party involved? Was there a third party that DID hear the cat meow? I have no clue what that involves but if the customer didn’t hear the meow then what would the meowing do? Like maybe a shopkeeper opens the door to let the cat in and people walking by pay Nancy and Sluggo for the blast of A/C? Is it that? ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2923 "2025-03-15T12:02:25Z")
And, just to be clear: it’s not “the cat’s meow” as a figure of speech, right? It’s the literal meow of a cat? ---
**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 15, 2025, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2924 "2025-03-15T12:05:38Z")
reply to Saint\_Cad: Was there a third party involved? Yes. Was there a third party that DID hear the cat meow? Yes I have no clue what that involves but if the customer didn’t hear the meow then what would the meowing do? Like maybe a shopkeeper opens the door to let the cat in and people walking by pay Nancy and Sluggo for the blast of A/C? Is it that? 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 15, 2025, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2925 "2025-03-15T12:06:37Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > And, just to be clear: it’s not “the cat’s meow” as a figure of speech, right? It’s the literal meow of a cat? Literal meow. ---
**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 15, 2025, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2926 "2025-03-15T14:51:19Z")
Is the cat hidden by the blanket? Or is it camoflauged by the blanket, like swaddled like a baby? ---
**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 15, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2927 "2025-03-15T17:27:50Z")
- > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Is the cat hidden by the blanket? > Or is it camoflauged by the blanket, like swaddled like a baby? No to all. ---
**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 15, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2928 "2025-03-15T17:46:44Z")
Wait!!! Does this have anything to do with that mid-century trope where a tomcat is yowling on a fence in an alley at night and some guy throws a shoe at it to get it to shut up. ISTG that I saw a comic where a cat did that and the last panel it is happily walking off with the show. Is that the thing of which it is? ---
**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 15, 2025, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2929 "2025-03-15T17:52:55Z")
- > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Wait!!! > Does this have anything to do with that mid-century trope where a tomcat is yowling on a fence in an alley at night and some guy throws a shoe at it to get it to shut up. > > ISTG that I saw a comic where a cat did that and the last panel it is happily walking off with the show. Is that the thing of which it is? Hurrah! You got it! The kids saw a sign advertising payment for used shoes. As shoes were rationed at the time there was a good market for used shoes. The kids put the cat on a fence at night, it meowed loudly, and they caught the many shoes thrown at the cat in the spread out blanket. Ka-ching! Instant used shoes to sell! Excellent Saint\_Cad! Thanks to all who played. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2930 "2025-03-15T18:05:20Z")
Jiminy christmas…I can finally sleep well tonight. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2931 "2025-03-15T20:00:13Z")
Amazing. I couldn’t think of a thing, all the way through. I kept checking in, looking at the questions and answers, and thinking 'still no idea at all . … ’ ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2932 "2025-03-15T22:00:09Z")
I totally forgot that cats used to be outside cats by default! ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2933 "2025-03-15T22:35:04Z")
Or at least indoor-outdoor cats. And some people apparently let the cats in the house during the day and then put them outside for the night, apparently under the impression that cats are nocturnal. (They’re crepuscular; but IME most adapt fairly well to their humans’ schedules.) ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2934 "2025-03-16T03:22:03Z")
**Conditions made things hard to see, so a man had to wear overalls. Why?** ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2935 "2025-03-16T15:34:36Z")
were “conditions” weather conditions? Monetary/economic conditions? military conditions? social/political conditions? Was the man in the US? ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2936 "2025-03-16T15:36:27Z")
were “conditions” weather conditions? Monetary/economic conditions? military conditions? social/political conditions? **None of these** Was the man in the US? **No (at the time, anyway)** ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2937 "2025-03-16T15:49:39Z")
Did the conditions make a _specific_ set or category of “things” hard to see? Or was it just hard to see in general? Was he wearing overalls: – as protective clothing of some sort? – because they were easier to put on / remove than other kinds of clothing? – because they made it easier for other people to see him? – in order to signal something (e.g., that he was a member of a work crew and not just some random dude)? Does the color of the overalls matter? Does the man’s profession matter? ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2938 "2025-03-16T15:54:42Z")
Did the conditions make a _specific_ set or category of “things” hard to see? Or was it just hard to see in general? **In general** Was he wearing overalls: – as protective clothing of some sort? – because they were easier to put on / remove than other kinds of clothing? – because they made it easier for other people to see him? **This one** – in order to signal something (e.g., that he was a member of a work crew and not just some random dude)? Does the color of the overalls matter? **Kind of.** Does the man’s profession matter? **To this situation, not really. But if I told you his profession you might get an idea!** ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2939 "2025-03-16T16:01:39Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > were “conditions” weather conditions? > Monetary/economic conditions? > military conditions? > social/political conditions? **None of these** _medical_ conditions? ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/2940 "2025-03-16T16:02:13Z")
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