# 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:** 171
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3401 "2025-06-19T16:15:50Z")
Choir director? Singer? Organist? Player of another musical instrument? Was there any music-related content / terminology in the text? When this person is absent from church, does anything about the service happen differently from the congregation’s point of view? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3402 "2025-06-19T16:27:36Z")
Did the person use a phrase unique to them (that they use but no one else does) like wishing your mom “a million blessings”? > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Was there any music-related content / terminology in the text? If yes, was there a song associated with birthdays like “Happy Birthday” on the pipe organ? Was there reference to a song special to your mom? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3403 "2025-06-19T16:35:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Callout to @Mahaloth , @Biotop , @Saint_Cad, in case they didn’t notice that a new puzzle is up. I’m following. Not sue on a question right now. Thanks. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3404 "2025-06-19T17:37:47Z")
Is it something to do with an official auto-generated signature line ? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3405 "2025-06-19T17:42:13Z")
Choir director? Singer? Organist? Player of another musical instrument? Pianist, but organist is close enough. Was there any music-related content / terminology in the text? No. When this person is absent from church, does anything about the service happen differently from the congregation’s point of view? Yes. Did the person use a phrase unique to them (that they use but no one else does) like wishing your mom “a million blessings”? No. If yes, was there a song associated with birthdays like “Happy Birthday” on the pipe organ? Was there reference to a song special to your mom? No to both. Is it something to do with an official auto-generated signature line ? 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:** [June 19, 2025, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3406 "2025-06-19T18:30:39Z")
Did they play happy birthday music in the text? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3407 "2025-06-19T18:47:29Z")
Did the texter ask for a response? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3408 "2025-06-19T19:16:06Z")
No to both. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3409 "2025-06-19T19:19:27Z")
Did the texter mention anything about the activities being done at the upcoming service or about the next week’s service, when he would be back? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3410 "2025-06-19T19:23:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > When this person is absent from church, does anything about the service happen differently from the congregation’s point of view? > Yes. Did the texter mention the something different that would happen because they weren’t there ? (sort of what **Cheesesteak** said) ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3411 "2025-06-19T19:45:49Z")
Did the texter mention anything about the activities being done at the upcoming service or about the next week’s service, when he would be back? No (and we already established that the texter was female). Did the texter mention the something different that would happen because they weren’t there ? No. ---
**Author:** ![SailorHG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SailorHG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SailorHG)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3412 "2025-06-19T20:28:56Z")
Is your mother also involved in the church music somehow? - Substiture pianist? - Member of the choir? - Choir director - Harp/violin/guitar/drum/accordian accompanyist? Would the regular pianist being absent mean that music practice was cancelled that week? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3413 "2025-06-19T20:30:37Z")
Is your mother also involved in the church music somehow? No. Would the regular pianist being absent mean that music practice was cancelled that week? I don’t know. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3414 "2025-06-19T20:54:27Z")
Did the texter use an emoji that gave it away? (e.g. a piano)? Did you already know that there would be a different musician that week? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3415 "2025-06-19T22:38:49Z")
You knew from the text that the texter would not be at church that week, correct? Did you also notice / hear that the pianist was absent, and conclude that the text came from the pianist for this reason? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3416 "2025-06-19T23:22:51Z")
Is there a music event nearby where a person might be going? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3417 "2025-06-19T23:26:14Z")
Was there a request by someone for the pianist to play happy birthday for your mom but she was unable to perform because she wouldn’t be there. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3418 "2025-06-19T23:36:04Z")
I don’t think we covered this. Is the sender being the pianist part of how you knew? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3419 "2025-06-19T23:50:13Z")
Did the texter use an emoji that gave it away? (e.g. a piano)? Did you already know that there would be a different musician that week? No to both. You knew from the text that the texter would not be at church that week, correct? Correct. Did you also notice / hear that the pianist was absent, and conclude that the text came from the pianist for this reason? No. Is there a music event nearby where a person might be going? No. Was there a request by someone for the pianist to play happy birthday for your mom but she was unable to perform because she wouldn’t be there. No. I don’t think we covered this. Is the sender being the pianist part of how you knew? Yes. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2025, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3420 "2025-06-20T00:05:45Z")
Was there any sort of wordplay used in the text? Or other type of joke or cleverness? Did the text make a direct reference to music that might be played in church? An indirect reference? Did the text make a direct reference to the act of playing music in church? An indirect reference? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=170) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=172)