# 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:** 173
**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 21, 2025, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3441 "2025-06-21T12:01:28Z")
Making cheese ? ---
**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 21, 2025, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3442 "2025-06-21T12:29:58Z")
Are invertebrates relevant? ---
**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 21, 2025, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3443 "2025-06-21T13:00:50Z")
Are you using it for something related to gardening? Home maintenance? (Non-human) animals? ---
**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 21, 2025, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3444 "2025-06-21T14:41:48Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > **Later this summer, my neighbors might catch me using my vibrator in the backyard. What am I up to?**. Is it a massage tool? ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2025, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3445 "2025-06-21T15:07:01Z")
Are you trying to compress dirt? ---
**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 21, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3446 "2025-06-21T16:57:39Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > Making cheese ? **No** > [@Chronos](#): > > Are invertebrates relevant? **No** (well, not directly) > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Are you using it for something related to gardening? Home maintenance? (Non-human) animals? **Gardening** > [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is it a massage tool? If you mean “am I using it to massage myself”, **No** > [@SunUp](#): > > Are you trying to compress dirt? **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:** [June 21, 2025, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3447 "2025-06-21T17:18:24Z")
Compress gravel? Paver base? Concrete? I’m guessing: Are you making a path? Are you making a patio? ---
**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 21, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3448 "2025-06-21T17:20:58Z")
Are you using to to make an automated soil sieve/sifter ? ---
**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 21, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3449 "2025-06-21T17:28:29Z")
**None of those.** ---
**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:** [June 21, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3450 "2025-06-21T20:03:51Z")
Something to do with worms ---
**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 21, 2025, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3451 "2025-06-21T21:06:13Z")
Smoothing out the ground? Digging a ditch? ---
**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 22, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3452 "2025-06-22T01:48:27Z")
Does the vibrator come into contact with a plant? With the soil? Is it useful for gardening purposes because it vibrates? Because of the sound it makes? Because of its shape / look? ---
**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 22, 2025, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3453 "2025-06-22T02:50:49Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Something to do with worms **No** > [@Mahaloth](#): > > Smoothing out the ground? > > Digging a ditch? **No to both.** > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Does the vibrator come into contact with a plant? With the soil? **Yes, with a plant.** > [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Is it useful for gardening purposes because it vibrates? Because of the sound it makes? Because of its shape / look? **Because it vibrates.** ---
**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:** [June 22, 2025, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3454 "2025-06-22T03:21:22Z")
Anything to do with pollination? ---
**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 22, 2025, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3455 "2025-06-22T03:58:49Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Yes, with a plant. Weed(s)? Flower(s)? Grass(es)? Cactus(i)? > [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Because it vibrates. Are you trying to get pollen out of the plant? Seeds? ---
**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:** [June 22, 2025, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3456 "2025-06-22T04:13:28Z")
Imitating a woodpecker? ---
**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 22, 2025, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3457 "2025-06-22T13:10:22Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Anything to do with pollination? **Yes.** > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Weed(s)? > Flower(s)? > Grass(es)? > Cactus(i)? **Flowers** (That is, I’m using it on the flowers of a particular plant.) Now that you’ve basically got it, what am I trying to accomplish? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2025, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3458 "2025-06-22T13:48:29Z")
collecting pollen from plants (corn?) to brush on selected flowers to get the variety of fruit/grain you are desiring? ---
**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:** [June 22, 2025, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3459 "2025-06-22T14:07:25Z")
Persuading a plant to set seed which won’t do so without vibrations caused by or mimicking the effect of a natural pollinating creature disturbing the flower? (help. If that’s right, I don’t have one ready; and my one attempt at coming up with one of these puzzles was an instantly-solved failure.) ---
**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 22, 2025, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3460 "2025-06-22T14:12:30Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Persuading a plant to set seed which won’t do so without vibrations caused by or mimicking the effect of a natural pollinating creature disturbing the flower? **That’s it.** I’m growing tomatoes, which can self-pollinate but need a bit of a shake to do so. Turns out, a vibrator is ideal for pollinating tomatoes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=172) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=174)