# 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:** 185
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3681 "2025-07-29T13:16:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Was actors leaving the show relevant? 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:** [July 29, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3682 "2025-07-29T13:17:14Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Another thought: is censorship relevant in any way? > > (The specific scenario I’m thinking about: Was there a Hays Code-type rule that you could _depict_ a characte doing X on TV, but it had to have negative consequences within the plot – you couldn’t just show them doing X and living happily ever after? And in the course of the painting plot, Carol or Tony did X?) No ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3683 "2025-07-29T13:53:38Z")
OK, so another angle: you’ve said this scenario would be unlikely with a TV show made today, _even if_ it were set in the same historical era as the original show, with the _characters_ having 1960s-70s technology and social mores, correct? Is this because: – The creators of a modern show have access to technology that the original show’s creators didn’t? – Some other aspect of how shows are cast / filmed / produced has changed? – Social customs and attitudes have changed? (If yes: in a way that would make it unnecessary for the characters to break up if the show were being made today?) – Audience expectations have changed? (If yes: because modern audiences wouldn’t demand / expect that the characters break up? Because they would find the whole plot line too cliched / predictable / ridiculous to use in the first place?) ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3684 "2025-07-29T13:56:50Z")
I’m going to summarize what I think we have so far. 4 players, Carol, Tony, Painter, Paintee (woman X), Soap Opera tv show. In the plot, Carol and Tony breakup because Carol thinks Tony is cheating on her with X. The real reason has nothing to do with the stated plot, or future plotlines for the characters. The reason IS a direct result of the painting storyline, and is related to production issues, but not actors leaving the show. The audience knows something about character X that Carol doesn’t, and it helps to know more about the character X. Would it help to know anything about the painter either as a character or the actor? Will any of the actors or characters appear on spinoff shows? Is it related to the physical painting itself? ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3685 "2025-07-29T14:13:55Z")
reply to Fretful\_Porpentine: OK, so another angle: you’ve said this scenario would be unlikely with a TV show made today, _even if_ it were set in the same historical era as the original show, with the _characters_ having 1960s-70s technology and social mores, correct? Yes Is this because: – The creators of a modern show have access to technology that the original show’s creators didn’t? Yes. – Some other aspect of how shows are cast / filmed / produced has changed? Yes – Social customs and attitudes have changed? (If yes: in a way that would make it unnecessary for the characters to break up if the show were being made today?) No – Audience expectations have changed? (If yes: because modern audiences wouldn’t demand / expect that the characters break up? Because they would find the whole plot line too cliched / predictable / ridiculous to use in the first place?) 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:** [July 29, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3686 "2025-07-29T14:21:01Z")
reply to Cheesesteak: I’m going to summarize what I think we have so far. 4 players, Carol, Tony, Painter, Paintee (woman X), Soap Opera tv show. Yes In the plot, Carol and Tony breakup because Carol thinks Tony is cheating on her with X. Yes The real reason has nothing to do with the stated plot, or future plotlines for the characters. The reason IS a direct result of the painting storyline, and is related to production issues, but not actors leaving the show. Yes The audience knows something about character X that Carol doesn’t, and it helps to know more about the character X. Yes Would it help to know anything about the painter either as a character or the actor? No Will any of the actors or characters appear on spinoff shows? No Is it related to the physical painting itself? Not exactly sure the question. The physical painting itself is important for the plot, but not in the non-plot reason for the breakup. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3687 "2025-07-29T15:44:51Z")
Was the show filmed in front of a live audience? Did some sort of flub / error occur that would have been hard to edit out, so instead they changed the story line to account for it? ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3688 "2025-07-29T16:14:49Z")
reply to Fretful\_Porpentine: Was the show filmed in front of a live audience? No Did some sort of flub / error occur that would have been hard to edit out, so instead they changed the story line to account for it? No, though flubs and errors were not an uncommon occurrence. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3689 "2025-07-29T16:25:14Z")
Are Carol and X played by the same actress? ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3690 "2025-07-29T17:44:29Z")
Is the race of anyone involved — character or actor — relevant? ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3691 "2025-07-29T17:48:06Z")
No to all ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3692 "2025-07-29T17:53:18Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Is the race of anyone involved — character or actor — relevant? [B]No[/b] ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3693 "2025-07-29T17:53:46Z")
Not sure what is going on with the bolding. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3694 "2025-07-29T17:59:37Z")
Is the real-life physical condition of one of the actors part of the answer? If so, did someone get sick? Injured? Does the answer involve a real-life person who wasn’t part of producing the show? ---
**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:** [July 29, 2025, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3695 "2025-07-29T18:06:08Z")
Is the real-life physical condition of one of the actors part of the answer? NO If so, did someone get sick? NO Injured? NO Does the answer involve a real-life person who wasn’t part of producing the show? NO ---
**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:** [July 30, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3696 "2025-07-30T13:17:20Z")
You said something about technology. Is there a technical reason it would be difficult for two characters to appear on screen together? Is Woman X animated? Is anyone else animated? ---
**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:** [July 30, 2025, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3697 "2025-07-30T13:24:05Z")
You mentioned this wouldn’t happen today because the creators have access to technology not available during the original run. Is the technology related to editing? Cameras? Distribution/Broadcasting? CGI type wizardry? ---
**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:** [July 30, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3698 "2025-07-30T14:28:09Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > You said something about technology. Is there a technical reason it would be difficult for two characters to appear on screen together? > > Is Woman X animated? Is anyone else animated? No to all. ---
**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:** [July 30, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3699 "2025-07-30T14:31:30Z")
reply to Cheesesteak: Is the technology related to editing? YesCameras? Maybe. Not sureDistribution/Broadcasting? No CGI type wizardry? Sure, why not? ---
**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:** [July 30, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3700 "2025-07-30T14:42:48Z")
Was one of the actors playing multiple characters? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=184) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=186)