# 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:** 191
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3801 "2025-08-23T18:00:48Z")
Its perceived to be healthier. I don’t believe it is cheaper, but it might be. It not as readily available ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3802 "2025-08-23T18:02:16Z")
Not butter. Actually, I should make the caveat, that I don’t really know if there are other situations like this. I’m thinking of a particular case…but I suppose someone might surprise me and say “this other thing” qualifies. I’m just not aware of other cases. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3803 "2025-08-23T18:28:05Z")
– Is it consumed in liquid form? – Is it a significant source of protein? – Is a sweetener involved? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3804 "2025-08-23T18:33:08Z")
I’m going to use B here for the replacement food product, and A for the product that it replaces and is made up of. Is B understood to be healthier than A because it doesn’t contain (or contains less of) something that most people perceive as unhealthy? Because it DOES contain (or have more of) something that most people think IS healthy? Because people typically use / consume it differently? Is fermentation involved in producing either product? Would most people perceive A and B as different versions of the same food item? (E.g., brown rice vs. white rice?) Or are they different enough that most people would perceive them as different items, like milk and cheese? Can B replace A in _all_ culinary situations? Or just in certain ones? If I, an American living in a medium-sized town, went to my local Kroger, would I typically be able to buy A there? How about B? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3805 "2025-08-23T20:59:16Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > I’m going to use B here for the replacement food product, and A for the product that it replaces and is made up of. > > Is B understood to be healthier than A because it doesn’t contain (or contains less of) something that most people perceive as unhealthy? _ **It is understood to be healthier because it doesn’t contain what people perceive as unhealthy….BUT….few people notice that it, in fact, contains a version of what is considered unhealthy, and that ‘unhealthy’ item makes up the bulk of the food product.** _ > > Because it DOES contain (or have more of) something that most people think IS healthy? _ **No** _ > > Because people typically use / consume it differently? _ **No** _ > > Is fermentation involved in producing either product? _ **No** _ > > Would most people perceive A and B as different versions of the same food item? (E.g., brown rice vs. white rice?) Or are they different enough that most people would perceive them as different items, like milk and cheese? _ **They would be perceived as different items, though the food product I’m thinking of would be used in place of the other.** _ > > Can B replace A in _all_ culinary situations? Or just in certain ones? _ **I believe it would be certain ones, but I think it can be widely used or maybe universally used.** _ > > If I, an American living in a medium-sized town, went to my local Kroger, would I typically be able to buy A there? How about B? _ **You would be able to purchase both A and B easily.** _ I’ve put my answers in _ **bold and italics** _ ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3806 "2025-08-23T20:59:48Z")
> [@Gordon\_G](#): > > – Is it consumed in liquid form? > > – Is it a significant source of protein? > > – Is a sweetener involved? No No Yes ---
**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:** [August 23, 2025, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3807 "2025-08-23T21:02:55Z")
A sugar substitute that claims to be made from sugar? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3808 "2025-08-23T21:05:28Z")
Gordon has a Yes answer. And I’ll make a point to mention that the primary food product in the replacement is commonly obfuscated to use wording that (I believe) is intentional to mislead the public into not realizing the replacement is largely the original primary food product. Also….when this is figured out (which is probably very shortly) there might be some argument on semantics because the primary food product is not “exactly” what you would think it replaces…but it is realistically and functionally the same. Did I make it confusing enough? ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3809 "2025-08-23T21:12:37Z")
Is product A ice cream? ---
**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:** [August 23, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3810 "2025-08-23T21:14:32Z")
Ah, I think I know it. Most artificial sweeteners (at least, when sold by themselves, not in a soft drink or the like) are, in fact, still mostly sugar, because the artificial sweetener is so much sweeter than sugar that a full “dose” of sweetness would be too tiny to be useable. So they put in half a teaspoon of sugar and a single grain of artificial sweetener in a packet, for as much sweetness as a full teaspoon of sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3811 "2025-08-23T21:37:23Z")
Not Ice Cream ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3812 "2025-08-23T21:40:30Z")
Chronos has it exactly. If you look at the packaging of artificial sweeteners, the first ingredient is usually Dextrose, which is a simple sugar. They have to essentially cut the artificial sweetener with something because it is so sweet a very little bit goes a long way. However, its hard to handle and process such small amounts of artificial sweetener. So they mix the prescribed amount with dextrose and other things to make it easier to handle and pour. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3813 "2025-09-05T14:25:11Z")
> [@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? Imagine the possibilities!: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8yW5cyXXRc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8yW5cyXXRc) ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3814 "2025-09-06T03:42:59Z")
Back in the day The Internet Oracle (which addressed the buttered toast/cat paradox multiple times) had an entry that involved powering a flying saucer with a bunch of buttered toast cats and the sound that UFOs made was really just a bunch of cats meowing. I don’t remember the specifics or which digest it’s in (and the website is not searchable and I couldn’t find it searching with either Duck Duck Go or Google). On a side note, The Internet Oracle also had an answer with a cameo by Cecil Adams and Ed Zotti. > **[Internet Oracle - Digest #703](https://internetoracle.org/digest.cgi?N=703)** ---
**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:** [September 20, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3815 "2025-09-20T21:01:10Z")
**A man petitioned the government for years to receive a specific number license plate. After resistance and paperwork, he was able to receive it. It was: 337-370.** **Once issues, controversy ensued and there was debate if he should be able to keep it. Why?** ---
**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:** [September 20, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3816 "2025-09-20T21:20:28Z")
Was the guy known as 'OLE LEE’, maybe? Was 337-370 his prison number? ---
**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:** [September 20, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3817 "2025-09-20T21:31:58Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Was the guy known as 'OLE LEE’, maybe? You got it! Easy puzzle, I guess. Here is a picture of him with it. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/ur4v6MP.png "Ole Lee with his plate.") ](https://imgur.com/gallery/ole-lee-with-his-plate-dD4AWme) It was unknown whether he would be allowed to display it upside down. His name was actually Ole Lee apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2025, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3818 "2025-09-21T04:05:09Z")
Still not as funny as [this one.](https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/2j7zv9/eat_the_kids_first/) ---
**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:** [October 20, 2025, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3819 "2025-10-20T02:44:57Z")
Because Dorothy got engaged, Nancy could not. Why not? ---
**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:** [October 20, 2025, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/3820 "2025-10-20T05:28:51Z")
Were they related? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=190) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=192)