# 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:** 203
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4041 "2025-11-24T20:32:31Z")
Stunt the growth of the grass so it didn’t need to be mowed? ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4042 "2025-11-24T20:33:39Z")
Let’s go general. Stunt the growth of _something_? ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4043 "2025-11-24T20:56:38Z")
- > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Let’s go general. > Stunt the growth of _something_? 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:** [November 24, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4044 "2025-11-24T21:03:29Z")
weeds? ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4045 "2025-11-24T21:07:49Z")
- > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > weeds No. ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4046 "2025-11-24T21:28:00Z")
You didn’t answer this one … > [@Sigene](#): > > Stunt the growth of the grass so it didn’t need to be mowed? ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4047 "2025-11-24T21:37:10Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > Stunt the growth of the grass so it didn’t need to be mowed? Sorry. Missed it. 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:** [November 24, 2025, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4048 "2025-11-24T22:18:10Z")
Bugs? ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4049 "2025-11-24T22:27:50Z")
- > [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Bugs? No. ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4050 "2025-11-24T22:29:39Z")
Trees? ---
**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:** [November 24, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4051 "2025-11-24T22:45:54Z")
Does she want to stunt the growth of something that’s just completely unwanted? Or is it something that’s okay but should be controlled? Is it vegetation in any form? ---
**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:** [November 25, 2025, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4052 "2025-11-25T01:09:34Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Trees? 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:** [November 25, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4053 "2025-11-25T01:16:20Z")
reply to dirtball: Does she want to stunt the growth of something that’s just completely unwanted? Not sure how to answer. Rephrase. Or is it something that’s okay but should be controlled? Not sure. Same problem with previous question. Depends. Is it vegetation in any form? 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:** [November 25, 2025, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4054 "2025-11-25T01:39:13Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Does she want to stunt the growth of something that’s just completely unwanted? Not sure how to answer. Rephrase. > Or is it something that’s okay but should be controlled? Not sure. Same problem with previous question. Depends. By “unwanted,” I’m thinking that comic strip readers could be expected to easily recognize it as something most lawn owners would prefer not to have there. In a word, weeds. “Something that’s okay” would be pretty much anything else. “I’m fine with it being there as long as it doesn’t get overgrown.” ---
**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:** [November 25, 2025, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4055 "2025-11-25T01:56:22Z")
reply to dirtball: By “unwanted,” I’m thinking that comic strip readers could be expected to easily recognize it as something most lawn owners would prefer not to have there. In a word, weeds. No. “Something that’s okay” would be pretty much anything else. “I’m fine with it being there as long as it doesn’t get overgrown.” No. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4056 "2025-11-25T03:14:00Z")
summary: she wants to stunt the growth of vegetation in her yard but it is not weeds, trees or grass. Can you confirm that this is a correct summary? THere’s not much left as far as vegetation in a yard. Does she want to stunt the growth of flowers or decorative plants? Or maybe vegetables? (like a vegetable she doesn’t like?) ---
**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:** [November 25, 2025, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4057 "2025-11-25T03:21:03Z")
Is she trying to grow a bonsai tree? ---
**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:** [November 25, 2025, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4058 "2025-11-25T05:33:19Z")
reply to Sigene: summary: she wants to stunt the growth of vegetation in her yard but it is not weeds, trees or grass. Can you confirm that this is a correct summary? Yes THere’s not much left as far as vegetation in a yard. Does she want to stunt the growth of flowers or decorative plants? Or maybe vegetables? (like a vegetable she doesn’t like? You got it!!! Aunt Fritzi is growing spinach. Nancy overhears the boys saying smoking is bad and stunts growth. Hence Nancy plants the burning cigar in her aunt’s garden spinach patch to keep it from growing. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4059 "2025-11-27T06:07:26Z")
**OK…..I don’t know if this is really “Lateral” thinking but** **I live in a regular house underground…a basement if you will. I have all the amenities, electricity, plumbing, gas, heating, cooling. I have no access to outside light, sounds, or knowledge of the outside world. The climate conditions in my little home are essentially constant, I cannot detect when the heating or cooling system kicks on, so have no knowledge or understanding of the outside weather save for one.** **What is the one weather aspect that I can know about and how do I know it?** ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/4060 "2025-11-27T06:28:14Z")
Are you near an underground stream? Can you detect air pressure? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=202) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=204)