# 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:** 27
**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 17, 2023, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/521 "2023-08-17T01:54:28Z")
did the plunger stop the pendulum swinging back and forth? Did the boy simply hold onto one end of the plunger, and an adult pulled on the other end? ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/522 "2023-08-17T02:00:36Z")
Did the boy in the hole stick the plungers to the wall in order to make hand/footholds to climb out? Did the lady with the inaudible movie use the plunger to direct the sound? Like putting your phone in a six pan or cup to play music? If not, does it matter that it’s a romance movie? Does the lady with the migraine use the plunger to whack an alarm clock? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/523 "2023-08-17T02:15:13Z")
reply to Peter\_Morris: did the plunger stop the pendulum swinging back and forth? No Did the boy simply hold onto one end of the plunger, and an adult pulled on the other end? 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:** [August 17, 2023, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/524 "2023-08-17T02:17:37Z")
reply to SurrenderDorothy: Did the boy in the hole stick the plungers to the wall in order to make hand/footholds to climb out? No Did the lady with the inaudible movie use the plunger to direct the sound? Like putting your phone in a six pan or cup to play music? No. If not, does it matter that it’s a romance movie? Yes. Does the lady with the migraine use the plunger to whack an alarm clock? No. ---
**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 17, 2023, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/525 "2023-08-17T02:18:34Z")
Oh, right, I missed the one with the lady who couldn’t hear the movie. She used the cup of the plunger, detached from the handle, as a megaphone-type hearing aid. Or the speaker cone is broken, and the plunger cup replaces it. The clock is driven by hanging weights on chains, and the plunger stops the weight from descending. ---
**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 17, 2023, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/526 "2023-08-17T02:19:25Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > If not, does it matter that it’s a romance movie? Yes. Oh, in that case, the ~~daughter~~ niece uses the plunger to simulate kissing noises. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/527 "2023-08-17T02:20:34Z")
reply to Chronos: Oh, right, I missed the one with the lady who couldn’t hear the movie. She used the cup of the plunger, detached from the handle, as a megaphone-type hearing aid. No. Or the speaker cone is broken, and the plunger cup replaces it. No The clock is driven by hanging weights on chains, and the plunger stops the weight from descending. 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:** [August 17, 2023, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/528 "2023-08-17T02:21:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Oh, in that case, the ~~daughter~~ niece uses the plunger to simulate kissing noises. You got it! +1 ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/529 "2023-08-17T16:14:53Z")
I suppose by now someone has figured out the identities of the main characters in this puzzle. Right? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/530 "2023-08-17T16:41:20Z")
Are they Daleks ? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/531 "2023-08-17T17:34:46Z")
reply to pjd: Are they Daleks ? 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:** [August 17, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/532 "2023-08-17T17:41:43Z")
Were they Ninjas? Were they Turtles? ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/533 "2023-08-17T17:47:34Z")
Were they The Little Rascals? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/534 "2023-08-17T18:13:12Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Were they Ninjas? > > Were they Turtles 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:** [August 17, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/535 "2023-08-17T18:13:41Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Rascals No. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/536 "2023-08-17T18:24:13Z")
Stooges? Mario Brothers? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/537 "2023-08-17T18:33:56Z")
reply to The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper: Stooges? Mario Brothers? No ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/538 "2023-08-17T20:21:52Z")
…Beverly Hillbillies? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/539 "2023-08-17T21:28:07Z")
reply to The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper: …Beverly Hillbillies? 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:** [August 17, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/540 "2023-08-17T21:53:44Z")
Are the main characters real people? From a TV show? Movie? Comic? Animated work? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=28)