# 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:** 62
**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:** [September 21, 2023, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1221 "2023-09-21T22:42:16Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > It’s just a child playing with toy cars outside on a small hill. Y’all pretty much solved it anyway. Good one! I was thinking one of those high school drunk driving reenactment things where they stage a gory car accident scene with all the bells and whistles to show the students what can happen when you drink and drive. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1222 "2023-10-20T21:50:38Z")
Thought this might be a good place to ask this basic puzzle: Which race has a start and finish line which the competitors never cross? Don’t answer if you have heard it before! ---
**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:** [October 20, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1223 "2023-10-20T22:12:30Z")
The Human race? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1224 "2023-10-20T22:33:26Z")
Nope. ---
**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:** [October 20, 2023, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1225 "2023-10-20T22:49:36Z")
In this context does ‘race’ mean a competition? One where the first to achieve a goal is the winner? Is it a recognised sport? As opposed to, for example, the space race? Are the participants human? Devices controlled by humans? Animals ridden by humans? Animals? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1226 "2023-10-20T22:55:35Z")
In this context does ‘race’ mean a competition? YES One where the first to achieve a goal is the winner? YES Is it a recognised sport? YES Are the participants human? YES Devices controlled by humans? NO Animals ridden by humans? NO Animals? NO ---
**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:** [October 20, 2023, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1227 "2023-10-20T23:16:05Z")
Are the start and finish lines some sort of solid barrier or wall? Competitors start off touching the wall, and race to the other wall, but don’t cross it? Is it swimming? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1228 "2023-10-20T23:33:50Z")
Are the start and finish lines some sort of solid barrier or wall? YES Competitors start off touching the wall, and race to the other wall, but don’t cross it? YES Is it swimming? YES - a specific race ---
**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:** [October 21, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1229 "2023-10-21T00:15:20Z")
Does the race take place in a constructed pool? A natural body of water? Is it part of a triathlon? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2023, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1230 "2023-10-21T00:18:29Z")
Is it a unique race? I.e. only one competition? ---
**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 21, 2023, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1231 "2023-10-21T06:28:25Z")
Above Fiendish Astronaut’s post it says ‘28 Days Later’. Is this the very definition of a ‘Zombie Thread’? ---
**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 21, 2023, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1232 "2023-10-21T06:30:04Z")
I assume it is backstroke as they start in the pool? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2023, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1233 "2023-10-21T10:15:46Z")
> I assume it is backstroke as they start in the pool? Ding Ding Ding! Yes it is backstroke swimming. The swimmers start inside the start and finish line which is a wall and never cross it. In other types of swimming races the competitors start outside the pool and cross the start line as they dive in. @Peter_Morris did all the work there, but um… didn’t cross the line. ---
**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:** [October 25, 2023, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1234 "2023-10-25T21:29:33Z")
Yesterday, I was given something, and took a moment to see what it was. On seeing what it was, I liked it so much that I immediately threw it away. Why? ---
**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:** [October 25, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1235 "2023-10-25T21:33:47Z")
Is it a boomerang? Does “threw it away” mean “throw in the trash”? ---
**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:** [October 25, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1236 "2023-10-25T21:40:20Z")
Is it a boomerang? No Does “threw it away” mean “throw in the trash”? 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:** [October 25, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1237 "2023-10-25T21:44:47Z")
Was there some reason to consider it dangerous to you or to someone close to you, even if there was some other reason why it might have had some appeal? ---
**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:** [October 25, 2023, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1238 "2023-10-25T21:47:54Z")
No reason to consider it dangerous. ---
**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:** [October 26, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1239 "2023-10-26T00:00:18Z")
Was it something that you’re trying to avoid/quit, like a cigarette or candy? Did the thing fulfill its purpose by being thrown away? Did you do anything else with it before throwing it away? Did you throw it away so that nobody else would see it or have easy access to it? ---
**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:** [October 26, 2023, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1240 "2023-10-26T00:30:11Z")
No to all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=61) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=63)