# 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:** 67
**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 31, 2023, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1321 "2023-10-31T20:57:03Z")
Thank Og for @Saint_Cad! ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1322 "2023-10-31T21:26:34Z")
Whew. That was a good one – frustrating as all get out, but fair. After reading the last reply to me, and before reading the solution, I had been going to guess that it was a flyer announcing the results of a vote or political decision that you were pleased had gone your way. Which still wouldn’t have been it – ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1323 "2023-11-01T11:03:20Z")
**I was sitting on a plane waiting to taxi to the runway. The phone belonging to the passenger sitting next to me rang. He answered and listened for 20 or 30 seconds before he handed me the phone and said “it’s for you”.** **What happened?** ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1324 "2023-11-01T11:16:37Z")
Do you know the passenger next to you? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1325 "2023-11-01T11:24:36Z")
Are you sitting in the cockpit, first class seat, or economy seat? ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1326 "2023-11-01T12:37:56Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Do you know the passenger next to you? No > [@kayaker](#): > > Are you sitting in the cockpit, first class seat, or economy seat? Economy ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1327 "2023-11-01T13:14:19Z")
If phones were to be put away, was the passenger handing it to you make it look like you were on your phone, not them? ---
**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 1, 2023, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1328 "2023-11-01T14:01:55Z")
Was the caller asking a question that the other passenger assumed, for whatever as-yet-undetermined reason, you could answer? ---
**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 1, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1329 "2023-11-01T14:08:04Z")
Were you in a window, middle or aisle seat? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1330 "2023-11-01T14:11:07Z")
Did the person on the other end of the line ask the person whose phone it was to hand the phone to whoever was sitting next to them? Did they ask them to hand the phone to somebody matching some other characteristic, which the person sitting next to them happened to match? ---
**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 1, 2023, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1331 "2023-11-01T14:11:46Z")
Did he grab YOUR phone when it rang? ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1332 "2023-11-01T14:33:23Z")
Do you also have a phone with you? Is it turned off or in airplane mode? Is it lost? Does the caller know the person sitting next to you? Does the caller know you? Does the caller know the identity, contact info, and seating assignments of the people on the plane? Did the airline / airport / airport bar / other travel-related entity need to contact you but wasn’t able because your phone was in airplane mode? Or because you had lost your phone? ---
**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 1, 2023, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1333 "2023-11-01T16:39:16Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Did he grab YOUR phone when it rang? Reread the OP so it is his phone not yours. BUT did your SIM cards somehow get transferred? Did the caller ask specifically for Fiendish Astronaut? > [@Rhodes](#): > > Did the airline / airport / airport bar / other travel-related entity need to contact you but wasn’t able I love this answer. The airline would know who is sitting where AND their contact phone number. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1334 "2023-11-01T17:00:54Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > If phones were to be put away, was the passenger handing it to you make it look like you were on your phone, not them? No > [@dirtball](#): > > Was the caller asking a question that the other passenger assumed, for whatever as-yet-undetermined reason, you could answer? Yes > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Were you in a window, middle or aisle seat? Not relevant > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Did the person on the other end of the line ask the person whose phone it was to hand the phone to whoever was sitting next to them? I’m going to say no to this because of the way it was asked > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Did they ask them to hand the phone to somebody matching some other characteristic, which the person sitting next to them happened to match? No > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Did he grab YOUR phone when it rang? No > [@Rhodes](#): > > Do you also have a phone with you? > Is it turned off or in airplane mode? > Is it lost? Not relevant > [@Rhodes](#): > > Does the caller know the person sitting next to you? Yes > [@Rhodes](#): > > Does the caller know you? Not personally > [@Rhodes](#): > > Does the caller know the identity, contact info, and seating assignments of the people on the plane? Only the people involved in this riddle (not the entire plane) > [@Rhodes](#): > > Did the airline / airport / airport bar / other travel-related entity need to contact you but wasn’t able because your phone was in airplane mode? Or because you had lost your phone? No > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Reread the OP so it is his phone not yours. BUT did your SIM cards somehow get transferred? > Did the caller ask specifically for Fiendish Astronaut? No. Unlikely the passenger next to me was told to give “Fiendish Astronaut the phone” as as he did not know me. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1335 "2023-11-01T17:09:10Z")
Did the caller ask you something about the passenger? Was the caller somebody the passenger didn’t want to talk to? ---
**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 1, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1336 "2023-11-01T17:13:03Z")
Did the caller want to know something about the other passenger (op) that he (op) wouldn’t know, like if the caller was a doctor and wanted to know if op had a rash on his face ? hah - i see i’ve been ninjad a bit. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1337 "2023-11-01T17:23:14Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > > Did the person on the other end of the line ask the person whose phone it was to hand the phone to whoever was sitting next to them? > > I’m going to say no to this because of the way it was asked Hmmm. Did the person on the end of the line want to know the answer to a question which could only be answered by a person in your seat or your seat position? Had the person on the other end of the line been sitting in your seat recently? ETA: or did they know somebody else who had been? ---
**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 1, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1338 "2023-11-01T17:30:35Z")
Would the scenario have played out the same way if your seat and his were switched? ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1339 "2023-11-01T17:30:45Z")
Were you a doctor? Was your profession obvious because of how you were dressed? ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1340 "2023-11-01T17:42:55Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > Would the scenario have played out the same way if your seat and his were switched? Yes to this. No to everything else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=66) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=68)