# 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:** 82
**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:** [January 12, 2024, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1621 "2024-01-12T18:04:12Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Do you grab the doll and pull down to turn on the ceiling light? 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:** [January 12, 2024, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1622 "2024-01-12T18:12:29Z")
OK, let’s try this: Is it expected that people changing a baby would touch the doll in any way? Is it expected that they would move it to a different position, in the course of what they’re doing? Is it expected that they would merely look at the doll? Is it expected that they would just ignore it? Is it expected that a person using the restroom for any purpose other than changing a baby’s diaper would interact with the doll in any way? Are there some other non-diaper-changing circumstances in which it would be expected that a person using the restroom would interact with the doll? ---
**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:** [January 12, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1623 "2024-01-12T20:00:52Z")
reply to Chronos: OK, let’s try this: Is it expected that people changing a baby would touch the doll in any way? No. Is it expected that they would move it to a different position, in the course of what they’re doing? No. Is it expected that they would merely look at the doll? Yes. Is it expected that they would just ignore it? No. Is it expected that a person using the restroom for any purpose other than changing a baby’s diaper would interact with the doll in any way? No. Are there some other non-diaper-changing circumstances in which it would be expected that a person using the restroom would interact with the doll? No. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1624 "2024-01-12T20:14:47Z")
Is the doll visibly wearing a diaper? If so, is the diaper visibly of a specific brand? ---
**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:** [January 12, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1625 "2024-01-12T20:34:59Z")
replt to thorny\_locust: Is the doll visibly wearing a diaper? No. If so, is the diaper visibly of a specific brand? N/A. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2024, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1626 "2024-01-12T20:49:44Z")
Just to be certain: We’ve already gotten a no answer to “does the doll act as a sign,” but is there some other sense in which it is meant to convey information? ---
**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:** [January 12, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1627 "2024-01-12T20:59:46Z")
reply to dirtball: Just to be certain: We’ve already gotten a no answer to “does the doll act as a sign,” but is there some other sense in which it is meant to convey information? Not a sign. Not meant to convey information. ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1628 "2024-01-13T19:43:30Z")
You said it was probably a kid who did this. Had they misunderstood an instruction printed on the changing table? ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1629 "2024-01-13T20:01:11Z")
Would the purpose of hanging the doll there likely be apparent to any random person who might happen to walk in? If not, would the purpose become apparent when someone used the changing station? ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1630 "2024-01-13T20:39:48Z")
Is there a known purpose to the doll’s having been hung there? Or is it just hanging there and you don’t know why? ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1631 "2024-01-13T21:05:28Z")
> [@Ana\_Byrd](#): > > You said it was probably a kid who did this. Had they misunderstood an instruction printed on the changing table? 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:** [January 13, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1632 "2024-01-13T21:07:33Z")
reply to dirtball: Would the purpose of hanging the doll there likely be apparent to any random person who might happen to walk in? Yes. If not, would the purpose become apparent when someone used the changing station? Not necessary to use station. ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1633 "2024-01-13T21:09:41Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Is there a known purpose to the doll’s having been hung there? Or is it just hanging there and you don’t know why? I am pretty sure I know why. ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1634 "2024-01-13T21:11:55Z")
Could a non-doll-object have served the same purpose? A small cloth pillow? A rubber ball? A yarn pom-pom? A piece of paper? ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1635 "2024-01-13T22:04:42Z")
reply to Chronos: Could a non-doll-object have served the same purpose? A small cloth pillow? A rubber ball? A yarn pom-pom? A piece of paper? I think an infant doll of any type works, but nothing else I can imagine. Certainly none of the items you list would work. ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1636 "2024-01-13T22:24:11Z")
Does the doll serve simply to identify it as an infant changing station (if, for some reason, that’s not otherwise obvious)? ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1637 "2024-01-13T22:24:21Z")
Is the doll there to illustrate that if the caretaker isn’t careful the infant might fall off the table while tangled in the restraining straps and wind up hanging in the same fashion as the doll? ---
**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:** [January 13, 2024, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1638 "2024-01-13T22:30:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does the doll serve simply to identify it as an infant changing station (if, for some reason, that’s not otherwise obvious)? 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:** [January 13, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1639 "2024-01-13T22:31:05Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Is the doll there to illustrate that if the caretaker isn’t careful the infant might fall off the table while tangled in the restraining straps and wind up hanging in the same fashion as the doll? 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:** [January 13, 2024, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214/1640 "2024-01-13T23:32:27Z")
Was the doll left accidentally by a previous diaper changer, and was put there so that they might retrieve it at their next visit ? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=81) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-third-time-is-best/987214.md?page=83)