# Please help me solve this Rebus. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 6, 2011, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672 "2011-03-06T08:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_Lurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_Lurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_Lurker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/61 "2011-03-16T19:24:14Z")
I was thinking maybe the first picture is supposed to be “smudge” and the flies are supposed to be “midges” because of the common letters with smudge. Unfortunately, I can’t get anywhere from there. If the eye is supposed to be an “i”, and you take away all the letters from midges, that leaves you with only “u”. Then I thought maybe -midge means take away the mdge. That leaves “su” and doesn’t account for the plural midges. Either way it leaves you with very little to work with in getting to three words. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/62 "2011-03-16T20:56:54Z")
Fofer! Report! ---
**Author:** ![Fofer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b3f665/32.png) [@Fofer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fofer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/63 "2011-03-17T20:50:36Z")
Fofer here! Reporting for duty! So sorry to have disappeared for a little bit like that. I appreciate everyone chiming in with their thoughts on this godforsaken rebus. I had to travel east for a family memorial, the demands of my job and real life started to take over for a little bit, and my mind got scattered. I lost track of the various discussions I got involved in, and forgot to check in here. Again, my apologies. But now I am back! I do remain hopeful that a solution is in sight. I still think about this rebus every day. I have done my damndest not to pester the puzzler with too many questions (or even shower him with attention) simply because I feel (and fear) that it will only serve to inflate his ego and he’ll be even less forthcoming with clues. He’s a bit of a smug character and he’s pretty darn adamant that someone, somewhere will be able to solve it. He won’t budge with freebies… but I’ve found that we’ve developed a friendly rapport, and when I handle the conversation properly, he gives me tiny, precious tidbits of helpful info (all of which I have shared here thus far.) And so every other week or so, I muster the courage to call and ask confident questions. I need more questions to ask. Let’s get on this! ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/64 "2011-03-17T21:14:09Z")
I’ll say up front that my spidey sense tells me that “Fofer” is full of shit and that this mysterious “puzzler” is either a figment of his imagination or Fofer himself. He’s laying it on a bit thick for my taste. On the off chance he’s legit my only contribution is that the “flies” might be Tse Tse flies. Which could be contorted be mean “minus zz” for the puzzle. I can’t think of any combinations for Gorby and an eyeball that would have "z"s in it though. ---
**Author:** ![Fofer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b3f665/32.png) [@Fofer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fofer)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/65 "2011-03-18T03:15:39Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I’ll say up front that my spidey sense tells me that “Fofer” is full of shit and that this mysterious “puzzler” is either a figment of his imagination or Fofer himself. He’s laying it on a bit thick for my taste. Huh? I am completely legit. What am I “laying on thick?” The puzzler is the proprietor of a book store in Denver called “Mutiny Now.” The rebus he created is still there. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/66 "2011-03-18T05:53:24Z")
What if the “three word phrase” is the name of a character in a book, say “Lucky Ned Pepper”? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/67 "2011-03-18T13:39:23Z")
What if Gorby’s splotch is a “bugsplat” or “bug splat”? Plus “eye” minus “bugs” you get… plateye. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Fofer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b3f665/32.png) [@Fofer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fofer)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/68 "2011-03-18T17:15:28Z")
The more and more I think about “sneeze” for pic #4, the more I like it. For some reason now I am stuck on the idea the answer is “thuh bee sneeze” = “The Bee’s Knees” I know pic #3 isn’t bees (and they’re subtracted anyway) but maybe the construct of pic #1 plus pic #2 minus pic #3 = “thuh-bee” ?? ---
**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:** [March 18, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/69 "2011-03-18T22:52:14Z")
Sneeze just seems like a stretch for the picture of the pepper. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/70 "2011-03-25T01:44:14Z")
So, any recent hints or anything? ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/71 "2011-03-25T23:03:49Z")
Its an advertisment for The Red Sea flypaper co. Ok, I got nothing. ---
**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:** [April 18, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/72 "2011-04-18T17:15:21Z")
Any updates? ---
**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:** [April 22, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/73 "2011-04-22T02:19:59Z")
Ahem. Any updates??? Fofer? ---
**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:** [April 24, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/74 "2011-04-24T03:23:56Z")
Fofer, please activate your PM’s. I want answers! ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/75 "2011-04-24T07:30:33Z")
I don’t think he’s coming back. He’s only posted 7 times and only in this thread, and hasn’t been on the boards in a month. ---
**Author:** ![mundylion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundylion/32/3604_2.png) [@mundylion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mundylion)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/76 "2011-04-28T00:18:06Z")
He is frequently on TivoCommunity forum with the exact same thread there. It too has been dormant for a couple weeks, no action on the rebus at all. Pretty solid consensus of all but Mr. Fofer that the thing is unsolveable. He claims to be still trying, but… ---
**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:** [May 25, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/77 "2011-05-25T01:29:32Z")
> [@mundylion](#): > > He is frequently on TivoCommunity forum with the exact same thread there. It too has been dormant for a couple weeks, no action on the rebus at all. Pretty solid consensus of all but Mr. Fofer that the thing is unsolveable. He claims to be still trying, but… Has anyone heard anything since this? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/78 "2011-05-25T18:20:07Z")
According to reviews of the bookstore in question, the proprieter is a bit of a hipster with political themed art on display. Maybe some political message in there? ---
**Author:** ![janahalakova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@janahalakova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janahalakova)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/79 "2012-08-16T13:26:30Z")
BUMP \>:) This rebus remains unsolved as of yet. Someone bumped it in the aforementioned forum and now it’s driving me crazy again. Here’s the pic from the OP so you don’t have to go back to look at it… [![](http://www.fofer.com/sharedimages//183924_498260422756_617742756_6554216_1921112_n-20110216-230005.jpg) ](http://www.fofer.com/sharedimages//183924_498260422756_617742756_6554216_1921112_n-20110216-230005.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672/80 "2012-12-11T00:47:41Z")
A well deserved bump. Anyone? Or is this 14 k of …? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-solve-this-rebus/573672.md?page=5)