[Balin] Sock it to me!

[Balin]

Early one morning, a boy places 40 socks in a drawer. He tells no one about this for 10 years. Why?

[WiZ]

Hi, Balin. How's that cleus section coming?

Are the socks alone in the drawer? Is there anything inside the socks? Are the socks paired? Are they a relevant type of sock? Christmas stockings? Windsocks? Compression socks? Panythose? Baby socks (never worn)? Are the socks clean? Are they new? Stolen? Holey?

Is the drawer in a chest of drawers such as one might find in a bedroom? Is it in a private house? Is it in a place of retail? Of work? Does anyone (or anyone else) open the drawer and find the socks within the 10-year period? Do the socks change within this 10-year period? Does anything else in the drawer (or otherwise associated with the socks change)?

Is it relevant who he tells? His parents, or other family members?

Is he playing a prank? Does he expect there to be a pay-off in 10 years, or just forget? Is he somehow prevented from telling people about the socks in the drawer during this time?

[Earnest]

Were the 40 socks 20 pairs? Or where them random socks? Socks = socks to wear on feet when wearing shoes? Epiphany socks? Christmas socks?

He tells no one about this for 10 years --> did he remember to have put them in the drawer? Did someone ask? If so did he reply with a lie? Relevant? Did he eventually tell to someone?
Is the material of the socks relevant? Are they precious? Did they contain something precious? Are brands relevant? Did the socks belong to him? Relevant that they were 40 and not for instance 30? Did he periodically come and see if they were in the drawer? Had someone opened the drawer would he/she immediately have seen the socks? Would it be negative/dangerous for the boy? Relevant that he put them in the drawer early in the morning? Was it an emergency situation? Was he packaging his stuffs? Did the drawer belong to a piece of his house's furniture? If so did he live in that house for the 10 years in which he did not tell to anybody about the socks? Did the socks belong to the same person?

[GalFisk]

When he put the soks there, did he intend to tell anyone? If so, in 10 years? More? Less? Age of the boy when he does this: 3? 4? 5? 6-7? 8-10? 11-13? 14-16? 17+? Is there something relevant inside the socks? Are they relevantly: used? Washed? Wet? Brand new? Mixed? Is the drawer relevantly: never opened? Seldom opened? Often opened?

[Balin]

Hi, Balin. How's that cleus section coming? Good to see you again, WiZ! It's coming slwoly... I'd have made more headway (what's a headway?) if I hadn't forgotten about it for a couple weeks.

Are the socks alone in the drawer? Yes Is there anything inside the socks? No Are the socks paired? Yes Are they a relevant type of sock? No Christmas stockings? Windsocks? Compression socks? Panythose? Baby socks (never worn)? No, they're just ordinary socks Are the socks clean? Yes Are they new? No Stolen? No Holey? No

Is the drawer in a chest of drawers such as one might find in a bedroom? Yes Is it in a private house? Yes Is it in a place of retail? Of work? Thus No to these Does anyone (or anyone else) open the drawer and find the socks within the 10-year period? Yes Do the socks change within this 10-year period? Yes Does anything else in the drawer (or otherwise associated with the socks change)? Sure, if there was anything else in the drawer

Is it relevant who he tells? Yes His parents, or other family members? He tells a group of people, including friends and family

Is he playing a prank? Yes (hence the near-April 1 date of posting) Does he expect there to be a pay-off in 10 years Not at the time he hides the socks or just forget? No Is he somehow prevented from telling people about the socks in the drawer during this time? No

Were the 40 socks 20 pairs? Assume so Or where them random socks?
Socks = socks to wear on feet when wearing shoes? This Epiphany socks? Christmas socks?

He tells no one about this for 10 years --> did he remember to have put them in the drawer? Yes Did someone ask? No If so did he reply with a lie? Relevant? Somewhat, Yes Did he eventually tell to someone? Yes
Is the material of the socks relevant? Are they precious? Did they contain something precious? Are brands relevant? No to these
Did the socks belong to him? Yes Relevant that they were 40 and not for instance 30? No, the exact number is irrel, only that there were a lot Did he periodically come and see if they were in the drawer? To make sure they were there? No Had someone opened the drawer would he/she immediately have seen the socks? Yes Would it be negative/dangerous for the boy? No Relevant that he put them in the drawer early in the morning? Yes Was it an emergency situation? No Was he packaging his stuffs? No
Did the drawer belong to a piece of his house's furniture? Yes If so did he live in that house for the 10 years in which he did not tell to anybody about the socks? Irrel Did the socks belong to the same person? Yes

When he put the soks there, did he intend to tell anyone? No, at least not in the short term If so, in 10 years? More? Less?
Age of the boy when he does this: 3? 4? 5? 6-7? 8-10? 11-13? 13, but the exact age is irrel 14-16? 17+?
Is there something relevant inside the socks? No
Are they relevantly: used? Washed? Wet? Brand new? Mixed? All irrel
Is the drawer relevantly: never opened? Seldom opened? Often opened? This, but irrel

[Earnest]

I am curious...what's cleus? XD

Do these socls represent all the socks he had? A part of them? Did he wear them? If so always different pairs? Did he put new socks in the drawer? Were the socks untouched in the 10 period time? Did they smell? Is the prank made 10 years before? 10 years later? Did he expect? Is the prank played occasionally? Were the socks wet? Can we assume he never opened that drawer again?

[Balin]

I am curious...what's cleus? XD The clue list for last year's Puzzel of the Year nominations. WiZ wrote them up Sloane-style the previous two years; I'm doing the write-up for 2018.

Do these socls represent all the socks he had? Yes A part of them? Did he wear them? As people normally wear socks, Yes If so always different pairs? Yes, again as normal Did he put new socks in the drawer? No Were the socks untouched in the 10 period time? No Did they smell? Only when not laundered Is the prank made 10 years before? Before what? 10 years later? Later than what? Did he expect? I don't understand this question Is the prank played occasionally? No Were the socks wet? No Can we assume he never opened that drawer again? No

[Earnest]

Sorry. Before and later were referred to when he put the socks in the drawer.

So did he move the socks from their original place by putting them in the drawer? Did he move them early in the morning because someone asked him? Was the drawer empty when he put the sock in inside? If not, relevant what was in inside? Did he want to hide something? Did he voluntarily avoid to tell that he moved the socks in the drawer?
Early in the morning = relevant the hour? Was there light? Relevant?

Did he put the socks in the drawer just because he wanted to change their original position? For another purpose? E.g. hide something, provoke a certain noise (strange question),
Relevant where the drawer was placed? Up high? Relevant?

[Balin]

Sorry. Before and later were referred to when he put the socks in the drawer. Ah. In that case, neither - the prank occurs when he puts the socks in the drawer

So did he move the socks from their original place by putting them in the drawer? Yope! Did he move them early in the morning because someone asked him? No Was the drawer empty when he put the sock in inside? Yes If not, relevant what was in inside? Did he want to hide something? No Did he voluntarily avoid to tell that he moved the socks in the drawer? Yes
Early in the morning = relevant the hour? To an extent. Assume this was around 2 AM Was there light? No Relevant? Somewhat

Did he put the socks in the drawer just because he wanted to change their original position? No For another purpose? Yes E.g. hide something, provoke a certain noise (strange question), See above
Relevant where the drawer was placed? No Up high? Assume No Relevant? No

[GalFisk]

Were they supposed to be put there? Did he want someone to think that someone else put them there? Did he want to create a mystery? Did it work because no one expected him to do such a thing? Did he famously never do such things at his age?

[Balin]

Were they supposed to be put there? Yes Did he want someone to think that someone else put them there? No Did he want to create a mystery? No Did it work because no one expected him to do such a thing? No Did he famously never do such things at his age? No

[Earnest]

Oh maybe the drawer was the original place right? So he was basically putting the socks in their original place after having used them to prank someone right? So is it relevant where the socks were before being put in the drawer?

Did he made holes in some of the socks? Did he avoid to tell that he moved the socks there in order to hide the fact that he has used them to prank someone? Was the great amount of socks used as normal socks (to be wore on feet) during the prank? Did he put something inside the socks during the prank ? Did he give the socks to someone? Did he make the socks wet? Did he make them smell? Did he use glue during the prank? Did he form a word with his socks? Did he hang them up on a drying rack? Did he occupied all the rack? Are those king of drying rack that goes from an house to the other relevant? Are sports relevant? Stadium? Puppets (e.g. using socks as puppets)? Shadows?

[peter365]

Sorry if I'm repeating .....

Are the socks his? 20 pairs of socks seems to be a lot for a boy to own , relevant?

How he acquired the socks relevant? Is he trying to create the impression that there's someone else that shares his room? That the socks were placed there by some unknown entity?

Is Christmas relevant? presents? Santa Claus?

[Balin]

Oh maybe the drawer was the original place right? Yes So he was basically putting the socks in their original place Yes after having used them to prank someone right? No So is it relevant where the socks were before being put in the drawer? Yes, somewhat

Did he made holes in some of the socks? No Did he avoid to tell that he moved the socks there in order to hide the fact that he has used them to prank someone? Yes Was the great amount of socks used as normal socks (to be wore on feet) during the prank? No, they aren't relevantly worn during the puzzle Did he put something inside the socks during the prank? No Did he give the socks to someone? No Did he make the socks wet? No Did he make them smell? No Did he use glue during the prank? No Did he form a word with his socks? No Did he hang them up on a drying rack? No Did he occupied all the rack? No drying rack is involved Are those king of drying rack that goes from an house to the other relevant? No
Are sports relevant? Stadium? Puppets (e.g. using socks as puppets)? Shadows? No to all

Are the socks his? No (EDIT: I'm sorry, I meant No meaning Yes) 20 pairs of socks seems to be a lot for a boy to own , relevant? No

Incidentally, I probably had that many socks at that age, just because I never threw out or got rid of old socks that I never wore anymore.

How he acquired the socks relevant? No Is he trying to create the impression that there's someone else that shares his room? No That the socks were placed there by some unknown entity? No

Is Christmas relevant? presents? Santa Claus? None of these

[CoffeeBean]

Is it relevant to know whose socks they were? A sibling's? A parent's? More than one person's?
Is it relevant to know exactly where in the house the drawer was located?
Is it correct to say that all 40 socks were at some point in the drawer, then removed, then returned to the drawer?
Does the boy do something relevant with the socks before putting them into the drawer?
By putting the socks there at an early hour, is the boy avoiding detection by someone else?
Had the boy hidden the socks in another place before putting them into the drawer?
Did another person(s) assume that those same socks had always been in that drawer?
Had the drawer been a storage place for something else before he put the socks into it?

[Balin]

Is it relevant to know whose socks they were? Only a little A sibling's? A parent's? More than one person's? My mistake in the last set of answers! They are the boy's socks.
Is it relevant to know exactly where in the house the drawer was located? It'll give detail - the drawer was in the boy's room
Is it correct to say that all 40 socks were at some point in the drawer, then removed, then returned to the drawer? Yes
Does the boy do something relevant with the socks before putting them into the drawer? No, but OTRT!
By putting the socks there at an early hour, is the boy avoiding detection by someone else? Yes
Had the boy hidden the socks in another place before putting them into the drawer? No, but OTRT!
Did another person(s) assume that those same socks had always been in that drawer? One person did, another person did not!
Had the drawer been a storage place for something else before he put the socks into it? No

Great set of questions!

[CoffeeBean]

Was the prank intended to fool the boy's mother? Father? Sibling? Friend? Other person? More than one person?
If it's true that the socks were in, then out, then back in the drawer, is it relevant to know how long they were out of the drawer? Where they were when out of the drawer?
Did the boy at any time put them in another drawer?

[Earnest]

Are magic tricks relevant? Were the socks tieded together with a rope (e.g. he put the socks randomly in the house to make his parents angry at him but the socks were tied up with a thiny invisible rope so that when his father went to call hos mother he was able to collect them through the rope being unseen and put them back in the drawer) ? Was the socks relevantly seen by someone before being put in the drawer? If so did the someone know that their place was the drawer? Is Halloween relevant? Any celebration relevant?
Are Simpsons relevant? Did someone later on checked the drawer finding the socks? Did he want that someone confuse his socks with the socks of someone else?
Were the socks in a unique place before being put back in the drawer? Are laundries relevant?
Did he want someone to see the socks outside of the drawer? Snowmen relevant? Were the socks new? Elegant? Sport socks? Collection socks? Relevant?

[Balin]

Was the prank intended to fool the boy's mother? Father? Sibling? Friend? This Other person? More than one person? No
If it's true that the socks were in, then out, then back in the drawer, is it relevant to know how long they were out of the drawer? It may help Where they were when out of the drawer? It definitely may help
Did the boy at any time put them in another drawer? No

Are magic tricks relevant? Were the socks tieded together with a rope (e.g. he put the socks randomly in the house to make his parents angry at him but the socks were tied up with a thiny invisible rope so that when his father went to call hos mother he was able to collect them through the rope being unseen and put them back in the drawer) ? No to both
Was the socks relevantly seen by someone before being put in the drawer? Yes If so did the someone know that their place was the drawer? Yes
Is Halloween relevant? No Any celebration relevant? No
Are Simpsons relevant? No
Did someone later on checked the drawer finding the socks? Yes Did he want that someone confuse his socks with the socks of someone else? no
Were the socks in a unique place before being put back in the drawer? Yes Are laundries relevant? No
Did he want someone to see the socks outside of the drawer? No
Snowmen relevant? No
Were the socks new? Elegant? Sport socks? Collection socks? Relevant? Exact ages or types of socks are irrel

[peter365]

Were all the socks in the same place when they weren't in the drawer?

Were they used to block something e.g a pipe? conceal something? Disguise something? Were they worn when not in the drawer (for the sake of the prank I mean ).

[Earnest]

Before being put in the drawer: Were the socks put one into the other? (E.g. he put them one into the other and then put his feet inside the big sock in order to fake a huge swelling...or caught into two plaster casts) were they balled up into a single ball? Into different balls? Were they hang somewhere? Shadows relevant? Were they caught somewhere (e.g. in some clothing item in order it not to fit to someone/ to make someone seem fat)? Were the socks used wet for the prank? Were the socks put on a floor? Was a path build up with the socks?

Are animals involved? Was the prank made with no light? Relevant? If so, because he used the socks as part of a costume? Fire relevant? Puppets relevant?

[Balin]

Were all the socks in the same place when they weren't in the drawer? No

Were they used to block something e.g a pipe? conceal something? Disguise something? No to all
Were they worn when not in the drawer (for the sake of the prank I mean ). No

Before being put in the drawer: Were the socks put one into the other? No (E.g. he put them one into the other and then put his feet inside the big sock in order to fake a huge swelling...or caught into two plaster casts) No were they balled up into a single ball? No Into different balls? No Were they hang somewhere? No Shadows relevant? No Were they caught somewhere No (e.g. in some clothing item in order it not to fit to someone/ to make someone seem fat)? No Were the socks used wet for the prank? No Were the socks put on a floor? No Was a path build up with the socks? No

Are animals involved? No Was the prank made with no light? Yes, or as little light as possible Relevant? Yes, somewhat If so, because he used the socks as part of a costume? No Fire relevant? No Puppets relevant? No

[Earnest]

Were the socks put on the floor? To make it slippery? Is touching them relevant? (E.g. with no light they can be confused with something else)

Did the victim interact with the socks? See them? Recognize them as socks? Was false blood used on the socks? Did the prank made the victim mainly: afraid? Curious? Astonished? Surprised? Asking himself "how it is possible that the socks are there?!"? Thieves relevant? Let someone think that thieves came?

Is the prank made: inside the house? Outside? In a building? Open air?

[Balin]

Were the socks put on the floor? No To make it slippery? No Is touching them relevant? (E.g. with no light they can be confused with something else) No

Did the victim interact with the socks? Yes See them? Yes Recognize them as socks? Yes Was false blood used on the socks? No
Did the prank made the victim mainly: afraid? Curious? Astonished? Surprised? Asking himself "how it is possible that the socks are there?!"? This, great q!
Thieves relevant? Let someone think that thieves came? No to both

Is the prank made: inside the house? This Outside? In a building? Open air?

[peter365]

Is a particular room relevant? The kitchen perhaps?

[Earnest]

Assuming night time...snorling relevant? Awaking at night time? Did the victim whose socks were them? (To whom they belong)

Laundry relevant? Another bedroom? Garden?

Had the victim an interaction with the socks relevantly before asking himself how it was possible to see them there?

[Balin]

Is a particular room relevant? Not one in particular, but... The kitchen perhaps? This is one of them

Assuming night time...snoring relevant? No Awaking at night time? No Did the victim whose socks were them? (To whom they belong) If you mean "did the victim know who owned the socks," Yes

Laundry relevant? Another bedroom? See above for both Garden? No

Had the victim an interaction with the socks relevantly before asking himself how it was possible to see them there? Yes!

[Earnest]

Relevant interaction = he (can we assume a male?) knew that the socks could not be there for sure? He put them in a specific place? If so was it their original place? The place where later on the boy placed them again?
The victim simply saw the socks in their original place before? Did the victim live in the house with the boy? Ghost stories relevant? Did the victim know that the boy was inside the house? Did he suppose that he was in his room? Did the victim clean up the boy's room before? Entered the boy's room? Were the socks in their original place when the victim interacted with them? If not, were them in a particular room? Were they placed there by the victim? A part of them? Did the victim put the socks in the drawer after the interaction? Did the victim interact with all 40 pairs? Just a part of them? Relevant?

Are the socks spread all around the house? Were the socks in pairs (e.g. a pair in the kitchen, a pair in the living room...)? Randomly disposed? Disposed by color? Put on appliances? On furnitures? On the floor? On tv? On electronic devices (e.g. heater)? On the place where the victim interacted with them before putting them in the drawer?

Did the boy knew that the victim go through the drawer where the socks were? Is the prank motivated by this? Was the victim in charge to leave the house clean before the return of someone (e.g. the victim is the boy's brother who explouted the absence of the parents to make parties till late night. The boy was unable to sleep and made the prank right before the arrival of the parents so that the housed seemed messed up?)?

[irishelk]

Was the point of the prank to make someone think they had put socks in weird places? That they were imagining/hallucinating socks? Or to think that they themselves were otherwise acting strangely/going crazy? Sleepwalking relevant? Did he want to make them say something silly about socks? To make them get angry at the boy, only to realize that the socks were where they were supposed to be?

It the friend being pranked in the house overnight? Is it a sleepover party? Was he in the house when the socks were elsewhere?

[Balin]

Relevant interaction = he (can we assume a male?) knew that the socks could not be there for sure? Yes He put them in a specific place? Yes If so was it their original place? No The place where later on the boy placed them again? No
The victim simply saw the socks in their original place before? Yes Did the victim live in the house with the boy? Yes, but irrel Ghost stories relevant? No Did the victim know that the boy was inside the house? Yes Did he suppose that he was in his room? Yes Did the victim clean up the boy's room before? Irrel Entered the boy's room? Yes Were the socks in their original place when the victim interacted with them? Yes, at one point If not, were them in a particular room? At another point, several particular rooms Were they placed there by the victim? Yes A part of them? Did the victim put the socks in the drawer after the interaction? No Did the victim interact with all 40 pairs? Yes Just a part of them? Relevant? Yes

Are the socks spread all around the house? Yes! Were the socks in pairs No (e.g. a pair in the kitchen, a pair in the living room...)? Randomly disposed? Yes Disposed by color? No Put on appliances? Some On furnitures? Some On the floor? Possibly On tv? Some On electronic devices (e.g. heater)? Some On the place where the victim interacted with them before putting them in the drawer? FA

Did the boy knew that the victim go through the drawer where the socks were? Is the prank motivated by this? Was the victim in charge to leave the house clean before the return of someone (e.g. the victim is the boy's brother who explouted the absence of the parents to make parties till late night. The boy was unable to sleep and made the prank right before the arrival of the parents so that the housed seemed messed up?)?

Was the point of the prank to make someone think they had put socks in weird places? No, but... That they were imagining/hallucinating socks? No Or to think that they themselves were otherwise acting strangely/going crazy? No, not quite Sleepwalking relevant? No Did he want to make them say something silly about socks? Noish To make them get angry at the boy, only to realize that the socks were where they were supposed to be? No

It the friend being pranked in the house overnight? Yes Is it a sleepover party? No Was he in the house when the socks were elsewhere? Yes

[Earnest]

So timing: A) the victim saw the socks in their original place (and interacted with them?); B) the socks were spread all over the house; ? If so, did the victim put the socks somewhere else? Before A? Between A and B? After B? Did the victim touch/modifiy the position of the socks after he had seen them spread all over the house? Before?

Did the victim enter the boy's room before the socks were spread? After?

Interaction with all the 40 pairs = in the drawer before they were spread?

When the friend saw the socks spread he was mainly: scared? Surprised? Afraid?
Did the friend do something before and though not to have been seen by nobody? Did the victim recognize they were all the friends socks? Relevant the reason why the friend entered the boys room before? Was the boy present in his room when the friend entered? When the friend interacted with the socks? If not, was the friend looking for something in the boy's drawer? Was the friend trying to prank the boy hinself? Was the friend inside the house when the boy spread the socks? In another room? Relevant? Was him outside and just entered? Was there someone else relevantly with him when he saw the socks?

Point of the prank: to revenge? To let the friend learn a lesson? Just to have fun? To make the friend rush to the boy's room (e.g. in order to see if the boy was in his room)? To let the friend think tgat the boy was sleepwalking? That there has been a party? That someone else spread the socks all over the house?

Did the friend find himself an explanation for the reason why the socks were spread all over the house? If so a logic one? One involving the boy? A thief? Did the friend eventually stayed overnight?

[Balin]

So timing: A) the victim saw the socks in their original place (and interacted with them?); Yes B) the socks were spread all over the house; ? Yes If so, did the victim put the socks somewhere else? Yes Before A? Between A and B? After B? During B Did the victim touch/modifiy the position of the socks after he had seen them spread all over the house? No Before? Yes

Did the victim enter the boy's room before the socks were spread? After? Yes to both

Interaction with all the 40 pairs = in the drawer before they were spread? No

When the friend saw the socks spread he was mainly: scared? Surprised? Afraid? None of these
Did the friend do something before and though not to have been seen by nobody? No Did the victim recognize they were all the friends socks? Might be some confusion here... they are all the boy's socks Relevant the reason why the friend entered the boys room before? Not really. He's sleeping over Was the boy present in his room when the friend entered? Yes When the friend interacted with the socks? Yes If not, was the friend looking for something in the boy's drawer? No Was the friend trying to prank the boy hinself? No... Was the friend inside the house when the boy spread the socks? Other way around! In another room? Relevant? Was him outside and just entered? No Was there someone else relevantly with him when he saw the socks? Yes

Point of the prank: to revenge? To let the friend learn a lesson? Just to have fun? This To make the friend rush to the boy's room (e.g. in order to see if the boy was in his room)? To let the friend think tgat the boy was sleepwalking? That there has been a party? That someone else spread the socks all over the house?

Did the friend find himself an explanation for the reason why the socks were spread all over the house? Yope If so a logic one? Yope One involving the boy? A thief? Did the friend eventually stayed overnight? Yes

[irishelk]

Oh, wait--did the boy in the puzzle statement spread the socks all over the house? Did the friend? Was the friend attempting to hide the boy's socks as a prank, but the boy found them all and put them back?

Does the boy tell someone in particular about the socks after the ten year period? If so, the same friend? Is he telling someone in response to something they say?

[Balin]

Oh, wait--did the boy in the puzzle statement spread the socks all over the house? No Did the friend? Yes Was the friend attempting to hide the boy's socks as a prank, but the boy found them all and put them back? Yes! (why?)

Does the boy tell someone in particular about the socks after the ten year period? A group of people... If so, the same friend? ...including the friend Is he telling someone in response to something they say? Yes, but not extremely relevant; you're almost at the solution now

[GalFisk]

Did the boy see the friend hide the socks? Hear the friend? Did someone tell the boy what the friend did? Did the boy overhear the friend telling someone? Someone telling the friend? Did the boy read something that clued him in?

[irishelk]

Did he put them back to tidy up? Because he thought he'd get in trouble/blamed? Because he thought the friend would get in trouble? Was this likely to be a big deal for a member of the household? Or another friend?
Did he know where all the socks were? Did he want to see if he could find them all?
Were they needed for something else that morning? Were they special socks? =)