[Sarisberie] One Flew Over

[Sarisberie]

Mike, Andy and Dave ask for 3 shovels and some blue paint, "the colour of a baby's cardi".

[GalFisk]

Are they HAM? Do they ask a supervisor? Salesperson? Guard? Friend? Each other? Do they want one shovel each? Are the shovels for snow? Dirt? Grain? Sand? Gravel? Are their professions relevant? The same? Related to digging? Painting? Is the paint house paint? Artist paint? Vehicle paint? Spray paint? Edit: do they work in film? Theater? Other entertainment? Are they up to something? If so, something nefarious?

[Sarisberie]

Are they HAM? Yes Do they ask a supervisor? For some kind of 'supervisor', they might think so anyway... explore Salesperson? Guard? Friend? Each other? This too Do they want one shovel each? Yes Are the shovels for snow? Dirt? Grain? Sand? Gravel? No to all Are their professions relevant? No The same? Related to digging? Painting? so no Is the paint house paint? Most likely this, or they might think so Artist paint? Vehicle paint? Spray paint? Edit: do they work in film? Theater? Other entertainment? Their professions don't matter Are they up to something? Very much so! If so, something nefarious? They would think so.

[GalFisk]

Relevant what the shovels are for? Do they ask for a specific type of shovel? Did they ask a parent? Are they friends? Criminals? Do they succeed in getting the things? In executing their plan? Relevant? Do they plan to dig? Shovel something around? Do they ask one person? Two? More? A geoup? A business? Are they all up to the same thing?

[Sarisberie]

Relevant what the shovels are for? yes Do they ask for a specific type of shovel? no Did they ask a parent? no Are they friends? they are now Criminals? no Do they succeed in getting the things? they think so In executing their plan? they think so Relevant? yes Do they plan to dig? yes, for a certain value of 'dig' Shovel something around? this is closer Do they ask one person? Two? More? A geoup? A business? A small number, let's say 1-3, it doesn't matter really Are they all up to the same thing? yes

[GalFisk]

Do they ask for the things separately? As a group? Before they're friends, are they strangers? Rivals? Do they use the shovels on a granular substance? Liquid? Solid? Muddy or gloopy substance? On something that can't be called a substance? On money? Do they paint something? Is the color meant to conceal something? Reveal something? Accentuate something? Do they paint a wall? Relevant that a cloudless sky looks light blue? Is someone on to them? Do they get caught? Is this an activity in which it is possible to get caught? Do they buy the shovels? Borrow them? Get them for free? Do the shovels get paint on them?

[Sarisberie]

Do they ask for the things separately? As a group? Irrel Before they're friends, are they strangers? yes Rivals? no Do they use the shovels on a granular substance? no Liquid? Solid? well, it can be either... but not in this puzzle. Muddy or gloopy substance? no On something that can't be called a substance? It can On money? no Do they paint something? they intend to, but they can't do it Is the color meant to conceal something? yes Reveal something? Accentuate something? Do they paint a wall? no Relevant that a cloudless sky looks light blue? Yes! Is someone on to them? irrel Do they get caught? irrel Is this an activity in which it is possible to get caught? Do they buy the shovels? Borrow them? Get them for free? no Do the shovels get paint on them? that's part of their plan, but it doesn't happen.

[GalFisk]

Do they want to make someone think an object is the sky? o they want the shovels to look like they're part of the sky? Do they get paint on themselves? On someone else? Are they trying to help someone? Foil someone? Do they intend to shovel the paint? Is the stuff they want to shovel manmade? Animal-made? Natural? Do they intend to fling something with the shovels? Are all three shovels intended to be used in the same manner? Do they spill the paint?

[Sarisberie]

Do they want to make someone think an object is the sky? Yes o they want the shovels to look like they're part of the sky? Yes Do they get paint on themselves? They intend to On someone else? No Are they trying to help someone? Only themselves Foil someone? Yes Do they intend to shovel the paint? ghghgh... technically, 'paint the shovels' really Is the stuff they want to shovel manmade? Animal-made? Natural? This Do they intend to fling something with the shovels? Technique irrelevant... but 'move' would be a better word Are all three shovels intended to be used in the same manner? yes Do they spill the paint? Not exactly, explore

[GalFisk]

Do they succeed in tricking anyone into thinking that something painted with the paint is the sky? Do they paint themselves? Blue Man Group relevant? Can what they're doing be considered art? do they make a mistake? Such as doing this on a cloudy day? Not accounting for binocular vision? Do they intend to foil a person? Animal? One another?

[Sarisberie]

Do they succeed in tricking anyone into thinking that something painted with the paint is the sky? no Do they paint themselves? they would do, but... Blue Man Group relevant? Lovely idea! But no Can what they're doing be considered art? Not relevantly do they make a mistake? Such as doing this on a cloudy day? Not accounting for binocular vision? No Do they intend to foil a person? yes, people Animal? One another? no

[GalFisk]

Is there a problem with the paint? A problem with the paint in the way they intend to use it? Such as it not adhering to shovels? Or skin? Being bad for skin? Paint fumes relevant? Drying time? Cracking/peeling once dry? Is it oil-based? Water-based? Silicon-based? Something else? Relevant? Is the quantity of paint they bought relevant? Did they get too much? Little? Not what they wanted? Did they have an accident with the paint?

[Sarisberie]

Is there a problem with the paint? yes A problem with the paint in the way they intend to use it? yes Such as it not adhering to shovels? yes, because... explore Or skin? Yes, same because... explore Being bad for skin? Paint fumes relevant? Drying time? Cracking/peeling once dry? none of these Is it oil-based? Water-based? Silicon-based? Something else? Relevant? no and irrel Is the quantity of paint they bought relevant? no, and they didn't buy it Did they get too much? Little? Not what they wanted? Did they have an accident with the paint? all no and FA

[GalFisk]

Did they not get any paint? Did the paint change color? Wash off? Relevantly stick to something? Was it powder paint?

[Sarisberie]

Did they not get any paint? Correct, because... Did the paint change color? Wash off? Relevantly stick to something? Was it powder paint? So all n/a

[GalFisk]

Because: they asked the wrong person/place? There was no paint to be had? There was no paint the correct shade to be had? Someone was on to them? They all assumed someone else of the three would get it? Is there a comical misunderstanding? More than one? Is this a fictional story?

[Sarisberie]

Because: they asked the wrong person/place? Yes, both of these There was no paint to be had? correct There was no paint the correct shade to be had? Someone was on to them? They all assumed someone else of the three would get it? no Is there a comical misunderstanding? yes More than one? yes Is this a fictional story? actually, it's true... but could mislead

[GalFisk]

Did they all ask at once? Did they all ask the same person? The same place? Did they ask one another? Did they get: nothing? Something with was not paint? Did they get the shovels? did they ask for the shovels at the same place/person that they asked for the paint? Did they pay for the shovels? For the paint?

[Sarisberie]

Did they all ask at once? irrel Did they all ask the same person? irrel The same place? Yes Did they ask one another? Did they get: nothing? this Something with was not paint? no Did they get the shovels? no did they ask for the shovels at the same place/person that they asked for the paint? same place, person irrel Did they pay for the shovels? For the paint? no

[GalFisk]

Place: a business? A private residence? A storage area? Their workplace? Did they ask in person? Over the phone? On paper? Through text/instant messaging?

[Sarisberie]

Place: a business? Yes-ish... DOYD 'business' in the UK anyway... explore A private residence? A storage area? Their workplace? Did they ask in person? yes Over the phone? On paper? Through text/instant messaging?

[Sundowner64]

Did they ask in a place where one normally could get paint? shovels?
Did they want to buy the paint and the shovels? rent? get for free? steal?
Did they pretend to be builders? did they want to pick up these items in a place where tools and stuff is normally handed out to workers?
The DYOD business: a store? a police/fire/army department? a prison?

[Sarisberie]

Did they ask in a place where one normally could get paint? shovels? no
Did they want to buy the paint and the shovels? rent? get for free? this, but largely irrel steal?
Did they pretend to be builders? no did they want to pick up these items in a place where tools and stuff is normally handed out to workers? no
The DYOD business: a store? a police/fire/army department? a prison? this is nearest, good Q

[GalFisk]

Are they in prison? Are they slaves? Are they in the military? Are they in some other situation where freedom is quite limited?

[Sarisberie]

Are they in prison? No but OTRT, good Q Are they slaves? Are they in the military? Are they in some other situation where freedom is quite limited? Yes

[GalFisk]

Are they in an institution? Mental institution? Do they expect to get what they're asking for? Are they planning an escape?

[Sarisberie]

Are they in an institution? Mental institution? Do they expect to get what they're asking for? Are they planning an escape? YES to all of these

[GalFisk]

Are they sane? Would there be any chance of their plan actually working, had they gotten what they asked for? WAG: do they plan to paint themselves and the shovels blue, then hold the shovels out at an angle and spin around really fast, transforming themselves to an invisible (against the sky) helicopter and fly out of there?

[trebor2]

Do they intend to paint their rooms? A portion of their rooms? The ceiling? Do the shovels serve some purpose other than getting painted? Do they intend to use the shovels to put paint somewhere?

Just so I understand, is paint the substance they intend to use the shovels on? Is there another substance? Is the substance neither a solid nor a liquid because it doesn't exist (like, they don't get the paint)? Is it a gas? Plasma? Something else?

Do they plan to escape through: a door? Window? Hole in the ceiling? Hole in a wall? Tunnelling? Walking off into the distance? Shuffling off their mortal coils? In order for their plan to work would they have to go through a wall? the ceiling? the floor? whether they realize it now or not?

[Sarisberie]

Are they sane? no Would there be any chance of their plan actually working, had they gotten what they asked for? no WAG: do they plan to paint themselves and the shovels blue, yes! good WAG then hold the shovels out at an angle and spin around really fast, no transforming themselves to an invisible (against the sky) yes, explore helicopter and fly out of there? no

[Sarisberie]

Do they intend to paint their rooms? could be, exact location irr A portion of their rooms? The ceiling? YES Do the shovels serve some purpose other than getting painted? yes Do they intend to use the shovels to put paint somewhere? YOPEish

Just so I understand, is paint the substance they intend to use the shovels on? not exactly, explore Is there another substance? yes Is the substance neither a solid nor a liquid it can be either, as in a previous reply because it doesn't exist It does exist (like, they don't get the paint)? irr Is it a gas? it can be this too, as in a previous reply Plasma? no Something else?

Do they plan to escape through: a door? Window? Hole in the ceiling? THIS Hole in a wall? Tunnelling? yes, for SVV of 'tunnelling' Walking off into the distance? no Shuffling off their mortal coils? to "Join the Choir Invisible"? No In order for their plan to work would they have to go through a wall? the ceiling? this the floor? whether they realize it now or not?

[trebor2]

I think you stated that in this puzzle the substance is neither solid nor liquid. Does that mean that in this case it's a gas? Is the substance water/ice/steam?

Do they intend to paint the ceiling and then tunnel through it, thinking staff won't notice because the ceiling will look just like the sky?

[Sarisberie]

I think you stated that in this puzzle the substance is neither solid nor liquid. Does that mean that in this case it's a gas? Is the substance water/ice/steam?

Do they intend to paint the ceiling and then tunnel through it, thinking staff won't notice because the ceiling will look just like the sky?
YES!

+++++++++++++$POILER++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mike, Andy and Dave are patients in a secure mental hospital, and they want to escape. They consider digging through the floor, but decide not to, because a) that's what the staff would expect them to do, and b) it would be bloody hard work. They then have the idea of tunnelling through the sky, which, of course, will be much easier! They want to paint themselves, and the shovels, with pale blue paint, so they are camouflaged against the sky. Unfortunately, the nurses are onto them!