[Balin] ...so call me. Not "maybe"; just call me.

[Balin]

While at work, a man makes a phone call. He speaks quietly so his coworkers cannot hear, and instructs the person on the other end of the line to tell no one that he called. The call provides no benefit to the company, and the aftermath of the call results in someone the man does not know losing money. But years later, the man is thanked for the call. Why?

(OOATP rules apply.)

(EDIT: OOATP rules no longer apply.)

[LemonCurry]

Is any crime involved in this puzzle?

[JenBurdoo]

Is a life saved or lost?

[Balin]

Is any crime involved in this puzzle? No

Is a life saved or lost? No

[GalFisk]

Does he know someone will lose money? Suspect it? Hope for it? Try to achieve it?

[AlbatrossLover]

Was the man thanked by the person who lost money? The person he called? The company? His coworkers? A stranger?

[Balin]

Does he know someone will lose money? Not necessarily Suspect it? Probably Hope for it? Definitely Try to achieve it? Yes

Was the man thanked by the person who lost money? The person he called? The company? His coworkers? One of his coworkers A stranger?

[GalFisk]

Was the money lost to: theft? Fines? A scam? A purchase? Confiscation? Destruction? Banking error? Stock market? A gamble? A bookkeper? Casino? The company? A person?

[Balin]

Was the money lost to: theft? Fines? A scam? A purchase? This Confiscation? Destruction? Banking error? Stock market? A gamble? A bookkeper? Casino? The company? A person?

[GalFisk]

Did he buy something worthless? Useless? Pointless? Self-destructing? Worth less than what was paid?

[Balin]

Did he buy something worthless? Useless? Pointless? Self-destructing? Worth less than what was paid? No to all

[AlbatrossLover]

Did the man ever get to use what he had bought?

[GalFisk]

Relevant who he paid? How much?

[Balin]

Did the man ever get to use what he had bought? For svv of "use," Yes

Relevant who he paid? It may help in deducing the scenario How much? See previous

[GalFisk]

Did he buy an object? Service? Art? A gift? Charity? Edit: something symbolic?

[Balin]

Did he buy an object? Service? Art? A gift? This Charity? Something symbolic?

[Balin]

HINT: The only four people relevant are the man who makes the call, one of his coworkers, the recipient of the call, and the man who lost money.

(I'm taking the OOATP designation off this puzzle. Ask at will.)

[trebor]

Can we call the caller Colton, the money-loser Larry, the call recipient Ronnie and the co-worker Winnie? Are the genders of any relevant?

Does Ronnie's profession matter? Is Ronnie the person who sells Larry the gift? Does Ronnie do anything ever talk with Larry? Or with Winnie? Does she (I guess I'm assigning gender, unless it's wrong) relay the contents of her phone call with Colton to anyone relevant? Is this the only time that Colton calls her? Are she and Colton related? Friends? Lovers?

Is the item purchased one that gets 'used' once? Several times? Does the person using it know they're using it? Is it used by a person, normally? By more than one? Is it a game? Is it used for leisure? Romance? Is it clothing?

Does Larry know Ronnie? Does he know Winnie? Do Ronnie and Winnie know each other?

[Balin]

Can we call the caller Colton, the money-loser Larry, the call recipient Ronnie and the co-worker Winnie? Works for me! Are the genders of any relevant? Yes

Does Ronnie's profession matter? No, FA Is Ronnie the person who sells Larry the gift? No Does Ronnie do anything ever talk with Larry? Yes Or with Winnie? Assume No Does she (I guess I'm assigning gender, unless it's wrong) Gender of the phone call recipient is irrel, so "she" is fine relay the contents of her phone call with Colton to anyone relevant? Yes, but not all of the contents Is this the only time that Colton calls her? The only relevant time Are she and Colton related? Friends? Lovers?

Is the item purchased one that gets 'used' once? There were multiple purchases, one falls under this category Several times? And one under this, for svv of "used" Does the person using it know they're using it? Yes Is it used by a person, normally? Yes By more than one? Yes, sometimes Is it a game? No Is it used for leisure? Yope to one, No to the other Romance? Yes to both Is it clothing? Neither

Does Larry know Ronnie? Yes Does he know Winnie? Yes Do Ronnie and Winnie know each other? Yes

[JenBurdoo]

Is a "white elephant" sort of gift involved? Regifting?

[Balin]

Is a "white elephant" sort of gift involved? Regifting? No

[wunderland]

Winnie = HAF?

Is the gift: flowers? chocolate? jewellery?

Does Colton instruct Ronnie to tell no one that the call occurred? or just to tell no one that it came from him? Does she misunderstand this instruction? Does he expect her to comply with it? Does she relay some of the contents of the call to Larry? or to Winnie?

Is Ronnie a child? Is she related to Larry? or to Winnie?

[Balin]

Winnie = HAF? Yes

Is the gift: flowers? Yes, flowers and dinner chocolate? jewellery?

Does Colton instruct Ronnie to tell no one that the call occurred? Yes or just to tell no one that it came from him? This is also part of it Does she misunderstand this instruction? No Does he expect her to comply with it? Yes Does she relay some of the contents of the call to Larry? Yes or to Winnie? No

Is Ronnie a child? Yes! Is she related to Larry? Yes or to Winnie? and Yes

Very good round of questions! And welcome to the forum!

[Doriana]

Could we get a recap please?

[wunderland]

And welcome to the forum! Thanks, it's good to be back

Are Larry and Winnie Ronnie's parents? Do they live together? Does Ronnie live with Larry? or with Winnie?
Is Colton calling to ask Ronnie for information? Or to try to convince her to do something (besides keeping the call a secret)? Does he expect her to relay something to Larry? If so, does she relay what he expects she will? or something different?
Winnie is the intended recipient of the flowers and dinner, right? Does Larry buy them? Does Ronnie buy them with Larry's money?
Is Colton romantically interested in Winnie?

[Balin]

Are Larry and Winnie Ronnie's parents? Yes Do they live together? Yes Does Ronnie live with Larry? or with Winnie? Both
Is Colton calling to ask Ronnie for information? No Or to try to convince her to do something (besides keeping the call a secret)? Yes Does he expect her to relay something to Larry? Yes If so, does she relay what he expects she will? Yes or something different?
Winnie is the intended recipient of the flowers and dinner, right? Yes Does Larry buy them? Yes Does Ronnie buy them with Larry's money? No
Is Colton romantically interested in Winnie? No

Could we get a recap please? Certainly:

While at work, Colton makes a discreet phone call to Ronnie, asking her to tell something to her father Larry, and to tell no one about the call. Later that day, Larry buys his wife Winnie (who is one of Colton's coworkers) flowers and dinner.

(Feel this shouldn't take too long now.)

[wunderland]

Is Colton's goal primarily that Larry should lose money? Or just that he should buy Winnie a romantic gift? Or is it that he should spend a particular amount on the gift?
Does he ask Ronnie: to convince Larry to buy a romantic gift for Winnie? to remind him (Larry) about some special occasion? (such as an anniversary?) to give him some other information? to ask him a question? to tell him a lie?
Does Colton believe that Larry would not buy a (suitable) gift on his own initiative? If so, does he believe this because of something Winnie has said to him? or because of something he overheard? or saw?
Relevant how Winnie found out about the call? Did Ronnie tell her? Did Colton?

[Balin]

Does he ask Ronnie: to convince Larry to buy a romantic gift for Winnie? to remind him (Larry) about some special occasion? (such as an anniversary?) Got it.

****SPOILER****

Winnie had mentioned to Colton that today was her and her husband Larry's anniversary, and she was miserable because she was certain he'd forgotten. So Colton called Ronnie (Winnie's daughter), telling her to call Larry and remind him that it was his and Winnie's anniversary, and not to tell anyone that he'd called. It worked - Larry bought Winnie flowers and took her to dinner.
Years later, Winnie confided to Colton that Ronnie had let the secret slip about the call, and thanked him.