[GalFisk] Ice ice baby

[GalFisk]

He wanted it. He was confused. He got it.

[CoffeeBean]

Are the "it" that he wanted and the "it" that he got both the same thing?
Does the "it" that he wanted refer to - an item? a set of items that is referred to as a collective? a situation or circumstance? an opportunity? Something else?

Was he confused about what he wanted? Was he always confused? Did he fully understand what he wanted?

[GalFisk]

Are the "it" that he wanted and the "it" that he got both the same thing? No.
Does the "it" that he wanted refer to - an item? a set of items that is referred to as a collective? a situation or circumstance? an opportunity? Something else? An item-ish.

Was he confused about what he wanted? Was he always confused? No to both. Did he fully understand what he wanted? Yes.

[CoffeeBean]

Was his initial desire for "it" based on something he saw? Heard about? Did he know someone who had "it"?
Is "it" unique? Is "it" the only one of its kind in the world? Is "it" animate or inanimate?
Was he confused about how to get "it"?

[GalFisk]

Was his initial desire for "it" based on something he saw? Heard about? Probably both. Did he know someone who had "it"? Yes, he had "it", but...
Is "it" unique? No. Is "it" the only one of its kind in the world? No. Is "it" animate No. or inanimate? Yes.
Was he confused about how to get "it"? No.

[CoffeeBean]

Was his confusion directly related to "it"? Or more indirectly?
Are other person(s) directly involved in his getting "it"? In his confusion?

[GalFisk]

Was his confusion directly related to "it"? Yes. Or more indirectly? No.
Are other person(s) directly involved in his getting "it"? Assume no. In his confusion? Assume no.

[CoffeeBean]

Is the puzzle statement in chronological order? He wanted it THEN he was confused THEN he got it?
He wanted a tangible item? This and something else?
Was he confused about how to use the item? About how the item operates (if this applies)? About how he could be affected by the item?

[GalFisk]

Is the puzzle statement in chronological order? He wanted it THEN he was confused THEN he got it? Yes.
He wanted a tangible item? DOYD of tangible. This and something else? He wanted one thing.
Was he confused about how to use the item? No. About how the item operates (if this applies)? Yesish. About how he could be affected by the item? No.

[CoffeeBean]

Did he need to buy the item? Or was it given to him? Or did he find it? Or obtained another way?
So he was not confused before he got it? Only afterwards? Or during both periods?
Did his confusion relate to consequences of having "it"? How to use "it"? How "it" might affect his life?
Did having "it" make him happy? All of the time? Some of the time?
Can "it" be bought at a store? From another person? Or is "it" not obtained by money?
Is "it" something that many people have? Only a few people?
Does "it" refer to more than just the object that he wanted? Is "it" also an experience? A lifestyle? A name? A way of thinking? A way of acting? A way that a person appears?

[GalFisk]

Did he need to buy the item? Or was it given to him? Or did he find it? Or obtained another way? He had it as part of his job.
So he was not confused before he got it? Only afterwards? Or during both periods? He had it (ish), but was confused when wanted to use it.
Did his confusion relate to consequences of having "it"? Yesish. How to use "it"? He knew how he wanted to use it, but... How "it" might affect his life? Irr.
Did having "it" make him happy? All of the time? Some of the time? Assuming he enjoyed his work, which I think he did.
Can "it" be bought at a store? From another person? Or is "it" not obtained by money? At the time, it could not be bought AFAIK.
Is "it" something that many people have? Only a few people? At the time, very few.
Does "it" refer to more than just the object that he wanted? No (DOYD of "object", explore). Is "it" also an experience? A lifestyle? A name? A way of thinking? A way of acting? A way that a person appears? No to all.

[CoffeeBean]

Is water relevant?
Would it help to find out the job/occupation of the relevant person?
Was "it" designed to help him do his job better? Do it at all?
Is "it" something that can be designed, or already exists "as is"?

[GalFisk]

Is water relevant? Ni.
Would it help to find out the job/occupation of the relevant person? Provat.
Was "it" designed to help him do his job better? This. Do it at all?
Is "it" something that can be designed, or already exists "as is"? Designed is OTRT.

[CoffeeBean]

Is he a teacher? Laborer? Executive? Craftsman? Sales? Manufacturing?
Is "it" created entirely from raw materials? Or is "it" something that is shaped or adapted from an existing object?

[GalFisk]

Is he a teacher? Laborer? Executive? Craftsman? Sales? Manufacturing? No to all.
Is "it" created entirely from raw materials? Or is "it" something that is shaped or adapted from an existing object? Raw materials.

[CoffeeBean]

Is "it" made of wood? Rock? Paper? Ice? Mineral? Plastic? Other?
Is "it" entirely solid?

Is his profession one that requires a high level of skill? Training?
Does it require travel? Is it a commonly held profession?

[GalFisk]

Is "it" made of wood? Rock? Paper? Ice? Mineral? Plastic? Other?
Is "it" entirely solid?
The first "it" is made from other and is not entirely solid.
The second "it" is made from plastic and is entirely solid.

Is his profession one that requires a high level of skill? Training? Yes to both.
Does it require travel? Is it a commonly held profession? No to both.

[CoffeeBean]

So there are two "it"s?
Does the one that is not entirely solid consist of a solid part and a liquid part? Solid and gas? Some kind of container?
Does the first "it" transform into the second "it"?

[GalFisk]

So there are two "it"s?
Does the one that is not entirely solid consist of a solid part and a liquid part? Solid and gas? Some kind of container?It's entirely a gas, in a container.
Does the first "it" transform into the second "it"? Yes indeed.

[CoffeeBean]

So over the course of time, a gas becomes a solid? And the solid is a plastic?
Or does something interact or react with the gas?
Is the man a chemist? Engineer? Scientist? Inventor?

[trebor]

Was the second “it” a reaction/result he wasn’t expecting?

[GalFisk]

So over the course of time, a gas becomes a solid? And the solid is a plastic? Yes to both.
Or does something interact or react with the gas? No.
Is the man a chemist? Engineer? Scientist? Inventor? Yes to all.


Was the second “it” a reaction/result he wasn’t expecting? Yes.
You don't need to figure out the chemistry, but you need to find out what he was trying to invent, and what well-known plastic he got.

[CoffeeBean]

I really should be able to get this since I sell plastic for a living...

Nylon? Polyester? Styrene?

[GalFisk]

I really should be able to get this since I sell plastic for a living... Cool. Plastic is very interesting, when you get into the details. Good thing you don't know this story, or you'd have guessed it already.

Nylon? Polyester? Styrene? No to all.

[trebor]

Rubber?

[GalFisk]

Rubber? No.

[trebor]

If things had gone according to plan would the gas have stayed a gas?

Was he trying to invent something used for: fun? Education? Medicine? The military? Exploration? Same qs for what he actually invented.

[GalFisk]

If things had gone according to plan would the gas have stayed a gas? Yesish.

Was he trying to invent something used for: fun? Education? Medicine? The military? Exploration? Same qs for what he actually invented. No to all.

[GalFisk]

Hint: the title is relevant.

[CoffeeBean]

Clear plastic? Colored plastic?
Common plastic?
PVC?

[GalFisk]

Clear plastic? Colored plastic? No to both.
Common plastic? Yes, for a specific use.
PVC? No.

[CoffeeBean]

Does the plastic typically go by a manufacturer's trade name (like Mylar, Nylon)? Or a more generic name?
Does the plastic usually appear and/or get used in a sheet form? Molded form? Granulated form? Something else?

[GalFisk]

Does the plastic typically go by a manufacturer's trade name (like Mylar, Nylon)? Yes, but neither of those. Or a more generic name?
Does the plastic usually appear and/or get used in a sheet form? Molded form? Granulated form? Something else? This.

[trebor]

Is dry ice relevant? Regular ice? Steam? Water? Vanilla?

Is the plastic normally used by adults? Teens? Children? People of a certain profession? Is it used around the house? At school/work? Is it multipurpose? Is it used in clothing?

[GalFisk]

Is dry ice relevant? Regular ice? This. Steam? Water? Vanilla?

Is the plastic normally used by adults? Yes. Teens? Sometimes. Children? Rarely. People of a certain profession? Noish. Is it used around the house? Yes. At school/work? Not normally. Is it multipurpose? Not in the well-known form, but it has other uses too. Is it used in clothing? No.

[CoffeeBean]

Plastic ice cubes? Ice trays?

[GalFisk]

Plastic ice cubes? Ice trays? No to both.

[CoffeeBean]

In its most common usage, does the plastic have the same form? Can it be shaped or formed easily? At room temperature?

[GalFisk]

In its most common usage, does the plastic have the same form? The same form as what? It is not being deformed when used, but it is not in the form our hero discovered it. Can it be shaped or formed easily? It's known to not be straightforward. At room temperature? It's reasonably soft, but I think shaping it into a product requires heat if that's what you mean.

[trebor]

Is it used moreso in one particular season? Is it used in the bathroom? Kitchen/eating area? Living room? Bedroom? Garage? Entryway? Is it used for housework? For hygiene? For getting ready in the morning? For going to bed?

[GalFisk]

Is it used moreso in one particular season? Is it used in the bathroom? Kitchen/eating area? This. Living room? Bedroom? Garage? Entryway? Is it used for housework? This. For hygiene? For getting ready in the morning? For going to bed?

[Hobbsicle]

Tupperware? Silicone?

Was the gas blown/sprayed (or otherwise directed) onto ice? The resulting temperature drop made it change form?

[GalFisk]

Tupperware? Silicone? No to both.

Was the gas blown/sprayed (or otherwise directed) onto ice? No. The resulting temperature drop made it change form? No.
He did originally want to cause a temperature drop though.

[trebor]

Saran Wrap? Did he create something we use in cooking? Storing food? Eating food? Drinking? Cleaning kitchen appliances? Linoleum relevant?

Did the ice in question already exist? Is it what he wanted to create? Is he trying to invent something to do with freezing/refrigeration? Did he invent something to do with that?

[GalFisk]

Saran Wrap? No. Did he create something we use in cooking? This. Storing food? Eating food? Drinking? Cleaning kitchen appliances? Cleaning is somewhat relevant. Linoleum relevant?

Did the ice in question already exist? Is it what he wanted to create? Is he trying to invent something to do with freezing/refrigeration? Yes, he's trying to make a better refrigeration system, for use in household fridges and freezers. Did he invent something to do with that? No (actually, he did - but that's outside the scope of the puzzle).

[trebor]

Is the thing used in fridges/freezers? On stovetops? In ovens? On counters? Is it an appliance? A tool? Is it part of a larger thing? Is it a coating on something?

[GalFisk]

Is the thing used in fridges/freezers? No. On stovetops? This, most famously. In ovens? Sometimes this too. On counters? Sometimes this too. Is it an appliance? A tool? No to both. Is it part of a larger thing? Yes. Is it a coating on something? Yes.

[trebor]

Teflon?

[GalFisk]

Teflon?
Indeed.
SPOILER: Roy J. Plunkett was developing a new refrigerant gas, tetrafluoroethylene. But when he wanted to take some out of a cylinder, nothing came out. It still weighed the same as a full cylinder though, so it shouldn't have leaked. When he cut it open, he found a waxy powder. The gas had polymerized into polytetrafluoroethylene, which became trademarked as Teflon.
He wanted to make one aspect of ice (cold), he was confused (because there was no gas in the cylinder), he ended up with another aspect of ice (slipperiness, a key property of PTFE).
Thanks for playing!