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* ''ComicBook/{{Superlopez}}'': Twice in Pandora's Box. Played straight the first time, then [[InvokedTrope invoked]] and [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] the second time, when Superlópez tries to play it smart and [[ExploitedTrope make it work for him.]] (Spoiler: it doesn't)

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* ''ComicBook/{{Superlopez}}'': Twice in Pandora's Box. Played straight the first time, then [[InvokedTrope invoked]] {{invoked|Trope}} and [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] {{subverted|Trope}} the second time, when Superlópez tries to play it smart and [[ExploitedTrope make it work for him.]] (Spoiler: it doesn't)



* In ''[[FanFic/PokemonBlackandWhiteTaleofaLegend Pokemon Black & White: Tale of a Legend]]'', Thrin becomes impatient and taps her foot on just the right floor tile, which reveals [[spoiler:a computer with video feed of the captured Kyurem]].

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* In ''[[FanFic/PokemonBlackandWhiteTaleofaLegend ''[[Fanfic/PokemonBlackAndWhiteTaleOALegend Pokemon Black & White: Tale of a Legend]]'', Thrin becomes impatient and taps her foot on just the right floor tile, which reveals [[spoiler:a computer with video feed of the captured Kyurem]].



** [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] (with little success) in ''Literature/TheAmazingMauriceAndHisEducatedRodents'': Malicia insists that the best way to find secret passages is to give up after searching, then lean casually against something and accidentally trip the hidden switch. They do find a secret passage, but only by noticing the cleverly hidden switch.

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** [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] {{Invoked|Trope}} (with little success) in ''Literature/TheAmazingMauriceAndHisEducatedRodents'': Malicia insists that the best way to find secret passages is to give up after searching, then lean casually against something and accidentally trip the hidden switch. They do find a secret passage, but only by noticing the cleverly hidden switch.



* A variation occurs in the Austrian children's book ''Katzenkönig Mauzenberger''. The bad guys want to break in the treasure chamber of the king, but only know that they have to press a certain brick to open the secret door. The boss gets angry and [[KickTheDog kicks]] the MinionWithAnFInEvil. Of course, he lands exactly on the right brick.

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* A variation occurs in the Austrian children's book ''Katzenkönig Mauzenberger''. The bad guys want to break in the treasure chamber of the king, but only know that they have to press a certain brick to open the secret door. The boss gets angry and [[KickTheDog kicks]] {{kick|TheDog}}s the MinionWithAnFInEvil. Of course, he lands exactly on the right brick.



* In one UK series of ''Series/BigBrother'' the contestants were put in a room full of various stations that allowed them to fill different sized containers with water, rearrange coloured blocks and so on. A giant gauge on the wall would move whenever they performed whatever unspecified actions were required to advance towards their goal. In fact all of the stations were [[RedHerring red herrings]] and the gauge actually increased whenever one of them got bored and left the room. The contestants figured it out fairly quickly due to several of them taking frequent smoke breaks.

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* In one UK series of ''Series/BigBrother'' the contestants were put in a room full of various stations that allowed them to fill different sized containers with water, rearrange coloured blocks and so on. A giant gauge on the wall would move whenever they performed whatever unspecified actions were required to advance towards their goal. In fact all of the stations were [[RedHerring red herrings]] {{red herring}}s and the gauge actually increased whenever one of them got bored and left the room. The contestants figured it out fairly quickly due to several of them taking frequent smoke breaks.



-->'''Mackenzie:''' ''(leans against a wall)'' We're never gonna figure this out!\\
'''Saison:''' ''(beat)'' Eh, Mackenzie, what are you doing?\\

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-->'''Mackenzie:''' ''(leans ''[leans against a wall)'' wall]'' We're never gonna figure this out!\\
'''Saison:''' ''(beat)'' ''[beat]'' Eh, Mackenzie, what are you doing?\\



[[folder:Web Comics]]

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[[folder:Web Comics]][[folder:Webcomics]]



* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' by Roy in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0691.html "All Available Resources"]]. Elan manages to find a treasure chest while walking around.

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* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] {{Invoked|Trope}} in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' by Roy in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0691.html "All Available Resources"]]. Elan manages to find a treasure chest while walking around.



* [[PluckyComicRelief Beast Boy]] from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' does this in "Date with Destiny" when the Titans are searching [[AbhorrentAdmirer Kitten's]] house for [[MonsterOfTheWeek Killer Moth's lair]]. Robin shouts at Cyborg, Beast Boy moves backward in surprise, and when he runs into a statue, it triggers the secret door to the MadScientist's basement.

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* [[PluckyComicRelief Beast Boy]] from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' does this in "Date with Destiny" when the Titans are searching [[AbhorrentAdmirer Kitten's]] house for [[MonsterOfTheWeek Killer Moth's lair]]. Robin shouts at Cyborg, Beast Boy moves backward in surprise, and when he runs into a statue, it triggers the secret door to the MadScientist's basement.

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* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'':
** In "[[Recap/MidsomerMurdersS1E3 Faithful Unto Death]]", Troy is searching an attic when he backs into a wall, and falls straight through the secret door he was searching for.
** At the end of "[[Recap/MidsomerMurdersS9E4 Down Among the Dead Men]]", Barnaby and Jones are searching the Florians' house for illegally recovered gold and having no luck. Jones accidentally spills his water bottle on the stonework they're sitting on and the water runs down into it, making them realise they're sitting on a well where the gold is hidden.



* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "[[Recap/MidsomerMurdersS1E3 Faithful Unto Death]]", Troy is searching an attic when he backs into a wall, and falls straight through the secret door he was searching for.
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* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "Faithful Unto Death", Troy is searching an attic when he backs into a wall, and falls straight through the secret door he was searching for.

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* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "Faithful "[[Recap/MidsomerMurdersS1E3 Faithful Unto Death", Death]]", Troy is searching an attic when he backs into a wall, and falls straight through the secret door he was searching for.
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* ''WesternAnimation/RazzberryJazzberryJam'': In “Phantom Of The Jam”, Buddy manages to activate a TrapDoor he didn’t even know was there by putting his hand on a random brick in the wall. Although this could be a subversion, as the reason he put his hand on said brick was because he was trying to show the other Jazzberries where the eponymous phantom had gone through the wall, and it’s possible, albeit not confirmed, that the ghost was trying to show them how to activate it.

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* ''ComicBook/SensationComics'': In issue 38 ComicBook/SteveTrevor and the Holliday Girls arrive as backup for Franchise/WonderWoman only to discover she seems to have disappeared after entering a room with no other apparent exits and start searching for a hidden passageway. When ComicBook/EttaCandy gives up and sits down on a table it flips open the hidden door to some stairs which lead underground.



* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': When Hypnota takes Wonder Woman hostage and Steve brings Etta and the Holliday Girls to search for her Etta decides to climb a tree to get a better view, and the first branch she grabs is the disguised lever that opens the hidden door to Hypnota's secret lair.

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* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'':
** ''ComicBook/SensationComics'': In issue #38, Steve Trevor and the Holliday Girls arrive as backup for Wonder Woman only to discover she seems to have disappeared after entering a room with no other apparent exits and start searching for a hidden passageway. When Etta Candy gives up and sits down on a table it flips open the hidden door to some stairs which lead underground.
**
''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': When Hypnota takes Wonder Woman hostage and Steve brings Etta and the Holliday Girls to search for her Etta decides to climb a tree to get a better view, and the first branch she grabs is the disguised lever that opens the hidden door to Hypnota's secret lair.

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* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': The fellowship spend ages trying to work out how to enter the gates of Moria, until someone suggests taking the instructions literally!

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* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': The fellowship spend ages trying to work out how to enter the gates of Moria, until someone suggests taking the instructions "Speak friend and enter" literally!



* Happens to Hamlet in Creator/TomHolt's ''My Hero'', during a sequence that's ''supposed'' to be demonstrating that the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality no longer applies but keeps getting undermined by the fact that (this being a Tom Holt novel) the RuleOfFunny is still in full effect.

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* Happens to Hamlet in Creator/TomHolt's ''My Hero'', ''Literature/MyHero'', during a sequence that's ''supposed'' to be demonstrating that the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality no longer applies but keeps getting undermined by the fact that (this being a Tom Holt novel) the RuleOfFunny is still in full effect.effect.
* In ''Literature/TheMysteriousBenedictSociety'', the protagonists are searching for the entrance to a SecretPassage, to no avail. Finally Sticky kicks a rock in frustration. The rock turns out to contain a hidden door that's designed to open when kicked.
* At one point in the ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series, hacker Dulcinea has been trying to break into the laptop of her boss, PsychoForHire John Dread. The sophisticated hacking software she installed on it manages to reveal the existence of a secret trigger activated by typing a specific password, but when she tries typing it, the only thing that happens is that the laptop's microphone turns on. Whatever the secret is, it must also be protected by a second, voice-activated password. Unfortunately, her software can't tell her what the second password is, she has no information to help her guess, and trying to brute force the password would take forever. Out of frustration, she utters a swear word - and the laptop accepts the password as correct, unlocking Dread's encrypted files. (At this point in the story, the reader knows the significance of the combined passphrase [[spoiler: "Dreamtime Bitch"]], but Dulcinea does not.)



* In Simon Hawke's ''The Wizard of Whitechapel'', an Irish cabbie who drove the heroes to the party independently decides to crash it along with them, purely so he can play this trope straight at the right time.
* At one point in the ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series, hacker Dulcinea has been trying to break into the laptop of her boss, PsychoForHire John Dread. The sophisticated hacking software she installed on it manages to reveal the existence of a secret trigger activated by typing a specific password, but when she tries typing it, the only thing that happens is that the laptop's microphone turns on. Whatever the secret is, it must also be protected by a second, voice-activated password. Unfortunately, her software can't tell her what the second password is, she has no information to help her guess, and trying to brute force the password would take forever. Out of frustration, she utters a swear word - and the laptop accepts the password as correct, unlocking Dread's encrypted files. (At this point in the story, the reader knows the significance of the combined passphrase [[spoiler: "Dreamtime Bitch"]], but Dulcinea does not.)

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* In Simon Hawke's ''The Wizard of Whitechapel'', ''Literature/TheWizardOfWhitechapel'', an Irish cabbie who drove the heroes to the party independently decides to crash it along with them, purely so he can play this trope straight at the right time.
* At one point in the ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series, hacker Dulcinea has been trying to break into the laptop of her boss, PsychoForHire John Dread. The sophisticated hacking software she installed on it manages to reveal the existence of a secret trigger activated by typing a specific password, but when she tries typing it, the only thing that happens is that the laptop's microphone turns on. Whatever the secret is, it must also be protected by a second, voice-activated password. Unfortunately, her software can't tell her what the second password is, she has no information to help her guess, and trying to brute force the password would take forever. Out of frustration, she utters a swear word - and the laptop accepts the password as correct, unlocking Dread's encrypted files. (At this point in the story, the reader knows the significance of the combined passphrase [[spoiler: "Dreamtime Bitch"]], but Dulcinea does not.)
time.

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* In ''Film/WildHorsePhantom'', Fuzzy is roaming the mine tunnels when he picks up a pick to defend himself. he stumbles and buries the point of pick in the wall. When he pulls it out, he discovers the stolen cash Daggett and his gang have been searching for.

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* In ''Film/WildHorsePhantom'', Fuzzy is roaming the mine tunnels when he picks up a pick to defend himself. he He stumbles and buries the point of pick in the wall. When he pulls it out, he discovers the stolen cash Daggett and his gang have been searching for.for.
* ''Film/{{Wonka}}'': Frustrated when searching the vault for the green ledger, Noodle throws an old chocolate box across the room where it hits a pillar and springs open the door of the secret compartment where the ledger is hidden.
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* In ''Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1998'', Honorine discovers the secret passage into Christine's dressing room when she throws a shoe at a fly and it hits the mirror; opening the hidden door.
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* In ''Series/CriminologistHimuraAndMysteryWriterArisugawa'', while dealing with a kidnapped professor, Himura figures out that there's something off with the bookcase in the professor's home. It's not Arisugawa thoroughly searching it that provides the answer, however, but his leaning on the shelf afterwards that causes the bookcase to open up into a secret room.
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* In ''Film/TheFifthElement'', [[spoiler:the Apocalypse clock has minutes to go, with the heroes still baffled over how to get the MacGuffin stones to open. Vito's lackey, David, resigns himself to their fate and sighs, accidentally triggering the "Wind" stone with his breath.]]
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* ''Series/GetSmart'': Criminal mastermind Leadside is robbing an art museum when Maxwell Smart comes swaggering in to stop him. When Leadside demands to know why the IdiotHero wasn't fooled by his fake tipoff that he was attending a KAOS meeting on the other side of town, Max reels off a convoluted explanation about how he believed the tipoff was actually a code, searched several other locations until he was completely confused, then decided to go to the museum to relax. It's the final straw for Leadside, who decides to have Smart killed as he's tired of being defeated by the IdiotHero's dumb luck.

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* ''Series/GetSmart'': Criminal mastermind Leadside is robbing an art museum when Maxwell Smart comes swaggering in to stop him. When Leadside demands to know why the IdiotHero Smart wasn't fooled by his fake tipoff that he was attending a KAOS meeting on the other side of town, Max reels off a convoluted explanation about how he believed the tipoff was actually a code, searched several other locations until he was completely confused, then decided to go to the museum to relax. It's the final straw for Leadside, who decides to have Smart killed as he's tired of being defeated by the IdiotHero's dumb luck.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ''Series/GetSmart'': Criminal mastermind Leadside is robbing an art museum when Maxwell Smart comes swaggering in to stop him. When Leadside demands to know why the IdiotHero wasn't fooled by his fake tipoff that he was attending a KAOS meeting on the other side of town, Max reels off a convoluted explanation about how he believed the tipoff was actually a code, searched several other locations until he was completely confused, then decided to go to the museum to relax.

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* ''Series/GetSmart'': Criminal mastermind Leadside is robbing an art museum when Maxwell Smart comes swaggering in to stop him. When Leadside demands to know why the IdiotHero wasn't fooled by his fake tipoff that he was attending a KAOS meeting on the other side of town, Max reels off a convoluted explanation about how he believed the tipoff was actually a code, searched several other locations until he was completely confused, then decided to go to the museum to relax. It's the final straw for Leadside, who decides to have Smart killed as he's tired of being defeated by the IdiotHero's dumb luck.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ''Film/Aquaman2018''. Mera and Arthur Curry go tramping across the Sahara Desert, guided by a miraculous piece of Atlantean technology that Mera is holding. At one point Arthur loses his temper and points out that they are literally in the middle of nowhere, [[RuleOfFunny only to fall into a sinkhole into the underground city they're searching for.]]

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* ''Film/Aquaman2018''. Mera and Arthur Curry go tramping across the Sahara Desert, guided by a miraculous piece of Atlantean technology that Mera is holding. At one point Arthur loses his temper and points out that they are literally in the middle of nowhere, [[RuleOfFunny only to fall vanish into a sinkhole into which dumps him in the underground city they're searching for.]]
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* ''Film/Aquaman2018''. Mera and Arthur Curry go tramping across the Sahara Desert, guided by a miraculous piece of Atlantean technology that Mera is holding. At one point Arthur loses his temper and points out that they are literally in the middle of nowhere, [[RuleOfFunny only to fall into a sinkhole into the underground city they're searching for.]]

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[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

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[[folder:Films [[folder:Film -- Animation]]Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingMaurice'': Subverted when Malicia, who possesses WrongGenreSavvy, decides there has to be a secret tunnel in the Rat Catchers Guild. She searches and then, believing that the heroine will only find the secret door after she stops looking, starts randomly leaning against walls and grabbing coat hooks, and is surprised when nothing happens. Keith, meanwhile, finds the hidden switch by spotting something that doesn't belong: a rat hole in the Rat Catchers Guild.



[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

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[[folder:Films [[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
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* At one point in the ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series, hacker Dulcinea has been trying to break into the laptop of her boss, PsychoForHire John Dread. The sophisticated hacking software she installed on it manages to reveal the existence of a secret trigger activated by typing a password, but when she tries it, it just turns on the microphone. Whatever the secret is, it must also be protected by a second, voice-activated password. Unfortunately, her software can't tell her what the password is, she has no information to help her guess, and trying to brute force the password would take forever. Out of frustration, she utters a swear word - and the laptop accepts the password as correct, unlocking Dread's encrypted files. (At this point in the story, the reader knows the significance of the combined passphrase [[spoiler: "Dreamtime Bitch"]], but Dulcinea does not.)

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* At one point in the ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series, hacker Dulcinea has been trying to break into the laptop of her boss, PsychoForHire John Dread. The sophisticated hacking software she installed on it manages to reveal the existence of a secret trigger activated by typing a specific password, but when she tries typing it, it just the only thing that happens is that the laptop's microphone turns on the microphone.on. Whatever the secret is, it must also be protected by a second, voice-activated password. Unfortunately, her software can't tell her what the second password is, she has no information to help her guess, and trying to brute force the password would take forever. Out of frustration, she utters a swear word - and the laptop accepts the password as correct, unlocking Dread's encrypted files. (At this point in the story, the reader knows the significance of the combined passphrase [[spoiler: "Dreamtime Bitch"]], but Dulcinea does not.)
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* At one point in the ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series, hacker Dulcinea has been trying to break into the laptop of her boss, PsychoForHire John Dread. The sophisticated hacking software she installed on it manages to reveal the existence of a secret trigger activated by typing a password, but when she tries it, it just turns on the microphone. Whatever the secret is, it must also be protected by a second, voice-activated password. Unfortunately, her software can't tell her what the password is, she has no information to help her guess, and trying to brute force the password would take forever. Out of frustration, she utters a swear word - and the laptop accepts the password as correct, unlocking Dread's encrypted files. (At this point in the story, the reader knows the significance of the combined passphrase [[spoiler: "Dreamtime Bitch"]], but Dulcinea does not.)

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crosswicking


* ''Series/GetSmart''. Criminal mastermind Leadside is robbing an art museum when Maxwell Smart comes swaggering in to stop him. When Leadside demands to know why the IdiotHero wasn't fooled by his fake tipoff that he was attending a KAOS meeting on the other side of town, Max reels off a convoluted explanation about how he believed the tipoff was actually a code, searched several other locations until he was completely confused, then decided to go to the museum to relax.

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* ''Series/GetSmart''. ''Series/GetSmart'': Criminal mastermind Leadside is robbing an art museum when Maxwell Smart comes swaggering in to stop him. When Leadside demands to know why the IdiotHero wasn't fooled by his fake tipoff that he was attending a KAOS meeting on the other side of town, Max reels off a convoluted explanation about how he believed the tipoff was actually a code, searched several other locations until he was completely confused, then decided to go to the museum to relax.relax.
* ''Series/TheHexer'': Invoked by Geralt and Dandelion who were trying to find a way out of the same dungeon Ciri was previously held in. Geralt concluded she must've activated some type of secret passage, so he told Dandelion to touch and push everything on the height of a little girl.
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* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': This is Larry Butz's bread and butter. He completely destroys multiple long and complex evil plans by doing something stupid that leads him to witness something extremely important.
** In ''Turnabout Goodbyes'', he returns a boat he rented at the exact time the victim was killed at the boat rental shop, thus allowing Phoenix to realize that the murder took place ''before'' the defendant arrived on the scene, and what everyone had earlier ''thought'' was the murder was part of a FrameUp.
** In Trials and Tribulations, he spends the night at the Heavenly Hall (really a run-down shack without any heating, so no one else would be dumb enough to do so) because he wanted to hook up with Iris, allowing him to witness [[spoiler: the body of the victim being transported away from the crime scene]].

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