And, while a purely formal theory of communication may derive certain minimum standards of “efficiency” in communication that rational players ought to achieve, it is an empirical question whether players can do better than that. How well one can take a hint and what kinds of hints are most successful are empirical questions of social perception, probably amenable to experimental study.

QUESTION: What kinds of hints are most successful in practice? This points to possible experimental studies on hint-taking and social perception.

Thomas C. Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict, loc. 792