Isn't this really what netcat is for? I've used telnet like this before I was really aware of netcat.. I even knew how to login to and use an irc server with telnet, PING/PONG included
Maybe re-formulate the problem from different perspectives, find the intention behind the problem, go "one step up". Find the space where "the problem" is only one of many ways to solve the intention. Doesn't always work, but sometimes.
For me it was actually a relief to see that not everything is being over-explained, a sickness many modern movies suffer from. Where is the fun if after the movie you don't talk about it, look things up, maybe even read the book?