Riddle - Socks that may or may not be puppets

Question

I'm surprisingly standard,
But can ban if required.
Found in tea, less often than more,
I might also clear your sock drawer.

Answer 1

In a similar vein to Alconja's answer, how about this?

A FLAG.

I'm surprisingly standard,

A flag can also be called a standard (as in battle standard)

But can ban if required.

... or a banner, which can also mean "one who bans". A ban on an SE user's account may result from a flag being raised by another user.

Found in tea, less often than more,

This is probably a golf reference: "tea" is a homophone of "tee" and flags are found on golf courses (on the tee perhaps? I don't know enough about golf to say).

I might also clear your sock drawer.

As Alconja says, SE moderators sometimes have to delete sockpuppet accounts - the fact of sockpuppeting may be drawn to their attention by a flag raised by another user.

Another possibility (even more similar to Alconja's answer) is

a MODERATOR: they can ban other users, delete sockpuppet accounts, and probably drink tea.

I can't make that fit the first line though.

Answer 2

I'm going to take a stab and say:

Moderate

I'm surprisingly standard,

Moderate as a adjective means average, modest, standard, etc

But can ban if required.

As a verb, to moderate, might include banning someone (e.g. from a forum)

Found in tea, less often than more,

The letters "tea" and "more" are contained in moderate, but there's less in tea.

I might also clear your sock drawer.

Moderators on stack exchange sometimes have to deal with sock puppet accounts, and delete/clear them (noting the hint in the title)

Answer 3

My guess would be:

Alcohol!

I'm surprisingly standard,

Alcohol is very standard

But can ban if required.

Prohibition of alcohol in the US in 1920's

Found in tea, less often than more,

Sometimes(less often than more often) people drink tea with some sort of alcohol in it

I might also clear your sock drawer.

If we use it as a figurative reference to the mind(as Cᴏɴᴏʀ O'Bʀɪᴇɴ suggested), then small doses of alcohol can clear your mind (large doses will mess it up tho')
Another figurative meaning of Sock Drawer could be an area in your closet designated for pornography storage. Could contain socks, so with alcohol you can get rid of the stains
Or if it's the real sock drawer, you may use alcohol to disinfect/clear the drawer (if you are the dirty one, haha)

Answer 4

Answer:

Honey

I'm surprisingly standard,

In a lot of standard family stories, the husband calls his wife honey.

But can ban if required.

The wife could restrict her husband or children from doing something.

Found in tea, less often than more,

Some people add honey to their tea, instead of the more common sugar.

I might also clear your sock drawer.

Your wife or mother might clear your sock drawer.

Answer 5

I'll have a go at this and guess:

A string

I'm surprisingly standard

A piece of string is about as 'standard' as things get.

But can ban if required.

In certain situations, anything with strings is prohibited for safety reasons (plenty murder stories with guitar/piano strings, ...)

Found in tea, less often than more,

String from a teabag

I might also clear your sock drawer.

Well, if you find too many strings in your sock drawer, your socks have seen better days, and should be cleared from the drawer.

Just a guess ofcourse, I think so far most of us interpret the second line as 'being banned' then actually 'banning', so in doubt there.

Answer 6

It is

a plastic bag

I'm surprisingly standard,

plastic bags tend to be mass-produced, think grocery bags, etc.

But can ban if required.

plastic bags have been banned (or at least regulated) in municipalities due to littering and their environmental impact.

Found in tea, less often than more,

Some new brands of tea are using special nylon mesh bags

I might also clear your sock drawer.

You can toss all your socks into a bag when you're about to travel.

Answer 7

Answer:

Caffeine

Explanation

I'm surprisingly standard,

You find it everywhere--in coffee, tea, and some sodas.

BUt can ban if required.

It is technically a drug--so ODing on it could result in a ban?

Found in tea, less often than more,

It is found in small doses (if present at all) in tea.

I might also clear your sock drawer.

We can take "sock drawer" as a figurative reference to the mind (as it is often used). Then, caffeine can "clear" your mind, allowing you to stay awake for a longer period of time.

Answer 8

Ok i want to give another try/(last try may be)

Is it

Sugar

I'm surprisingly standard,

Sugar is surprisingly standard,

But can ban if required.

Everyone knows which sugar is banned (br*wn sugar)

Found in tea, less often than more,

some people avoid it in tea,some may like tea with more sugar

I might also clear your sock drawer.

May be Sugar stimulants used to clear sock drawer..

Answer 9

I think answer is

Nicotine

I'm surprisingly standard

we hardly can find it in stores

But can ban if required.

govt might ban foods/drinks which contains it

Found in tea, less often than more,

tea contains it in very small amount

I might also clear your sock drawer.

if taken in large quantity blocks the action of autonomic nerve,smaller amount may simulate brains clearing sock drawer.

How about that???