Think horse, not zebra!

[Theseus]

From dialogue where two the female cops are talking. One of the two has come up with a far-fetched plan to catch a serial killer.This is a real gem:-

--Think horse not zebra.
--What?
--Zebra when in the jungle. Shall we trot along on more traditional lines of enquiry rather than exotic ones!?

 

[Zazula]

It's related to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_(medical)

 

[Theseus]

Here zebra is literal. She means 'think on ordinary lines... not exotic':- --Zebra when in the jungle.

 

[Zazula]

I meant: it's based upon the Occam's-razor-like adage "when you are in Texas and you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras."

 

[nickel]

Let's start with: Μην κάνεις λογικά άλματα. (=Don't jump to unlikely / improbable conclusions.)

 

[daeman]

Also μην πάει ο νους σου στο απίθανο, σκέψου πιο προσγειωμένα, my dear Sherlock.

The particular horse + zebra + in the jungle + trot along wordplay would need serious outside-the-box thinking, and for the time being, I'm boxed-in by obligations.