iserith
Magic Wordsmith
So, something like this has come up recently, I think, and it seems to boil down to whether the players know there's a sock drawer to mention specifically and whether the DM will treat any action description that doesn't specifically mention the sock drawer as having no chance of success (and I suppose whether the DM will treat any action description that mentions the sock drawer as having no chance of failure).
I guess I figure that reasonably competent and determined characters with adequate time are going to open every visible drawer that opens, so if they take enough time--which will depend on the size of the room and how much is in it--they'll search the sock drawer, even if the players don't specifically mention doing so. Even a quicker check might do the job--automatically if the players mention the drawers, on a die roll if they don't.
Sure, but if as a player you want to try to avoid making a check, then being reasonably specific to the standards laid out in the PHB seems like a better strategy for success than relying on a d20, however good the character's related ability score and skill proficiency may be.