"hoops" writes:

i spoke too soon.

my son took a shower in the other bathroom and the water level in the open
toilet rose and we didn't notice it for 5 minutes, so the water leaked and
flooded the kitchen. major damage to ceiling. now i'm stumped. i figured
the pipe was clear. any ideas/help???

If you have a snake, use it.
Otherwise, it might be time to call a plumber.