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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26022 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2005 :  21:54:08   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by dv82matt

I think it's supposed to be a tautology. Why is the sky blue? Because it reflects the sea. Why is the sea blue? Because it reflects the sky. It seems kind of random though, so maybe I'm not getting it either.
Perhaps the real answer to the riddle is "Sandra Bullock," as that is the example tautology she utters in the movie 28 Days.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2005 :  21:54:42   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
Ah, I see it now. But I wouldn't call that much of a riddle. Normally, I think of riddles as questions with all the information given that's needed to answer, but the trick is how you think. For example:

You have one match. You walk into a room with a kerosene lamp and an oil stove. Which do you light first?

The match.

There should only be one correct answer to any good riddle, and when that answer is given it normally makes you hit your head against your desk and say, "I should have known that."

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
Edited by - Ricky on 08/13/2005 21:59:10
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard

USA
4574 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2005 :  21:59:57   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send H. Humbert a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Ricky

Ah, I see it now. But I wouldn't call that much of a riddle.

I agree. I don't really see how it's a riddle at all. Neither is "What is the difference between a duck?" Difference between a duck and what? Maybe we're just supposed to notice that they aren't riddles and that's the riddle.


"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman

"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2005 :  22:09:11   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
Well, the second one has very unique wording, so I'm interested in hearing the answer.

I recommend a modified version of the rules if this game is going to last. The person who posts a riddle allows a 2 day time period for answers. If, at the end of this period, no correct answer was given, the riddler gives then answer then posts another riddle.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26022 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2005 :  22:25:13   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
Some riddles don't work well in text, like "what begins with T, ends with T, and is full of T?" (answer: a teapot, which means the final T should have been "tea," and the riddle only works due to their phonetic similarities), and maybe this is an example of that. I don't know, I'm just guessing at why this riddle hasn't really gone over well.

On the other hand, the teapot riddle is an example of a riddle which doesn't really contain all the information needed to provide an answer - it depends on how you hear the Ts (or "teas").

One of my favorite riddles to make a point with (as is done in the movie from which I learned it): what can you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
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Boron10
Religion Moderator

USA
1266 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  09:56:49   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Boron10 a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
what can you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?
Your hands?
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  10:13:33   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Boron10

quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
what can you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?
Your hands?



This is the first thing I thought too. And while it is technically correct, you can do all three things with your hands, it is not common to do so.

I had to look this one up with google, but it is a great riddle.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard

USA
4574 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  10:26:37   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send H. Humbert a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
One of my favorite riddles to make a point with (as is done in the movie from which I learned it): what can you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?

A toothbrush.


"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman

"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26022 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  10:35:34   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
No and no.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
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Why not question something for a change?
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dv82matt
SFN Regular

760 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  10:48:04   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send dv82matt a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dry_vby

What is the difference between a duck?
One of its legs are both the same.

Find a familiar phrase, saying or name in this arrangement of letters.

watch
watch
SOMEONE


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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard

USA
4574 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  10:56:55   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send H. Humbert a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.

No and no.

What??? I was positive that was the correct answer. You can sit on and sleep on a toothbrush, there just isn't much point to it.


"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman

"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard

USA
3834 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  11:48:17   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send beskeptigal a Private Message
quote:

Originally posted by Dave W.
what can you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?
water
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dv82matt
SFN Regular

760 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  11:49:45   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send dv82matt a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.

what can you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?
A chair, a bed and a toothbrush.

Nowhere is it mentioned that the answer must be only one thing.
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Dry_vby
Skeptic Friend

Australia
249 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  15:13:39   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Dry_vby a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by dv82matt

quote:
Originally posted by Dry_vby

What is the difference between a duck?
One of its legs are both the same.

Find a familiar phrase, saying or name in this arrangement of letters.

watch
watch
SOMEONE






Someone too watch over me.

Where does it say riddles have to make sense:

http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/taylor/topics/grypuzzle.htm

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

"I'll go along with the charade
Until I can think my way out.
I know it was all a big joke
Whatever it was about."

Bob Dylan
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26022 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2005 :  15:17:46   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by dv82matt

quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.

what can you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?
A chair, a bed and a toothbrush.
Bingo.
quote:
Nowhere is it mentioned that the answer must be only one thing.
And as mentioned in the movie, sometimes the answer is so simple it's overlooked.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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