| Author | Message | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 117 Registered: 4-2009 |
So, who did write the poem? This could be a toughie, but I hope you have fun! | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 785 Registered: 12-2008 |
Was it written by someone named Anonymous? Is there a poem? Is it written? Is the person who wrote it the same one who came up with the lines for the poem - ie Was the person who wrote it recording something they heard verbally from someone else? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 126 Registered: 4-2009 |
Was it written by someone named Anonymous? lol, no. Title isn't relevant. Is there a poem? yes Is it written? yes Is the person who wrote it the same one who came up with the lines for the poem no - ie Was the person who wrote it recording something they heard verbally from someone else? but not this | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 788 Registered: 12-2008 |
Did they copy it from somewhere? Translate it another language? Decrypt it? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 128 Registered: 4-2009 |
Did they copy it from somewhere? yope Translate it another language? no Decrypt it? no | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 789 Registered: 12-2008 |
miscopy it? thereby changing its meaning? or key pieces? | ||
| Sundowner (Sundowner)
New member Username: Sundowner Post Number: 516 Registered: 6-2003 |
Is the poem published? is it known who published it first? did somebody claim to be the author but isn't? or, the other way round, does someone deny to be the author but actually is? Is the poem attributed to several people? but all deny to have written it? Was the poem published as "anonymous"? but the one who published it knew who the author was? Is it known who wrote the poem? Was the poem published under a pseudonym? a pseudonym that was used by several authors? so that nobody can tell who of them actually wrote it? (like Kosma Prudkov) | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 130 Registered: 4-2009 |
miscopy it? no thereby changing its meaning? or key pieces? Is the poem published? yes is it known who published it first? Do you mean the publisher? yes. did somebody claim to be the author but isn't? no or, the other way round, does someone deny to be the author but actually is? no, but otrt Is the poem attributed to several people? but all deny to have written it? no Was the poem published as "anonymous"? no but the one who published it knew who the author was? NO. Is it known who wrote the poem? yope Was the poem published under a pseudonym? yope a pseudonym that was used by several authors? so that nobody can tell who of them actually wrote it? not this. (like Kosma Prudkov) a couple of FAs here. Try finding out about characters other than the author. | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 150 Registered: 5-2009 |
are we looking for who originally thought up the poem? or who penned the poem? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 131 Registered: 4-2009 |
are we looking for who originally thought up the poem? or who penned the poem? both, in a sense, although bit of a FA. The solution to the puzzle is a reasonably complex situation which would cause someone to ask this question. However, the idea of who thought up the poem and who penned the poem are very relevent ideas. | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 153 Registered: 5-2009 |
Was the poem a piece of writing in poem form that would not necessarily need to be in poem form? like a ransom note? or a suicide note? or a diary entry? Is this a specific situation that would cause some one to ask this question? is anyone in the situation specifically asking this question? Does the situation involve any sort of specific event? like an injury? a death? supreme fortune (like winning the lottery)? supreme misfortune (losing your winning lottery ticket)? Don't mind me if any of this stuff is completely off base I'm just looking for a little piece of information out there that i can get a foot hold on to ask further questions. | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 133 Registered: 4-2009 |
Was the poem a piece of writing in poem form that would not necessarily need to be in poem form? no, it's just a regular poem. nice idea though. like a ransom note? or a suicide note? or a diary entry? Is this a specific situation that would cause some one to ask this question? yes is anyone in the situation specifically asking this question? no, it is intended to be asked by us as the puzzle solvers. However, there is a character in the situation who would probably be thinking this as well. Does the situation involve any sort of specific event? yesish like an injury? a death? supreme fortune (like winning the lottery)? supreme misfortune (losing your winning lottery ticket)? none of these though Don't mind me if any of this stuff is completely off base I'm just looking for a little piece of information out there that i can get a foot hold on to ask further questions. That's ok. I'm sorry for all the non-committal responses! If no-one's getting anywhere after a while I'll put another hint up, I just didn't want to make it too easy. | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 158 Registered: 5-2009 |
is the content of the poem relevant? (like words, poem format, rhyming scheme, ect.) so some one wrote the poem? and some one else penned the poem? Was the poem left some where? did some one find the poem? did a group of people find it? was if found inside? was it found outside? if yes, do any or all of these people have any biological relation to the person who wrote the poem? other type of relation? Do any or all of these people have any other type of relationship with the person who wrote the poem? Do any or all of these people have any biological relation to the person who penned the poem? other type of relation? Do any or all of these people have any other type of relationship with the person who penned the poem? is either the person who penned the poem or the person who wrote the poem still physically present in the situation? Please no hints, i still have some more ideas to try if these all fail so just bear with me a little longer. | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 136 Registered: 4-2009 |
is the content of the poem relevant? (like words, poem format, rhyming scheme, ect.) no, not at all so some one wrote the poem? no! and some one else penned the poem? yes Was the poem left some where? YES. did some one find the poem? yes did a group of people find it? no was if found inside? this was it found outside? if yes, do any or all of these people have any biological relation to the person who wrote the poem? no other type of relation? no Do any or all of these people have any other type of relationship with the person who wrote the poem? no Do any or all of these people have any biological relation to the person who penned the poem? other type of relation? Do any or all of these people have any other type of relationship with the person who penned the poem? no to all is either the person who penned the poem or the person who wrote the poem still physically present in the situation? not quite sure what you mean. Please no hints, i still have some more ideas to try if these all fail so just bear with me a little longer. ok. Seems like this has got you a little further though! | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 159 Registered: 5-2009 |
just to clarify, wrote = developed the content and piece of literature that is the poem With this clarification is So some one wrote the poem? still No!? are all the living entities involved with this puzzle H/A/M? (Mostly just checking to see if their human) this is a little redundant but is the person who found the poem H/A/M? Is the building that the poem was found it a specific type of building? is the geographic location of this building important? Was the person who found the poem, looking for it? looking for the person who penned it? looking for something else? not looking for anything at all and just happened to see it? has the person who found the poem ever met or otherwise come in contact with the person who wrote the poem? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 142 Registered: 4-2009 |
just to clarify, wrote = developed the content and piece of literature that is the poem With this clarification is So some one wrote the poem? still No!? correct. I was originally going to have as my puzzle statement: "nobody wrote the poem", but wanted to add an extra level of difficulty XD are all the living entities involved with this puzzle H/A/M? (Mostly just checking to see if their human) yes, all HAM although gender is irrelevent this is a little redundant but is the person who found the poem H/A/M? yes Is the building that the poem was found it a specific type of building? yes is the geographic location of this building important? no Was the person who found the poem, looking for it? no looking for the person who penned it? no looking for something else? no not looking for anything at all and just happened to see it? yes has the person who found the poem ever met or otherwise come in contact with the person who wrote the poem? no | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 161 Registered: 5-2009 |
Was the building in which the poem was found a home? small office building? large office building? some other sort of business center where people work? storage facility? municipal facility (city electric buildings and water facilities, mostly just exists to house unsightly equipment and machinery)? Person who found poem is now known as Steve. Does Steve work in the building he found the poem? live in the building? Is it relevant how recently the poem was penned in relation to when Steve found it? LTPF list of times since poem was penned to finding of poem? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 146 Registered: 4-2009 |
Was the building in which the poem was found a home? small office building? large office building? some other sort of business center where people work? storage facility? municipal facility (city electric buildings and water facilities, mostly just exists to house unsightly equipment and machinery)? no to all Person who found poem is now known as Steve. okey dokey Does Steve work in the building he found the poem? no live in the building? no Is it relevant how recently the poem was penned in relation to when Steve found it? yesish LTPF list of times since poem was penned to finding of poem? about an hour. exact time isn't important. | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 148 Registered: 4-2009 |
BLOOPER ALERT: Steve DOES work at the building in which he found the poem. Sorry about that. | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 164 Registered: 5-2009 |
for a job does Steve make a physical good or provide a service? Did Steve find the poem while in the process of doing his job? as he arrived at work in the morning? as he was leaving at night? some time during the day while on break? dose Steve's job involve working with other people (as in co-workers)? if yes was the poem found in the personal work space of one of these co-workers, if they have any? was the poem found in Steve's personal workspace, if he has any? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 150 Registered: 4-2009 |
for a job does Steve make a physical good no or provide a service? this Did Steve find the poem while in the process of doing his job? yes as he arrived at work in the morning? as he was leaving at night? some time during the day while on break? dose Steve's job involve working with other people (as in co-workers)? he has co-workers, but they're irrelevant if yes was the poem found in the personal work space of one of these co-workers, if they have any? they don't was the poem found in Steve's personal workspace, if he has any? he doesn't | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 165 Registered: 5-2009 |
the service that Steve provides, is it something that the average person uses fairly often? (like is he a mailman) or is it a specialized service that not everyone needs or is used very rarely by the general public? (like an athletic trainer) | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 152 Registered: 4-2009 |
the service that Steve provides, is it something that the average person uses fairly often? yes (like is he a mailman) but not this or is it a specialized service that not everyone needs or is used very rarely by the general public? (like an athletic trainer) | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 168 Registered: 5-2009 |
Is there any special equipment used in this service? Does Steve travel around to provide the service or do others come to him for the service? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 158 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is there any special equipment used in this service? noish Does Steve travel around to provide the service or do others come to him for the service? others come to him. | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 169 Registered: 5-2009 |
-Little recap- So Steve is at work. Steve provides some sort of service where people come to him, but he has no personal space (ie, no desk or office and such) probably because of the fact that he doesn't work in an office building of any sort. While at work he finds this poem that was penned about an hour ago; a poem that no one wrote. Steve has no relation to or any knowledge of the person who penned the poem. Correct? Is what Steve was up to at work relevant? Was he performing any tasks other than standard operating procedure for the particular service he provides? Was he in the bathroom? was this poem part of the wonderfully entertaining text you find on the interior of bathroom stalls? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 160 Registered: 4-2009 |
-Little recap- So Steve is at work. Steve provides some sort of service where people come to him, but he has no personal space (ie, no desk or office and such) probably because of the fact that he doesn't work in an office building of any sort. While at work he finds this poem that was penned about an hour ago; a poem that no one wrote. Steve has no relation to or any knowledge He might have had knowledge of them (as in acknowledge their existance as opposed to know anything about them.) However it's not really relevant. of the person who penned the poem. Correct? The rest is all correct. Is what Steve was up to at work relevant? yes Was he performing any tasks other than standard operating procedure for the particular service he provides? It's definitely a standard part of his job, but it's not the main part. Was he in the bathroom? no was this poem part of the wonderfully entertaining text you find on the interior of bathroom stalls? lol, no | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 162 Registered: 4-2009 |
I realised that when I said "knowledge of them" I was using the word 'them' to show that it could be a man or a woman. However, I did say earlier that all characters were HAM so replace 'them' with 'him'. I don't want to confuse people into thinking it's more than one person. | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 171 Registered: 5-2009 |
Sorry for the delay as with you on my puzzle i seem to be the only one working this one, any way back to work... Is Steve the managing body of some sort at his place of employment? (this is to apply to any level low or high, just looking to see if anyone reports to him) or is he is a bottom most grunt worker? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 169 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is Steve the managing body of some sort at his place of employment? (this is to apply to any level low or high, just looking to see if anyone reports to him) or is he is a bottom most grunt worker? I imagine him as the lowest worker but it's not actually relevant. He could be higher up. | ||
| Sundowner (Sundowner)
New member Username: Sundowner Post Number: 524 Registered: 6-2003 |
Is the building a school? an university? a library? a post office? Was the poem when he found it: written on paper? written on some other item? written on a wall? written on some other part of the building? handwritten? printed? produced automatically by some device? displayed on a screen? on his mobile phone? Did the one who penned the poem take it from his own imagination? copy it from somewhere? Was he aware that it is a poem? Was his intention for writing it down that he wanted to keep this wonderful text and make it available to his friends/fellows/the humankind? Did the text appear only to Steve as a poem? Is it a text (in the usual sense, that is, a sequence of words, sentences, ..) at all? Is the language of the poem relevant? Is it a Haiku? Does Steve's job involve to give people advice? to give information? to answer people's questions? to hand out things? to receive things? Is he a teacher? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 172 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is the building a school? an university? a library? a post office? no to all Was the poem when he found it: written on paper? this written on some other item? written on a wall? written on some other part of the building? handwritten? this printed? produced automatically by some device? displayed on a screen? on his mobile phone? Did the one who penned the poem take it from his own imagination? no copy it from somewhere? yope Was he aware that it is a poem? yes Was his intention for writing it down that he wanted to keep this wonderful text and make it available to his friends/fellows/the humankind? no Did the text appear only to Steve as a poem? yes Is it a text (in the usual sense, that is, a sequence of words, sentences, ..) at all? yes Is the language of the poem relevant? no, only that it's Steve's spoken language too. Is it a Haiku? irrelevant Does Steve's job involve to give people advice? to give information? to answer people's questions? to hand out things? this one mostly to receive things? little bit this Is he a teacher? no | ||
| Flemsneezy (Flemsneezy)
New member Username: Flemsneezy Post Number: 175 Registered: 5-2009 |
Are the things that Steve hands out, personalized to the people he hands them to or are they a generic item that is always the same (like a pamphlet or a flier.)? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 179 Registered: 4-2009 |
Are the things that Steve hands out, personalized to the people he hands them to or are they a generic item that is always the same (like a pamphlet or a flier.)? A bit of both, but if I have to choose one I would say personalised. | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 197 Registered: 4-2009 |
Recap: There is a poem. No-one wrote the poem (came up with the content). However someone did pen the poem. About an hour after it was penned Steve found the poem, handwritten on paper, whilst at work. Steve provides a service. His job mostly involves handing out things. He works in a building, but not an office building, business center, storage facility, municipal facility, school, university, library or post office. All relevant characters are H/A/M. The content and format of the poem are entirely irrelevant. | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 67 Registered: 6-2009 |
The person who penned the poem doesn't have a name. I don't want him to feel left out. Let's call him Tony. So when Tony yopeishly copied the poem... Did he see it in print? See it handwritten? Hear it spoken? Some combination of the three? Some other method of being exposed to the exact words that he wrote down? Whatever he yopeishly copied it from, was it actually a poem? Or a series of words that he wrote down in poem form(like a "found" poem)? If it was printed or written, did a person type or write it? If it was auditory, did a person speak it? When you say that no one wrote it, does that only encompass humans? Was the content created by a machine? or animal? Did Tony intentionally leave the poem at Steve's place of work? Did he go there for reasons related to the poem? Or did he have unrelated business there? Did he just drop/forget the poem in the course of this business? Did he pen it and then not care about it enough to take it with him? Did he pen it on the back of whatever Steve hands out? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 201 Registered: 4-2009 |
The person who penned the poem doesn't have a name. I don't want him to feel left out. Let's call him Tony. ok So when Tony yopeishly copied the poem... Did he see it in print? yes See it handwritten? possibly Hear it spoken? probably Some combination of the three? so yes Some other method of being exposed to the exact words that he wrote down? not specifically Whatever he yopeishly copied it from, was it actually a poem? yes Or a series of words that he wrote down in poem form(like a "found" poem)? not sure what this is but I don't think so If it was printed or written, did a person type or write it? yes If it was auditory, did a person speak it? yes When you say that no one wrote it, does that only encompass humans? not just humans Was the content created by a machine? no or animal? no Did Tony intentionally leave the poem at Steve's place of work? no Did he go there for reasons related to the poem? yes Or did he have unrelated business there? Did he just drop/forget the poem in the course of this business? this Did he pen it and then not care about it enough to take it with him? could be this though Did he pen it on the back of whatever Steve hands out? not the main thing he hands out, but yes. I know a lot of these answers don't seem to make any sense. There is a very important reason for this, and I can give more clues if needed. | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 158 Registered: 6-2009 |
Is the place where Tony works a place where people would go for entertainment? To buy something? To obtain something free? To report something? To learn? To study? To send things? Are they required (by law or custom) to go there? Do they go because they need to? Because they want to? Some combination of the three? Would it be appropriate to refer to Tony as a "customer" of this place? Does it have anything to do with the government? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 255 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is the place where Tony works I think you mean Steve? a place where people would go for entertainment? no To buy something? this To obtain something free? no To report something? no To learn? no To study? no To send things? no Are they required (by law or custom) to go there? no Do they go because they need to? no Because they want to? this Some combination of the three? Would it be appropriate to refer to Tony as a "customer" of this place? If you do mean Tony now, then yes Does it have anything to do with the government? no | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 189 Registered: 6-2009 |
I totally remembered his name was Steve, I just..... didn't. Sorry about that. So are the things that STEVE hands out things that people have purchased? Receipts? Coupons? Fliers? Instructions? Change for their money? Something free-with-purchase? Comment cards? Blank pieces of paper? If more than one of these, then which one is the main thing he hands out? Which one is the thing that Tony wrote on? Was the poem in Tony's head before he received the piece of paper? Had he gone there specifically to obtain the piece of paper? To obtain something else? Did he also receive the main thing Steve hands out? Did he read something relevant on the paper? Did he read the poem on the paper? Would this puzzle work if he hadn't received the paper and had just written it on a piece of notepaper he had handy? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 261 Registered: 4-2009 |
I totally remembered his name was Steve, I just..... didn't. Sorry about that. that's ok, just confused me for a sec :P So are the things that STEVE hands out things that people have purchased? this Receipts? and this Coupons? Fliers? Instructions? Change for their money? and this Something free-with-purchase? Comment cards? Blank pieces of paper? no to rest, at least not regularly If more than one of these, then which one is the main thing he hands out? The things that people have purchased Which one is the thing that Tony wrote on? the receipt Was the poem in Tony's head before he received the piece of paper? yes Had he gone there specifically to obtain the piece of paper? no To obtain something else? no Did he also receive the main thing Steve hands out? yes Did he read something relevant on the paper? no Did he read the poem on the paper? no Would this puzzle work if he hadn't received the paper and had just written it on a piece of notepaper he had handy? yes, it would still work. | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 292 Registered: 4-2009 |
HINT: This couldn't actually happen. | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 288 Registered: 6-2009 |
Does this involve magical powers? Telepathy? Telekinesis? Robots? Are the things that Steve hands out things that really exist in our world? Did the poem spontaneously burst into existence? Was it a spell? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 295 Registered: 4-2009 |
Does this involve magical powers? yesish, although I wouldn't say powers exactly. It could be a power though, just not in this puzzle. Telepathy? Telekinesis? Robots? none of these Are the things that Steve hands out things that really exist in our world? yes Did the poem spontaneously burst into existence? no Was it a spell? no | ||
| Logician (Logician)
New member Username: Logician Post Number: 558 Registered: 6-2003 |
Time travel involved? An ontological paradox? Is 'Tony', Steve come back from the future to help himself? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 296 Registered: 4-2009 |
Time travel involved? yes! An ontological paradox? yes! Is 'Tony', Steve come back from the future to help himself? but no | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 297 Registered: 4-2009 |
WARNING! I had to look up an Ontological Paradox on wikipedia, just to check that it was what I thought it was. My puzzle is adapted from a book, and the book summary is given as an example on the same wikipedia page! So please do not go and look it up!!! I'll post the definition here, in case anyone doesn't know what it is. "An ontological paradox is a paradox of time travel that questions the existence and creation of information and objects that travel in time. A scenario can occur where items or information are passed from the future to the past, which then become the same items or information that are subsequently passed back. This not only creates a loop, but a situation where these items have no discernible origin." Sorry about that! | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 300 Registered: 4-2009 |
I am going on holiday, but feel free to ask more questions while I am gone! | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 297 Registered: 6-2009 |
So is Tony a time traveler? Is Steve? Is the time traveler traveling from the past? The future? When Tony pens the poem, is he in his own time? When Steve finds the poem, is he in his own time? How much of a time gap is there between the story we've been figuring out, with Tony and Steve, and the time traveler's time? seconds? minutes? hours? days? weeks? years? relevant? Here's my theory (since for whatever reason I love this stuff): Tony #1 gets a visit from his future self, Tony #2, who recites from memory and/or brings a copy of a poem, which is important to exist in Tony #2's time, for whatever reason. Tony #1 is at Steve's place of work at the time, so he writes it down on a receipt so he'll remember it, but then figures he has it memorized, so he leaves the receipt, which Steve finds and perhaps publishes or does something important with. Meantime Tony #1 waits a certain amount of time, then becomes Tony #2, and goes back in time to give it to his past self. Thus the poem is never created, but exists somewhat like a Mobius strip, like the list of dates in The Time Traveler's Wife or the Patronus charm in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Any truth in this? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 304 Registered: 4-2009 |
So is Tony a time traveler? yes Is Steve? no Is the time traveler traveling from the past? no The future? yes When Tony pens the poem, is he in his own time? no When Steve finds the poem, is he in his own time? yes How much of a time gap is there between the story we've been figuring out, with Tony and Steve, and the time traveler's time? seconds? minutes? hours? days? weeks? years? this relevant? relevant that it's years, but not the exact number or anything like that. Here's my theory (since for whatever reason I love this stuff): Tony #1 gets a visit from his future self, Tony #2, who recites from memory and/or brings a copy of a poem, which is important to exist in Tony #2's time, for whatever reason. Tony #1 is at Steve's place of work at the time, so he writes it down on a receipt so he'll remember it, but then figures he has it memorized, so he leaves the receipt, not this, but... which ...Steve finds and perhaps publishes - yes, this happens. or does something important with. Meantime Tony #1 waits a certain amount of time, then becomes Tony #2, and goes back in time to give it to his past self. Thus the poem is never created, but exists somewhat like a Mobius strip, like the list of dates in The Time Traveler's Wife or the Patronus charm in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Any truth in this? only bits of truth I'm afraid. There is no Tony #1 and Tony #2 in the story, only one Tony. It is correct to say that the poem is never created, and that it is 'brought' from the future to the past, ensuring its future existence, without ever being written. But not in the way described. | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 385 Registered: 6-2009 |
Is Tony time travelling for any particular reason? Does he want to change something in his own time? Something related to the poem? Does he want to find out about something? Something related to the poem? Does he succeed? Is he time travelling involuntarily? Relevant what method of time travel is involved (a time machine, a time turner, a wormhole, etc.)? Does he enter Steve's place of work for reasons that relate to his reason for time travelling? Does he travel straight there? Does he spend the majority of his outside-of-time experience there? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 310 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is Tony time travelling for any particular reason? yes. Does he want to change something in his own time? no Something related to the poem? Does he want to find out about something? hmm, yope Something related to the poem? yes Does he succeed? no. Is he time travelling involuntarily? no Relevant what method of time travel is involved (a time machine, a time turner, a wormhole, etc.)? no, irrelevant Does he enter Steve's place of work for reasons that relate to his reason for time travelling? yes Does he travel straight there? yes, probably Does he spend the majority of his outside-of-time experience there? yes, in this adaptation. The book from which I adapted it is a lot more complicated, so I've just taken the relevant bits and shortened it. | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 389 Registered: 6-2009 |
Does the poem have some particular significance to Tony in his own time? If so, emotional? financial? academic? Is he aware of his own role in its existence before the time travel episode? After? Does he have it memorized before? after? Did he bring it with him when he time traveled? Did he bring anything else relevant? Did he bring anything back to his own time? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 331 Registered: 4-2009 |
Does the poem have some particular significance to Tony in his own time? yes! If so, emotional? probably financial? possibly academic? definitely! Is he aware of his own role in its existence before the time travel episode? NO. After? yes Does he have it memorized before? yes! after? and yes Did he bring it with him when he time traveled? no, only in his head Did he bring anything else relevant? no Did he bring anything back to his own time? no Some really good progress here! Could be wrapped up quite soon. | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 390 Registered: 6-2009 |
Is Tony a high school student? College student? Professor? Did he read the poem for a class? Was he required to memorize it for a class? Did he write/was he writing a paper on it? Was he researching it? Did his reasons for the time travel have anything to do with researching the poem? Its "anonymous" author? Steve? The publisher? Is Steve's mysterious place of work a bookstore/library, perchance? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 332 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is Tony a high school student? College student? Professor? This. It's not really important why he knows it off by heart etc, just assume he teaches it and he really likes it. Did he read the poem for a class? Was he required to memorize it for a class? Did he write/was he writing a paper on it? Was he researching it? Did his reasons for the time travel have anything to do with researching the poem? Its "anonymous" author? yes! Steve? The publisher? no to these Is Steve's mysterious place of work a bookstore/library, perchance? no, unfortunately not | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 333 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is Tony a high school student? College student? Professor? This. It's not really important why he knows it off by heart etc, just assume he teaches it and he really likes it. Did he read the poem for a class? Was he required to memorize it for a class? Did he write/was he writing a paper on it? Was he researching it? Did his reasons for the time travel have anything to do with researching the poem? Its "anonymous" author? yes! Steve? The publisher? no to these Is Steve's mysterious place of work a bookstore/library, perchance? no, unfortunately not | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 334 Registered: 4-2009 |
Is Tony a high school student? College student? Professor? This. It's not really important why he knows it off by heart etc, just assume he teaches it and he really likes it. Did he read the poem for a class? Was he required to memorize it for a class? Did he write/was he writing a paper on it? Was he researching it? Did his reasons for the time travel have anything to do with researching the poem? Its "anonymous" author? yes! Steve? The publisher? no to these Is Steve's mysterious place of work a bookstore/library, perchance? no, unfortunately not | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 335 Registered: 4-2009 |
Lol, my internet was really playing up, so that's a triple whammy! Sorry! | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 392 Registered: 6-2009 |
So he teaches the poem, knows it by heart, and decides to go back in time to find/meet/find out about the author? And this quest leads him to Steve's place of work? Does he write it down in order to show it to someone? To test his memory of it? To compare it to something? To look for poetic devices? Because he's doing something else and he's bored? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 338 Registered: 4-2009 |
So he teaches the poem, knows it by heart, yes and decides to go back in time to find/meet/find out about the author? yes, to all of these And this quest leads him to Steve's place of work? yes Does he write it down in order to show it to someone? To test his memory of it? To compare it to something? To look for poetic devices? Because he's doing something else and he's bored? this, no to rest Things still to answer: Where does Steve work? Why did Tony go to Steve's workplace, and what was he doing there? | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 397 Registered: 6-2009 |
Here's my problem with figuring out Steve's workplace: you said that he provides a service, rather than a physical good, and yet his job consists of giving people the things that they have purchased, receipts, and change for their money. That sounds like a good working definition of "selling a physical good" to me. Do people pay for their purchases elsewhere and just pick them up from Steve? Does Steve repair the purchases, or is he a cashier in a repair shop? Would it be accurate to refer to Steve as a cashier? The purchases themselves... are they tangible? If so, are they primarily made of paper? metal? wood? plastic? cloth? cardboard? glass? ceramic? organic material? Are they functional? decorative? Do people pay more than $1? 5? 10? 20? 50? 100? 1,000? 1,000,000? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 342 Registered: 4-2009 |
Here's my problem with figuring out Steve's workplace: you said that he provides a service, rather than a physical good, and yet his job consists of giving people the things that they have purchased, receipts, and change for their money. That sounds like a good working definition of "selling a physical good" to me. Do people pay for their purchases elsewhere and just pick them up from Steve? Does Steve repair the purchases, or is he a cashier in a repair shop? Would it be accurate to refer to Steve as a cashier? In actual fact, I don't think Steve provides a service OR sells a physical good. Actually, the question was phrased 'does Steve make a physical good' which is definitely not the case. I suppose people come to the building for a physical good, and Steve could be described as 'selling it' to them, but he sort of provides a service as well, just not one that people would specifically pay for. I'm sorry for misleading you, in fact his job his not obscure at all. But he doesn't work in a shop, he's not a cashier and he doesn't repair things. The purchases themselves... are they tangible? yes If so, are they primarily made of paper? metal? wood? plastic? cloth? cardboard? glass? ceramic? organic material? this Are they functional? this decorative? Do people pay more than $1? 5? 10? probably this 20? 50? 100? 1,000? 1,000,000? | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 399 Registered: 6-2009 |
For some reason, I was thinking that you'd already said no to a restaurant. Is it a restaurant? Is he a waiter? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 345 Registered: 4-2009 |
For some reason, I was thinking that you'd already said no to a restaurant. Is it a restaurant? Yes, or some sort of café/diner. Is he a waiter? yes. I didn't think it would take so long to get, but I'm sorry I misled you with the selling a physical good thing! | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 403 Registered: 6-2009 |
Alright, so did he go to the restaurant to eat? Was there a particular dish he wanted? Did he know that the poem had been discovered in this restaurant? Did he meet someone there? Did he ask anyone about the poem? Did he hope that someone in the restaurant would know about the poem? Or that someone in the restaurant was the author? Did the content of the poem relate in any way to the restaurant's name? Or something in the restaurant? Would it work if the restaurant was a five star French restaurant? A pizza parlor? A McDonald's (if McDonald's had servers)? | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 348 Registered: 4-2009 |
Alright, so did he go to the restaurant to eat? not primarily Was there a particular dish he wanted? Did he know that the poem had been discovered in this restaurant? yes! Did he meet someone there? Did he ask anyone about the poem? Did he hope that someone in the restaurant would know about the poem? Or that someone in the restaurant was the author? yes! Did the content of the poem relate in any way to the restaurant's name? Or something in the restaurant? Would it work if the restaurant was a five star French restaurant? A pizza parlor? A McDonald's (if McDonald's had servers)? I don't think there's anything else for you to get! But I'd love it if you could do a sum up :D | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 404 Registered: 6-2009 |
Alright, if you insist :-) So, professor Tony teaches a poetry class, and there's one poem that he really loves. But the author is listed simply as "anonymous," and all he can find in his research is that the poem was discovered in a certain diner a few years back. So, Tony just happens to have a time machine handy, and he decides to go back in time to find the author. He hangs out in the diner for awhile, hoping to see someone looking all poety and scribbling on a napkin. After he's eaten all his fries and still hasn't seen anything, he gets bored and writes out the poem from memory on the back of his receipt. He sits there a little while longer marveling at its greatness, then gives up and goes home, leaving the receipt on the table. He's upset that he never met the poet until he realizes... he is the poet! Sort of! But he never created the content, which leaves him wondering... "so, who did write the poem?" This was definitely a fun one. There's something inherently lateral about the whole concept of time travel. | ||
| Yabblesmacker (Yabblesmacker)
New member Username: Yabblesmacker Post Number: 354 Registered: 4-2009 |
I usually post a rewrite of the answer, but you got it so spot on that I won't bother! ***SPOILER*** This was adapted from a book called "The Anubis Gates", if you're interested in reading it! And thank you Ohlala for sticking with it for so long! | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 592 Registered: 10-2008 |
This is what frustrates me every time while watching Back to the Future. Marty, stuck in 1955, plays "Johnny B. Goode" because he knows it as a Chuck Berry song. But Chuck Berry learns it because his cousin hears Marty playing it. So who wrote it? =) Good puzzle. |
