| Author | Message | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 829 Registered: 5-2003 |
Soldiers are about to shoot a naked man. There is a balloon nearby. | ||
| Twilightseeker (Twilightseeker)
New member Username: Twilightseeker Post Number: 8 Registered: 2-2009 |
Soldiers = Human? Is the time period/location relevant? Is the naked man an enemy soldier/military person? Is he being executed by firing squad? Killed in combat? Murdered unlawfully? Is the balloon full of helium? Is it made of latex? Is it a hot air balloon? Is its size relevant? Is the naked man dead? Unconscious? Would this happen/work if he were clothed? If the balloon weren't there? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 830 Registered: 5-2003 |
Soldiers = Human? Yes. Is the time period/location relevant? Yes. Is the naked man an enemy soldier/military person? No. Is he being executed by firing squad? This. Killed in combat? Murdered unlawfully? Arguable Is the balloon full of helium? Is it made of latex? Is it a hot air balloon? This. Is its size relevant? No. Is the naked man dead? Unconscious? No to both. Would this happen/work if he were clothed? No. If the balloon weren't there? Might, but the solution would be different. | ||
| Twilightseeker (Twilightseeker)
New member Username: Twilightseeker Post Number: 12 Registered: 2-2009 |
Is the hot air balloon filled/floating? Is someone in it? More than one person? Is this person/these people allies of either the soldiers or the naked man? Can they see/hear/do they know about the soldiers/naked man? Is this during the last century? A major war? WWI or WWII? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 831 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is the hot air balloon filled/floating? No. Is someone in it? No. More than one person? Is this person/these people allies of either the soldiers or the naked man? Can they see/hear/do they know about the soldiers/naked man? Is this during the last century? No. A major war? Yes. WWI or WWII?No. | ||
| D_gordon (D_gordon)
New member Username: D_gordon Post Number: 408 Registered: 11-2008 |
Is paradoxical undressing relevant? | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 166 Registered: 7-2006 |
Did it happen in the 1800's? Has the naked man arrived via the balloon? Is this a war between France and Germany? Did the man try to break out from a siege? Assuming he did arrive via the balloon... Was he naked at he took off? Did he undress during the flight? After he had landed? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 832 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did it happen in the 1800's? Yes. Has the naked man arrived via the balloon? Yes. Is this a war between France and Germany? No. Did the man try to break out from a siege? No. Assuming he did arrive via the balloon... Was he naked at he took off? Did he undress during the flight? This. After he had landed? | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 167 Registered: 7-2006 |
Did he undress in order to throw away the clothes and make the balloon lighter? Do the soldiers suspect that he is a spy? | ||
| Twilightseeker (Twilightseeker)
New member Username: Twilightseeker Post Number: 22 Registered: 2-2009 |
Was the man in the balloon trying to (or did he actually) fly over a national border? Or into an enemy fortress, etc? Does this take place in Europe? Asia? North America? Africa? Had the man previously been a prisoner of the soldiers or others under the same command? Is this man a citizen of their enemy's nation? One of their own who has somehow betrayed them or they thought had done so/would do so? | ||
| D_gordon (D_gordon)
New member Username: D_gordon Post Number: 410 Registered: 11-2008 |
Is paradoxical undressing relevant? (since you missed this question the first time) | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 833 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he undress in order to throw away the clothes and make the balloon lighter? Yes. Do the soldiers suspect that he is a spy? Yes. Was the man in the balloon trying to (or did he actually) fly over a national border? No. Or into an enemy fortress, etc? No. Does this take place in Europe? Asia? North America? This. Africa? Had the man previously been a prisoner of the soldiers or others under the same command? No. Is this man a citizen of their enemy's nation? No. One of their own who has somehow betrayed them or they thought had done so/would do so? Possibly. Is paradoxical undressing relevant? (since you missed this question the first time) Sorry about that. What's paradoxical undressing? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 834 Registered: 5-2003 |
An OOPS here: Did he undress in order to throw away the clothes and make the balloon lighter? No. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 172 Registered: 7-2006 |
Did he plan on undressing when he took off? Did he end up at a place other than what he had anticipated when he took off? Did he think "Oh no, I'm going to end up there! I must undress!"? Relevant what kind of clothes he wore originally? Was it a uniform? (How come there's no such thing as a duoform?) Do the soldiers have any other reason to suspect him of being a spy, than that he is naked and arrived via balloon? (Hey, fellas! Look! A typical spy - arriving naked in a balloon! They are all over the place nowadays! Let's shoot him!) | ||
| Twilightseeker (Twilightseeker)
New member Username: Twilightseeker Post Number: 25 Registered: 2-2009 |
Was he planning on originally changing his clothes? Is this during the civil war? Is the naked man a civilian? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 837 Registered: 5-2003 |
Some very good questions here... Did he plan on undressing when he took off? No. Did he end up at a place other than what he had anticipated when he took off? Yes. Did he think "Oh no, I'm going to end up there! I must undress!"? Yes. Relevant what kind of clothes he wore originally? Yes. Was it a uniform? Yes. (How come there's no such thing as a duoform?) No clue. Do the soldiers have any other reason to suspect him of being a spy, than that he is naked and arrived via balloon? Yes, but being naked certainly didn't help. (Hey, fellas! Look! A typical spy - arriving naked in a balloon! They are all over the place nowadays! Let's shoot him!) lol Was he planning on originally changing his clothes? No. Is this during the civil war? Yes. Is the naked man a civilian? No. | ||
| Twilightseeker (Twilightseeker)
New member Username: Twilightseeker Post Number: 33 Registered: 2-2009 |
Was he a soldier who took off his uniform because he realized he was being blown off course (or whatever) and didn't want the other side to know he was an enemy soldier? | ||
| D_gordon (D_gordon)
New member Username: D_gordon Post Number: 411 Registered: 11-2008 |
Paradoxical undressing is where people in late stages of hypothermia (a body temperature of around 85F, apparently) will often remove clothes because they feel really hot. It's thought to have to do with blood rushing back from the core to the skin because the muscles in the blood vessels which were constricted to hold it there get fatigued. Anyway, further questions indicate that this isn't relevant...so... Is the man's race relevant? | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 176 Registered: 7-2006 |
Did he want to desert? So now he's being shot as a spy instead of as a deserter, which he might if caught by his own wearing his own army's uniform? | ||
| Hietek (Hietek)
New member Username: Hietek Post Number: 50 Registered: 2-2009 |
Was he a confederate soldier, who took off his clothes because he thought he was being blown north, but then happened to land in the south? Was the hot air balloon one of the ones used for war fare? By the army that was going to shoot him? or by the opposing army? Was the man an escaping POW? caught by the army he was trying to escape to? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 840 Registered: 5-2003 |
Paradoxical undressing is where people in late stages of hypothermia (a body temperature of around 85F, apparently) will often remove clothes because they feel really hot. It's thought to have to do with blood rushing back from the core to the skin because the muscles in the blood vessels which were constricted to hold it there get fatigued. Anyway, further questions indicate that this isn't relevant...so... Correct. The man is in perfect health. Is the man's race relevant? Only in a minor sense. He's white, and this would not work if he were Asian or especially if he were black. Did he want to desert? No. So now he's being shot as a spy instead of as a deserter, which he might if caught by his own wearing his own army's uniform? No, although he is suspected of spying. Was he a confederate soldier, Yes. who took off his clothes because he thought he was being blown north, but then happened to land in the south? No, but you're on the right track. Was the hot air balloon one of the ones used for war fare? Yes. By the army that was going to shoot him? This. or by the opposing army? Was the man an escaping POW? caught by the army he was trying to escape to? No to both. | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 467 Registered: 12-2008 |
Was he wearing a confederate uniform? Or had he changed into the uniform of a dead northern soldier, then upon noticing he was being blown southward, instead of northward as planned realized he needed to discard the uniform in order to keep from being thought of as a northern soldier? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 841 Registered: 5-2003 |
Was he wearing a confederate uniform? No. Or had he changed into the uniform of a dead northern soldier, then upon noticing he was being blown southward, instead of northward as planned realized he needed to discard the uniform in order to keep from being thought of as a northern soldier? No. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 198 Registered: 7-2006 |
Did he take off from the south? The north? Did he want to arrive in the south? The north? Would the soldiers have wanted to shoot him if he had not undressed? Did they think he was spying from the air? Did they think that he had worn clothing that would put him in a compromising situation given the circumstances? And that that was the reason why he had undressed? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 845 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he take off from the south? This. The north? Did he want to arrive in the south? This. The north? Would the soldiers have wanted to shoot him if he had not undressed? Probably not. Did they think he was spying from the air? Possibly. Did they think that he had worn clothing that would put him in a compromising situation given the circumstances? I'm not sure I understand this. He is in a compromising situation. And that that was the reason why he had undressed? No... I think, if I am reading your question right. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 199 Registered: 7-2006 |
OK, of course he is in a compromising situation, but the soldiers may have thought that his original clothing might have put him in an equally, or even more compromising situation. Did they? So he took off from the south, wanted to arrive in the south, and actually arrived in the south, right? Let's say he wanted to land at place A, but actually landed at place... R. Is A a big place (as in more than one square kilometer)? Is R? Did he land in a fort? Other military place, or place sensitive to spying? Was he rolled in tar and feathers before he took off? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 848 Registered: 5-2003 |
OK, of course he is in a compromising situation, but the soldiers may have thought that his original clothing might have put him in an equally, or even more compromising situation. Did they? I suppose, if they thought he was a Unionist and had been wearing a Union uniform. So he took off from the south, wanted to arrive in the south, and actually arrived in the south, right? Let's say he wanted to land at place A, but actually landed at place... R. This did happen, yes. Is A a big place (as in more than one square kilometer)? Is R? Both irrelevant. Did he land in a fort? Irrelevant. It could just as well have been an open field. Other military place, or place sensitive to spying? No. Was he rolled in tar and feathers before he took off? No. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 200 Registered: 7-2006 |
Did he want to land a place where there were no soldiers? So the main problem with the place he landed, was that there were soldiers present? Was his main cause for taking the balloon trip that he wanted to get away from something? Or that he wanted to go somewhere specific? Did he run away from a prison? Wearing prisoner's garments? Did he have the word "spy" tattooed on him anywhere? | ||
| Judyt (Judyt)
New member Username: Judyt Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2009 |
Was he wearing a Union uniform? Was he spying for the confederacy? Did he remove the union uniform because he was blown off-course back to the south? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 849 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he want to land a place where there were no soldiers? So the main problem with the place he landed, was that there were soldiers present? Was his main cause for taking the balloon trip that he wanted to get away from something? Or that he wanted to go somewhere specific? Did he run away from a prison? Wearing prisoner's garments? Did he have the word "spy" tattooed on him anywhere? No to all Was he wearing a Union uniform? No. Was he spying for the confederacy? No. Did he remove the union uniform because he was blown off-course back to the south? Can't answer, rephrase. | ||
| Hietek (Hietek)
New member Username: Hietek Post Number: 64 Registered: 2-2009 |
was he a deserter? An escaping slave? POW? Northern spy? Had he taken the uniform off because he was confused as to which direction was north and which was south? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 851 Registered: 5-2003 |
was he a deserter? An escaping slave? POW? Northern spy? Had he taken the uniform off because he was confused as to which direction was north and which was south? No to all. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 203 Registered: 7-2006 |
Is he actually a confederate soldier? Did he wear the uniform without having the right to do so? Is the north army relevant at all in this puzzle? If he had landed 10km away from where he actually landed, would he have escaped the suspicion of being a spy (even if encountering the same group of soldiers)? 100km? Was there anything special about the group of soldiers that made them suspect him? Are any other persons relevant in this puzzle? Other items? Buildings? Surroundings? Did his being naked reveal anything out of the ordinary for a naked man? Is skin colour relevant? Is his identity relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 855 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is he actually a confederate soldier? Yes. Did he wear the uniform without having the right to do so? No. Is the north army relevant at all in this puzzle? Mildly. If he had landed 10km away from where he actually landed, would he have escaped the suspicion of being a spy (even if encountering the same group of soldiers)? 100km? No. Was there anything special about the group of soldiers that made them suspect him? No. Are any other persons relevant in this puzzle? No. Other items? Yes. Buildings? No. Surroundings? Yes. Did his being naked reveal anything out of the ordinary for a naked man? No. Is skin colour relevant? Only in that Confederate soldiers were generally white. Is his identity relevant? His name? No. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 204 Registered: 7-2006 |
Number of other items - 1? 2? 3? More? Are there relevant natural formations in the surroundings, such as bushes, lakes, mountains, squirrels or barnacles? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 859 Registered: 5-2003 |
Number of other items - 1? 2? 3? More? Can't answer, because... Are there relevant natural formations in the surroundings, such as bushes, lakes, mountains, squirrels or barnacles? ... this is the item in question. Yes, there are relevant natural formations nearby. | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 516 Registered: 12-2008 |
swimming relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 860 Registered: 5-2003 |
swimming relevant? Yope. | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 522 Registered: 12-2008 |
Was it because people used to swim naked and he thought he was going to land in water? Was he trying to be mistaken for a swimmer since he was landing near water? Had barnacles attached to his uniform and he discarded it to get rid of them? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 861 Registered: 5-2003 |
Was it because people used to swim naked and he thought he was going to land in water? Yes. Was he trying to be mistaken for a swimmer since he was landing near water? No. Had barnacles attached to his uniform and he discarded it to get rid of them? No. | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 526 Registered: 12-2008 |
Did he land in water? Was there a union uniform nearby? was his uniform anywhere near? Was he shot? Is his uniform in the ballon? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 862 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he land in water? Was there a union uniform nearby? was his uniform anywhere near? Was he shot? Is his uniform in the ballon? No to all. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 205 Registered: 7-2006 |
Water - is it a lake? A river? A creek? A puddle? Did the soldiers think that he had come from the water? Are there other relevant natural formations nearby? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 866 Registered: 5-2003 |
Water - is it a lake? A river? A creek? A puddle? Did the soldiers think that he had come from the water? Are there other relevant natural formations nearby? No to all. | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 89 Registered: 2-2009 |
So he took off his clothes because he thought he was going to land in water? but there was no water around? Is water the relevant natural formation? The ocean? Atlantic Ocean? Was he wearing a Confederate uniform when he got in the balloon? a Union uniform? civilian clothes? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 867 Registered: 5-2003 |
So he took off his clothes because he thought he was going to land in water? Yes. but there was no water around? There was water. Is water the relevant natural formation? Yes. The ocean? Atlantic Ocean? This. Was he wearing a Confederate uniform when he got in the balloon? This. a Union uniform? civilian clothes? | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 91 Registered: 2-2009 |
Ah... your answer to Abc made me think water was a FA... I see what you were saying now. Did he want to land in the Atlantic? in the North? Was his balloon blown off course? Was it somehow intercepted (e.g. the soldiers shot the balloon, which made it have to land)? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 868 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he want to land in the Atlantic? No. in the North? No. Was his balloon blown off course? Yes. Was it somehow intercepted (e.g. the soldiers shot the balloon, which made it have to land)? No. | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 92 Registered: 2-2009 |
So a Confed. soldier takes off in a hot air balloon in uniform. He gets blown off course, and thinks he's going to land in the Atlantic, so he takes off his clothes. When he does land, though, it is on land, and the soldiers near him believe he is a spy and are about to shoot him. Correct? I couldn't find if it had been asked before -- are the soldiers who are going to shoot him Confederates? Union soldiers? Did this take place during a battle? Did the soldiers know that the balloon had been blown off course? Did they think that he was going to try to masquerade as one of them in order to spy? Did they think that he already had? Or did they think he was going to report what he saw from the air to the enemy? Did they think that he was a civilian? a soldier from their own army? a soldier from the other army? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 869 Registered: 5-2003 |
So a Confed. soldier takes off in a hot air balloon in uniform. He gets blown off course, and thinks he's going to land in the Atlantic, so he takes off his clothes. When he does land, though, it is on land, and the soldiers near him believe he is a spy and are about to shoot him. Correct? Correct. I couldn't find if it had been asked before -- are the soldiers who are going to shoot him Confederates? This. Union soldiers? Did this take place during a battle? No. Did the soldiers know that the balloon had been blown off course? No. Did they think that he was going to try to masquerade as one of them in order to spy? Did they think that he already had? Or did they think he was going to report what he saw from the air to the enemy? Possibly to all three. Hint: What could he have done to prove otherwise? Did they think that he was a civilian? a soldier from their own army? a soldier from the other army? Possibly the former or latter. | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 881 Registered: 5-2003 |
Hint: What were balloons used for at the time? | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2282 Registered: 12-2004 |
I don't know what "the time" is (because I only read the puzzle statement and the hint), but I'm guessing balloons were used either for military purposes or transportation. | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 885 Registered: 5-2003 |
I don't know what "the time" is (because I only read the puzzle statement and the hint), American Civil War. but I'm guessing balloons were used either for military purposes or transportation. The former. | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2288 Registered: 12-2004 |
OK... Was this some kind of balloon specific to the South? Or was there something near the balloon that would be useful for attempting to persuade people that one isn't a spy? | ||
| Noobdogg (Noobdogg)
Moderator Username: Noobdogg Post Number: 132 Registered: 3-2009 |
His job was primarily reconnaissance? Making aerial observations? Sketching a map? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 886 Registered: 5-2003 |
OK... Was this some kind of balloon specific to the South? No. Or was there something near the balloon that would be useful for attempting to persuade people that one isn't a spy? No. His job was primarily reconnaissance? Making aerial observations? Yes to both. Sketching a map? Irrelevant. | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2306 Registered: 12-2004 |
Could he perform some kind of dance that could prove that he was dedicated to the South? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 890 Registered: 5-2003 |
Could he perform some kind of dance that could prove that he was dedicated to the South? No. | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 603 Registered: 12-2008 |
Oaths were taken seriously back then - did he take an oath of allegiance to the confederate army/cause? swear on the bible? Did he ask them to shoot him rather than risk letting a union spy collect information and get away? Did he provide them with information about the Union army? Did he know any of the soldiers who were present? Could he prove he was a slave owner? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 891 Registered: 5-2003 |
Oaths were taken seriously back then - did he take an oath of allegiance to the confederate army/cause? swear on the bible? No to both. Did he ask them to shoot him rather than risk letting a union spy collect information and get away? Did he provide them with information about the Union army? No to both. Did he know any of the soldiers who were present? Yope -- someone finally recognized him, and this saved his life. Irrelevant who it was. Could he prove he was a slave owner? No. By "What could he have done," I mean IF he had had the means. His life was saved by a stroke of luck, but if he had had something in his possession it might have helped. | ||
| Woubit (Woubit)
Moderator Username: Woubit Post Number: 584 Registered: 5-2007 |
I am a bit lost here. Is this puzzle now, in effect, "how could a naked man have proved that he was a Confederate solider and not a Union spy?" | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 892 Registered: 5-2003 |
I am a bit lost here. Is this puzzle now, in effect, "how could a naked man have proved that he was a Confederate solider and not a Union spy?" Sorry. That was intended as a hint to search for a further element to the puzzle. It's not, "how could he have proven his identity," but "why couldn't he prove his identity?" If you think about how he could have proven it (namely, shown them his identification papers), you'll realize they're missing, and that to solve this you'll need to figure out how he lost them. So, recap: A Confederate soldier lands in a hot-air balloon behind Confederate lines. He is naked and has no identification. Explain. | ||
| Spackspartan (Spackspartan)
New member Username: Spackspartan Post Number: 39 Registered: 4-2009 |
Did he throw them out of the hot air balloon to stop it from going bezerk? Is that what happened to his clothes as well? | ||
| Woubit (Woubit)
Moderator Username: Woubit Post Number: 585 Registered: 5-2007 |
He might, of course, have set fire to his identification papers in an attempt to keep the balloon aloft. Then again, he might not. | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 893 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he throw them out of the hot air balloon to stop it from going bezerk? No. Is that what happened to his clothes as well? No, he threw those overboard. He might, of course, have set fire to his identification papers Yes. in an attempt to keep the balloon aloft. But not for this reason. Then again, he might not. | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2328 Registered: 12-2004 |
He was going undercover? and uncovered? | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 135 Registered: 2-2009 |
Did he set the papers on fire because he thought he was going to be intercepted? by someone other than the Confederates? Did they get burned up before he got in the balloon? while he was in the balloon? Were the papers burned accidentally? on purpose? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 895 Registered: 5-2003 |
He was going undercover? and uncovered? No to both. Did he set the papers on fire because he thought he was going to be intercepted? Yes. by someone other than the Confederates? Yes. Did they get burned up before he got in the balloon? No. while he was in the balloon? Yes. Were the papers burned accidentally? No. on purpose? Yes. | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 630 Registered: 12-2008 |
Did he burn them to send a signal? Because they contained battle plans on the other side? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 897 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he burn them to send a signal? No. Because they contained battle plans on the other side? No. | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 206 Registered: 7-2006 |
Is it relevant what kind of situation he was in before he took off in the balloon? | ||
| Abc (Abc)
Moderator Username: Abc Post Number: 207 Registered: 7-2006 |
Oh, and - balloons were used for artillery guidance at least during WW1 - perpaps equally so during the american civil war - is this relevant? Was the balloon originally tethered to the ground, so as to be relatively stationary? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 901 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is it relevant what kind of situation he was in before he took off in the balloon? No. Oh, and - balloons were used for artillery guidance at least during WW1 - perpaps equally so during the american civil war - is this relevant? Yes. Was the balloon originally tethered to the ground, so as to be relatively stationary? Yes. | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 150 Registered: 2-2009 |
Were the papers simply identification papers? or did they include some other information? Did the balloon get released by a person? Did ordnance from the opposing side break or otherwise compromise the tether? Did he burn the papers because he did not want the Union soldiers to see something on them? something besides the mere fact that he was working for the Confederacy? Was he also carrying battle plans? a map of the Union forces? a map of the Confederate forces? papers that included Confederate secrets? Union secrets? Did he want the Union soldiers he thought would intercept him to remain in the dark about something about himself (rather than about the Confederates)? Did his identification papers include his employer's name? Was his employer also in charge of the balloons for the Union forces? Was he self-employed? Was he in charge of the Union forces' balloons? Did he develop the balloons used by the Union? Confederacy? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 912 Registered: 5-2003 |
Were the papers simply identification papers? This. or did they include some other information? Did the balloon get released by a person? Did ordnance from the opposing side break or otherwise compromise the tether? This, though the exact mechanism causing it to break is irrelevant. Did he burn the papers because he did not want the Union soldiers to see something on them? Correct. something besides the mere fact that he was working for the Confederacy? I don't know his precise reason for destroying his ID, but you've figured out the part that's relevant to the puzzle. Was he also carrying battle plans? a map of the Union forces? a map of the Confederate forces? papers that included Confederate secrets? Union secrets? Did he want the Union soldiers he thought would intercept him to remain in the dark about something about himself (rather than about the Confederates)? Did his identification papers include his employer's name? Was his employer also in charge of the balloons for the Union forces? Was he self-employed? Was he in charge of the Union forces' balloons? Did he develop the balloons used by the Union? Confederacy? This. He was the only qualified balloonist in the Confederacy. You've essentially solved the puzzle by this point. Just put all the pieces together, and tell me the sequence of events that caused him to land behind Confederate lines without his clothes or ID. | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 154 Registered: 2-2009 |
All right, let me see if I have this. A Confederate soldier was up in a balloon helping guide his army's artillery in a battle during the Civil War. The balloon was tethered to the ground, but Union ordnance broke the tether, and the balloon began to drift. The balloon was headed toward the water, where the balloonist thought he would be landing, so he removed his uniform and threw it out of the balloon so that he could swim more effectively. He thought he might be intercepted by the Union forces at the battle, so he burned his identification papers so they wouldn't find out information about him. As it turns out, chance actually led the balloon to land in Confederate-held territory, where, sans clothes and papers, the balloonist was taken to be a spy by Confederate soldiers. And thus we find ourselves back at the beginning, where our poor unfortunate soldier, who has been having a rough day of it, is about to be shot by his fellow Confederate soldiers. That about it? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 913 Registered: 5-2003 |
You got it. ****************************** Spoilers ******************************** The man was Lieutenant John Bryan, the Confederacy's only qualified balloonist. His tether broke and he drifted over Union lines. So he destroyed his identification in case of capture. Then the wind shifted and carried him over the ocean. Expecting to swim, he threw his clothes overboard. Finally, the wind shifted again and blew him back into Rebel territory. He was nearly shot as a spy before he was recognized. |
