[WiZ] Feck off cobwebs

[WiZ]

Something simple while I wait for the Muse to do her thing.

A man enters a contest for which he is overqualified. He finishes sixth. He is awarded third place. Everyone agrees that this is fair. What is going on?

Caveat earlispoilor

[Westing1992]

Is it an athletic contest? Artistic? Writing? Trivia? Board games? Cooking? Look-alike?
Overqualified because of his skill? Age? Experience? A certain physical attribute?
Third place is better than sixth, correct?
Does he have a partner for this contest? Are there two awards for each place, so that first and second each get first, third and fourth get second, and fifth and sixth get third?

[Zanreo]

Did he intend to get in sixth? To win third place? Relevant that 3 is half of 6?
"Everyone" - contest participants? Judges? Other people uninvolved with the contest?

[WiZ]

Westing1992

Is it an athletic contest? yes Artistic? Writing? Trivia? Board games? Cooking? Look-alike? no to rest
Overqualified because of his skill? yes Age? Experience? A certain physical attribute? and yes
Third place is better than sixth, correct? correct, in this instance
Does he have a partner for this contest? yes Are there two awards for each place, so that first and second each get first, third and fourth get second, and fifth and sixth get third? yes

Zanreo

Did he intend to get in sixth? To win third place? he was hoping for a better result Relevant that 3 is half of 6? yes, mathematically speaking
"Everyone" - contest participants? Judges? Other people uninvolved with the contest? yes to all

I did not have high hopes for the longevity of this puzzle, and it seems even these are going to be dashed

[Zanreo]

So the higher the place, the better it is? Was he going for first place? If so, did he expect first place?

Was the contest partner someone he knew? Relevant?

[WiZ]

So the higher the place, the better it is? yes Was he going for first place? yes If so, did he expect first place? irrelevant

Was the contest partner someone he knew? yes, he knew him well Relevant? yes

[Balin]

Was it a partners' dance contest? A duet singing contest?

[WiZ]

Was it a partners' dance contest? A duet singing contest? no to both

[Twilightseeker]

Is the contest a race?

[peter365]

PM Sent

[rcb]

Was it a bobsleigh competition?

[WiZ]

Twilightseeker

Is the contest a race? yes

Peter

PM Sent Correct, again! Well done.

rcb

Was it a bobsleigh competition? no

[Balin]

Is it a relay race? A three-legged race?

[WiZ]

Is it a relay race? A three-legged race? no to both (one would think the average person underqualified for a three-legged race)

[Balin]

Is the race on land? In water? Through the air?

[WiZ]

Is the race on land? this In water? Through the air?

[Twilightseeker]

Is it a sack race? a....race with eggs (I forgot what those are called, okay?)?

[WiZ]

Is it a sack race? no a....race with eggs (I forgot what those are called, okay?)? Egg-and-spoon race, conventionally. And no.

[Twilightseeker]

So each participant has a partner, correct? Do the partners run together (beside each other)? Do they run in succession (one in front of the other)? Is this a foot race? A race in a different type of vehicle (bicycle, cart, car, motorcycle)?

[WiZ]

So each participant has a partner, correct? correct Do the partners run together (beside each other)? yes Do they run in succession (one in front of the other)? no (not by design, at least) Is this a foot race? yes A race in a different type of vehicle (bicycle, cart, car, motorcycle)? no

[Twilightseeker]

Is there a criterion that must be met in order to enter into this race?

[WiZ]

Is there a criterion that must be met in order to enter into this race? yes

[rcb]

Is this an Olympic sport?

[Twilightseeker]

Is this the Paralympics by any chance?

[WiZ]

rcb

Is this an Olympic sport? yes

Twilightseeker

Is this the Paralympics by any chance? and yes

[Twilightseeker]

Does this man have more or less than two legs?

[WiZ]

Does this man have more or less than two legs? neither

[Twilightseeker]

Does he have what would be considered a handicap?

[WiZ]

Does he have what would be considered a handicap? The protagonist has no handicap

[Twilightseeker]

Does the parter of the protagonist have a handicap? Any other relevant or involved person/people?

[WiZ]

Does the parter of the protagonist have a handicap? yes Any other relevant or involved person/people? no (aside from the other athletes who are causing this oddity by virtue of being in the same boat)

I think that's close enough, actually.

***** SPOILER *****

He is the sighted guide to a blind sprinter at the Paralympics (Class T11). He crossed the line fractionally behind his partner, to be the sixth across (after two sets of sprinters and guides). According to IPC rules, he and his partner were both awarded the bronze medal.

Well done, Twilightseeker, and Peter for reaching the solution, and thank you everyone else for playing.