[WiZ] A Brother's Bother

[WiZ]

Late one night, a man receives a phone call. It is his brother.

His brother asks him a question about the definition of a common word. After the man gives his answer, his brother says one more sentence. The man thanks his brother and hangs up.

This call was not anticipated, and the question did not relate to anything either of them had said or done. What was the purpose of the call?

[Earnest]

Relevant that it was late at night? I mean could it be that they were in two different continents and there was a different time zone? Is the definition he asked in his native language? Another language? Did he asked the definition from a vocabulary? Definition = what it means?

Is the one more sentence related to the definition he said of the world? Was it to give more details? To make example of the use of the word? Were they using a code?

Relevant which word's definition he asked? Is the common word a word used in almost every sentence? A noun? A verb? An adjective? Does it concern: food? house? Hygene? Science? Work? Religion? Television? Sport? Radio?

[WiZ]

Relevant that it was late at night? No, circumstances could be different so that it could happen at any time of day I mean could it be that they were in two different continents and there was a different time zone? no Is the definition he asked in his native language? yes Another language? no Did he asked the definition from a vocabulary? As in, from a dictionary? no Definition = what it means? yes, with a caveat

Is the one more sentence related to the definition he said of the world? yes Was it to give more details? no To make example of the use of the word? yes Were they using a code? no

Relevant which word's definition he asked? yes Is the common word a word used in almost every sentence? no A noun? yes A verb? yes An adjective? rarely Does it concern: food? house? Hygene? Science? Work? Religion? Television? Sport? Radio? no to all, in any direct sense

[Enjay]

Did the brother ask because he genuinely wanted to know the answer to his question? Did he have a particular reason to think his brother would know the answer?
Was the question an idiom or saying?
Did the brother ask the man what the definition of the word was? Or more so something "about" the definition like asking for more details? Does the word have multiple meanings?

Has he done this before? Is he likely to do it again? If yes to either, with the same word?

Is it any kind of test?

[WiZ]

Did the brother ask because he genuinely wanted to know the answer to his question? yes, to answer your question at face value Did he have a particular reason to think his brother would know the answer? no
Was the question an idiom or saying? no
Did the brother ask the man what the definition of the word was? no, not framed like that Or more so something "about" the definition like asking for more details? this is closer Does the word have multiple meanings? yes, FA lurking

Has he done this before? no Is he likely to do it again? no If yes to either, with the same word? n/a

Is it any kind of test? no

[Enjay]

Can we name the brothers to avoid confusion - say Brad makes the phone call and Chad receives it?

Did Brad know the meaning of the word? Did Chad? Did the question really relate to the meaning of the word at all? (Hard to explain what I mean by that, but for example if someone said "what exactly does friendship mean to you?" that would not really be a question about the actual definition of "friendship"...)

Does the common word refer to just one word?

Is it relevant that the two are brothers? Could it work if the two were just friends? Father and son?

Does Brad's question have a "right" answer? If so, did Chad answer correctly?

[WiZ]

Can we name the brothers to avoid confusion - say Brad makes the phone call and Chad receives it? Sure. Try not to let these names influence any assumptions about their character

Did Brad know the meaning of the word? yes Did Chad? yes Did the question really relate to the meaning of the word at all? (Hard to explain what I mean by that, but for example if someone said "what exactly does friendship mean to you?" that would not really be a question about the actual definition of "friendship"...) Gotcha. I would say no, and your example is extremely apt

Does the common word refer to just one word? yes

Is it relevant that the two are brothers? no Could it work if the two were just friends? Father and son? yes, in both cases

Does Brad's question have a "right" answer? no If so, did Chad answer correctly? n/a

[Earnest]

Was B looking for an explanation to an answer he received? E.g. he needed to compile a module and there was a voice he needed to fill?

Is B not understanding what a function on a device is? E.g. the first time "Youtube" appeared he was looking to a video ehen suddenly the video stopped and the word "buffering" appeared...so, even though they both know what "buffer per se" means, B could not explain himself what that word means in that context...something like that?

[peter365]

Are they playing a game? online scrabble for instance? Was Brad checking to see if the word was scrabble legal?

Crosswords relevant?

[Balin]

Is the word an actual word (as in, in the dictionary)?

[WiZ]

Earnest

Was B looking for an explanation to an answer he received? no E.g. he needed to compile a module and there was a voice he needed to fill? no

Is B not understanding what a function on a device is? no E.g. the first time "Youtube" appeared he was looking to a video ehen suddenly the video stopped and the word "buffering" appeared...so, even though they both know what "buffer per se" means, B could not explain himself what that word means in that context...something like that? no

Peter

Are they playing a game? no online scrabble for instance? no Was Brad checking to see if the word was scrabble legal? no

Crosswords relevant? no

Balin

Is the word an actual word (as in, in the dictionary)? Yes - it appears in the Oxford First Dictionary, which is for children.

[Earnest]

Did B read the word somewhere? Did he hear the word? If so did he hear the word properly (I was thinking of something like he did not hear the word and called his brother in order to have an opinion about the meaning...e.g. he has a son/daughter who said his/her forst word and he wanted an opinion to understand which was)? Did he hear it in a sentence?

[WiZ]

Did B read the word somewhere? Did he hear the word? irrelevant in both cases If so did he hear the word properly (I was thinking of something like he did not hear the word and called his brother in order to have an opinion about the meaning...e.g. he has a son/daughter who said his/her forst word and he wanted an opinion to understand which was)? Did he hear it in a sentence? Assume it was properly understood

[Balin]

Is the word slang?
Does the word appear in other dictionaries?
Is the brother bragging about something? Lamenting?

[WiZ]

Is the word slang? Yes, but irrelevant (it's quite a versatile word)
Does the word appear in other dictionaries? yes, even American ones
Is the brother bragging about something? Lamenting? no to both

[Balin]

"The man gives his answer" - does the man give a definition at all? Is his answer at all related to the question?

[WiZ]

"The man gives his answer" - does the man give a definition at all? yes, the man's answer leaves both parties with a mutual understanding as to at least one definition of the word (Can you tell I work in the field of law?) Is his answer at all related to the question? yes

[Balin]

Yes I can.

Does the final sentence confirm something the man knows (or thinks he knows)?

[Earnest]

did the question of B begin with: What does (word) mean?" or more like:"Do you think that (word) has also other meanings?" or "Is the meaning of (word) this?" or "Does (word) means this also for you?"

By asking the meaning of the word, is B warning somehow C of something that was going on? After the phone call was over, is the most likely feeling C had: fear?concern?he felt relief?happy?anxious? surprised?confused? Did C want to reach B after he received the phone call?
Relevant what B was doing when he called C? Was him driving a car? Driving an airplane? Was it during an important event? Was B at his house when calling C?
Did B need to take an important decision? Was he convinced that it was the last time he called his brother?

Relevant that he asked in a phone call? Would it work also had them been face to face? Was it a code? Did the two have a different/the same opinion in religion/politics and the meaning of the word would have clarified which position they took? e.g. the meaning of a word in the "Bible"? I mean, was it a matter of interpretation of a word? (not an expert but there is something similar about Protestants and catholics...)

[WiZ]

Balin

Does the final sentence confirm something the man knows (or thinks he knows)? no

Earnest

did the question of B begin with: What does (word) mean?" no or more like:"Do you think that (word) has also other meanings?" no or "Is the meaning of (word) this?" or "Does (word) means this also for you?" yope to yesish to these two

By asking the meaning of the word, is B warning somehow C of something that was going on? yes; good q After the phone call was over, is the most likely feeling C had: fear?concern?he felt relief? mostly this happy? with a bit of this anxious? surprised? and this confused? no to rest Did C want to reach B after he received the phone call? yes!
Relevant what B was doing when he called C? yes Was him driving a car? no Driving an airplane? He wasn't the pilot, but yesish Was it during an important event? no Was B at his house when calling C? no
Did B need to take an important decision? no Was he convinced that it was the last time he called his brother? no

Relevant that he asked in a phone call? yes Would it work also had them been face to face? no Was it a code? no Did the two have a different/the same opinion in religion/politics and the meaning of the word would have clarified which position they took? e.g. the meaning of a word in the "Bible"? no I mean, was it a matter of interpretation of a word? (not an expert but there is something similar about Protestants and catholics...) You are correct. And it's more than one word

Great round of questions.

[Earnest]

well a phone call on an air plane? was something like by the conversation, C was able to understand that B was reaching him? Like B was making fun of his brother somehow? Is the word related to the fact that C and B would have been soon together?

[WiZ]

well a phone call on an air plane? no was something like by the conversation, C was able to understand that B was reaching him? Like B was making fun of his brother somehow? no Is the word related to the fact that C and B would have been soon together? the word relates to the circumstances under which C and B would soon be together, yes

[Balin]

Was Chad on a plane at the time of the call? In/at an airport?
Same questions for Brad?

[WiZ]

Was Chad on a plane at the time of the call? In/at an airport? no to both
Same questions for Brad? Brad was at an airport.

[Balin]

Was Brad waiting for someone at the airport? Picking someone up? Accompanying someone? About to get on a flight? Just getting off a flight? Waiting for a flight?

[WiZ]

Was Brad waiting for someone at the airport? Picking someone up? Accompanying someone? About to get on a flight? Just getting off a flight? This; no to rest Waiting for a flight?

[Balin]

Is Chad at the airport? Approaching the airport? Is Chad going to pick him up from the airport? Is Chad asking for directions? Is Chad confirming that Brad's flight has landed?

[Earnest]

Ok...so working with imagination...because you said C felt relief I was wondering weather B belonged to the military forces and had been just landed at airport? Is the phone call per se that made C relief (the fact that he called him witnessed that he had been landed)? Another thing I had in mind (I said even if I think it is not), is that B was coming with the parachute and had seen a word written on the grass by C?

Anyway, turning to more realistic options...was B on the tracks of the airport? Or already inside the main building of the airport? Does the word have sonthing to do with "landing"? "Welcome"?
Or something like C was late and B asked him "do you know what the word "late" means? Like a rethorical question? Or do you know what "punctuality" means?

[WiZ]

Balin

Is Chad at the airport? Approaching the airport? Is Chad going to pick him up from the airport? Is Chad asking for directions? no to all Is Chad confirming that Brad's flight has landed? This is what the call is about, but Chad doesn't initiate any part of it

Earnest

Ok...so working with imagination...because you said C felt relief I was wondering weather B belonged to the military forces and had been just landed at airport? no Is the phone call per se that made C relief (the fact that he called him witnessed that he had been landed)? no; Chad wasn't worried before the call was made Another thing I had in mind (I said even if I think it is not), is that B was coming with the parachute and had seen a word written on the grass by C? no, but very creative!

Anyway, turning to more realistic options...was B on the tracks of the airport? no (I'm pretty sure that would render the phone call illegal) Or already inside the main building of the airport? yes Does the word have sonthing to do with "landing"? strong yesish, explore "Welcome"? no
Or something like C was late C wasn't late, no... and B asked him "do you know what the word "late" means? no Like a rethorical question? no Or do you know what "punctuality" means? no

[Earnest]

Is it something displayed on a screen? Something to give more precise indications to C? When B asked C the meaning of the word, did he know that B was at the airport? Did he understand from what B said that he was landed? From the fact that B called him by phone? Did C know that B took a plane? Did B expect C to go and meet B at the airport?

Did the word concern "baggages"? Arrivals? Transit? Terminal? Directions? Rental? A timetable? Is it a word that anybody could see/hear at an airport? The way in which B wanted to reach C from the airport (car? Train? Subway? Another airplane?)? Is it a word with a double meaning? Gate? Sonething that witnessed the fact that he knew a fact which he could not have known had he not been landed? E.g. the weather? Someone dressed in a particular way? There was a special occasion in the place where he landed which was also adverstised in the airport?

[WiZ]

Is it something displayed on a screen? no Something to give more precise indications to C? When B asked C the meaning of the word, did he know that B was at the airport? He would have expected him to be, yes Did he understand from what B said that he was landed? yes From the fact that B called him by phone? no Did C know that B took a plane? yes Did B expect C to go and meet B at the airport? no

Did the word concern "baggages"? Arrivals? It concerned the manner of landing/arrival Transit? Terminal? Directions? Rental? A timetable? Is it a word that anybody could see/hear at an airport? yes, although not every day The way in which B wanted to reach C from the airport (car? Train? Subway? Another airplane?)? no Is it a word with a double meaning? yes Gate? no Sonething that witnessed the fact that he knew a fact which he could not have known had he not been landed? E.g. the weather? Someone dressed in a particular way? no There was a special occasion in the place where he landed which was also adverstised in the airport? no

[Balin]

Did he think the landing had gone wrong? Is the word "grounded" or something similar involved?

[WiZ]

Did he think the landing had gone wrong? No, but this possibility is worth bearing in mind. Is the word "grounded" no or something similar yesish involved?

[Balin]

Was the flight ordinary? Was it delayed? Did it arrive early? On time?

[WiZ]

Was the flight ordinary? yes Was it delayed? at which end? Did it arrive early? no On time? It reached the runway at the expected time

[Earnest]

Does the double meaning concern: landing/arrival and the way that he is expected to meet his brother?

Did it concern the manner of arrival of his airplane? Of his flight? Of another flight? The manner of arrival/landing = the way the airplane has landed? The time in which the airplane is landed? splashdown? Was it a quiet flight? Did C feel relief because there was a storm and he knew by the words of his brother that he was safe? Was it the first plane that B took? Was B victim of a tragedy?

[WiZ]

Does the double meaning concern: landing/arrival yes and the way that he is expected to meet his brother? no

Did it concern the manner of arrival of his airplane? this, most relevantlyOf his flight? Of another flight? The manner of arrival/landing = the way the airplane has landed? this, most relevantlyThe time in which the airplane is landed? splashdown? This is the closest so far Was it a quiet flight? no Did C feel relief because there was a storm and he knew by the words of his brother that he was safe? The relief comes from knowing his brother was safe, yes Was it the first plane that B took? irrelevant Was B victim of a tragedy? not a tragedy, but he was the victim of something unpleasant.

[Earnest]

Was the main reason for the unpleasant landing the wind? The sand? Did he land at the airport? In the water? Ocean? A river? On a beach? On a mountain? Was it however an emergency landing? Or was for instance the airport flooded? Rain relevant?

EDITED

[WiZ]

Was the main reason for the unpleasant landing the wind? The sand? the cause is irrelevant; the effect, though... Did he land at the airport? yes In the water? Ocean? A river? On a beach? On a mountain? no to rest Was it however an emergency landing? Not an 'emergency', but far from ideal... Or was for instance the airport flooded? Rain relevant? Cause is less relevant than effect, but for the purposes of the puzzle, assume that there were adverse weather conditions affecting the runway. It wasn't rain, however.

[biograd]

So did the plane have to land on a patch of concrete that wasn't meant as a runway? a field/patch of dirt even?

[WiZ]

So did the plane have to land on a patch of concrete that wasn't meant as a runway? no a field/patch of dirt even? This is where it ended up... but not where it deigned to land.

[Earnest]

Effect = airplane made damages? Made damages to the main building of the airport?

[WiZ]

Effect = airplane made damages? Made damages to the main building of the airport? No actual damages are relevant, but the threat of damages is.

[Earnest]

Threar of damages = two airplanes crashing together? Luck of communications with control tower relevant? So assuming there was ice/snow in the runway, did he ask the brother the meaning of "sliping away"? Landing slip? Soft landing? (E.g. he asked the brother the meaning of a word and then negate it in order to descrive the way he had landed)

Or is it something like "arriving in the middle of something"? Being surrounded by sonething? Was the main purpose of the call to declare to his brother that he was safe? That he landed? Did he take as granted the fact that his brother knew about the "unpleasant" flight by the news or other channels of comunication (e.g. the voice in the main building of the airport)? Relevant? E.g. do you know what "unscheduled landing" means? Brother:"well yes" answer:"after this experience I know it better than you"

[WiZ]

Threar of damages = two airplanes crashing together? This is the conclusion Chad might have come to at first... Luck of communications with control tower relevant? no So assuming there was ice/snow in the runway, did he ask the brother the meaning of "sliping away"? no Landing slip? no Soft landing? no (E.g. he asked the brother the meaning of a word and then negate it in order to descrive the way he had landed) No, he described the landing in terms of Chad's understanding of the word

Or is it something like "arriving in the middle of something"? no Being surrounded by sonething? no Was the main purpose of the call to declare to his brother that he was safe? yes That he landed? yes (under the circumstances in which he did) Did he take as granted the fact that his brother knew about the "unpleasant" flight by the news or other channels of comunication (e.g. the voice in the main building of the airport)? no - although what he did would have assuaged Chad's fears if he had found out about what happened via some other channel Relevant? no E.g. do you know what "unscheduled landing" means? Brother:"well yes" answer:"after this experience I know it better than you" no, but ORT-ish.

You have actually mentioned the contentious word in your last set of questions.

[Earnest]

Well I could invoke the list of words I've said ahahahhaha...so unscheduled landing? Crashing? Comunication? Landing? Arriving? Flight?

[WiZ]

Well I could invoke the list of words I've said ahahahhaha...so unscheduled landing? Crashing? 'Crash' was the word. Comunication? Landing? Arriving? Flight?

[Earnest]

was the double meaning between crash and crash landing? Like "you don't know the meaning of crash until landing is added?"
Was there written on the screens just "crash"? Did B asked C what the word "crash" on the screens mean (so that C understood that B was safe in the main building having read the word crash) and then added that the airport personnel should have added "landing" to "crash"?

[WiZ]

was the double meaning between crash and crash landing? Like "you don't know the meaning of crash until landing is added?" no - but there is some ambiguity to the word 'crash'.
Was there written on the screens just "crash"? no (assume Chad has not seen anything prior to the call that would lead him to believe that Brad has crashed) Did B asked C what the word "crash" on the screens mean (so that C understood that B was safe in the main building having read the word crash) and then added that the airport personnel should have added "landing" to "crash"? This isn't what happened - however, the purpose of the question is to ascertain the severity of the crash. Remember B asked C as to his understanding of the word, and C had no prior indication that the 'crash' happened.

[Earnest]

Like "how would you define the word "crash"? Ambiguiti wirh "have a crush on someone"?

[WiZ]

Like "how would you define the word "crash"? yes - not these exact words, though Ambiguiti wirh "have a crush on someone"? no

So, why would Brad open up the conversation by asking Chad how he would define a crash/what he would understand as a crash, given what had happened to the plane?

[MiserableLie]

Did the plane attempt to land on the runway but miss? As in, overshoot the end, or touch down before the runway began?

Was the question meant humorously, or ironically? Are synonyms of the word "crash" relevant? Was the incident so minor that no reasonable person would call it a crash?

Had either Brad or Chad experienced or witnessed a crash before? Relevant?

Edit: are we talking about a phrase similar to "crash the party"?

[WiZ]

Did the plane attempt to land on the runway but miss? As in, overshoot the end, or touch down before the runway began? no

Was the question meant humorously, or ironically? no to both - although probably a little light-heartedly Are synonyms of the word "crash" relevant? no Was the incident so minor that no reasonable person would call it a crash? Yes - this is the underlying thinking behind the question

Had either Brad or Chad experienced or witnessed a crash before? probably Relevant? insofar as the notion of a 'crash' would mean something fairly serious for both of them

Edit: are we talking about a phrase similar to "crash the party"? no

[Earnest]

Would have somethibg happened if it could have been called a crash? Or he just wanted to say in his next sentence "well then, I survived a crash" or "well then so nothing interesting, I'm at the airport"?

Was he worried about the fact that it could be called a crash by news making fear to his brother, when in reality he was safe and it could be not called a crash?

[Balin]

Is the ambiguity between a plane crash and a car crash?

[WiZ]

Earnest

Would have somethibg happened if it could have been called a crash? Or he just wanted to say in his next sentence "well then, I survived a crash" or "well then so nothing interesting, I'm at the airport"?

Was he worried about the fact that it could be called a crash by news making fear to his brother, when in reality he was safe and it could be not called a crash?

This is it, really. I don't want to quibble any further as we've established the lateral logic.

***** SPOILER *****

The phone call went more or less as follows:

Chad: Hello?
Brad: Hey, Chad. Say, if the road was icy and slippery, and your car skidded slightly off the verge and hit a ditch and had to be towed, would you call it a crash?
Chad: Yep.
Brad: OK, my plane just crashed. I'll see you in an hour.

i.e. Brad wanted Chad to be clear on what happened before he started to speculate in his own head as to the seriousness of the crash, or perhaps saw the triggering word on twitter or the news.

Great job, Earnest, on solving a difficult and nuanced puzzle, and thank you everyone for playing!

[GalFisk]

Clever!

[Earnest]

Wow this was hard! Thank you WiZ for one of the best lateral puzzle I've met!

[peter365]

That's really neat WiZ

For some reason it put the 'Cat on the Roof' joke into my head.

[WiZ]

I hadn't heard that one. Rather clever. That joke, in turn, reminds me of the 'your tea has run out on you' jape.