[WiZ] How to handle a vandal scandal

[WiZ]

A university student vandalises the school grounds by writing a single word. The word is quickly removed, but, within the academic year, the word makes a second appearance. This time, the faculty are very pleased. Explain.

BOATS. Caveat Earlispoilor. OAATP rules apply.

[TDGperson]

Is the second appearance at the same place as the first?

[WiZ]

Is the second appearance at the same place as the first? yes

[wunderland]

Was the second appearance the work of the same university student?

[WiZ]

Was the second appearance the work of the same university student? yes

[wunderland]

Was the word: a common noun? a proper noun? a person's name? the student's name? a verb? a call to action? an adjective? an adverb? an acronym? a word with multiple relevant meanings?

[WiZ]

Was the word: a common noun? yes a proper noun? a person's name? the student's name? a verb? a call to action? an adjective? an adverb? an acronym? a word with multiple relevant meanings? no to rest

[wunderland]

Was the place where it was written: indoors? outdoors? on a desk? on a seat? on a wall? on the ground? on a floor? on a door? in a classroom / lecture theatre? in a hallway? in a restaurant / cafeteria? in a bathroom? on a movable object? on an object described by the word? relevant? (if I'm allowed to squeeze that in as a "variable"...)

[WiZ]

Was the place where it was written: indoors? outdoors? this on a desk? on a seat? on a wall? on the ground? also this on a floor? on a door? in a classroom / lecture theatre? in a hallway? in a restaurant / cafeteria? in a bathroom? on a movable object? on an object described by the word? no to rest relevant? yes (if I'm allowed to squeeze that in as a "variable"...) Pushing it, but I will allow it.

[Doriana]

Was the word written with a pen? spray paint? paint? organic materials?

[WiZ]

Was the word written with a pen? spray paint? paint? no to these organic materials? yes

[Doriana]

Is he spelling the word with seeds or flower bulbs?

[WiZ]

Is he spelling the word with seeds or flower bulbs? no to both

[Balin]

Does the word make a correction of some sort?

[WiZ]

Does the word make a correction of some sort? no

[Balin]

Does the word remain for a long period of time the second time?

[WiZ]

Does the word remain for a long period of time the second time? no

[Balin]

Is the word written in chalk?

[WiZ]

Is the word written in chalk? no

[Balin]

Is the word written in a parking lot?

[WiZ]

Is the word written in a parking lot? no

[Balin]

Was the word mowed into a lawn?

[WiZ]

Was the word mowed no into a lawn? yes

[Hobbsicle]

Is the word made of dirt? Grass? Flowers? Another kind of plant?

[WiZ]

Is the word made of dirt? no Grass? yope Flowers? Another kind of plant? no to rest

[GalFisk]

Is it made from: removed grass? Killed grass? Dried grass? Different species of grass? Grass-like plant?

[WiZ]

Is it made from: removed grass? Killed grass? Dried grass? Different species of grass? Grass-like plant? no to all

[Balin]

Is it made from cut grass? Uncut grass? Long grass?

[WiZ]

Is it made from cut grass? no Uncut grass? yes Long grass? yes (or, at least, longer grass)

[trebor]

Is the word a team name for the school?

[WiZ]

Is the word a team name for the school? no

[Balin]

Is the word only visible to those at or above a certain height off the ground?

[WiZ]

Is the word only visible to those at or above a certain height off the ground? It would be visible to anyone above ground, although clearer/more obvious the higher up, or further back, you were

[Balin]

Is the word a vulgarity?

[WiZ]

Is the word a vulgarity? no

[LemonCurry]

Is the student using fertilizer to make the grass grow longer?

[WiZ]

Is the student using fertilizer to make the grass grow longer? yes, very good

So, what did he write, and why were the faculty happy about this? The two are linked.

[wunderland]

Does it describe an object? an abstract concept? a substance? is it a mass noun? a countable noun? singular? plural?

[WiZ]

Does it describe an object? yesish an abstract concept? no a substance? yes, most relevantly is it a mass noun? yes a countable noun? no singular? plural? Both, but that's more a quirk of linguistics

[wunderland]

Grass? water? fertilizer? another lawn-related substance?

[WiZ]

Grass? water? no to both fertilizer? this isn't the word, but it's the general idea another lawn-related substance? yes, but bear in mind the previous answer

[LemonCurry]

Was it the name of a particular substance that was developed by the university?

[GalFisk]

Did he write "weed"?

[Hobbsicle]

Poop? Or, you know, worse?

[WiZ]

LemonCurry

Was it the name of a particular substance that was developed by the university? Yesish!

GalFisk

Did he write "weed"? no

Hobbsicle

Poop? yes to the concept, no to the specific word Or, you know, worse? fortunately, it's even more polite

I think we have all we need

***** SPOILER *****

The student had been conducting research into the benefits of guano, the new wonder fertiliser. Using the rare medium of bird droppings, he spread the word 'guano' across a prominent campus lawn. It was quickly rubbed away by campus authorities, but the 'damage' was done: come springtime, the fertilised grass grew at a prodigious rate, once again spelling out the word on the lawn - this time, providing some evidence of the scientific breakthrough!

Congratulations, GalFisk and Hobbsicle, on the solution, and thank you everyone for playing!