Forum Home Forum Home > Topics not related to music > Just for Fun
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers!
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedAnswers? Questions! Questions? Answers!

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Topic: Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers!
    Posted: January 11 2006 at 09:14
Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers! (Which every prog fan should know is a track by Focus)

Just a bit of fun - here's some questions where the answer is also a question. Some are easy, some are tough but the answers are interesting!

If anybody can think of any other interesting questions that fit the criteria please post them.

1. What was the final question asked of Major Ingram which would have earned him £1M on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"?
2. What was the question In "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" to which the answer was reputed to be 42?
3. What sarcastic response did Basil Fawlty give to the deaf guest who complained about the view from her window?
4. What did Jeremy Paxman famously ask Michael Howard 14 times in an interview without getting a straight answer?
5. What line was The Who's Roger Daltrey singing at Live Aid in 1985 just as the satellite link broke and all UK TV screens went blank?
6. What was the title of the 1976 Supertramp album that was taken from a famous newspaper headline in that year?
7. What was the third question asked of King Arthur by the bridge keeper in "Monty Python & the Holy Grail"?
8. What was Arthur's answer to the answer to the previous question? (which was also a question!)
9. What were the last words of Gertrude Stein?
10. What did Victor Hugo write in a telegram to his publishers to find out how his new novel "Les Miserables" was selling? (Clue: it's short)
11. To what question did Lieutenant Frank Drebin in "Police Squad" answer "I'm a locksmith, and, I'm a locksmith."
12. What response did Michael Faraday reputedly give when asked by Gladstone what use electricity was?
13. What did the Cat say to Dave Lister in "Red Dwarf" when told Lister was his God?
14. What question could you not possibly give a truthful answer to?
15. What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?
16. Which one of the above questions is actually incorrect?

Answers later... (Remember every answer is also a question!)

Edited by ElwoodHerring
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
BaldFriede View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 09:32
Originally posted by ElwoodHerring ElwoodHerring wrote:

Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers! (Which every prog fan should know is a track by Focus)

Just a bit of fun - here's some questions where the answer is also a question. Some are easy, some are tough but the answers are interesting!

If anybody can think of any other interesting questions that fit the criteria please post them.

2. What was the question In "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" to which the answer was reputed to be 42?
What is 6 multiplied by 9? Interestingly 6x9 really equals 42 in a number system that is not based on the number 10, but on the number 13, since 4x13+2=54.
Answers later... (Remember every answer is also a question!)


BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
Back to Top
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 09:48
Concerning Hitch-Hiker and 42, there are some people who think that Douglas Adams got the number from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland". In the courtroom scene, the queen states "Rule 42. Any person more than a mile high must leave the courtroom" etc. And that's not the only time Carroll mentions 42 - it crops up all through his writings and even his personal life. (See "The Annotated Alice"). For example - from the day the Rev. Dodgson decided to call himself Lewis Carroll, he lived for 42 years under that pseudonym!

Wikipedia has a page devoted to the number: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42_(number)

Edited by ElwoodHerring
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
Phil View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: June 17 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1881
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 10:01
Originally posted by ElwoodHerring ElwoodHerring wrote:


3. What sarcastic response did Basil Fawlty give to the deaf guest who complained about the view from her window? What did you expect from a Torquay hotel bedroom window..the hanging gardens of babylon? Herds of wilderbeest striding majestically across the serengetti? etc...

7. What was the third question asked of King Arthur by the bridge keeper in "Monty Python & the Holy Grail"? What is your favourite colour? (a previous Knight changes his mind and is cast into the pit!
Back to Top
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 10:12
Originally posted by Phil Phil wrote:


Originally posted by ElwoodHerring ElwoodHerring wrote:

7. What was the third question asked of King Arthur by the bridge keeper in "Monty Python & the Holy Grail"?
What is your favourite colour? (a previous Knight changes his mind and is cast into the pit!


WRONG - Into the pit you go too!


Edited by ElwoodHerring
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
BaldFriede View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 10:23
Originally posted by ElwoodHerring ElwoodHerring wrote:

Concerning Hitch-Hiker and 42, there are some people who think that Douglas Adams got the number from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland". In the courtroom scene, the queen states "Rule 42. Any person more than a mile high must leave the courtroom" etc. And that's not the only time Carroll mentions 42 - it crops up all through his writings and even his personal life. (See "The Annotated Alice"). For example - from the day the Rev. Dodgson decided to call himself Lewis Carroll, he lived for 42 years under that pseudonym!

Wikipedia has a page devoted to the number: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42_(number)

Yes, and the baker leaves 42 boxes on the shore in "The Hunting of the Snark".

He had forty-two boxes, all carefully packed,
With his name painted clearly on each:
But, since he omitted to mention the fact,
They were all left behind on the beach.

Carroll was 42, by the way, when he wrote "The Hunting of the Snark".

Oh, and it is the king who states this rule in "Alice in Wonderland" and not the queen.

"At this moment the King, who had been for some time busily writing in his note-book, cackled out `Silence!' and read out from his book, `Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court.'"


As you can clearly see, I am a Carroll nut, which is no wonder since I share birthday with him (Jan 27th).


BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
Back to Top
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 10:27
Okay, it was the king! I was typing from memory and wasn't sure whether it was the king or queen, but foolishly thought nobody would notice!

(I'm also a Carroll nut: I wrote a "Snark"-like poem which you can read if you like: http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/poetry/cautionary.ht m]

Also a Jabberwocky sequel: http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/poetry/jabberwocky.h tm

(Why does this text editor always put a space in long URLs? I type "htm" and it comes up as "h tm". Oh well, the links seem to work. )

Edited by ElwoodHerring
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
Bob Greece View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Greece
Status: Offline
Points: 1823
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 10:34

The number 42 is hard-coded as the 3rd byte in all TIF images.

Back to Top
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 12:50
If you want the answers, go to the bottom of page http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/mazes.htm - but not until you've had a good think about the questions!

And please feel free to suggest new ones.
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
chopper View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: July 13 2005
Location: Essex, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 20030
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 13:34
What did Victor Hugo write in a telegram to his publishers to find out how his new novel "Les Miserables" was selling? (Clue: it's short)

If I remember correctly it was "?" and the answer was "!".
Back to Top
daghrastubfari View Drop Down
Forum Groupie
Forum Groupie


Joined: July 15 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 88
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 14:34



6. What was the title of the 1976 Supertramp album that was taken from a famous newspaper headline in that year? Crisis, what Crisis?

7. What was the third question asked of King Arthur by the bridge keeper in "Monty Python & the Holy Grail"? Something like: "What's the average speed of a swallow"

8. What was Arthur's answer to the answer to the previous question? (which was also a question!) An African or an Europian?

15. What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?
What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?

Back to Top
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 15:23
Would you believe someone has actually devoted a whole web page to answering the swallow question - scientifically?

http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/

Now - about the capital of Assyria...

Edited by ElwoodHerring
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
goose View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: June 20 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 4097
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 20:18
Originally posted by ElwoodHerring ElwoodHerring wrote:

Concerning Hitch-Hiker and 42, there are some people who think that Douglas Adams got the number from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland". In the courtroom scene, the queen states "Rule 42...
And of course Carroll also used alternative number systems toward the end of that book
Back to Top
The Doctor View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: June 23 2005
Location: The Tardis
Status: Offline
Points: 8543
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2006 at 20:40

Originally posted by ElwoodHerring ElwoodHerring wrote:

Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers! (Which every prog fan should know is a track by Focus)

14. What question could you not possibly give a truthful answer to?


Answers later... (Remember every answer is also a question!)

Your girlfriend/wife asking "Do I look fat in this dress?"

I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
Back to Top
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2006 at 10:01
My answer to question 14 is: "Would you be making a false statement if you answered yes to this question?"

If you answered "yes" you would be stating that your answer would be a false statement if you had answered "yes" (which in this case you did), but by doing so you would actually be making a true statement, so therefore the statement is false and your answer must be wrong.

If you answered "no" you would in effect be stating that your answer would be a true statement if you had answered "yes" (which in this case you did NOT), but as we have already seen, by answering "yes" the statement becomes false and your answer would be wrong. So you lose again!

Of course, any answer other than "yes" or "no" is irrelevant and neither true nor false.

Edited by ElwoodHerring
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
BaldFriede View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2006 at 11:36
Originally posted by daghrastubfari daghrastubfari wrote:


15. What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?
What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?


This question reminds me of a philosophy exam, in which the question "Think of a question fit for a philosophy exam and then answer it" appeared. The only candidate that got an A+ simply copied the question twice.


Edited by BaldFriede


BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
Back to Top
ElwoodHerring View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: November 12 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 232
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2006 at 11:54
Originally posted by BaldFriede BaldFriede wrote:



Originally posted by daghrastubfari daghrastubfari wrote:

15. What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?

What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?
This question reminds me of a philosophy exam, in which the question "Think of a question fit for a philosophy exam and then answer it" appeared. The only candidate that got an A+ simply copied the question twice.

Lateral thinking - you can't knock it, not even sideways!
[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)
Back to Top
Kotro View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: August 16 2004
Location: Portugal
Status: Offline
Points: 2815
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2006 at 14:31

Originally posted by ElwoodHerring ElwoodHerring wrote:

Originally posted by BaldFriede BaldFriede wrote:



Originally posted by daghrastubfari daghrastubfari wrote:

15. What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?

What question could you ask where the answer would be identical to the question?
This question reminds me of a philosophy exam, in which the question "Think of a question fit for a philosophy exam and then answer it" appeared. The only candidate that got an A+ simply copied the question twice.

Lateral thinking - you can't knock it, not even sideways!

Not sure this is true, but in my high school circuled a rumour about a kid who had the only 20 (equivalent to A+) in a philosophy exam that beared this simple question:

What do you think about this question?

The kid's answer was:

What do you think of this answer?

Bigger on the inside.
Back to Top
The Doctor View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: June 23 2005
Location: The Tardis
Status: Offline
Points: 8543
Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2006 at 19:20

I've heard a similar rumor about a philosophy exam that simply bore the question "Why?"

The answer which got the only A in the class was "Why not?"

I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.222 seconds.
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.