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Topic: Keen reader (Read 2941 times) |
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alien2
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Keen reader
« on: Nov 26th, 2006, 1:04pm » |
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A man, who is in no hurry, grabs a closed book he eagerly wants to read right away. But he doesn't open it, even though the conditions for reading books are optimal. Why?
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flamingdragon
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #1 on: Nov 26th, 2006, 2:25pm » |
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The book is booby-trapped.
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| « Last Edit: Nov 26th, 2006, 2:25pm by flamingdragon » |
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"The fool doth think he is wise, yet the wise man knoweth himself to be a fool"
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Grimbal
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #2 on: Nov 26th, 2006, 3:12pm » |
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An archaeologist finds the original copy of The Bible in Aramaic.
But he doesn't know the language.
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cchris
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #3 on: Nov 26th, 2006, 5:54pm » |
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It's the Ark of the Covenant?
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Icarus
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #4 on: Nov 26th, 2006, 6:07pm » |
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The Ark was a box, not a book. And the bible was written over a period of 1000 years or more, in at least 3 languages (Hebrew mostly for the old testament, with a few parts in Aramaic; the new testament was all written in koine Greek), so a single original copy of the whole thing never existed.
Another possibility:
It is his lover's diary, and has one of those locks. He doesn't want his lover to know he is reading it, so he can't break the lock.
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And e is just as cursed.
I wonder: Which is larger
When their digits are reversed? " - Anonymous
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cchris
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #5 on: Nov 26th, 2006, 8:03pm » |
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He's blind?
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Sameer
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #6 on: Nov 26th, 2006, 8:08pm » |
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what are optimal conditions for reading?
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"Obvious" is the most dangerous word in mathematics.
--Bell, Eric Temple
Proof is an idol before which the mathematician tortures himself.
Sir Arthur Eddington, quoted in Bridges to Infinity
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Three Hands
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #7 on: Nov 26th, 2006, 10:20pm » |
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It's a cruel trick, gluing all the pages together. Bad for the book as well...
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alien2
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #8 on: Nov 27th, 2006, 4:12am » |
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No winner yet.
on Nov 26th, 2006, 8:08pm, Sameer wrote:| what are optimal conditions for reading? |
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There is light, also a chair, perhaps a rocking chair, lemonade on the table, it is quiet, nobody will disturb you while you are reading..
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cchris
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #9 on: Nov 27th, 2006, 7:40am » |
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It's a book of matches?
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alien2
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #10 on: Nov 27th, 2006, 9:04am » |
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Dunno what book of matches is. 
I, myself, prefer this version:
A man, who is in no hurry, takes a book he eagerly wants to read right away. He then accidentally drops the book on the floor right in front of him, but he doesn't pick it up, even though the conditions for reading books are optimal. Why?
Pick the version you like. It is all the same.
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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #12 on: Nov 27th, 2006, 4:10pm » |
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I like the answer cchris gave.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matchbook
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"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
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Sameer
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #13 on: Nov 27th, 2006, 4:25pm » |
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Well the riddle clearly says that he picks up a book "that he wants to read eagerly" ... if he picks up a matchbook he knows he can't read it...
If he drops it.. then completely plausible is towr's answer but somehow that kind of also is contradictory to optimal reading conditions..having a heart attack wouldn't normally count towards optimal reading condition now... let's see what ice has to say..
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"Obvious" is the most dangerous word in mathematics.
--Bell, Eric Temple
Proof is an idol before which the mathematician tortures himself.
Sir Arthur Eddington, quoted in Bridges to Infinity
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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #14 on: Nov 27th, 2006, 4:30pm » |
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on Nov 27th, 2006, 4:25pm, Sameer wrote:| ... if he picks up a matchbook he knows he can't read it... |
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Only if senility hasn't already fried his poor old brain. Poor little book, where have all your letters gone?
Or, what I thought cchris meant was that the man was reading the cover of the matchbook. I might have been wrong to assume this much, though. I suppose this attempt could be extended to the man reading only the cover of some other kind of book in the matchbook's place.
This would not satisfy the second version of the riddle, but hey, I'm senile little kiddies... bring me my cat and some Spackle. It's time to make Jello!
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| « Last Edit: Nov 27th, 2006, 4:34pm by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot » |
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"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
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TheNumberScott
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #15 on: Nov 27th, 2006, 5:24pm » |
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He's having second thoughts about going against his morals regarding porn.
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There once was a man who hurt his shins. So he went to the doctor to get some help, and they gave him shins of rebar!
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alien2
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #16 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 7:09am » |
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Doesn't seem right to me. Keep guessing riddlers.
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Sameer
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #17 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 10:05am » |
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He has a back problem and since he dropped the book he can't bend over and pick it up??
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"Obvious" is the most dangerous word in mathematics.
--Bell, Eric Temple
Proof is an idol before which the mathematician tortures himself.
Sir Arthur Eddington, quoted in Bridges to Infinity
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alien2
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #18 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 10:10am » |
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No. He is in topnotch health.
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cchris
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #19 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 1:54pm » |
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Does it have anything to do with the content of the book?
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alien2
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #20 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 4:34pm » |
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Of course: he wanted to read this book.  Kidding aside, I think I know what you are asking, so I will say no. 
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flamingdragon
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #21 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 4:44pm » |
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Not booby-trapped, so how about magic-trapped?
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He was told he would be killed if he opened it, so when he dropped it he thought that it was a sign that they would follow through on killing him? |
Does it have anything to do with the name of the book?
Was there anyone else with him?
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"The fool doth think he is wise, yet the wise man knoweth himself to be a fool"
"He who commands the past, commands the future. He who commands the future, commands the past."
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TheNumberScott
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #22 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 5:44pm » |
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he's at a book store, and even though there are many comfy chairs around, he wants to pay for it first.
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There once was a man who hurt his shins. So he went to the doctor to get some help, and they gave him shins of rebar!
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Icarus
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #23 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 7:07pm » |
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Perhaps he simply doesn't know how to read?
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| « Last Edit: Nov 28th, 2006, 7:08pm by Icarus » |
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"Pi goes on and on and on ...
And e is just as cursed.
I wonder: Which is larger
When their digits are reversed? " - Anonymous
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flamingdragon
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Re: Keen reader
« Reply #24 on: Nov 28th, 2006, 7:13pm » |
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Then why would he pick up the book in the first place and then just drop it?
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"The fool doth think he is wise, yet the wise man knoweth himself to be a fool"
"He who commands the past, commands the future. He who commands the future, commands the past."
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