Wapsi Square Forum

Dave wrote: Q: Where have we seen something ceramic being scratched, and what sound did it make?

Wow. This one's hard, even for me...

EDIT: OH! OH! I FOUND IT!

SSSSCREEEEE

jwhouk wrote:

Dave wrote: Q: Where have we seen something ceramic being scratched, and what sound did it make?

Wow. This one's hard, even for me...

EDIT: OH! OH! I FOUND IT!

SSSSCREEEEE

Congratulations. I didn't even think of that one, even though I went by it recently...

That's the thing, about these questions... you look through the archives, read a few strips, look elsewhere, read a few more strips, and you may end up going right by the proper one, yet go back to the archives before actually reading it...

We now all wait, with bated breath, for your next question...

And now, a counting game:
How many different Sphinxes have we met (so far) in the comic?

lake_wrangler wrote:But now that I think of it, I may be on the right track, and have to look at the various Phix episodes...

Hint - the incident I'm thinking of did not directly involve Phix.

Dave wrote:

lake_wrangler wrote:But now that I think of it, I may be on the right track, and have to look at the various Phix episodes...

Hint - the incident I'm thinking of did not directly involve Phix.

Too late: jwhouk already found the answer and asked his next question...

Right... I didn't look far enough to see all the followups.

jwhouk's answer was indeed the one I was thinking of.

jwhouk wrote:And now, a counting game:
How many different Sphinxes have we met (so far) in the comic?

I think it's a total of six: Phix, Shelly, Medeia (RIPB), and three anonymous apos seen in this flashback. A seventh specific apo was named (the one who challenged Shelly's legitimacy as a sphinx, and then became a split-plate luncheon special) but we never actually saw it.

jwhouk wrote:And now, a counting game:
How many different Sphinxes have we met (so far) in the comic?

1) Phix
2) Shelly
3) Shelly's dad (sphinx heritage, though being male, won't transform)
4) the dearly departed Madeia.

Mentioned, but not seen, are:
5) the sphinx who opposed Shelly joining the league of apotropaic sphinxes, whom she "shared" with her grandma Phix
6) The sphinx who normally was stationed outside of Thebes, who was replaced by Phix, on the day that Nudge gave to Oedipus the book which contained her (Nudge's) punishment, so that Phix ended up tearing the book, which then destroyed itself, setting Nudge free, by virtue of there being temporarily no law to contain her to the library, after which Phix ended up having to take her place (in the library).

Those are the only ones I can think of. Did I miss any?

7-13) Oh, and Shelly's brothers (7 of them, I think?), who also will not be able to transform, just like their dad cannot. We did not meet any of the brothers, either.


And, seeing Dave's answer, I now add the three anonymous sphinxes, making it a total of 16 sphinxes either seen, or mentioned, in the comic so far.

I think the both of you got it, since I wasn't specific and said "speaking parts."

Only four Sphinxes have had dialogue in the strip: Shelly, Mr. Wahnee, Phix, and Medeia.

If you guys want to play rock/paper/scissors to determine the next question, go for it.

jwhouk wrote:I think the both of you got it, since I wasn't specific and said "speaking parts."

Only four Sphinxes have had dialogue in the strip: Shelly, Mr. Wahnee, Phix, and Medeia.

If you guys want to play rock/paper/scissors to determine the next question, go for it.

Gaah. How could I have missed the Wahnee males? Even though they can't morph they're clearly in the canon as sphinxes, and we've certainly met Dad.

Anyhow, I'll defer to lake_wrangler to give the next clue, since I just had one recently.

OK, then.

Q: Why does Luci dislike Shelly so much?

lake_wrangler wrote:OK, then.

Q: Why does Luci dislike Shelly so much?

Luci feels that Shelly bumbles through life, never really planning or committing herself to anything, and yet keeps being rewarded for her lack of direction and commitment. Sort of, Shelly doesn't really deserve how good life is for her.

Q: What does Nudge like, that her roommates do not?

Wow. That was quick. Congrats.

Dave wrote:Q: What does Nudge like, that her roommates do not?

Nice phrasing. Just confusing enough to not give it away...

Still, the answer is: anchovies.

Of course, now I have to look for a question...

[Edited to correct the quote attribution]

Here it is:

Q: What was Monica lied to about, by the human resources people at the museum?




Meanwhile, time for me to go to bed... in fact, it's way past that time, already. Where DOES time go?

Oh my, you're going way backbackbackback for that one...

"They said not to expect much recognition. Expect mostly anonymity."

Speaking of anchovies:

"Who doesn't know what's in menudo?"

Rrrrgh, I know the answer to that but can't find the comic!! How do you guys do this? Keyword searches aren't helpful at all.

MerchManDan wrote:Rrrrgh, I know the answer to that but can't find the comic!! How do you guys do this? Keyword searches aren't helpful at all.

You know, if you give the answer, with enough context to show you didn't just pull the answer out of a hat, points will still be awarded. (That, or it will point someone else in the right direction...)

Looking for answers can be a lengthy process, just as it can be a short one, depending on how closely you are familiar with the particulars of the event being sought after. The chronology document is helpful at times, to send you looking at the right year in the archives. The cast of characters too. Also, if you know generally the period in which it happened, a search through the archives will be a shorter or longer one, depending on whether the event is pre or post 2005, as this is when the comics started gaining individual titles, pertaining to what happened that day. So strolling through the archives will involve either hit and miss checking of random dates in the area you want, or reading the comic titles in the list, until you hit something you want to check out.

In this particular instance, I'm pretty sure it happened in the individual titles period of the comic, and is not all that far back. (Yes, I also know the answer, and have not yet searched for the link. But given that I've answered quite a few before, I'll give a chance to someone else.)

MerchManDan wrote:Rrrrgh, I know the answer to that but can't find the comic!! How do you guys do this? Keyword searches aren't helpful at all.

You just need to type up a full searchable transcript of the entire run of Wapsi Square, complete with notation on setting and characters. Then you'll be all set.

Catawampus wrote:

MerchManDan wrote:Rrrrgh, I know the answer to that but can't find the comic!! How do you guys do this? Keyword searches aren't helpful at all.

You just need to type up a full searchable transcript of the entire run of Wapsi Square, complete with notation on setting and characters. Then you'll be all set.

Or, you know, you could just download a copy of a work someone's already done beforehand.

And then you wouldn't be barking up the wrong tree.