Wapsi Square Forum

Sidhekin wrote:Now do you really think I'd read a strip with "Heracles" and ask for a strip referencing Hercules?

... 'cause I think that would be unfair.

That's called ambiguifying or vagueyfying the question, so at to not give it away too soon.. It's the same thing I did with "kitten". You'll notice that "kitten" was in quotes... While I can't quote the grammar rule for it, I generally find that quotes are either used when we want the exact text found, or they represent air quotes (where someone acts out the placing of quotes, with their fingers in the air), to mean something like "so-called", or to mean that it's not exactly what you think it is... Had I said who is "котёнок", it would have been a dead giveaway, so I had to make the question more ambiguous.

Dave wrote:

Besides, I've answered both of your questions, so it's my turn anyway. Fair?

Posilutely... you're up! Next question, sir?

Actually, I think he already asked. Twice, in fact.

He first asked when he replied to my kitten question, within two minutes of your own correct answer, so he was probably in the process of answering and did not notice your question:

Sidhekin wrote:Hey, I said Hercules, not Heracles!



... anyway, the "kitten" is definitely M. (Or is it?)

Now, can you find Hercules referenced?

And again, after answering your question:

Sidhekin wrote:

Dave wrote:

lake_wrangler wrote:And now, the next question:

Q: Who is "kitten"?

Monica.

Hey, he said "kitten", not "котёнок".

Dave wrote:Q: what is "Intentional Thumbprint"?

The opening band for Fermented Banana at the Plow. (Heather's band.)

Now can you find Hercules referenced?

So unless I'm mistaken, I think he wants us to find the name "Hercules" referenced as is...

lake_wrangler wrote:

Sidhekin wrote:Now do you really think I'd read a strip with "Heracles" and ask for a strip referencing Hercules?

... 'cause I think that would be unfair.

That's called ambiguifying or vagueyfying the question, so at to not give it away too soon.. It's the same thing I did with "kitten". You'll notice that "kitten" was in quotes... While I can't quote the grammar rule for it, I generally find that quotes are either used when we want the exact text found, or they represent air quotes (where someone acts out the placing of quotes, with their fingers in the air), to mean something like "so-called", or to mean that it's not exactly what you think it is... Had I said who is "котёнок", it would have been a dead giveaway, so I had to make the question more ambiguous.

Sure. But if you forgive me for furthering this bit of silliness ... while I agree that "kitten" is more ambiguous than "котёнок", I find "Hercules" less ambiguous than "Heracles", which would be the generic version, both in terms of historical precedence and in terms of associates appearing in the comic (where we've had Zeus, Athena, and Poseidon mentioned, but I don't think we've had Jupiter, Minerva, nor Neptune). So, yeah, if I'd read a strip with "Hercules" and asked for Heracles, it'd be the same vagueyfyingness.

... and now I'm almost regretting not doing that. Almost.

(Silliness is highly underrated.)

lake_wrangler wrote:

Sidhekin wrote:Now can you find Hercules referenced?

So unless I'm mistaken, I think he wants us to find the name "Hercules" referenced as is...

Quite so.

EDIT: Fixed the quote attribution; thanks LW. (I cut too much originally, fixed it before posting, but got the fix wrong. I think it's right now ...)

I think you mixed up the attributions, in that last quote...

Sidhekin wrote:... anyway, the "kitten" is definitely M. (Or is it?)

I forgot to mention earlier, but congratulations on that answer: I had completely forgotten that one. So even though it wasn't the one I was looking for, it would have been a correct answer, had you but posted 3 minutes before... and I would have had the opportunity to ask again...

Incidentally, I find it amusing to see Monica being referred to as "kitten", long before the full Jaguar Girl status evolved...

lake_wrangler wrote:

Sidhekin wrote:... anyway, the "kitten" is definitely M. (Or is it?)

I forgot to mention earlier, but congratulations on that answer: I had completely forgotten that one. So even though it wasn't the one I was looking for, it would have been a correct answer, had you but posted 3 minutes before... and I would have had the opportunity to ask again...

Incidentally, I find it amusing to see Monica being referred to as "kitten", long before the full Jaguar Girl status evolved...

Thanks. And yes; until you confirmed the other answer, I actually figured that amusement was why you were asking in the first place.

Time for hints?

Dave wrote:Now, if you had asked Where is the name "Hercules" spoken? it would be a different matter entirely...

You are on the wrong track.

One major drawback of archive trawling such a compelling story as Wapsi Square, while looking for a particular detail, is that you constantly get drawn in, and end up reading, rather than merely skimming... Makes for finding instances of any particular detail that much more time-consuming...

lake_wrangler wrote:One major drawback of archive trawling such a compelling story as Wapsi Square, while looking for a particular detail, is that you constantly get drawn in, and end up reading, rather than merely skimming... Makes for finding instances of any particular detail that much more time-consuming...

I'm confused - what's the drawback?

Warrl wrote:

lake_wrangler wrote:One major drawback of archive trawling such a compelling story as Wapsi Square, while looking for a particular detail, is that you constantly get drawn in, and end up reading, rather than merely skimming... Makes for finding instances of any particular detail that much more time-consuming...

I'm confused - what's the drawback?

Looking for an answer takes that much more time, when you're reading, instead of skimming cursorily, looking for some detail or other...

lake_wrangler wrote:

Warrl wrote:

lake_wrangler wrote:One major drawback of archive trawling such a compelling story as Wapsi Square, while looking for a particular detail, is that you constantly get drawn in, and end up reading, rather than merely skimming... Makes for finding instances of any particular detail that much more time-consuming...

I'm confused - what's the drawback?

Looking for an answer takes that much more time, when you're reading, instead of skimming cursorily, looking for some detail or other...

Yeah, I get the advantage... now what's the drawback?

Sidhekin wrote:Time for hints?

Dave wrote:Now, if you had asked Where is the name "Hercules" spoken? it would be a different matter entirely...

You are on the wrong track.

Oh, nice one!

I figured, from your hint, that it meant the name was written somewhere... So I started paying particular attention to any scene with books, to see if one of them referred to Hercules. No such luck. Even in the library, no carvings, no mosaic (we do see one of Bia, when Phix is pissed off enough to pierce her hands with her own fingernails as she makes a fist, but no Hercules...)

My next hope was that maybe it was on Atsali's book, but that's not the one she just finished reading, or the next one she's about to read. (Besides, the book she is holding has a blank cover and spine.)

Then I saw it! Aw pooterville! The oil spilled out of the lamp. Aaand now it's on fire... (Right in front of the Hercules Extra Dynamite 60% strength...)
(Also seen again on the next page... Apparently, dynamite is like wine: it get "better" with age... )

Apparently, dynamite is like wine: it get "better" with age...

Turning the box over every month or two takes care of the problem for quite a while.

For some reason, though, that job generally gets neglected in long-abandoned mines.

Warrl wrote:

Apparently, dynamite is like wine: it get "better" with age...

Turning the box over every month or two takes care of the problem for quite a while.

I did not know that. Interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind, next time I buy a case of dynamite...

Warrl wrote:For some reason, though, that job generally gets neglected in long-abandoned mines.

How careless of them... You'd think they'd make some form of allowance for that...

lake_wrangler wrote:

Warrl wrote:For some reason, though, that job generally gets neglected in long-abandoned mines.

How careless of them... You'd think they'd make some form of allowance for that...

Obviously, they don't understand the gravity of the situation.

(drops a book on Unified Field Theory into the Pun Jar)

Yeah, that's the right track.

lake_wrangler wrote:Q: Woah! Who all farted, here?

Monica (repeatedly), Shelly (repeatedly), Tepoz, Jessie (audio on the following page), Oscar ...

... aaand a bonus!

(And that's just off the top of my head. Apparently, I'm five. Occasionally.)

Sidhekin wrote:Yeah, that's the right track.

lake_wrangler wrote:Q: Woah! Who all farted, here?

Monica (repeatedly), Shelly (repeatedly), Tepoz, Jessie (audio on the following page), Oscar ...

... aaand a bonus!

(And that's just off the top of my head. Apparently, I'm five. Occasionally.)

Yep. Got them all, from what I can remember.

Your turn.

Sidhekin wrote:Yeah, that's the right track.

Aaaand I just now got the second level to that hint: I had correctly surmised that since Dave would be on the wrong track to think that someone spoke the name Hercules, that the name would be written down. I only now picked up on the wording used in the hint, to see that the track was the railroad track in the mine, as well...

Nice one, Sidhekin!

Q: Whose was the German Shepherd?

(Q possibly inspired by the current troubles of the Demon Shepherd's dog ... answer not related though.)