The Sphinx's Lair

I saw a "DavidW" in the "other rooms you're in" chat sidebar, read it as "Deusovi", and got confused when I nipped back here and saw no Deus in the conversation.

matt

it bamboozled you

Rand al'Thor

@Avi Two scenes from Doctor Who. Same character, different actors/regenerations, separated by ten years IRL / some millennia in-universe, little Easter egg for long-time viewers.

Avi

custom-made meme?

matt

probably

Rand al'Thor

Found it online somewhere.

Didn't even bother checking the source.

All I wanted was something to show the Doctor Who pears meme.

matt

8:20 PM

give me all of the pears

Rand al'Thor

Should we give them to you in pairs?

matt

preferably

bobble

make sure to pare then first

John Dvorak

New idea: pear programming.

matt

@JohnDvorak how would that even work

John Dvorak

8:22 PM

Like pair programming, but if your partner catches you making a bug, you take a bite

bobble

matt

@bobble PEARFECTION

bobble

Pair programming with paired pears

John Dvorak

You mean pearfection

Lukas Rotter

Pear 2 pear Network

matt

8:22 PM

yes

@JohnDvorak fixed

bobble

Do you mean John?

Sphinx

1

Q: Hard logical puzzle from a math homework for Russian fifth-year school students

The daughter of a relative of mine, a fifth-year school student in Russia, got the following math homework from her teacher: Here's my translation: Logical task No. 26. Students were solving a task in which they had to figure out the missing numbers: (DIAGRAM) They came up with different answer...

matt

yes sorry

@bobble fixed

where are my pears

Lukas Rotter

@Sphinx i misread this as "a five year old school student" and was questioning so many things

Rand al'Thor

@matt You need pearmission to take them from us.

matt

8:25 PM

how do i obtain said pearmission?

Rand al'Thor

Go and get a pearmit from the Ministry of Fruit.

bobble

hi jafe! you've walked into pearland

Rand al'Thor

Or a pearmatt, even.

Then they'll let you peartake in fruity exchanges with us.

matt

@Randal'Thor where is the ministry of fruit

Lukas Rotter

Lets just star everything that has a wordplay on pear

Avi

8:27 PM

O NO

bobble

@matt At the pearliament, of course

matt

where is the pearliament?!

jafe

i assume some scrolling up is in order

bobble

yes

matt

@jafe yes

Rand al'Thor

8:27 PM

@matt Next door to the Ministry of Silly Walks.

Ministry of Silly Walks

►

matt

@Randal'Thor that is not helpful

Avi

Rand al'Thor

@jafe Start from the starred "squabblicious" and you'll be OK for the pear stuff.

@Avi That's not real Doctor Who dialogue.

Avi

that's true

it's a meme

bobble

Who is this Doctor you're talking about?

Avi

8:30 PM

D:

&lit.!

matt

Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963. The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called "the Doctor", an extraterrestrial being, to all appearances human. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Accompanied by a number of companions, the Doctor combats a variety of foes while working to save civilisations and help people in need. The show is a significant part of British...

bobble

I know who Who is. Just never actually watched it.

jafe

no relation to the guy on first

Avi

is there some way to collaborate with someone else on a cryptic

that won't be spied on by everybody in chat

matt

maybe

Rand al'Thor

8:31 PM

@bobble One/all of these fellows:

bobble

share a link through onetimesecret

Rand al'Thor

Plus the other one who isn't there.

Plus some others if you count dubious or nonexistent levels of canonicity.

matt

star trek's emh?

John Dvorak

@Randal'Thor that's the triple point between a silly walk, an evolved walk and an modern dance.

Avi

onetimesecret can be intercepted though

Rand al'Thor

8:32 PM

Who cares since the show has no canon anyway.

Lukas Rotter

@Randal'Thor Oh god this reminds me of a time in my workplace where nobody could keep it together during daily standup meetings anymore... We had our daily standup in the middle of an open space office, and arranged ourselves in a circle. And when someone had to walk through this claimed area, there were exactly two types of people:

1) Just walk by normally, as if nothing was taking place 2) Sneak through in the weirdest way possible, gesturing an apology and further. Once somebody pointed out the ministry of silly walks, the standups were done for good.

Rand al'Thor

@matt nooooo

matt

@Randal'Thor why not

jafe

e.g. put up a shared google doc and send the other person the link

bobble

if you trust someone enough, I guess email would work

Rand al'Thor

8:32 PM

@Avi yes, ask a mod to open a private chat

For PSE only, that's an acceptable use of private chatrooms.

Avi

hmmm

Rand al'Thor

Preferably Deus, so that he sees the chat discussion and can't honestly post an answer to the posted puzzle :-P

jafe

heheh

bobble

Yes yes

John Dvorak

... and muscle weakness

matt

8:34 PM

yes

Avi

why not just include all the mods

Rand al'Thor

@JohnDvorak what?

Avi

and jafe

John Dvorak

referring to the sketch

Rand al'Thor

That seems sketchy.

Avi

8:35 PM

how so

that way none of the mods can answer the puzzle ;O

hmmm alright

so out of this conversation I got 2 things

Rand al'Thor

@Avi 'tis a pun

Avi

1. google doc link shared through OTS

2. private PSE chatroom

@Randal'Thor D:

Rand al'Thor

> I'm charging you under Section 21 of the Strange Sketch Act. You are hereby charged that you did wilfully take part in a strange sketch, that is, a skit, spoof or humorous vignette of an unconventional nature with intent to cause grievous mental confusion to the Great British Public. (to camera) Evening all.

matt

@Avi OTS can still be intercepted

Avi

for something simple like a CC i think the primary would suffice

@matt yes but I can remove access if it's not jafe

matt

8:37 PM

how?

Avi

access controls

i think

matt

interesting

jafe

also you can share the link by OTS when it's still a blank doc

matt

3. pears

where are they

jafe

and only paste in the data once the correct recipient confirms

bobble

8:39 PM

Google Docs should probably be disconnected from your normal Google account, lest you reveal your true name and give others power over your soul

Avi

don't worry

i have no soul

bobble

(some of that is real worries, some of that is from reading fantasy)

Rand al'Thor

51

Q: Where did the idea of a "true name" come from?

There's a common trope in Western fantasy that, up until now, I've sort of taken for granted: the "true name." This is the idea that all things have true names that are somehow more closely linked to what the thing is, and that knowing it grants some degree of power over the thing. This has many...

history-of-literature tropes

jafe

i should make a google account as Puzzles McPuzzleface... i think like 3 people here already know who i am

option B: legally change name to Puzzles McPuzzleface

bobble

I think I shared a Doc with you once under my real account

... going back to delete message

Avi

8:42 PM

don't worry

Jeremy Dover

If Rand's link is true, then my true name is "Maple Glazed Doughnut"

Avi

List of most popular given names

The most popular given names vary nationally, regionally, and culturally. Lists of widely used given names can consist of those most often bestowed upon infants born within the last year, thus reflecting the current naming trends, or else be composed of the personal names occurring most within the total population. == Popularity by region == The names listed in the following tables, unless otherwise noted, represent the most current top 10 breakdowns of what newborn children are commonly being named in the various regions of the world. === Africa === ==== Male names ==== ==== Female...

if you're on here nobody will be able to find you

if you only keep your first name

jafe

huh, i thought that was a PSE link and was let's say confused

bobble

ah, that was shared through OTS. jafe, don't look back please :)

jafe

hehe no worries

Mithical

8:44 PM

@bobble (You only have a 2-minute window to delete messages if you're not a mod. OTS secrets aren't visible by anybody after they've been closed.)

Avi

you can even close an OTS by viewing it yourself

bobble

hmm. thanks for info

Avi

beware o.o

Rand al'Thor

@Avi I was looking at a list of the world's most popular surnames the other day. Lots of Chinese, Indian, and Spanish names up at the top.

Mithical

@jafe I endorse this.

Rand al'Thor

8:45 PM

The conclusion is, just call yourself Mohammed Lee :-P

bobble

@Avi My name is on there... for some country in Africa. So if I moved there I'd have a common name!

Avi

William Davidson

sounds super generic

Rand al'Thor

David Williamson?

Avi

equally generic ;O

Rand al'Thor

Only in English-speaking countries though.

Avi

8:47 PM

correct

Rand al'Thor

Your link was to the world's most popular given names.

bobble

Sebastián Hernandez

Avi

Sara/Sarah is super popular

bobble

(for a Latin America country)

Avi

in almost every region of the world

Mithical

8:48 PM

My name isn't on that list. *shrugs*

Lukas Rotter

I'm the most generic austrian name of 2014 :(

Avi

ffs

i'm bad

bobble

sorry accidentally clicked

Avi

like a cat

bobble

kitty!

Did I watch Monster's Inc too recently? Yes I did.

jafe

8:50 PM

i can imagine why james earl jones wanted to include his middle name when he was starting his film career

Avi

google.com/…

ayyy

google search links

jafe

"starring... james jones"

doesn't exactly pack a punch

bobble

Should I do homework? Yes I should.

Lukas Rotter

Should I go to sleep? Yes I should

bobble

will you?

Avi

8:52 PM

sadlyes

Mithical

@bobble I literally finished watching that fifteen minutes ago. What the heck.

Lukas Rotter

sooner or later I will

Rand al'Thor

@jafe Still not as common a name as Will Smith.

Lukas Rotter

Will Will Smith smith? Yes, Will Smith will smith

jafe

@Randal'Thor hmm that's a good point

bobble

8:54 PM

@Mithical LUCKY

Avi

@jafe onetimesecret.com/secret/11fiai408l1njgkzk4vsywhpfn6jkca

pw is your username

bobble

Hi, msh210. Quick question: is there a nickname I can use for you in chat?

msh210

@bobble um, "msh210"?

bobble

no nicknames then? Can't call you mishy?

Gareth McCaughan

What an odd question.

msh210

8:58 PM

People have referred to me as "msh". I don't endorse it but don't mind.

bobble

Yes, msh210 asked an odd question. My questions make quite a bit of sense. And many dollars, too.

Mithical

..."mishy"?

Rand al'Thor

Mith and Mish?

msh210

@bobble Why on earth would you call me "mishy"? Is that really easier to type than "msh210"? Well, maybe, but than "msh"?

Gareth McCaughan

Even odder to (1) say "can I call you X?" and (2) when the person you asked conspicuously doesn't say "yes", call them that anyway.

Rand al'Thor

8:59 PM

@bobble Are nicknames really necessary?

Gareth McCaughan

I think the last time I remember seeing that done was at school, circa age 10.

bobble

Sorry then.

msh210

I would mind if you called me "mishy".

Lukas Rotter

damn

Mithical

"Msh!"

msh210

9:01 PM

@Mithical In my head, I pronounce it ˌɛmɛsˈejtʃ

Rand al'Thor

Little-known "fact": msh210 has a nemesis called hsm012 who moderates hsm.stackexchange.com

Mithical

ah yes, I too pronounce things squiggle squiggle squiggle

5

msh210

Never mʃ or anything like that.

@Mithical Sorry. Meaning, I pronounce it spelled out "em es aitch", never "mish" or the like.

"em es aitch tu ten", actually.

Rand al'Thor

I always thought of you as "em es aitch tu hun dread and ten".

Lukas Rotter

In my mind "em es aitch tu one oh" gives it a cool touch

msh210

9:07 PM

When spelling it out for people orally (which I do, because it's also my e-mail mailbox), I use "two one zero"

@LukasRotter reminds me of Hawaii Five-O

Rand al'Thor

m=5, s=4, h=3 ... solve the equations to get liftoff.

Avi

9:35 PM

is 5 * 4 * 3 really 210

ok that's what I thought, it's not

OH

5, 4, 3, 210

damn even the puns here are too high IQ for me

Sphinx

0

Q: An easy puzzle to solve

Which country's name cannot be written using only the first letter of any other country on the planet? For clarification, the first letters of the countries below spell GREECE. Germany Romania Equador Estonia Canada Eritre