Desert of Desolation Riddle of the Sphinx

Glyfair

Explorer

• Nov 10, 2007

• #1

On one of the DDM forums they started discussing the riddle that's in the flavor text of the Sphinx in the latest DDM set. I thought a larger crowd might be able to help crack it.

"Ten nails, ten lies, ten pallbearers true, take a little, leave a little, yet it hangs askew."

Thoughts.

 

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D.Shaffer

First Post

• Nov 12, 2007

• #2

Hmm. Link to the thread? I'm curious about this now too.

 

Asmor

First Post

• Nov 12, 2007

• #3

I've been wondering about that myself... No idea here.

 

K

Kwalish Kid

Explorer

• Nov 14, 2007

• #4

Glyfair said:

"Ten nails, ten lies, ten pallbearers true, take a little, leave a little, yet it hangs askew."

Click to expand...

A jib.

The sails are secured on nails, places where the ropes can lie. A pallbearer used to refer to one who held a cloth at a funeral. Even though you may take the sail in or let it out, the jib hangs askew relative to the other sails.

I guess you could refer to any sail, since they have to be free to catch the wind, thus being somewhat askew.

 

Last edited: Nov 14, 2007

Asmor

First Post

• Nov 14, 2007

• #5

Wow. Did you come up with that answer on your own? How obscure. I mean, it makes sense (assuming everything you said is true, and I've no reason to doubt you), but if that's the answer and the reasoning it seems so obscure and specific that I can't imagine anyone would consider it a fair riddle.

 

Thurbane

First Post

• Nov 14, 2007

• #6

I would have guessed fingernails.

If jib is correct, that's ludicrously obscure...the sphinx would be eating a lot of folks for lunch.

 

K

Kwalish Kid

Explorer

• Nov 14, 2007

• #7

Asmor said:

Wow. Did you come up with that answer on your own? How obscure. I mean, it makes sense (assuming everything you said is true, and I've no reason to doubt you), but if that's the answer and the reasoning it seems so obscure and specific that I can't imagine anyone would consider it a fair riddle.

Click to expand...

I did some thinking about the meaning of each word. At about midnight last night. I should have been sleeping.

The online Oxford English Dictionary helped.

 

Hypersmurf

Moderatarrrrh...

• Nov 14, 2007

• #8

Kwalish Kid said:

The sails are secured on nails, places where the ropes can lie.

Click to expand...

Is ten a significant number?

-Hyp.

 

WayneLigon

Adventurer

• Nov 14, 2007

• #9

Thurbane said:

If jib is correct, that's ludicrously obscure...the sphinx would be eating a lot of folks for lunch.

Click to expand...

Probably not as obscure to a person in a pre-industrial culture, but that aside I think that's kinda the point that she poses a riddle so hard that almost no-one can solve it.

 

SiderisAnon

First Post

• Nov 14, 2007

• #10

If you want even more obscure: There was a custom at one time (I honestly don't remember which country this was) that the part of the noose where it wraps around itself had to have ten windings. This was my first thought. I could make it fit the riddle, but I don't think it really solves the middle.