plasmid Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Though not alive, these planets fly Since birth do their paths interlace One orbits 'round and whizzes by The other remains in its place Peculiar planets, they're not spheres Their physics may seem like a jest The mobile one whose path now veers Propelled by the one that's at rest From time to time their roles reverse The hub and the satellite switch For such is how the pair traverse No telling now which one is which Predict their path? That's surely tough It's tortuous, twisted, and curled And landing's bound to be quite rough When reaching an alien world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Knitting? Not sure, as I don't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Wilson Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Waltzers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plasmid Posted December 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Knitting? Not sure, as I don't do it. That could fit with a lot of the riddle, but there's a clue in the second stanza about propulsion that would be left hanging. Waltzers? Hi Wilson, I'm glad to be on vacation at the moment. Not that; when I read the first draft of this riddle and realized that there could be a lot of human pairs that would fit, I went back and revised the second line to rule out most such possible answers, and the first line to further rule out any sibling duos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 peace*out Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 danceing w the stars or a similar show? dancing in general? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plasmid Posted December 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 danceing w the stars or a similar show? dancing in general? Along with the first two lines, the last two lines were included to help rule out dancing in particular, since it would otherwise be such a good alternate answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Wilson Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Maple tree seeds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plasmid Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Maple tree seeds? They may do a bit of dancing on the way down, but they don't really switch between roles of hub and orbiter to any noticeable degree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Shakeepuddn Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 slinky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plasmid Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 slinky? Your analysis seems spot on, that's the only bit that doesn't seem to fit. And I like that answer, it seems like something that would be worth a riddle of its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Spirograph? Took me forever to remember what it was called. I used to love to play with that...many years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plasmid Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Spirograph? Took me forever to remember what it was called. I used to love to play with that...many years ago. You know, I've never seen one of those before. So of course it wasn't what I had in mind. From what I could glean from wikipedia, the riddle may have to switch which parts of the set it's talking about between the second and third stanzas: the second speaks of one being stationary while the other is mobile (a frame and a wheel) and the third speaks of role reversal (two different wheels from a set), but it might be a perfectly good alternate answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plainglazed Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 numchucks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Shakeepuddn Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Ooo, good guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plasmid Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 numchucks? Plainglazed takes it with the answer that's bound to make a rough landing on the alien world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 DudleyDude Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 another nice one Plasmid. I was watching this one but couldn't come up with a decent guess. Well played, PG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Shakeepuddn Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 kudos, Plasmid, another winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 plainglazed Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hey plasmid - most enjoyable and well conceived as always. am very proud to figure one of yours but at the same time, a little sorry for no more guesses to be had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks for the "alternate answer" credit, Plasmid! Great riddle, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Question
plasmid
Though not alive, these planets fly
Since birth do their paths interlace
One orbits 'round and whizzes by
The other remains in its place
Peculiar planets, they're not spheres
Their physics may seem like a jest
The mobile one whose path now veers
Propelled by the one that's at rest
From time to time their roles reverse
The hub and the satellite switch
For such is how the pair traverse
No telling now which one is which
Predict their path? That's surely tough
It's tortuous, twisted, and curled
And landing's bound to be quite rough
When reaching an alien world
Link to comment
Share on other sites
18 answers to this question
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.