[Guest]

To some people I am two

And to others I am four.

I’ll try to be straight with you

Although I can be a bore.

I’m very open in the public.

I’m old fashioned and conservative.

I’m very honest; I’m not slick.

If I take a loan, back I’ll give.

It seems I’m full of contradictions

But just one answer’s right.

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write.

What am I?

Please use spoilers, and if you can explain the first two paragraphs line by line, so much the better. The third paragraph is just a conclusion, with only one clue in it.

[Guest]

...a wheel?

[Guest]

Eyes?

[Guest]

Both answers above I can see fitting much of the opening paragraph and maybe a part of the second.

Without an explanation, I can't see either answer fitting line 6, 7 and 8 though.

No hints yet, other than lines 1-8 are clues, and there's only one clue in 9-12 (the rest is to wrap up the riddle).

[Guest]

Bits

To some people I am two (two-bit)

And to others I am four. (four-bit)

I'll try to be straight with you (every bit as good - true/straight or the freezing wind bit right through))

Although I can be a bore. (drill bit)

I'm very open in the public. (open wound - bite/bitten)

I'm old fashioned and conservative. (bit his lip)

I'm very honest; I'm not slick. (to do one's bit)

If I take a loan, back I'll give. (bit of give and take ??????)

It seems I'm full of contradictions

But just one answer's right.

Just think and stick to your convictions (i'm a bit optimistic on that one)

And a solid answer write.

What am I?

[Guest]

Church

To some people I am two - two hour long service

And to others I am four. - four hour long service

I?ll try to be straight with you - not lying

Although I can be a bore. - sometimes people fall asleep in church (really!)

I?m very open in the public. - open to the general public

I?m old fashioned and conservative. - services haven't changed much (really)

I?m very honest; I?m not slick. - see line 3, honest

If I take a loan, back I?ll give. - gives back to the community

It seems I?m full of contradictions

But just one answer?s right.

Just think and stick to your convictions - going to confession, or sticking with what you believe (could be a contranym)

And a solid answer write.

What am I?

So... what do you think?

[Guest]

My Thought:

[spoiler='This would be my first

']I figure you could be a #2 pencil or maybe a #4 if there is such a thing.

and you know? I lent mine out the other day and i have yet to get it back.

[Guest]

Is it?

diamonds

[Guest]

LiS and Jarod have AWESOME answers, but neither of them is what I was intending.

Being a little nitpicky here ... LiS, I don't think your connections to lines 3, 6 and 7 are strong enough. Jarod, I thought all your connections were fine except maybe line 8 (what does the take part mean), but you also had to get so specific on lines 1 and 2 to connect them.

Below is the original riddle, with the key words that shaped it bolded. More hints coming if needed!

Bolded means strong connection, italics mean more of a stretch, but not too much.

To some people I am two

And to others I am four.

I’ll try to be straight with you

Although I can be a bore.

I’m very open in the public

I’m old fashioned and conservative.

I’m very honest; I’m not slick.

If I take a loan, back I’ll give.

It seems I’m full of contradictions

But just one answer’s right.

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write.

What am I?

[Guest]

Golf?

To some people I am two -- Par 2

And to others I am four. -- The yell before the stroke

I’ll try to be straight with you -- Fairway

Although I can be a bore. -- To hit strongly straight down the hole

I’m very open in the public -- public course

I’m old fashioned and conservative. -- been around a very long time

I’m very honest; I’m not slick. -- the course is what it is

If I take a loan, back I’ll give. -- take your ball back out of the hole at the end

It seems I’m full of contradictions

But just one answer’s right. -- dog-leg right?

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write. -- golf ball is very solid

Hmmm, this?

[Guest]

Im being pulled equally towards a screw and a mirror.

[Guest]

Another answer that is perfect in spots, and stretches in others.

As an FYI, I try for my riddles to be more "word-gamey" and based on connections/defintions of the words than most people, and only somewhat with a lot of specific parts making up a whole answer. A lot of your approach has been to look for descriptive parts matching a line, like "I'll try to be straight with you = fairway = part of golf". My answer is more based on "straight with you = one definition/description of answer", and not a part to whole situation.

Hopefully that makes sense without giving it away, and leads you towards the right answer (right answer? Heck, they're all right answers ... let's call it 'towards the best answer').

Hmmm, this?

Golf?

To some people I am two -- Par 2

And to others I am four. -- The yell before the stroke

I’ll try to be straight with you -- Fairway

Although I can be a bore. -- To hit strongly straight down the hole

I’m very open in the public -- public course

I’m old fashioned and conservative. -- been around a very long time

I’m very honest; I’m not slick. -- the course is what it is

If I take a loan, back I’ll give. -- take your ball back out of the hole at the end

It seems I’m full of contradictions

But just one answer’s right. -- dog-leg right?

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write. -- golf ball is very solid

[Guest]

I think it's a term.

[Guest]

Last attempt of the day:

Vending Machine

To some people I am two -- Selection 2

And to others I am four. -- Selection 4

I’ll try to be straight with you -- Push button, get product

Although I can be a bore. -- Boring operation

I’m very open in the public -- hope so

I’m old fashioned and conservative. -- old pull lever machines

I’m very honest; I’m not slick. -- coin counter

If I take a loan, back I’ll give. -- coin return

It seems I’m full of contradictions

But just one answer’s right. -- they're usually upright (portrait) as opposed to long (landscape)

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write. -- ever try to get something that stuck, out?

I give up after this!

[itachi-san]

Newspaper

To some people I am two - folded in half

And to others I am four. - folded in quarters

I’ll try to be straight with you - newspapers have a tendency to wilt when being read

Although I can be a bore. - some people find them boring

I’m very open in the public. - lots of people are reading newspapers in public settings

I’m old fashioned and conservative. - it's an old fashioned way of getting the news

I’m very honest; I’m not slick. - it's mostly honest because it's the news

If I take a loan, back I’ll give. - you buy it but the coupon section can save some or all of the money spent

It seems I’m full of contradictions - the editorials

But just one answer’s right. - you read English to the right (across the page and from page to page)

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write. - a lead that a reporter gets can be called a solid

[Guest]

I thought i guessed these before but don't see them

Library

taxes

[Guest]

interest?

[Guest]

Sorry I haven't been on to continue this in a few days ... hope a few people are still interested.

No one has got this riddle, although the non-best answers have been incredibly interesting.

Last hint: this is (partially) a math riddle, with a very common word used. That word in math can represent two or four, depending on what you're thinking about. The word "right" also is a math clue. All other clues pertain to other definitions besides math ones. This word, outside of math context, can be used commonly to describe someone who is boring, old-fashioned, and honest (where the line "straight" comes in). It can commonly in a phrase being used to giving back a loan. It can uncommonly be used as a synonym for the word solid, only in a specific context. For one last definition of the word, being open in the public would always describe it.

With all those hints, hopefully someone will think of what I'm thinking of. The math clues should give it to you by itself.

[Guest]

square

[Guest]

Line

Not mathematically educated - but do m'best!

Had a wisdom tooth taken out today so less wiser - I should have had one put in!

[Guest]

Figure

To some people I am two -- In Maths it shows the number you are dealing with

And to others I am four. -- Same as above

I’ll try to be straight with you -- Figure as in you figure out the things

Although I can be a bore.

I’m very open in the public -- public figure

I’m old fashioned and conservative. -- haven't figured this yet

I’m very honest; I’m not slick.

If I take a loan, back I’ll give.

It seems I’m full of contradictions

But just one answer’s right. Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write. -- figure as in form or shape

[Guest]

I think CTM has it... I got there a little later.

[Guest]

square

CTM has it!

To some people I am two - to "square" something means taking it to the exponent of two

And to others I am four - a "square" has four sides, and any non-math person would associate square with the number four.

I’ll try to be straight with you - straight as in being honest (e.g. "square" deal)

Although I can be a bore. - "square" as describing someone who isn't very hip

I’m very open in the public. - a square, as in an area of a city (e.g., Tienimin Square, excuse the spelling)

I’m old fashioned and conservative. - Same as line 4

I’m very honest; I’m not slick. - Same as line 3

If I take a loan, back I’ll give. - Being "all square" with your debts.

It seems I’m full of contradictions

But just one answer’s right. - Squares have 4 right angles

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write. - I chose solid since square can be used with that, such as an adjective preceding meal.

[Nikyma]

CTM has it!

To some people I am two - to "square" something means taking it to the exponent of two

And to others I am four - a "square" has four sides, and any non-math person would associate square with the number four.

I'll try to be straight with you - straight as in being honest (e.g. "square" deal)

Although I can be a bore. - "square" as describing someone who isn't very hip

I'm very open in the public. - a square, as in an area of a city (e.g., Tienimin Square, excuse the spelling)

I'm old fashioned and conservative. - Same as line 4

I'm very honest; I'm not slick. - Same as line 3

If I take a loan, back I'll give. - Being "all square" with your debts.

It seems I'm full of contradictions

But just one answer's right. - Squares have 4 right angles

Just think and stick to your convictions

And a solid answer write. - I chose solid since square can be used with that, such as an adjective preceding meal.

Nice puzzle, five stars.