Riddles

[Cutesie]

A parachute?

 

[Cutesie]

But sadly no, I am truly and disgustingly literal AF!

You're not really, because the literal meaning of this sentence doesn't make much sense. (Perhaps I'm underestimating you, and you'll explain it, including the "AF" part!)

 

[AuAL]

Not a parachute.

You’re far, then near, then far again. Are we destined never to meet?

 

[Boogs]

You're not really, because the literal meaning of this sentence doesn't make much sense. (Perhaps I'm underestimating you, and you'll explain it, including the "AF" part!)

I am more than it seems. I have to work hard at looking at the cracks in between and work out the abstract, or at least in some ways I guess. It hard to be analytically objective about one's self.

But the AF is to avoid using swear words! If I say the A stands for 'as' that may help? (I'm fascinated by swear words and the way they can be used for so many purposes and meanings, but I realise they are triggering for many people! For me with zero imagery they have no unpleasant aspects.)

 

[AuAL]

But the AF is to avoid using swear words! If I say the A stands for 'as' that may help? (I'm fascinated by swear words and the way they can be used for so many purposes and meanings, but I realise they are triggering for many people! For me with zero imagery they have no unpleasant aspects.)

Here in Oz there is a rich culture of scurrilous words. “Bloody” is a condemnation, an internym, a reinforcement, and a plain description - you can speak of having a “bloody, bloody cut on my bloody hand.” “Bastard” can be used as everything from a term of endearment to the worst condemnation. (I am a life member of the Australasian Order of Old Bastards.) Everything is context. Which to an outsider can be perplexing and treacherous. Take everything an Aussie says to you under advisement, and use with extreme caution until quite familiar with the vernacular, your audience, and the interpersonal dynamics.

 

[AuAL]

Two more clues before bed, to keep you going in the morning.

While you are out there, I cannot come near, until I shut myself in.

It sometimes gets crowded in here but nobody else is waiting to meet you.

 

[Cutesie]

I don't really think this is it, but a hot-air balloon?

 

[AuAL]

No.

OK, let’s make the context clear.
Push the button, wait.
Push the button, push the button, wait. Wait…?
“Bing!”

 

[FayetheAspie]

Elevator?

 

[AuAL]

Close.

 

[AuAL]

Those last clues were to provide the context.
Check the other clues - they don’t describe an elevator, per se.

 

[AuAL]

The solution might be said to be “elevator adjacent.”

 

[T0m]

My first guess would have been teeter-totter/ seesaw but with the cues ... no.

 

[AuAL]

OK, last chance:

Ensure you have read all the clues,
Lest a hint slip by under your nose.
Even the slightest, can help you,
Very little is left up to chance.
A clue might be there among them,
To give you some help on the way.
Or something a little more tricky,
Reveals a bit more to your eye.
Coming to some sort of conclusion,
Offers a chance to reveal,
Under a pile of confusion,
Neatly displayed words to say,
To those who keep trying,
Even when it’s forlorn,
Rewards can be found in the end,
When all is revealed, if you stay.
Eventually you are pleased to find,
I have given away just enough,
Given a bit more deduction,
Here is the answer to find.
Thanks.

 

[Boogs]

Here in Oz there is a rich culture of scurrilous words. “Bloody” is a condemnation, an internym, a reinforcement, and a plain description - you can speak of having a “bloody, bloody cut on my bloody hand.” “Bastard” can be used as everything from a term of endearment to the worst condemnation. (I am a life member of the Australasian Order of Old Bastards.) Everything is context. Which to an outsider can be perplexing and treacherous. Take everything an Aussie says to you under advisement, and use with extreme caution until quite familiar with the vernacular, your audience, and the interpersonal dynamics.

Personally I'm a huge fan of the word sh!t, which can have so many different meanings it's almost a language in itself! And many others too can have such varied meanings. Not having internal imagery to be associated with a word, these are just abstractions, I get a bit confused as to why some people get so upset over them.

 

[Boogs]

The only thing I can come up with but it seems far too tenuous to me, is a counter weight, but specific to a lift.
I think I'm being too literal again?

 

[AuAL]

The only thing I can come up with but it seems far too tenuous to me, is a counter weight, but specific to a lift.
I think I'm being too literal again?

@Boogs, look up “acrostic” in a dictionary. Or read the letter at the start of each line in the last “verse” I posted.

 

[AuAL]

Just to go through the clues:

“When you are down, I’m up high.”

The counterweight is at the bottom of the shaft when the elevator is at the top.

“Each of us head toward the sky.”

At some point both I, in the elevator, and the counterweight, will head upwards.

“Believe me you’re safer if I am around.
If we’re not connected we both hit the ground.”

An elevator without connection to the counterweight, and the counterweight,
will head catastrophically toward the ground if the connection between them, the cable, is severed.

“When we’re together, often neither of us can see the sky.”

In many cases, when in an elevator you cannot see the sky, and the counterweight hardly ever can. Last month I took an elevator up the Osaka Sky Tower, a 140m high, glass-enclosed elevator. Yes, I could see the sky.

“You’re far, then near, then far again. Are we destined never to meet?”

When you enter an elevator at the ground floor, the counterweight is far above. As you ascend it descends, getting closer, then passes you and continues down, getting farther away. If the two of you were to “meet” - collide, it would not be good.

“While you are out there, I cannot come near, until I shut myself in.”

I can’t get near the counterweight until I enter the elevator (and shut the door.)

“It sometimes gets crowded in here but nobody else is waiting to meet you.”

Sometimes elevators can be crowded with people, but none of them are intending to meet the counterweight.

“OK, let’s make the context clear.
Push the button, wait.
Push the button, push the button, wait. Wait…?
“Bing!””

This was to make it clear it was something to do with an elevator. @FayetheAspie got the context, which was close but not the solution.

The last, BIG clue was an acrostic. Despite not picking up on this, @Boogs got the solution.

 

[AuAL]

Over to you, @Boogs.

 

[Boogs]

@Boogs, look up “acrostic” in a dictionary. Or read the letter at the start of each line in the last “verse” I posted.

Sorry but I really really can't do that sort of stuff very well at all! Anagrams, cryptic crossword clues, any thing like that - "does not compute!"
Words don't have spellings, they don't contain letters, they are just symbols with a silent sound! (for me internally), so anything relying on that is rarely spotted (or solvable if it is).

It's curious that even here a lot of people don't believe how literal I am in my thinking.
Either that, or all my self analysis was for naught and I'm considerably more deluded than I thought!
(Actually, there's probably a good case to say I am!)