The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[udosuk]

I consider The Unanswered Question as a synonym to the question "What am I "... But MCC would probably disagree with me...

Not that I'd have figured it out (having no special musical knowledge whatsoever) anyway...

Is the title an anagram of "What am I" or a synonym of the question "What am I "?

No it's not an anagram or a synonym.

Is the answer to this riddle knowing the title of a particular classical "piece" of music?

No, you don't need to know the title but the title is the answer. (I see what you mean Cec about the phrasing of your post).
The title is within the riddle.

[MCC]

Congratulations to RW for solving the riddle, it was as he says:

Charles Ives: The Unanswered Question (1906)

Wikipedia.

I consider The Unanswered Question as a synonym to the question "What am I "... But MCC would probably disagree with me...

As you say, it's a debatable point, but I called it as I saw it at the time.

Not that I'd have figured it out (having no special musical knowledge whatsoever) anyway...

I don't think any knowledge of music was really necessary to solve this, you were almost there, with a bit more guidance, who knows.

Is the title an anagram of "What am I" or a synonym of the question "What am I "?

No it's not an anagram or a synonym.

See my reply to previous answer.

Is the answer to this riddle knowing the title of a particular classical "piece" of music?

No, you don't need to know the title but the title is the answer. (I see what you mean Cec about the phrasing of your post).
The title is within the riddle.

See my reply to previous answer.

The problem with this answer is that if it is the correct answer, the question has an answer.

I see a paradox arising, it's something I've thought about, as the solving has progressed.

You could say that the riddle is solved by not solving it, by not solving it, it remains unanswered, but once it is solved it has been answered making it "The answered question" which is wrong.

So, is RW wrong for having solved it and everybody else right for not solving it


MCC

[udosuk]

So, is RW wrong for having solved it and everybody else right for not solving it

As soon as RW mentioned the title I have a gut feeling it's the right answer, and I think many others would agree... So RW is "unquestionably" right for his "Unanswered" answer...

My first point is that your "no" answer drove me away from looking further for titles with a similar meaning to "What am I " as a whole (e.g. query/quiz/riddle/interrogation/question etc)... I think my choice of word wasn't too appropriate... It's a matter of whether "unanswered question" is a synonym to "question"... And whether "synonym" must be one single word...

My second point is having no musical knowledge, one has to rely on luck and search engines/encyclopedias to find this answer... Either they look through a possible list of all classical musical titles to look for one that matches this riddle, or they have to figure out many possible answers, feed them to google or wikipedia to hope for something remotely close to a classical musical title... Both approaches takes a lot of time... And your answer "you don't need to know the title" seemingly drove people to the opposite direction... (I'm probably speaking for myself here... )

Well, defeat is defeat and I here admit without doubt... Full credit to RW for cracking this tough nut and thanks MCC for providing it...

[MCC]

...My first point is that your "no" answer drove me away from looking further for titles with a similar meaning to "What am I " as a whole (e.g. query/quiz/riddle/interrogation/question etc)... I think my choice of word wasn't too appropriate... It's a matter of whether "unanswered question" is a synonym to "question"... And whether "synonym" must be one single word...

'Question': As a noun is an expression of inquiry that invites or calls for a reply.
Or could mean, as a verb - to put a question to someone - or cast doubt on.

Whereas I think the phrase "unanswered question" is a statement not requiring a response.

So that, 'statement' is not a synonym for 'question', hence my reply.

My second point is having no musical knowledge, one has to rely on luck and search engines/encyclopedias to find this answer... Either they look through a possible list of all classical musical titles to look for one that matches this riddle, or they have to figure out many possible answers, feed them to google or wikipedia to hope for something remotely close to a classical musical title... Both approaches takes a lot of time... And your answer "you don't need to know the title" seemingly drove people to the opposite direction... (I'm probably speaking for myself here... )

RW is a musician and that helped, knowledge wise, but only after everything was in place for him to do so.

If RW hadn't posted the answer, I would have honed my replies to help guide you.


MCC

[RW]

My second point is having no musical knowledge, one has to rely on luck and search engines/encyclopedias to find this answer... Either they look through a possible list of all classical musical titles to look for one that matches this riddle, or they have to figure out many possible answers, feed them to google or wikipedia to hope for something remotely close to a classical musical title...

Is question or query one of the words?

Yes.

I must admit that I did not know the piece by name earlier, but as a classical musician I am familiar with searching for classical musical titles. My first search, for titles including the word "question" in the database of my local music library, gave two results, one of which suited the riddle. There's other search engines than google or wikipedia, that can speed things up!

Without the hint (one word is question or query) I would probably not have figured it out that easily.

The problem with this answer is that if it is the correct answer, the question has an answer.

Maybe we can call it the Question formerly known as the Unanswered Question.

RW

[JPF]

Congratulations RW !

As far as I'm concerned, I was very far from the solution.

My first idea had been “the Who”…

JPF

[Cec]

"... Full credit to RW for cracking this tough nut and thanks MCC for providing it"...

Well said and I fully agree.

Cec

[MCC]

Well done all I did say, I thought it a hard one.

The mark at the end of question is an Eroteme
It signals a response, who? By me?
To wikipedia I must turn
The expression to learn
Or else, I'd think it's an Apostrophe.


MCC

[underquark]

Beware the anacoluthon as it coils in readiness for your next "What am I?"

[Cec]

Beware the anacoluthon as it coils in readiness for your next "What am I?"

Here's a quick "riddle". Without looking in the dictionary how do you pronounce this word "anacoluthon"?

Cec

[MCC]

Without looking, how about:

An-ac-o-lu-thon


MCC

[underquark]

You really should pronounce - oh, well, you can say it like "Anna" co Luthon.

[Cec]

Thanks MCC and underquark for answers Wouldn't fancy having to pronounce it quickly three times after a "night cap"

Cec

[MCC]

Using the Oxford English Reference Dictionary.

Anacoluthon is pronounced:

Anna:ka:loo:thon

The first 'a' is a short vowel as in cat.

The second 'a' and the 'o' after the c are long vowels and pronounced like the 'a' in ago.

The 'u' is pronounced like the 'oo' in too.


MCC