Give us your answer or an answer ... and then we'll try and guess the question. The one that gets it right, provides the next answer.

Here's the first, to get us started:

"Hmm, I'd say ... about 25.5 centimeters or ten inches."

Laurens first guess is the closest so far.

What, in months, is the gestation period of a unicorn?



[EDIT]



Picky, picky, picky . . .

Even if that question made sense, the answer still doesn't!

Lauren wrote:

"Easy smeasy ...that's how many months it'll take me to answer one of Les's riddles/answers/querys/whatever."


How many times the game has been conducted prior to your revival of this thread?

In prior games, what is the least amount of guessed questions (including correct question) to one of Les' answers.

The number of kids you gave candy to?

Ha !!! I knew it !!!!

Wait....does that make me the slowest / worst player of this game ?

Damn....I knew it.

Danika is very close, but needs to be a little more precise (actually your answer could well be correct but it isn't quite the one I had in mind)

I had exactly the same number of kids come to my door on halloween this year as I did last year, and several years before that as I recall (ie zero). Even more unlikely to happen now that I am living on acreage with no neighbors in view and not one of my neighbors has kids...

Lauren... this is not the "Liar, liar" thread. Like you could actually know "it"...

I am mildly insulted.

Sorry, I'll try harder next time.

I had expected more from you Sam, now I'm disappointed as well.

Close, but no cigar ... yet:

"In prior games, what is the least amount of guessed questions (including correct question) to one of Les' answers."

Well since no one else is biting I'll give it to Danika... the question was, how many guesses did it take to get the first question in this thread. For all I know maybe it was also the least amount of guesses before getting it right.

Take it away Danika (or whoever else wants a go)

Ya know Sam, I started to sort through this thread just on that premise.

Then.. my pencil lead broke.



Alright then, batter.. or, should I say ... 'poster up'!

Stage is yours, Sherree. :o)

Wow, I was very close ... a pure guess on my part.

Well, eight has been a popular answer in past rounds ... so here goes.

Answer = 8

Now it's up to you's to figure out the question. ;-)

"Well, eight has been a popular answer in past rounds ..."


Ok, then ... time to lace up the runners..

How many millions of copies of "The Diary of Alicia Keys" have been sold?

How many puppies are there in my home at this moment?

How many children were enough on the TV show with the same name ?

Sorry, no one is even close.

1. Has nothing to do with Alicia Keys or music.
2. Nope, no puppies at the moment.
3. Nothing to do with a TV show, though I loved Eight Is Enough ... never missed an episode.

Googling is probably not necessary, but you will need your running shoes.

Good luck. ;-)

Ok, have to get this one out of the way or I will be kicking myself afterward:


"How many times has the number '8' factored in on the answers or part of the answers proffered in this thread?"

I gather it's something to do with running/exercise/racing then?

A distance, or a time perhaps??

If I may, Sam ... the runners reference usually or typically means we (the 'guessers') have to do some running around on this thread or threads to find clues/hints.

Nope, it's not how many times the number "8" has factored in on previous answers.

Nothing to do with running, exercising, or racing.

Though Sam is getting warmer. Time will tell.

Will be dropping hints / clues now & then ... ala Sherree style.

;-)

How many time zones does Australia encompass?


Source of my above posting madness, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"Australia has nine time zones (one unofficial and three official on the mainland plus four for its territories and one more for an Antarctic station not included in other time zones)."

Sorry Les, the answer does not have anything to do with time zones.

Though 'time' does factor into the answer / question.

A very good quess though & an interesting fact on the times zones of Australia. I didn't know that. Hmmmmmmmm ...

Keep 'em coming.

What is the (approximate) time in minutes it takes for light from the sun to reach the earth..?

What is the approximate time, in milliseconds, it takes me to screw up a thread in the Off Topics Forum ?

Mike ... Good answer, but the answer doesn't have anything to do with the time it takes the light from the sun to reach the earth.

In a way, you are sort of / kind of on the right track. The 'light' part, that is. Think of how the sun affects humans, vegetation, etc. ... too much sunlight and / or very little (lack of) sunlight. Hmmmmm ... I'm thinking of a specific word.

Lauren ... you crack me up. Good try though. ;-)

Yes, there's some hinties /\ there & there.

Best get on your running shoes ... I've gone through 5 pairs already.

;-))

'What is the average number of hours of daylight..'

Something. Needed, perhaps?


Haven't quite figured out the something or need part yet. As these Velcro runners are turning out to be a pain in the butt.

Then again, my mistake for wearing my Pretty Pony Plushie outfit.


I'll be back.

That is, once I get my runners separated from my outfit..

How many hours of nightrest(sleep) do I need?

Something to do with growing, or photosynthesis?

Went looking on a hunch and found this...

"Your body makes vitamin D when you are exposed to the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays in sunlight. You probably need from 5 to 30 minutes of exposure to the skin on your face, arms, back or legs (without sunscreen) twice every week."

...so no help there...

Les ... the answer doesn't have anything to do with the average hours of daylight, but hours is a factor in regards to the answer / question. Good try though.

Els ... nothing to do with sleep. I normally need 8 hours of sleep too.

Sam ... Nope, doesn't have something to do with growing / photosynthesis. Good try.

btw, Sam did mention 'the word' I was thinking of 4 posts above ... more or less. Light is directly involved with that specific word. Also part of another word he mentioned jumps out at me.

I don't want to bring to light or reveal what the mystery word / words are.

You's are all getting closer ... that I do know.

I'm about to put on my 6th pair of running shoes. Will check in later.

;-)

Sunlight?

I can't disregard sunlight, but it's not the word I'm thinking of. I think I may be somewhat misleading you all about my reference to 'light'.

When I mean 'light' I'm referring to all light sources ... natural (that created by the sun) & those that are unnatural ... man-made (incandescent, tungsten, etc).

The right amount of light is needed in conjunction with other elements to create something desirable. I hope I wasn't too revealing ... or perhaps I was.

Again, hours factors into the answer / question.

Don't forget those running shoes. ;-)

What was the number of hours exposure for the first photograph?

the period of pregnancy of a dog in 8 full moons??

I love your answer, Els. Some days I wish a dog's pregnancy was a period of 8 full moons. Unfortunately, it is only a couple full moons.

Then Mike is indeed correct. Very well done Captain.

"What was the number of hours exposure for the first photograph"? Created by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in the year 1826 (France).

The answer is eight (8).

The key word I was looking for was "exposure" in which Sam mentioned a few posts up ... that's where the 'light' part came into play.

If one noticed I have been spending a great deal of time on the "Did You Know" thread & made some references to it in a round about way. Look at the top of the page (original post) on that specific thread ... that's where I got the answer to the question. I was hoping to lead you all in the right direction ... I believe Mike got there.

I'm sure if one had Googled '8 hours exposure' it may have (eventually)brought you to the question to the answer.

Again, a very well done to Mike & everyone else ... you all helped me along the way ... thanks.

Mike, your prize? A spankin' brand new DSLR with lens of your choice or a Pretty Pink / Puce Pony. Take your pick & the stage is all yours.

;-))

Oh, nicely done, Mike.


I was this.. -->.<-- close to not solving it.

... ...

/\ Yes, you read that right. :oP


Ok, then ... poster up!

(*makes some last minute adjustments to keyboard hot keys*)

Ready..

Alright then . . . I choose the pony . . . and a big pooper scooper.

My answer is approximately 4-1/4.

How tall was Mike in the 3rd grade?

Maybe you could've stretched the tape up & down or once around . . ;o) No, sorry, Sherree.

I thought there was an abbreviation for feet on the end of the answer.

Duh ... and I just had my eyes checked.

I'll be back later.

I was going to say how many years had this thread been running, but it isn't quite there yet...

'Oh, the ''' has been removed/edited/chucked into the basement away from prying eyes ... ok, then..'

:oP


Thinking out loud..

Distance traveled in X amount of time by ... something..
Measurement in feet of ... something, as perhaps the ' was an inadvertent slip by Mike?

Removed ' ' to avoid inadvertently implying a distance measured in feet.

Not a distance measurement in feet. hehehe :)

Dratz.


(*waits to see if the fact that the word 'big' has been italicized, factors into things...*)

How many acres of wooded land does Mike & his wife own?

Not a measure of real estate, Sherree.

"Not a distance measurement in feet. hehehe"

/\ Something, perhaps?

To clue us in on that the answer is indeed a measurement of sorts?


'Nothing like stating the obvious, Sherlock..'

I heard that. :o|


'You were supposed to..'

:oP


Not in feet, ok then..

Scalar measurement in antiquity.

I'm such a little angel to give you these clues!

Yesss ... 'angel' is the first word that comes to mind..


:oP

It does seem a little out of place . . . hmmmmm . . .

Colorful speech, probably.

It's definitely a measurement of something ... but what?

So hows about ... What is the average weight of a hummingbird in grams?

Ummm . . . nope.

What's up with the italics?

Ummmmm .... clues?

:•)

"I'm" "Angel" "Colorful".

I swear these clues get more obscure with every round!!!

Full list of italicized words:

big .. I'm .. angel .. does .. colorful


Probably not on the right track here, however ... forging ahead..

Could the question have something to with measurements a la cup?

As in or something along the lines of; 'how many cups of IAMS do your pets eat in a day?'

Not a volumetric measurement.

As for the number of cups of IAMS my pets eat per day -- that would be zero.

I love fishing for the question to the answer & I caught a big one ...

What is the average length in 'inches' of a Koran Angelfish that is kept in a home aquarium?

btw ... it's a small aquarium.

;-)

Not a measure of physical length, Sherree.

Hintie: Search around the Medicis and Savonarola.

Getting interesting now..

'Scalar measurement in antiquity', you say?


(*starts to warm-up fingers for an intense googling session*)

Hintie: Answer regards an individual's performance.

Ohhh, don't you worry mister ... as soon as some time frees up ... yous goin' down!

Well, I searched high & low around the Medicis and Savonarola.

In turn, lead me to Michelangelo & the Sistine Chapel ... but unfortunately I came up empty handed as far as the answer goes. Didn't he do a sculpture of a 'sleeping cupid' that actually was a fraud / forgery?

(o)(o)

*perspiration dripping liberally from the Cap'n*

Sherree, you're so close that if you're not on fire, you smell like smoke . . .

Is something burning on this thread?

How long did it take Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

;-)

Days, months, weeks or years? . . . >;oP

Ummmmm, I need a time frame?

How many years did it take Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

;-)

Oh oh ... methinks I might need some new runners for the upcoming round..

;o)


Nicely done, Sherree. And a good good one, Mike.

I was this .. --->.<--- .. close. My guess as to the right question was going to be this;

'How many times did Michelangelo order a meatball sub with extra cheese .. AND onions .. for lunch, while painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?'

/\ See? Close..

:oP

Right, Sherree. Good job.

Whew ... I thought I may be somewhat close, but not that close.

Good one Mike.

If anyone would like to take my turn you are more than welcome.

Next?

Okay...

"Five"

Well, ok then. I'll start this round off.

And to be seasonal..


"What age were you when you first discovered that Santa Claus did not exist?"

Nope...

However the correct answer is certainly seasonal.

Thinking, thinking ... out loud here..

Five Gold Rings.

Which somehow ties in with the following;

"The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: 1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world."


I know, close right?

:oP

Very close. But you need to figure out what makes one different from all the others

Dratz.

Now I have to ... think some more..


p.s. Your clue/hint of sorts; 'the correct answer is certainly seasonal' ... lead me to the most obvious guess of the gold rings.

Yep.

~ le bump ~


Although not quite as seasonal as it was when first posted .. still unsolved..

There is something particular that makes the gold rings different from everything else mentioned.

How many ring-necked pheasants are referred to as gold rings in the Twelve Days of Christmas?

Close? Maybe?

Not really (I didn't know it had anything to do with pheasants!)

"The time signature of this song is not constant, unlike most popular music. This irregular meter perhaps speaks for the song's folk origin. The introductory lines, such as "On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me", are made up of two 4/4 bars, while most of the lines naming gifts receive one 3/4 bar per gift with the exception of "Five gold(en) rings," which receives two 4/4 bars, "Two turtle doves" getting a 4/4 bar with "And a" on its 4th beat and "Partridge in a pear tree" getting two 4/4 bars of music. In most versions, a 4/4 bar of music immediately follows "Partridge in a pear tree." "On the" is found in that bar on the 4th (pickup) beat for the next verse. The successive bars of 3 for the gifts surrounded by bars of 4 give the song its hallmark "hurried" quality.

The second to fourth verses' melody is different from that of the fifth to 12th verses. Before the fifth verse (when "five gold(en) rings" is first sung), the melody, using solfege, is "sol re mi fa re" for the fourth to second items, and this same melody is thereafter sung for the 12th to sixth items. However, the melody for "four colly birds, three French hens, two turtle doves" changes from this point, differing from the way these lines were sung in the opening four verses."

(Courtesy of wikipedia.org.)


Think the answer lies in the above.. somewhere. Yous find it, I am feeling peckish at the moment and am off to raid the pantry..

Gee whiz, you've been doing your research!

The answer is not quite so obscure though... there is something very distinctive about that line of the song that sets it apart from all the others.

Aha!!

... ...

... ...

No, not quite arrived at the final answer/question ... just realized why I am feeling/experiencing a draft/chill.

(*wraps scarf around his lithe nekidness*)

Much, much ... much better now..

:oP


This is a counting thing, isn't it?

(*goes off to retrieve abacus*)

Nope, not a counting thing...

The only inanimate objects?

/\ Beat me to the posting punch.

Let's see what Mr. Poopy Pants says..


(*goes back to playing with his abacus ... just for fun*)

I guess they are... unless it refers to pheasants as Danika suggests.

Not what I was thinking of though... the answer requires further research, rather than lateral thinking.

A small clue: The answer also means that this song is differentiated from some other christmas tunes... I am thinking specifically of the Nutcracker suite but I'm sure there are others.

What day in January is the Twelfth Day Of Christmas celebrated?

January 5 (five)

Re : Ring-Necked Pheasants ... at one time it was thought that Five Gold(en) Rings referred to that particular bird. Same goes for Torah (first five books of the Bible). Over the years / centuries there are so many interpretations of that well known song.

My head hurts, no more thinking for me tonight.

Other than that of the phrasing of the question that arrives at the answer of.. '5'.

How often..

How many..

What is the date/number..

The answer actually concerns the line of the song, rather than the number. Maybe "5th" would have been a better answer (or even 'The 5th").

Ok, thanks. That helps.

That aside, starting to look cross-eyed at this one.. feels like the answer/question is staring right back at me ... but, can't focus clearly enough to see it..

Not an obvious answer... I heard it on a TV show which is basically about stuff you would never have thought of/heard.

In terms of relative costs, where does the line 'Five Gold Rings' from the "Twelve Days of Christmas" place with respect to that of the other lines from the song?


Don't think this is the right question though, as some sources place it in 6th position.

That said..


2010 Real Cost Of The 12 Days Of Christmas: $23,439.38

With 'Seven Swans-a-Swimming' costing .. $5,600 ... being the most expensive item/line.

(Go here to view an interactive 'PNC' ("Christmas Price Index").)

It is related to cost in a way, but not in terms of the items in the song so much as the song itself.

~ le bump ~


One more stumper for us, that has yet to be solved.

I don't think anyone's going to get it...

Basically the line "Five gold rings" is the only line of the song that is copyrighted... composer Frederic Austen composed the arrangement for that particular line and registered it in 1909 (I would be interested to know what the original tune was...) So basically you are only allowed to use the song without permission if you leave out or change significantly the tune of that one line. The rest is "public domain".

When I started I thought that the words were written by him, but as I did a bit more investigation I learned that the words "Five gold rings" were in the original song; it is only the musical arrangement that is copyright.

I was just going to guess that..

... ...

No, really.. I was.

Wayyyyy to spoil the spoils of my thread victory, mister!

:oP


On a slightly more serious note, could have sworn I came across mentions of copyright, with respect to the various incarnations of that song over the years. But.. never crossed paths with this little known fact.

Good good one. :o)