# ACM's 20 Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 16, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927 "2010-07-16T16:25:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/41 "2010-07-18T05:40:21Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > Is it made of fabric? Nope. 1: It is not an animal. 2: It is not a person. 3: It is typically found in a house (iffy). 4: It is not bigger than a microwave. 5: You couldn’t buy it at a typical Wal-Mart or Target store. 6: It doesn’t have moving parts. 7: It isn’t a tool. 8: It isn’t used for recreation. 9: Most people don’t have it. 10: It existed 100 years ago. 11: It is man-made. 12: You wouldn’t normally find it in an office or place of work. 13: It is not made of metal. 14: It isn’t decorative. 15: It isn’t made of wood. 16: It isn’t used in a public building. 17: It is a tangible, physical object. 18: It isn’t made of fabric. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/42 "2010-07-19T10:38:04Z")
OK, seeing as nobody else is asking, I will keep things going. Does it make noise? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/43 "2010-07-19T15:58:44Z")
> [@Manwich](#): > > Does it make noise? No. 1: It is not an animal. 2: It is not a person. 3: It is typically found in a house (iffy). 4: It is not bigger than a microwave. 5: You couldn’t buy it at a typical Wal-Mart or Target store. 6: It doesn’t have moving parts. 7: It isn’t a tool. 8: It isn’t used for recreation. 9: Most people don’t have it. 10: It existed 100 years ago. 11: It is man-made. 12: You wouldn’t normally find it in an office or place of work. 13: It is not made of metal. 14: It isn’t decorative. 15: It isn’t made of wood. 16: It isn’t used in a public building. 17: It is a tangible, physical object. 18: It isn’t made of fabric. 19: It doesn’t make noise. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/44 "2010-07-19T16:33:44Z")
Is it something you eat? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/45 "2010-07-20T03:21:57Z")
> [@Justin\_Credible](#): > > Is it something you eat? 1: It is not an animal. 2: It is not a person. 3: It is typically found in a house (iffy). 4: It is not bigger than a microwave. 5: You couldn’t buy it at a typical Wal-Mart or Target store. 6: It doesn’t have moving parts. 7: It isn’t a tool. 8: It isn’t used for recreation. 9: Most people don’t have it. 10: It existed 100 years ago. 11: It is man-made. 12: You wouldn’t normally find it in an office or place of work. 13: It is not made of metal. 14: It isn’t decorative. 15: It isn’t made of wood. 16: It isn’t used in a public building. 17: It is a tangible, physical object. 18: It isn’t made of fabric. 19: It doesn’t make noise. 20: It isn’t something you eat. No more yes-or-no questions. Three guesses as to what it is. Don’t think anyone is going to guess it. \>.\< ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/46 "2010-07-20T04:34:21Z")
What’s the answer? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/47 "2010-07-20T14:00:27Z")
It’s man-made, but it’s not made of fabric, metal, or wood. It existed over 100 years ago so it’s not plastic. It’s not a tool, but it’s not a toy (recreational) and it’s not decorative either. Hmm, maybe it’s made of stone? Maybe something fashioned from stone? Like a pet rock, or a flagstone. Except a pet rock would not be “iffy” for found in a home. Most other uses of stone I can think of are either tools or decorative items. I’m stumped. Is it a stump? 🙂 \*That’s not an official guess – stumps are wood. Oh! it could be another element that is manipulated to qualify as man-made – like, a hunk of dry ice? Hmm, did that exist 100 years ago? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/48 "2010-07-20T14:26:46Z")
I’m holding him to the “Nothing too obscure” rule in the OP! Just my opinion, but I think it’s time to spoiler the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/49 "2010-07-20T15:21:27Z")
Don’t spoil it yet. I’ll guess. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/50 "2010-07-20T15:29:20Z")
Is it a **glass vase**? I’m guessing those may not be for sale at Target, but might be. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/51 "2010-07-20T15:34:53Z")
Ooh, glass is a good guess. I’m thinking it’s not a vase though. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/52 "2010-07-20T15:42:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is it a **glass vase**? > > I’m guessing those may not be for sale at Target, but might be. ☹ A vase wouldn’t be listed as iffy for being found inside a house (3), and it would be considered decorative (14). Glass might be the way to go, but I can’t think of anything. We know it’s man-made and not a recent invention, but it’s not decorative and not a tool. The problem is, is we know a whole lot about what it’s not! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/53 "2010-07-20T15:55:28Z")
Well, feel free to make the next guess, then, folks. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/54 "2010-07-20T16:54:29Z")
Hahaha. One more guess. Do you guys just want me to spill the beans? And who’d like to be the answerer next? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/55 "2010-07-20T17:00:39Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Well, feel free to make the next guess, then, folks. No offense meant. It was a good guess but missed on a few points. Me, I got nothing! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/56 "2010-07-20T17:47:58Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Maybe something fashioned from stone? Is it a \*\*sundial \*\*? Back-up question : is it a **desecrated altar to the Elder Gods**? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/57 "2010-07-20T18:57:57Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Is it a \*\*sundial \*\*? > > Back-up question : is it a **desecrated altar to the Elder Gods**? I’m guessing neither of those are typically found in a house. Not bad guesses though (at least the sundial). ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/58 "2010-07-20T19:05:11Z")
I’m looking at the “nothing to obscure” rule, holding a big club behind my back, and awaiting the answer 😉 I hate that I can’t even fathom a guess. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/59 "2010-07-20T20:34:45Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Hahaha. One more guess. Do you guys just want me to spill the beans? Is it beans? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927/60 "2010-07-20T20:37:57Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I’m guessing neither of those are typically found in a house. Not bad guesses though (at least the sundial). Totally can ! In houses with atriums and… OK, so I forgot about that part. I’m still confident in my Elder Gods theory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acms-20-questions/546927.md?page=4)