**(I have one when this one is solved)
:steps out:**
So:
The twinkling was from man-made artifact(s) on the ground, made in part from metal and glass. It was observed by (at least) one passenger from an ordinary (non military) airplane. The twinkling itself was reflected sunlight.
And the darkness is the shadow of the plane.
I think these are all wrong, but here I go:
**Is the twinkling anything to do with lights on the ground? Like landing/runway lights?
**
**Were there mirrors on the ground reflecting light for some reason?
**
Was this at Kitty Hawk?
The event is, I think, not famous according to Strangelove.
Was the twinkling a reflection?
Was it a reflection of lights from the aircraft?
dr. s
As a reminder from before: the the twinkling is reflected sunlight
Correct.
(I think the answer is fairly close at hand now…)
So:
The twinkling was from man-made artifact(s) on the ground, made in part from metal and glass. It was observed by (at least) one passenger from an ordinary (non military) airplane. The twinkling itself was reflected sunlight off mirrors of a very particular kind.
And the darkness is the shadow of the plane.
Again, perhaps repetitive:
Was the plane the sky? Was it at 30,000 ft or so?
Were the mirrors satellite dishes? Solar panels?
Was the reflecting light from the Moon?
Which is reflecting light from the sun?
Telescopes? Binoculars? Cameras? Some other type of optical equipment?
Sunglasses?
dr. s
dr. s
The bird’s riders see their shadow move across the city streets. The shadow is dark, but around it, sunlight glints. They are not blinded by the sun, for it is behind them.
Is this the full answer, then?
Eyes? Humans ? Animals?
Cats eyes? (as in the animal)
Cats eyes? (As in the road safety device)
No, just a little nudge in the right direction…
Can you figure why these devices would have shone so brilliantly in the area just around the shadow?
Car brake lights braking? And twinkling off the car rear-view mirrors?
When the person is answering questions, could you also repost the puzzle itself for our convenience?
This would also dispense with the two character requirement if you answer within quoteboxes.
ETA: from what I can tell the current puzzle is Dr. Strangelove’s:
"The bird took flight not long after dawn. Outside of the darkness, it twinkled in the morning light.
What exactly was twinkling?"
~Max
ETA: thought I should spoiler my guess since I’m joining at the last minute.
My guess based on everything presented so far is that pavement markers reflected sunlight into the eyes of a plane’s passengers. “Outside of the darkness” refers to the fact that sunlight is not reflected back to the passengers where the plane’s shadow covers pavement markers.
~Max
retroreflective tape?
Retroreflective tape specifically on road signs?