Is the text relevant for us to figure out the solution?
Is there a pun involved?
Or a misinterpreted figure of speech (like “stop on a dime”)?
Is it critical that it is an ‘alarm’ clock rather than any other kind of clock?
and is the solution dependent on the alarm being there or going off?
Something to do with the dog having “ticks” ?
.
reply to Sigene
Is the text relevant for us to figure out the solution? No
Is there a pun involved? Yes
Or a misinterpreted figure of speech (like “stop on a dime”)? No
Is it critical that it is an ‘alarm’ clock rather than any other kind of clock? Not really
and is the solution dependent on the alarm being there or going off? No
You got it!! The new vet in town is handsome, so Nancy wants to have a reason to take her dog there. So she gives him ticks. Wow. You folks are starting to think too much like Bushmiller for these to work anymore.
Since it’s been a week, and no one else jumped in, and it’s April 1st, there’s a story I tell in two different ways; I’ve always figured one makes me look better, and one worse, and I’ve never figured out which is which — and, after this gets solved, maybe someone can supply that answer.
But never mind that now; here’s the true-story puzzle:
I went to a theater’s box office and handed them enough cash to buy a ticket to a play, and told them which showing I wanted to buy a ticket for; that showing was sold out, and they of course explained that the system wouldn’t let them issue me a ticket. I explained that there was no need for a ticket; even if they had given me one, I’d have had no plans to present it to anyone or let anyone else make use of it — sure as I didn’t plan on returning to that theater to see any showings. I then walked off, leaving the cash with them as planned. Why?
Did you have a reasonable expectation, when you handed over the money, that that showing might not have been sold out?
If you had somehow managed to get a ticket, would you have watched the play?
Was the showing you wanted to buy a ticket for of some sort of historical importance?
Did it matter what theater it was? If so, was it a theater that most people would consider notable?
Did you want to be able to truthfully say “I paid for a ticket for _____”?
Did you previously have a ticket that you used but somehow didn’t pay for? Like, maybe there was some kind of glitch with the computer system or with your credit card and the ticket was issued without the payment being processed? And now, being the honest person you are, you wanted to make good on it?
Donation?
I had a reasonable expectation that that showing was sold out.
When I handed them the cash, I had no desire to see any showings of the play.
No.
Kind of a judgment call, but I don’t think it’s especially notable.
I did.
No, but, wow, that’s a really great guess.
Could this have happened the same way if it had been a movie, rather than a play?
Could it have happened with a different type of live performance, such as a concert?
Were you personally acquainted with anyone involved with the production?
Is the subject matter of the play relevant?
Nope.
As far as I can tell, yeah.
Yeah.
No.
I don’t think so. (As it happens, it was Guys And Dolls.)
@The_Other_Waldo_Pepper
When you asked for a particular showing, did you pick one at
random or did it have to be that particular showing ?
Didbyou know the person from whom you were buying the ticket?
Did you get something for your money?
I didn’t pick at random; I had a definite preference for that one. If they’d insisted, I guess I would’ve settled for handing over the money for a different showing.
If we knew why you wanted that, would that constitute a complete solution to the puzzle?
Aside from being sold out, was there any other reason the theater couldn’t sell you a ticket?
Did you do this because you had some sort of connection with someone involved in producing the play?
Or with someone who worked at the theater?
did you want a receipt? and if so, was it so you had an alibi and could say you were at the play?
Nope.
I feel like either a “yes” or a “no” could later get me accused of giving a bad answer; tell me what you have in mind, and I’ll tell you if — well, if you got it right, of course, but also if it’s anything significantly similar.