# Life's great epiphanies: I looked up the forbidden riddle **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 23, 2005, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853 "2005-03-23T05:21:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/21 "2005-03-23T21:13:48Z")
You’re doing this on purpose; now we’re all wondering what this stupid riddle is. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/22 "2005-03-23T21:15:12Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > You’re doing this on purpose; now we’re all wondering what this stupid riddle is. > > :mad: Yeah, but how do you look it it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/23 "2005-03-23T21:16:13Z")
Why is a raven like a writing desk? ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/24 "2005-03-23T21:16:46Z")
look it _up_ ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/25 "2005-03-23T21:33:36Z")
Loud and clear! Does everybody know what he’s talking about but me? Heeeeeeelp! ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/26 "2005-03-23T21:37:01Z")
I have to stand with you **Anaamika**. And that’s not just because you buy me stuff, either…but it helps. I too was thinking of the riddle of the Sphynx but the OP has not been back to confirm if **Bippy** was correct. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/27 "2005-03-23T22:43:03Z")
> [@Greenback](#): > > I have to stand with you **Anaamika**. And that’s not just because you buy me stuff, either…but it helps. So you’re a whore, standing with me because I buy you stuff? 😉 We need to have another exchange, I haven’t bought anything for a Doper since Valentine’s Day! ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/28 "2005-03-23T23:06:44Z")
“forbidden riddle” gets zero responses from Google, but hey . . . BAND NAME! ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/29 "2005-03-23T23:38:48Z")
Was the answer to the riddle, once, for twenty minutes… in 1960? or maybe just 42? ---
**Author:** ![MinniePurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@MinniePurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinniePurl)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/30 "2005-03-24T00:05:25Z")
Is it “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” Some say the answer is “The sound of someone being slapped.” I say, flap your fingers against your palm hard enough to make a noise. There ya go, the sound of one hand clapping. I read somewhere that the proper Zen response is to lean forward and thrust out one hand with your palm facing out. ---
**Author:** ![MinniePurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@MinniePurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinniePurl)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/31 "2005-03-24T00:10:15Z")
The somewhere where I read that? That would be [this Straight Dope column.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_049) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/32 "2005-03-24T03:54:17Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > umm… nope. :rolleyes: Sarcasm. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/33 "2005-03-24T04:09:22Z")
I demand that I may or may not be Vroomfondel! ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853/34 "2005-03-24T06:14:33Z")
fnord [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifes-great-epiphanies-i-looked-up-the-forbidden-riddle/295853.md?page=1)