10

Another that rhymes, my author desired
'Twas limericks and riddles that he so admired
To hide a relation
To earn reputation
and brighten your day through wordplay inspired

A puzzle I am, though not yet begun
Of words I'll speak later, each stanza has one
Their connection concealed
Your mind you must wield
Once gathered, you'll publish my scheme and be done.

Two parts both wound tight
Near my bridge they do meet

When you fancy a bite
Eggs and bacon I heat

Of efforts in vain
My partner's delayed

Things weak under strain
Or a sweet snack homemade

With only a few emerges a pattern
Like Sega and Goya exposed my friend Saturn
These next few you'll find
Are of the same kind
As those layed above left for you to discern

A thing often wasted
Though not touched or seen

A thing often tasted
Or known for its green

A man builds a wall
Without wood or brick

Another might fall
If that wall is too slick

Another that rhymes, my author desired
'Twas limericks and riddles that he so admired
To puzzle and jest
And never to rest
'Til you've been enlightened, an answer acquired

Warning: This puzzle was written in a land where caramel has two syllables, aunt is pronounced "awnt", and words of _ittle rhyme with _iddle.

Community
  • 1
Roland
  • 9,753
  • 3
  • 19
  • 51
  • I have a possible solution, but my word for the "weak under strain" stanza is a weak fit (pardon the pun). I assume all stanzas fit cleanly, and I'm therefore wrong? – Alconja Aug 13 '15 at 02:23
  • If you're unsure about your answer, it's probably wrong, especially if you have the three above it correct. – Roland Aug 13 '15 at 02:37
  • Figured as much. Only asked because everything else fit so nicely that it felt odd that one would be "off" (in the way that assonance doesn't feel quite right amongst true rhymes). – Alconja Aug 13 '15 at 02:45
  • +1 for me trying to imitate this riddle but then realizing that it would take way longer than expected – Moose Aug 13 '15 at 20:40
  • Your limericks' meter overextends the long lines. They're only supposed to go for three triplets but you've made them go for four. –  Aug 14 '15 at 04:43
  • ... and you didn't say anything about "piddle"? – Rand al'Thor Aug 14 '15 at 13:26
  • @JoeZ A limerick requires a rhythm and an AABBA rhyme scheme. As far as I can see, a traditional limerick has three triplets, but my limericks are just as happy and healthy with four. – Roland Aug 14 '15 at 14:05
  • @randal'thor I really wanted to, but decided it might be too obscure. Maybe I should have used four _iddle words to solve my regional rhyming woes. – Roland Aug 14 '15 at 14:05

3 Answers3

12

The solution is:

Riddle & Rhyme

Based on the fact that:

The first four (non-limerick) stanzas all give words that rhyme with "riddle" and the next four all give words that rhyme with "rhyme".

Specifically the word derived from each stanza is as follows:

Two parts both wound tight / Near my bridge they do meet

Fiddle (from user1618143 - the taught string & body meet at the bridge of the instrument)

When you fancy a bite / Eggs and bacon I heat

Griddle

Of efforts in vain / My partner's delayed

Little (from the idiom "too little, too late", meaning "efforts in vain", with the "partner" of little being late, or "delayed")

Things weak under strain / Or a sweet snack homemade

Brittle (two definitions, since brittle means weak and peanut brittle is a sweet snack)

A thing often wasted / Though not touched or seen

Time

A thing often tasted / Or known for its green

Lime (or arguably thyme)

A man builds a wall / Without wood or brick

Mime ("builds" an imaginary wall to be trapped behind)

Another might fall / If that wall is too slick

Climb(er)

Community
  • 1
Alconja
  • 37,250
  • 16
  • 116
  • 164
  • 1
    You've got the final answer, but some of the words used to get there are incorrect. – Roland Aug 13 '15 at 13:47
  • +1, nice one! Now you're exactly 1 rep point behind Aggie Kidd; good to see you guys sticking together ;-) – Rand al'Thor Aug 13 '15 at 19:29
  • @Roland - So middle=>fiddle has been confirmed, and you've implied that diddle is wrong. Are these the only two? Or are others incorrect too? – Alconja Aug 13 '15 at 23:01
  • Those two are the only ones. Once diddle is replaced with its solution, the answer is complete. – Roland Aug 14 '15 at 03:06
  • Sorry if regional differences are ruining some stanzas. I asked some colleagues here in the Midwest, and we all think brittle rhymes with riddle. :P – Roland Aug 14 '15 at 03:11
  • @Roland - Not a problem. It's a cool liddle rittle regardless. :P The realisation that cultural quirks may be at play is why I posted anyway. I would personally put a harder T in brittle (BRITtle), but can hear the american briddle pronunciation in my head. Still stuck on the "efforts in vain" one though. I want to say "whittle", but that ignores the "partner" bit... will keep thinking. – Alconja Aug 14 '15 at 03:56
  • @Roland - unless it's "tiddle"? Which apparently means to potter/fidget ("efforts in vain"), and also means seesaw, which could delay your "partner" (you go down, they go up, etc)? – Alconja Aug 14 '15 at 04:14
  • 1
    HINT: The stanza references an idiom – Roland Aug 14 '15 at 04:18
  • @Roland - Ahh, ok. Think I got it now (see edit). :) – Alconja Aug 14 '15 at 04:41
5

Proposing a couple of corrections to Alconja's answer, which Roland said is not quite correct:

Two parts both wound tight / Near my bridge they do meet

Fiddle. The strings and bow are both tight, and they meet at the bridge.

Another might fall / If that wall is too slick

Rime.

user1618143
  • 409
  • 2
  • 4
4

Proposing a correction to Alconja's answer, on top of user's:

Of efforts in vain / My partner's delayed

Twiddle. A person accomplishing nothing is twiddling his thumbs (an English idiom).

Moose
  • 1,525
  • 10
  • 24
  • Not quite, though as I wrote the stanza, I noted that this would also be a valid solution. The solution which I intended fits very well though: The stanza is speaking as the solution, so ponder what its partner might be... – Roland Aug 13 '15 at 21:48