I Have a Puzzle for You

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

As I drifted off to sleep last night, it occured to me that my "solution" couldn't possibly be correct: if "directions" were "reversed" in the Southern hemisphere, then such a compass wouldn't be such a rarity.

I then became convinced (because of the Pilot Training question) that it must be for a 20th C vehicle - a submarine or fighter jet - where the compass had to be viewed as a reflection in a mirror (top & bottom unaffected, but left & right reversed: made perfectly logical sense to me as I drifted off!)

So: Russ was right in #3?

[mercia]

in spite of my warning those who knew just HAD to tell all.

oh, my impression was that DP worked it out using superior brain power

[Pianorak]

oh, my impression was that DP worked it out using superior brain power

Not trying to detract from DP's superior brain power, but there is a much simpler answer: look at a sky map.

[Don Petter]

Ah well ! perhaps I should have known this might happen.

My purpose in setting this puzzle was prompted by the memory of the same question being raised on a previous occasion. Some knew the answer but others who didn't had to try & work it out for themselves. Their suggestions were very, very, funny. Many were quite hilarious, as they obviously hadn't a clue as to the reason & came up with answers of great originalty & humour.

I had hopes of it happening again. But alas, in spite of my warning those who knew just HAD to tell all.

Pity, it could have had an amusing outcome.

Well then I didn't know I knew it! I just thought, as others had, that you'd have to look at it over your head, and then the quality brass construction made me think of marine uses. Sorry.

[MrGongGong]

Once upon a time, many years ago, I got to know a family who owned a particularly interesting & handsome item. It was a compass, brass & mahogany, a pleasure to behold.

However, there was something very odd about it, the points for east & west were reversed. Looking down on it with north at the top & south at the bottom, east was to the left & west to the right.

Some of you may know the answer. If so "Shut up & be quiet " !!!

I thought it would be interesting to see amongst those of you who do not already know, whether any of you can provide the answer.

The answer , of course, is

hopefully by Wednesday lunchtime ! (as you didn't ask a question I thought I would answer one of my own)

or the REAL answer is

Do you know why this compass was made in this way ?

which you never said ..............

I wish "Any Answers" really was "Any Answers"
rather than "The suggested answers of people on the phone to questions raised in a radio programme"

[Don Petter]

the REAL answer is

Do you know why this compass was made in this way ?

Wasn't that the real question?

[MrGongGong]

Wasn't that the real question?

No

Gamba didn't ask a question merely said

"Some of you may know the answer. If so "Shut up & be quiet " !!!
I thought it would be interesting to see amongst those of you who do not already know, whether any of you can provide the answer."

So surely the "answer" is the question ?

[gamba]

Russ, Don Petter & others all had the answer, which was both simple & obvious ( once you'd been shown it ). Hence no need to spell it out. A simple method for illustrating this is to draw NSEW on a sheet of paper, hold it over your head & then turn it through 180 ' to correctly position N & S. E & W will then be correctly positioned.

Ok, Ok, Ok ! I'll know better next time. Except there won't be a next time, certainly not concerning silly puzzles. I think my baboons were much more friendly than you lot ! & they didn't bore you by going on & on & on about the price of razor blades ! Although I think I might have been able to interest my one in a lightweight hedgetrimmer, although toothpaste & a hard brush would have been of more immediate use. You are made very concious of dental higiene when 3" long yellow teeth are only a foot or so away from your face. Perhaps it was my warm friendly smile that stopped him going further.

[MrGongGong]

Nurse, the screens

[gamba]

There was a sequel. Two days later a phone call from London. I was based in Glasgow & the filming was for a BBC London based science programme.
" We've seen the results & are very pleased. Both tests have worked extremely well."
" What do you mean ' both tests ' There was only the baboon - what was the other test ? "
" You " said he.
" ME !! "
" yes, we were watching your ability to accept the circumstances, how long it took you to settle down & produce steady shots from a hand-held camera & so on. You were very unsteady to start with but quickly accepted the sitaution & produced excellent results - we would not normally put anyone into the cage with this creature. Anyway, well done, congratulations ! "

[Frances_iom]

to get back our bearings - http://www.compassadjustment.com/ fills in some of the compass info