Conundrum: Lateral Thinking I
A new type of game/puzzle for the blog…
I’m thinking of a character from Shakespeare. It’s a speaking role that is given no lines. Who is it?
If you know it, don’t post it yet. If you don’t know it, ask Yes/No questions to try to figure it out. Once you’ve got it, you can help me answer the questions as they come in.
Possible responses:
Yes – The answer to your question is Yes.
No – The answer to your question is No.
Irrelevant – The answer to your question won’t help you solve it.
Faulty Premise – Your question is based on an incorrect assumption.
I Don’t Know – I don’t know the answer to your question.
Misleading – The correct answer to your question would lead you in the wrong direction.
Let’s see how this goes!
January 9th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Its a swallow!
January 9th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Don’t know if Brian is right or not, but I’ll play.
Is the character human?
January 9th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Its a swallow! No
Is the character human? Yes
January 9th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Does this character mettle with metal?
January 9th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
No wait. I’m mixing things up.
Does this character join joints?
January 9th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Does this character mettle with metal? No
Does this character join joints? No (though I see where you’re going with that question)
January 10th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Is it an African swallow, or a European swallow? (I see they’re aren’t too many Monty Python fans here. That probalby explains why no one got my Wargames reference last week).
January 10th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Actually, I really am a Monty Python fan, but no, I didn’t pick up on the reference.
I did get your War Games reference, but I mistakenly assumed it was posted by Neel.
January 10th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Is it in one of the Henry plays?
January 10th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Is it in one of the Henry plays? Yes
January 10th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Is the person Welsh?
January 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Is the person Welsh? Yes
Annalisa, I think you’ve got it. Impressive! But if you still want to play, feel free to help me answer questions as they come in.
As far as I know, this is the only speaking role in Shakespeare who has no lines.
January 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I never would have known it if I hadn’t played the role! Very tricky!
January 10th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
P.S. I like your idea for this game!
January 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Thanks! I think the games where more people can participate and work together are more fun than the games where one person answers and that’s it.
I didn’t know you played this role. I’ll have to ask you about it sometime. And knowing that you did may give an added hint to those still playing.
January 10th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I thought about that before posting, but I’d be shocked if it could be a real hint. I don’t include the role on my resume since no one ever knows who it is, and it’s not really a role that gets reviewed, so it is not really Google-able in connection with my name.
And I’d love to tell you about it – I actually had lines in our production, and they were gorgeous! More on that after the Conundrum is “solved.”
January 10th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I only meant that the gender of the character was revealed by your comment. But don’t worry – subtle hints from solvers are part of the fun! Feel free to drop another hint down the line if it gets slow.
January 11th, 2008 at 4:24 am
I see now. I thought I was being so clever by guessing Snug the Joiner. It fits so well! He is a role that speaks, but (in the play within a play) he is given no lines – only roaring.
January 11th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I thought it was clever, too. Ultimately, Snug does have lines in the play within the play. But in Act 1, Scene 2, when the parts are first distributed, Snug very clearly is “given no lines” so he does make a nice alternate answer.
Do you know who it is? Do you want to ask another question?
January 11th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Ah, but as you well know, some directors and producers can be very tricky with gender-bending in their casting! Just because I played it doesn’t mean that it’s a woman! But the Welsh thing would narrow things considerably, I would think. Note that my second question specifically skirted the issue of gender! : )
But I do have a wee hint that I could offer whenever it might be appropriate…
January 11th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
A fair point about gender, Annalisa. Go ahead with your hint… I think we’re almost done.
January 15th, 2008 at 7:08 am
The answer is LADY MORTIMER.
Lady Mortimer appears in Henry IV, Part One. She is the daughter of the Welsh lord Owen Glendower. Since she speaks no English, Shakespeare wrote her no lines. But he does give her the stage direction “The Lady speaks in Welsh” several times. She even sings a song in Welsh, though Shakespeare provides no lyrics.
I’d be interested to hear more of Annalisa’s experience with the role.