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Punctuate these.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 2:24 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Many years ago I came across these puzzles, which are still fun. Apparently absurd, after you crack them, they are both easy to remember and make complete sense. So try your hand at punctuating these:

1. It was but I said not and

2. That that is is that that is not is not that is it is it not that it is

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:12 pm
by Slava
Good thing I'm not in a combative mood, as "Punctuate This" could be taken amiss. :shock:

I admit I cheated and looked up #2 and got the answer, so I won't post it, but #1 eludes me still. How doth one end a sentence with an "and"? Or is there an ellipsis there that I just don't get? :?:

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 1:51 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Slava, it will make as good a sense as the other one. I plan to post the answers in a week, if no one gets it. Thanks for not cheating. It's fun to wrestle with it, and once I got the answer, I've never forgotten it. You porbably won't either.

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 10:12 am
by bnjtokyo
For No. 1, I suspect quotation marks are necessary.

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 4:15 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Good clue. You may have solved it.

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:24 pm
by bnjtokyo
I see the solution. It involves both single and double quotation marks. Now the outstanding questions are
Where do the commas go?
Are we to use British or U.S. style punctuation?

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 4:45 pm
by Perry Lassiter
It can be done with two sets of identical quote marks and two commas.

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 1:36 pm
by bailey66
"It was 'but'", I said, "Not 'and'."

Just try PUNCTUATING this toggling three keyboards on a Kindle that is determined to typo a person TO DEATH.

Mark needs-a-new-battery/stylus/brain Bailey

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 2:16 pm
by Perry Lassiter
You got it, but I would write it a bit differently.
It was "but," I said, not "and."

Now what can you do with the other one. No quotes in that one. Periods and commas, or you can put an exclamation point at the end, and prob a question mark a little before the end.

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:11 pm
by bnjtokyo
Mr. Bailey prefers British punctuation while Mr. Lassiter prefers the US style. Note the differences in where these gentlemen place the first comma and the period.

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:32 am
by bailey66
I like Pl's punctuation better. The one i use is so much more cumbersome.

Re: Punctuate these.

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:44 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Clue for the first one.

That that is, is.