h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh, but it was produced in Birmingham, amongst other European cities.

So Britain was supporting the German anti-Napoleon effort by sending them iron jewellery? Wonderful!

I'm at the library on a timer so can't be long with explanation and point to poitn answers - but B'lanas research has paid off, +3

The iron jewlery was issued by the royal family of Prussia for 'donations' of gold jewlery to fund the (unsuccessful) war effort against Napoleon. It became a sign of patriotic fervour to have iron jewlery as it showed your family had made a monetary sacrifice. Hence it's value was as a symbol of national status, not material worth.

So looking in encyclopaedias is ok, but googling isn't? I'll keep that in mind

All I did was look up the iron cross which Clive had already said was not what he was looking for.

What about asking knowledgeable friends? (Like, a Russian if there is a question about Russia, or something.)

>Encyclopaedias are ok?<

With the exception of Google and Wikipedia, yes.

From my recent interview in

A59343870

"Use of Google and Wikipedia and other search engines is forbidden. But if you happen to have a mass of encyclopaedias or a well-stocked bookcase to hand, we encourage that sort of thing."

Can't trust those pesky electronics, eh?

>>All I did was look up the iron cross <<

And in the era of hypertext and inter-linked information, isn't great to discover things you weren't looking for?

I got this titbit of information from the same place I drew the Italian Driving Licence QI. I checked it out and the story held up so I sat on it for a while as I needed to think up a decent question for it and as we are up 150+ posts I'd say I succeeded!

I think the google-spiders and keywords would just make it too easy, don't you?

No, because most encyclopaedias say "see also", just the same as clicking on a hyperlink.

My copy of the Encyclopaedia Britannica is on a DVD anyway...

So you can handle it this way, if you like, but in scoring my own threads, I'll equate looking it up in a book with looking it up on the internet.

Minions (and Taff) beware, Mal's more rigourous than I!

Yes. I just generally think that looking it up is beside the point.

You may well have a point.

Ah, but you (Clive) are the master of sneaky klaxons.

I still believe you should have klaxoned iron, despite it being the right answer

What about asking a knowleadgeable friend (whilst making sure they don't google it )?

and to be completely honest the "rules" we play by are largely organic and ad hoc, when we designed them. I never put much thought into the whole 'referencing' angle, I just wanted to discourage quick fix google searches.

I have the Brockhaus, and there was no 'see also', it's just that I try to get the whole picture once I start reading, which is how I found the information. I didn't particularly look for it even. heck, I didn't even realise that that was the answer Clive was looking for. I thought it was an interesting aspect.
You've reminded me why I haven't participated for so long, though.

Everyone has their own rules, I suppose.

Since Clive actively encourages use of encyclopaedias, you were perfectly right to look it up, Bel.

Hiya TB,

Again I see no harm in players asking around, more than a few of my cunning riddles have fallen that way, and in a way I'm glad - I can't exactly ban people talking or looking stuff up in books (both things I think ought to be encouraged in general) it's a kind of an honours system we run by, it's not like I can check you've not been using google now can I?

I just think it ought to be discouraged so I make that much plain at the start of my forums.

>>Ah, but you (Clive) are the master of sneaky klaxons.<<

Why thank you.

I just try to solve my own riddles before I post them. Sometimes I miss obvious klaxonable answers (iron crosses for instance or just recently dentists drills in the pneumatic drills / Jesuit Priests QI)