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

Lets see how far this goes.....

Who would use a Quint???

What would they use it for???

No Wiki or Google.

A few traps have been laid.



GT

A Quint would be used by the sort of people who routinely express distances in Smoot.

And it is of use for an everyday activity which can be performed indoors.

A Quint is a member of the Quint family (http://www.amazon.de/Die-Quints-Christine-Br%C3%BCckner/dp/3548209513/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283087074&sr=8-2).

No idea what you would use them for, but 'm sure some of them had their uses.

No toybox, nothing to do with Smoot.

The use is for and activity, of course!

But an indoor activity is one of my traps!

-5

No, Bel, wrong kind of quint there!


GT

Is it something you can do alone, or does it require several people?

I ask the questions!!!

Pick one!!!



GT

Is the Quint a device?

Is it something that one person uses to affect people?

A Quint is a traditional measure in English seaside pubs. The word derives from the compaction of the phrase "not quite a pint".

It is used by unscrupulous publicans to maximise profits.

toybox.


Hmmmmm


A quint is only a device in the broadest sense of the word....


It is not used to affect people as such, but using it, it may be said, does affect people....


Helpful????



No???


Goody, goody, gumdrops!!!!


GT

A quint is a measure in a pub, pebble?

Well, it is certainly a mentioning measures and pubs!!

Getting it mixed up with a quaiche, perhaps??



GT

Ah, not a device as in not an object?
And the broadest sense, like, a trick or something you do? (like juggling, yodelling, putting honey on your front door handle,...)

And does the affecting the other people happen as when you practise trumpet at home, your neighbours may get annoyed (or delighted if you are a good player) but that's not the point of practising?

toybox!

Wrong!
No!
No!



GT

Is it something to do with the blue-black ink that is used in the drawing up and signing of marriage certificates?


Geggs

Like the blue-black ink I use in my fountain pen, geggs?

Sorry, no!



GT

Not quite, I think. I believe that there is a very special and protected blend of ink that has to be bought from a particular company, and kept under lock and key once you have it. The ink is formated specifically for the difficulty to reproduce it, and for the incredibly long time that it takes to fade.


Geggs

geggs

Nothing to do with the QI, but I think that is worth +3 DGI!!



GT

When we had the disastrous bush fires here in Oz I remember hearing some fire fighters on the radio discussing quints.

They are a fire fighting vehicle (though I believe the term is American) which combine the function of a ladder truck with a fire engine.

Apparently there are variations but essentially they carry a pump, water tank, hose, a device for aerial rescues and the usual ground ladder.

5 devices hence the name ....

The discussion BTW was about whether we could utilise them in rural areas - I think the consensus was that, in these situations, there was no real advantage.

I would rather not know what a quint is, considering the circumstances which brought the knowledge.

That could be a local name for those fire trucks in Oz or US Feisor.

But that quint is not my quint.

I will give you +6 for very interesting post though.



GT

Quint is also a term in a card game, like Tierce, Banco or "is that an ace up your sleeve you dolgarned rat".

My christmas 1962 edition of "The Poseurs Guide to Being Posh", has Piquet as an elegant card game for two people in which a quint is 5 cards in sequence scoring 15 points in the declaration.

Personally I still struggle with Snap.

Quintes, quartes and tierces appear in many card games, notably belote (which is still possibly one of the most played card games in France). Piquet sounds like Alexandre Dumas