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

Hi everyone! I have a few (two) questions about the Hitchhiker's trilogy. I apolgize in advance if these questions have already been asked or if they are completely stupid. Here goes:
1. At the very end of chapter 33 in "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" Ford and Arthur are picking Scrabble peices to find the Questions of Life, the Universe, and everything. The question they get is "What do you get if you multiply six by nine?" I know that this cannot be the real Question because six time nine is 54, not 42. I was just wondering about that one.*
2. The other is the first chapter of "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish." From the begining to the part that says "read it through again and you'll get it." I read it through again and I did not get it. Maybe I'm just stupid.
If someone could answer these that would be great.
Thanks,
Skeeve

*Oh, and it also can't be the Question because Prak says that the Question and Answer can't be known by the same person. Puzzling....

Hmmm. In answer to your first question, 'six times nine' is only supposed to be a *distorted* version of the Question, because the program (ie the Earth) never actually finished running, and because of the intervention of the golgafringans (sp?). Therefore we're left wondering what the actual Question is, and whether it is, in fact, just a simple multiplication...

Someone else can tackle your other question

26199

OOOOOOOHHHHHHH. So you mean, it could have been "What do you get when you multiply six by nine and subtract twelve?" It has all come clear! Thank you!

Yours,
Skeeve