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When is a raven like a writing desk?

Post 1

Mal

I, too, came across this riddle while playing Alice, and after a few minutes came up with two answers for it:
Why is a raven like a writing desk?
Coz: a) they both have quills, and
b) Poe wrote on both.


When is a raven like a writing desk?

Post 2

toybox

Wow, most clever smiley - cheers. I hadn't thought of that! OK, to be honest, I hadn't been looking for an answer at all smiley - erm.

Did you know there's a 'lost chapter' (called Wasp in a Wig) to Through the Looking-Glass?


When is a raven like a writing desk?

Post 3

Mal

The reason I thought of one is because I was sure it was an actual joke and therefore had a hilarious punchline. Obviously my two results don't bear out this hypothesis, but the second is least awful.

Really? Where can I find it? Why is it 'lost'?


When is a raven like a writing desk?

Post 4

toybox

I suspected just the opposite (that it was a punchlineless joke created by Lewis Carroll just to baffle his readers). But as he seemed to like puzzles, your explanation makes more sense.

You can find the lost chapter on http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/?alice4.html (if I haven't made any mistake writing down the URL smiley - winkeye) together with an explanation why it was lost.

Hey, have you noticed the following two occurrences of 42 smiley - towel in Alice in Wonderland:
-there are 42 illustrations by sir John Tenniel,
-in Chapter 12 the King uses "Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court."


When is a raven like a writing desk?

Post 5

Mal

Oh, thanks, cheers.
Ah, most clever. Perhaps it's a conspiracy of pre-Adams authors and illustrators...


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