21
$\begingroup$

I work on a farm, but it's not as romantic as you think: I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work, and I get paid just 4 pennies per minute. I had to take a second job to pay the bills. Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment, but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

What is my name?

(A correct answer should explain all the clues, and I'm looking for a specific, non-fictional human being. The clues are not meant to be taken literally.)

(P.S. I removed the 'room and board' bit because it was just in there for flavor, but folks ended up reading into it. I should have realized that people would see it as a clue, so sorry about that.)

Hint 1:

Synonyms are important.

Hint 2:

Only one of the clues is a pun.

Hint 3:

Why would someone on a farm wake up around sunrise?

Hint 4:

Each main clue refers to a thing of mine which are all (more-or-less) of the same kind.

Bonus Clue 1:

I wish I had a job I was more passionate about.

Bonus Clue 2:

I have to put in a heroic effort just to get out of bed.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
4
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ As I feel I shouldn't give a downvote without explaining... Although I had a bit of fun trying to solve this puzzle, mainly I found it frustrating. And now that the answer has been revealed, I find it requires what I would call specialised knowledge, and there is no indication anywhere that it required said specialised knowledge. (FYI - I recognise the person, and I may vaguely recognise Bonus Clue 2). $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Sep 2, 2015 at 8:10
  • $\begingroup$ I understand your frustration, and I do think this was crafted in a way that left it too broad and vague. I'm a fan of the sort of puzzle that requires not just critical thinking, but depth of knowledge (or good research skills), but in the future I'll try and make it clear just what I'm looking for. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Sep 2, 2015 at 17:26
  • $\begingroup$ I do like puzzles that require a bit of knowledge, but for me this one required too much knowledge. It's a difficult balance between making it too obvious and making it too obscure. But I look forward to your next puzzle, as I did very much like the idea behind this one. $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Sep 3, 2015 at 8:08
  • $\begingroup$ @AndyT Just as an FYI, I found the answer only by searching for all forms of rooster / cockcrow / daybreak, while assuming that it had something to do with a song title, book/poem title, movie reference etc. I eventually found something buried underneath all the references to Bongos Ikwue... =) m.youtube.com/watch?v=NfqRy1Y-Tf8 $\endgroup$
    – Hackiisan
    Commented Sep 26, 2015 at 9:15

13 Answers 13

Reset to default
16
+50
$\begingroup$

You are

Beethoven!

I work on a farm

The name Beethoven means beet garden ("hoven" is plural of "hof", which is German for "farming estate"). It is generally believed that the Beethoven family came from a line of Catholic farmers.

but it's not as romantic as you think

Beethoven straddles the Classical and Romantic eras of Western classical music. Although a composer in the Romantic Period, his work, especially his earlier sonatas, were not very Romantic in style.

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work

The Cockcrow (Violin Sonata No. 10 in Gmaj, Op. 96)

and I get paid just 4 pennies per minute

It's easy to Rage Over a Lost Penny when you earn so little (Rondo a Capriccio in Gmaj, Op. 129)

I had to take a second job to pay the bills

Taking two jobs is moonlighting (Piano Sonata No. 14 in C#m, Op. 27, No. 2, also known as the Moonlight Sonata)

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment

Consecration of the House (Die Weihe des Hauses, overture, Op. 124)

but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen

Sonata Pathétique (Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13)

Bonus hint 1:

I wish I had a job I was more passionate about.
Beethoven slowly became deaf which became a small obstacle in his enjoyment of music. He was also known for a troubled love life, which impacted the frequency and tone of his compositions, as well as the quality of his performances.

Bonus hint 2:

I have to put in a heroic effort just to get out of bed.
"The Cockcrow" was one of the last pieces written in the Heroic period of Beethoven's life.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
15
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Hail our new puzzling overlord! $\endgroup$
    – McMagister
    Commented Sep 1, 2015 at 6:24
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Yes, I just realized that the bonuses were "clues", not "hints", which means at least the answer to Bonus clue 1 is wrong. You are probably referring to the Apassionata then? $\endgroup$
    – Hackiisan
    Commented Sep 1, 2015 at 17:29
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ uggggh ... "Fur Elise" => for Elise (a lease) $\endgroup$
    – John Castleman
    Commented Sep 1, 2015 at 23:50
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ groans loudly and facepalms $\endgroup$
    – Hackiisan
    Commented Sep 2, 2015 at 0:34
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Hate me if you must, but I really wanted to get that piece in there, and this was the only way to do it. Anyways, great work again, and I hope you enjoyed the puzzle! $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Sep 2, 2015 at 1:58
9
$\begingroup$

Does not nearly fit all the clues but hey! Why not.

You sir are:

A solar panel.

I work on a farm, but it's not as romantic as you think:

Solar farms are not the picturesque ol' mcdonald farm

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work,

Solar panels start working at the rising of the sun.

and if you take out room and board, I get just 4 pennies for every minute of work.

Seems like the amount of energy a solar panel could produce in a minutes cost.

I had to take a second job to pay the bills.

not sufficiently explained! (Do to the high initial costs of solar panels they can't be your sole source of income?)

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment, but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

Not sufficiently explained! (maybe it is hard to have solar panels in the city)

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ I like the lateral thinking! I did just clarify the problem to indicate that I'm asking for a name, so I guess now the question is, what would you name your solar panel? $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 18:23
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ No, this is patrick. $\endgroup$
    – Going hamateur
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 18:33
  • 6
    $\begingroup$ Sunny the solar panel $\endgroup$
    – dfperry
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 18:37
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I love this answer anyway. $\endgroup$
    – dennisdeems
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 14:08
6
$\begingroup$

Some ideas (that might help someone else get a full answer):

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work

Do we replace "wake up" and "sunrise" with synonyms and then interpret "around" in a cryptic-crossword sense? So "rise around dawn" would give the nonsense word ridawnse; maybe some other synonyms give a meaningful word.

if you take out room and board, I get just 4 pennies for every minute of work.

Pennies is usually abbreviated to "p" (in the days before decimal currency was introduced in Britain, it was "d" instead). So maybe there's a word or phrase consisting of four p's (or four d's) plus synonyms for "room" and "board".

Here's a possible answer (though I doubt it's the intended one):

"room board dddd" is an anagram of Mr Brad Odd-Dodo, which could be a man's name.

Another possible answer (again, probably not the intended one):

Your name is Patrick, of course!

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
17
  • $\begingroup$ +1 for some decent starts. You're onto something with part 1, but don't think so hard about it. In part 2, I find it interesting that you're thinking about pre-decimal currency... $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 20:18
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Patrick Maybe it's a groat? Then his name could be Joey, or "room board groat" is an anagram of "go abroad, Mr Root". Joey Root? :-P $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 20:22
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ I want to meet this Brad Odd-Dodo $\endgroup$
    – Al.Sal
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 4:43
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ @Al.Sal Unfortunately he's dead now, along with the rest of the dodos. $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 10:00
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ So if sunrise = dawn, then "waking up around dawn" could be waking up next to your significant other, who happens to be named Dawn. Know anybody famous with a wife named Dawn? Or how about "wake up around dawn" - the word "yawn" is close to (i.e. "around") the word "dawn", and you might yawn when you wake up. Not sure where that gets you though. $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 14:54
5
$\begingroup$

You are

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, the actor. You were in the following movies:

I work on a farm,

Texas Killing Fields

but it's not as romantic as you think:

P.S. I Love You

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work,

Red Dawn

and I get paid just 4 pennies per minute.

Watchmen

I had to take a second job to pay the bills.

The Courier

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment,

The Resident

but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

The Losers

(Bed and Breakfast)

Dead & Breakfast

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
  • $\begingroup$ +1 for the closest answer yet! You're definitely thinking in the right direction in terms of what the clues refer to- the person I'm thinking of is in a different line of work, but you're getting there. Keep it up! $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 22:22
  • $\begingroup$ Aha! So an actor's movies are close, but you want someone in a different line of work. Well in that case we are very probably talking about a singer, with the clues either describing song titles or song lyrics. A couple of days ago I had "4 pennies per minute", with minute=60th=diamond, giving me "pennies and diamonds for a kiss" from Call me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson. But I couldn't make that follow through to any of the other clues. $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Aug 20, 2015 at 14:00
  • $\begingroup$ And now I've got "4 pennies per minute" as "diamonds are forever" by Shirley Bassey. But, again, I can't find any songs to match the other clues. Arrrghhhh!!! This question is so frustrating! $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Aug 20, 2015 at 14:07
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, or author and their book(s). Or if it is still movies, then maybe a director instead of actor. Time to put the old thinking cap back on. $\endgroup$
    – El Guapo
    Commented Aug 20, 2015 at 19:32
  • $\begingroup$ @AndyT You're almost there- you still have to think just a little bit outside the box you're in right now. Pay attention to the bonus clues- they're much more straightforward than the other clues. When you figure out who it is, they'll seem so obvious that you'll hit yourself in the forehead. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 12:22
4
$\begingroup$

This is a looong way from matching every clue, but maybe it's a start...

If you work on a farm and need to be up for sunrise it's because:

You are a cockerel, or cock; sunrise being the cockcrow

This also works with not being romantic because:

Although some people might try and pull The Naked Man on a date, it's not very romantic...!

So clearly your name is not (because it doesn't match with any other clues!):

Alfred Hitchcock. (Only famous person I could think of who matched my small part [pun very much intended] of an answer)

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ New thought: "room and board" might be "bed and breakfast", known as "B&B". So maybe you need to remove the letter B twice from... some word from either the previous or following clause $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 16:18
  • $\begingroup$ You are correct in two respects- it's not Alfred Hitchcock, and this is certainly a start $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 16:28
3
$\begingroup$

This might be a bit of a hail mary, but I'll throw it up and see what happens.

The hard luck farmer is:

Andrew Luck, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts

I work on a farm.

The Colts' practice facility is the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work.

Really reaching here, but it looks like there is a chain of breakfast restaurants, named Sunrise Cafe, in and around Indy.

And if you don't count room and board, I get just 4 pennies for every minute of work.

Nothing definitive here. I looked at his average yearly salary but got nowhere, and can't get my mind away from quarter back.

I had to take a second job to pay the bills.

Staying away from the Buffalo Bills here and instead I'll go with the set of DirecTV Luck is now featured in, though having looked at his salary, I don't think he's hurting for money. Nonetheless, commercial acting is a second job.

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment.

To be moving on up, a la The Jefferson's? Really grasping at straws with that one, but my sense of humor is satisfied with that as an answer, so I'll go with it.

But I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

Quarterbacks get sacked and that cuts into their success.

What is my name?

Again, I'll say that it's Andrew Luck, and I'll let my mind create further justification out of "10 or 11 reads", and manipulate it to #12 reads (the coverage). The third hint was just added, and it kinda rattles my conviction, but Luck is a specific, real person, with his name in the title.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ +1 for a very nice attempt- I wish I was clever enough to make clues based on regional restaurant chains :) $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 15:35
2
$\begingroup$

could it be,

Mr. Potato Head

I work on a farm, but it's not as romantic as you think

A potato is found on a farm and a couch potato probably doesn't make very romantic love on a couch since they're lazy

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work,

Potatoes grow the most when the sun is out

if you take out room and board, I get just 4 pennies for every minute of work.

Couch's collect pennies at a very slow rate or it could be that potatoes are very cheap and there worth the farm is probably about 4 pennies but I don't know about the first part of that

I had to take a second job to pay the bills. Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment, but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

Couch potatoes aren't very motivated so they only do the minimal amount of work

Also,

All of these have to do with potatoes and the only person I can think of with potato in their name is Mr. Potato Head. Might be a bit of a stretch but I like my answer at least

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ Nice and along the lines of what I initially thought, but Patrick is looking for a "human being" :c $\endgroup$
    – Doge
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 19:44
  • $\begingroup$ @Doge Ah dang I read that as specific name. $\endgroup$
    – SirParselot
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 19:45
  • $\begingroup$ Yeah, unfortunately this is not correct. I gave another clarifying edit that might help. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 19:51
2
$\begingroup$

Partial Explanation

Is it

tennis player Richard Gasquet?

I work on a farm:

Thanks AndyT. A farm, as in a tennis court.

but it's not as romantic as you think

He's a good tennis player, so he rarely gets "love".

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work,

He's sponsored by Le Coq Sportif

I'm stuck after that.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ +1 I like it. I'm still completely stuck on what on earth most of the clues can mean! $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 8:11
  • $\begingroup$ +1 Very clever! Alas, not what I was looking for. @AndyT, the most important piece of info is hint 4- the clues each refer to a thing belonging to this person, and these things are all (more-or-less) of a kind. Some of the clues are synonyms, one is a pun. Hints 5 and 6 are much more straightforward than the other clues, so they could be a good starting point. Once you figure out what type of thing all the clues are referring to, it should all become very clear. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 12:59
2
$\begingroup$

Closest I have found so far.

You are

Bob Dylan, the musician. My clues relate to my songs:

I work on a farm, but it's not as romantic as you think:

"Maggie's Farm"

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work,

"House of the Rising Sun" - though this is a cover.

and I get paid just 4 pennies per minute.

  • Have not found a fit.

I had to take a second job to pay the bills.

  • Have not found a fit.

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment,

"I Am a Lonesome Hobo"

but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

"Man of Constant Sorrow"

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ Mm, not quite. You're just about in the ballpark, at least in terms of what line of work this person is in. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 20, 2015 at 19:12
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Hmm, okay. It is a little tricky because as far as I am understanding there isn't any clues regarding the line of work or the name of the person just clues about things they have/created. Seems like you are expecting us to guess/process of elimination our way to a name and then find things they made that match the clues. $\endgroup$
    – IfTrue
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 12:28
  • $\begingroup$ There is, in fact, a clue related to this person's line of work, and it's quite specific. In retrospect, it would have been helpful to have more, but the puzzle stands as is. Regarding finding the name, from your perspective, if it was someone like Bob Dylan, you would have to come up with the name and then find songs that fit. However, it should be possible (based on how the puzzle is constructed) to guess at a couple of the clues and then find the person based on their correlation. Pay attention to the bonus clues- they're extremely straightforward, relative to the rest of the puzzle. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 12:39
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the tip I will try again on my lunch break! :P $\endgroup$
    – IfTrue
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 13:19
1
$\begingroup$

Well I had to use some creative googling based off of a single pun.

Duckington

Am I jesting, surely not. You sir are:

Farmer Duck!

I work on a farm.

He works on a farm.

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work.

He does all the work, that is how it works on farms.

And if you don't count room and board, I get just 4 pennies for every minute of work.

Pennies is a term which can be used to describe chicken food, so it makes sense for a duck to be compensated with pennies.

I had to take a second job to pay the bills.

THE SWEET SWEET PUNNING. He has a bill. In order to feed his bill, he has to get a second job! (I have not read farmer duck but based on the attire from the picture looks like he has sellable skills)

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment.

He does not seemed pleased with his living situation

But I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

He looks sad in his picture... :(

What is my name?

Farmer Duck!

Alas,

I have not read the tale so I could not tell of its congruence with my statements but it has a pun, if only one.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ So i found farmer duck on youtube, other than being a gem of a kids book, it did not have much about jobs nor pennies so that made me sad. But I do recommend it for leisure viewing/reading, its a gem. $\endgroup$
    – Going hamateur
    Commented Aug 16, 2015 at 22:50
  • $\begingroup$ Although this does fit to some degree, and I do appreciate the pun, unfortunately the clues are not meant to be taken literally! If you're getting nowhere, Hint 4 is very important, and Hint 5 is a lot more straightforward than the other clues, so it may help. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 16, 2015 at 23:47
1
$\begingroup$

You are, very clearly

Someone with the surname "Love". Googling celebrities with the surname "Love" gave me results of: Courtney Love, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and a whole stream of... er... employees of the "adult entertainment" industry...

I work on a farm:

A farm has a field, if it was a field of grass you could maybe play tennis on it, making it a Court(ney)

but it's not as romantic as you think:

This is a clue to the surname "Love"

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work (Disclaimer: Do not open this spoiler if you are easily offended):

This is something to do with cockcrow or cockerel. It may work for the "adult entertainers", as they definitely get a lot of, erm, "cockerel"...

if you don't count room and board:

Room and board = bed and breakfast... no idea where to go with this

I get just 4 pennies for every minute of work:

A minute is a 60th of an hour. "60th" in a different sense means diamond. Courtney Love was in the news for losing some diamonds.

I had to take a second job to pay the bills:

Well, "The Bill" is a phrase used in the UK to refer to the police. Courtney has been arrested for various drugs misdemeanours, so maybe this is something to do with being arrested and fined?

I'd do anything just to get an apartment:

An apartment can be called (in the UK at least, not so sure about US) a flat. With all the plastic surgery, Courtney's face is definitely not flat, so I think I've got that one wrong.

I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen:

Is Courtney a bit grumpy normally? I don't really know, I barely know who she is.

I wish I had a job I was more passionate about:

Well, she's a celeb so doesn't really have any job. And the "passionate" thing is referring to her surname "Love" again.

So, in summary you are:

Courtney Love. And probably not an "adult entertainment" star.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ A good effort, but not quite there. The 'adult' answer gets a bit off base, but keep thinking about it- if the clue isn't referring to a literal rooster, and it's not referring to adult entertainment, what could it it be? Hint 4 may be helpful. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 17, 2015 at 13:57
  • $\begingroup$ @PatrickN - Yep, I thought the adult entertainment angle was unlikely! I hear you use the word "rooster" - interesting... I would never have thought of that myself (we have cockerels in the UK), so I'll give that some further thought. $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Aug 17, 2015 at 14:12
  • $\begingroup$ Don't read too much into that- just the terminology here across the pond. What's important is what happens at sunrise (or, rather, what else we could be talking about here, because of course this isn't a literal cockcrow) $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 17, 2015 at 14:19
1
$\begingroup$

Could it be,

One of the members of Pink Floyd (Roger Waters maybe?) The album Animals is loosely based on George Orwell's book Animal Farm so maybe him? I don't know who the person is really

I work on a farm, but it's not as romantic as you think

The song Pigs

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work

Welcome to the Machine. Getting up everyday for the daily grind of work, a.k.a. the machine

and I get paid just 4 pennies per minute

Time

I had to take a second job to pay the bills.

Money

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment

Nobody Home

but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

Goodbye Blue Sky. Whoever this is has no hope

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ Not quite- a few of these answers are a bit of a stretch. For at least some of the clues, especially the bonus ones, you should be able to find the name of the thing just based on the clue, instead of having to try and find something afterwards that fits. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 19:42
  • $\begingroup$ @PatrickN Am I on the right track of music though? $\endgroup$
    – SirParselot
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 19:46
  • $\begingroup$ I'd say that you aren't far off, but you aren't exactly close, either. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 19:50
-2
$\begingroup$

You are

Kimi the sweatshop worker

I work on a farm, but it's not as romantic as you think:

Many sweatshop workers start out on their family farm in the countryside

I need to wake up around sunrise to go to work, and if you take out room and board, I get just 4 pennies for every minute of work.

They have to work horrendous hours and can get awful wages (which are often more than they'd make on the family farm)

I had to take a second job to pay the bills.

Kimi went from her family farm to the city where she works in a factory for Nike.

Honestly, I'd do anything just to get an apartment, but I'm such a sad sack it'll probably never happen.

Idk, like omg. She sends a lot of her money home to feed her family?

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ Well, it's an interesting answer, but not correct- a sweatshop worker could be named anything, so there wouldn't be a single answer in that case. $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 18:32
  • $\begingroup$ Well I saw you asked Going hamateur for the name of his solar panel so I named my sweatshop worker but then you changed the question :P $\endgroup$
    – Moose
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 18:32
  • $\begingroup$ Yeah, I edited to clarify $\endgroup$
    – Patrick N
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 18:33

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.