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I'm not an idea, but I stand in those shoes

Can't count the times that I've been used

Sometimes I'm seen, sometimes I'm not

But when I die, I won’t be forgot

You hold of high authority, I bid your one command

But of your money, I often demand

As night draws near, I sit and wait

For I'll be needed, when it's late.

What am I?

I don't think a hint is needed for this one.

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    $\begingroup$ are you a vibrator? $\endgroup$
    – Snickbrack
    Aug 17, 2016 at 7:36
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Was thinking of hope. $\endgroup$ Aug 17, 2016 at 11:47

6 Answers 6

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Are you

A lightbulb

I'm not an idea, but I stand in those shoes

Everyone knows that a good idea makes a light bulb appear above your head (a light bulb moment)

Can't count the times that I've been used

Lots!

Sometimes I'm seen, sometimes I'm not

Lamp shades!

But when I die, I wont be forgot

A dead light bulb is a constant reminder that it's time to change the light bulb :)

You hold of high authority, I bid your one command

On/Off

But of your money, I often demand

Buy more, and pay electricity bills?

As night draws near, I sit and wait

Pesky daylight stifles the need for light bulbs

For I'll be needed, when it's late.

Until night time...

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    $\begingroup$ "Pesky daylight..." lol. $\endgroup$
    – TTT
    Aug 17, 2016 at 13:54
  • $\begingroup$ This was correct in every line! $\endgroup$
    – Jason_
    Aug 17, 2016 at 16:57
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It could be only one thing:

A software operations engineer on call.

I'm not an idea, but I stand in those shoes

While they don't develop the software, they are an important part of the process

Can't count the times that I've been used

Even the smallest problem in operations requires immense background knowledge, hence the operator is frequently pulled in to help

Sometimes I'm seen, sometimes I'm not

Just a fact of the corporate world - sometimes your work is appreciated, other times the people who keep things running are invisible

But when I die, I wont be forgot

"Hey, do you know how to do X? Jerry was always in charge of that, shame he was hit by a truck."

You hold of high authority, I bid your one command

Operations engineers are often considered the 'body' of the company, while taking commands from the 'brain' (architects, tech leads, etc.)

But of your money, I often demand

No one would want to do this s*** for free (except of course on evening, weekends, and holidays)

As night draws near, I sit and wait
For I'll be needed, when it's late.

The operations engineer on call bitterly waits through the evening for production breaks at 1 AM.

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  • $\begingroup$ Cool guess and nice reasons \++/ $\endgroup$
    – Jason_
    Aug 17, 2016 at 17:01
0
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Are you

A Hard Drive

I'm not an idea, but I stand in those shoes

Hard drive stores information which is somewhat similar to an idea

Can't count the times that I've been used

Hard Drives are used frequently.

Sometimes I'm seen, sometimes I'm not

You can have external and internal hard drives, external ones can be seen and internal most times can't.

But when I die, I wont be forgot

When a hard drive dies you often try and restore data from it so you don't often forget about it.

You hold of high authority, I bid your one command

This can relate to hard drives in numerous ways. I think since data is written with ones and zeroes then it fits.

But of your money, I often demand

You need to buy hard drives.

As night draws near, I sit and wait

If you turn off your computer at night then the hard drive does nothing but sit and wait.

For I'll be needed, when it's late.

Not sure if it matches this one, hard drives are often used at night.

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Could be:

Law?

I'm not an idea, but I stand in those shoes:

Laws are based on rules or ideas about rules.

Can't count the times that I've been used

Law is formed/modified multiple times (Example: added articles, chapters, etc).

Sometimes I'm seen, sometimes I'm not

When a law is outdated or when is not such law (after search in books).

But when I die, I wont be forgot

Law could be outdated, but it never dies those laws remains in books?.

You hold of high authority, I bid your one command

Law is authority

But of your money, I often demand

Maybe related to elections, needs money for make laws? I'm not lawyer :p

As night draws near, I sit and wait

Not a single idea about that, honestly.

For I'll be needed, when it's late.

Sometimes, when a terrible crime or similar situation occurs, a new law is created.

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Could the answer be:

Memory

I'm not an idea, but I stand in those shoes

Idea and memory are both forms of thoughts. You think of an idea. You remember a memory.

Can't count the times that I've been used

You can't really count the times you remember something/ have a memory.

Sometimes I'm seen, sometimes I'm not

You can see recorded events in the future. They serve as memories. Like seeing a marriage video. And you can't actually see the memories that you just think of. Imagine maybe, but not actually see them.

But when I die, I wont be forgot

You dont really forget a memory. Any memory might come fleeting by at any time.

You hold of high authority, I bid your one command

Not sure about the hold of high authority. But you can remember certain events at your wish.

But of your money, I often demand

You might want to create memories by recording events. Videotaping, clicking pictures etc. All of which require equipment that requires money.

As night draws near, I sit and wait

You often think about your day before you go to sleep. Go by the day's memories.

For I'll be needed, when it's late.

When someone dies, when they are 'late', all you have is their memories to cling on to.

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Maybe the answer to this riddle is :

Dream

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    $\begingroup$ Can you explain how this fits each clue / line? Answer's without explanation are likely to get deleted. $\endgroup$ Aug 17, 2016 at 14:31
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling! Answers to riddles needs explanations for each clue, to prove why your idea works $\endgroup$ Aug 17, 2016 at 14:40

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