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I'm usually on top, or behind a bar

Some sly-sounding people will throw me far

So watch as I pass you by, Hurrah!

I can be sweet yet cold you see

And few will want to count on me

Question

What am I and can you explain all seven clues?

Note

You are looking for a single word with five distinct meanings.

Hint 1

Because there are five meanings and yet I've talked about seven clues, I should perhaps say that three of the clues are used to pin down just one of the meanings. It made for a better rhyme!

Hint 2

The three clues that combine to identify a single meaning are: I'm usually on top. Some sly-sounding people will throw me far.

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  • $\begingroup$ The "three clues" referenced in hint two are only two clues? Unless that itself is somehow a clue? $\endgroup$
    – Mohirl
    Jul 31, 2020 at 8:58
  • $\begingroup$ @Mohirl - The three clues, (1) I'm usually on top (2) Some sly-sounding people (3) will throw me far. Note: Clue 2 is not a clue to identify "me". It identifies a certain type of person that should lead you to "me". Clue 2 is the most cryptic of the clues. I expect solvers to understand this last of all. All other clues are more direct. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 31, 2020 at 9:07
  • $\begingroup$ Ah! Sorry, I was reading the last two as one clue $\endgroup$
    – Mohirl
    Jul 31, 2020 at 9:35

4 Answers 4

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Proposing this for consideration:

float

I'm usually on top, some sly-sounding people will throw me far

a float rises up and anglers (angle as an ulterior motive) may cast their lines with a float

or behind a bar

a float is a pool of coins a bar uses to give exact change - credit @Stiv

I can be sweet yet cold you see

a float is a soft drink with a scoop of ice-cream

So watch as I pass you by, Hurrah!

a float is a decorated vehicle in a parade

And few will want to count on me

a computer program counts with int data types and not floats - counted on @Stiv for this

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  • $\begingroup$ Congratulations, you have the correct word! Just needs a little tidying up (1) Your first two answers both refer to the same object as mentioned in hint two. (2) "behind a bar", and "I can be sweet yet cold" have two different meanings - the second is correct. (3) Many people do count on short-term loans so that doesn't work IMO. Do you have any computer knowledge? $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 31, 2020 at 11:06
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    $\begingroup$ I think the two hints you're missing are rot13('sybng' nf va n cbby bs pbvaf gb ranoyr phfgbzref gb erprvir gurve pbeerpg punatr, naq sybngvat cbvag ahzoref, juvpu pna yrnq gb harkcrpgrq erfhygf va pnyphyngvbaf) - nice solve though :) +1 (comment rewritten to avoid spoiler!) $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Jul 31, 2020 at 11:22
  • $\begingroup$ @Stiv - Yes and yes. What would you use rot13( vafgrnq bs sybngf vs lbh ner pbhagvat, r.t. va n sbe ybbc?) $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 31, 2020 at 11:47
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    $\begingroup$ @Stiv, thanks for the right explanations - and not for the first time! $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Jul 31, 2020 at 13:49
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    $\begingroup$ Guess I should encrypt this? still trying to figure this site out... rot13( V jnf whfg svtugvat pbzchgre sybngf abg fhzzvat ng jbex lrfgreqnl. Fubhyq unir unq guvf bar! V thrffrq fbzr pbyq qevax ohg qvqa'g guvax bs sybng..) $\endgroup$
    – Amoz
    Jul 31, 2020 at 20:26
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I was thinking :

Ice

I'm usually on top, or behind a bar

icing on top, or ice behind the bar (for drinks)

Some sly-sounding people will throw me far

This is a little bit of a stretch, but i googled for this as "throw some ice"

So watch as I pass you by, Hurrah!

The ice flows, the last hurrah.

I can be sweet yet cold you see

ice cream.

And few will want to count on me

ice melts, is a temporary state (at least on earth).

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  • $\begingroup$ Paradoxically, you are getting warm! However I don't understand "The ice flows, the last hurrah." Also, the word I'm looking for has 5 different meanings - see hint. I think ice has only one. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 30, 2020 at 21:47
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, thanks. I missed the distinct meanings. My thinking on "The ice flows, the last hurrah.", is when the ice breaks/melts say on a lake in the spring. this season is the last hurrah of ice fishing. $\endgroup$
    – jackinovik
    Jul 30, 2020 at 21:57
  • $\begingroup$ It's interesting to me that you are in a way skirting around parts of the puzzle. However pursuing that thought will probably just confuse you until you see the final answer! $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 30, 2020 at 22:00
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Could be

STAR

I'm usually on top, or behind a bar

Star on top of a Christmas tree - Star Behind the Bar? (Came up on Google)

Some sly-sounding people will throw me far

Ninja (sneaky) throwing stars

So watch as I pass you by, Hurrah!

Star gazing - stars moving across the sky

I can be sweet yet cold you see

Starfruit - Cold stars

And few will want to count on me

Count your lucky stars

Title

Passed by “So” from the corresponding line. Making (get ready)...Watch as I pass So by, Hurrah! - Capital letters spell WISH. Like in wish upon a star. I could be way off though.

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    $\begingroup$ Nice idea but not my intended answer. I'll add a hint soon. Note: You are right to look for a single word. P.S. Star behind a bar is a little unconvincing! Also I've never seen stargazers shouting Hurrah! but you never know. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 30, 2020 at 20:52
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Possibly

Cream ?

Though I'm struggling so far with most of the clues

I'm usually on top, or behind a bar

Cream rises to the top; you might have whipped cream behind a bar

Some sly-sounding people will throw me far ???

So watch as I pass you by, Hurrah! ????

I can be sweet yet cold you see

Ice cream is sweet

And few will want to count on me ???

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  • $\begingroup$ I don't think cream has five meanings. $\endgroup$
    – Lakshay Sura
    Jul 31, 2020 at 9:00
  • $\begingroup$ @Mohirl - It is not cream but you are definitely making progress here. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 31, 2020 at 9:01
  • $\begingroup$ @LakshaySura You'd be surprised. I can easily get 5 meanings, just not 5 that fit! (e.g. top of milk; ice cream; to skim off the top; the band; ointment) $\endgroup$
    – Mohirl
    Jul 31, 2020 at 9:10
  • $\begingroup$ @Mohirl - Yes, you have the right line of thinking! Later today I'll add another hint that may help. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jul 31, 2020 at 9:15

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