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My friends and I are to be given a short talk about providing the solution to this puzzle. You are not allowed to solve the puzzle without attending the talk.

B C H L M P W

Question

What is the talk about?

Last of all, can you identify me? - My word! I am the odd one out by the sound of it.

Hints

  1. Don't worry, the talk is informal as well as short. My friends and I don't need to receive some form of lecture for example - let alone confused conversation.

  2. There are three main clues:

(a)

My friends and I are to be given a short talk about providing the solution to this puzzle. Hint: First identify who or what "my friends and I" refers to. Then think what it might mean to give them something.

(b)

Last of all, can you identify me? Hint: Not sure I need a hint here, it's there in the clue!

(c)

My word! I am the odd one out by the sound of it. Hint: Pay attention to the grammar. I always try to be consistent with my pronouns. This extends back to (a) and (b) as well.

EDIT - In order to avoid ambiguity, I edited to replace some pronouns with the nouns they were referring to.

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  • $\begingroup$ Interesting that all the letters are consonants. Is the answer related to pronounciation? $\endgroup$
    – Display name
    Aug 4, 2020 at 15:14
  • $\begingroup$ @Display name - rot13(Cneg bs gur nafjre vf eryngrq gb cebahapvngvba, lrf) $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Aug 4, 2020 at 16:06
  • $\begingroup$ They are alphabetical as well. Could be relevant? $\endgroup$
    – IT Alex
    Aug 4, 2020 at 18:48
  • $\begingroup$ @IT Alex - I just sorted them into alphabetical order for convenience initially. However I noticed something about this afterwards that aided me in making one clue slightly less ambiguous. I have discovered that, if you don't nail your clues to the wall on this site, someone will find a sneaky way of subverting them! $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Aug 4, 2020 at 18:58

2 Answers 2

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I'm probably way off, but how about...

When you attach the same suffix to all letters, one of them won't rhyme, and I think it'd probably be W. Here's a possibility that comes to mind and relates to the rest of the riddle:

Batch Catch Hatch Latch Match Patch Watch

They all rhyme expect Watch, which rhymes with the likes of Scotch. Why 'short talk': They were all 'given' atch (an anagram of chat - as in 'confused conversation'). Also, 'last of all' might be about suffixes, or W being last in line.

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  • $\begingroup$ You have got most of it! Your first version is correct, and the one that fits with all the clues. However you haven't completely interpreted them all consistently. I'll come back later and check more thoroughly. Well done though! $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Aug 5, 2020 at 19:58
  • $\begingroup$ @chasly-reinstateMonica Thanks for the comment (edited). As for the rest, rot13(nz V fhccbfrq gb tb gb Gur Fcuvak'f Ynve? V nqzvg V'ir eneryl ivfvgrq gurer...) [But I'll happily do it if that's the case] $\endgroup$
    – Walt
    Aug 5, 2020 at 20:52
  • $\begingroup$ [And some free-associating: Gur 'fbhaq' bs n jngpu, lbh jba'g trg n 'gvpx' hagvy lbh nggraq gur 'gnyx', fubeg naq vasbezny... Jnf gur gnyx nobhg GvxGbx? ;)] $\endgroup$
    – Walt
    Aug 5, 2020 at 21:47
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    $\begingroup$ oh wowow kudos to u m8 +1 $\endgroup$
    – Omega Krypton
    Aug 6, 2020 at 1:54
  • $\begingroup$ @Walt - no connection with tiktok in my version! However take a look in a good dictionary for secondary meanings of "about" and "attend" merriam-webster.com. rot13( Abgr nyfb gung V qvfdhnyvsvrq "sbez bs yrpgher" naq "pbashfrq pbairefngvba" orpnhfr gurl qvqa'g svg gur gjb pevgrevn gung "pung" unf - fubeg naq vasbezny.) $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Aug 6, 2020 at 14:43
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Answer 2

This is a

lecture teaching the alphabet?

I (the letter) am/is

Still M.

Reason:

All the NATO alphabets have two syllables, except M. (Bravo Charlie Hotel Lima Mike Papa Whiskey)

Answer 1

Is this some kind of

therapy for someone who has difficulties speaking?

The odd-letter-out is:

M

since

It is the only letter you say with your mouth closed when you finished saying it. (bee, see, ..., em, ...)

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  • $\begingroup$ Interesting but not that. When solving the clue, My word! I am the odd one out by the sound of it. You must distinguish between "I" and "it" The clue isn't about the sound of "me", as your answer would suggest. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Aug 5, 2020 at 11:50
  • $\begingroup$ P.S. Rot13( Lbh ner evtug gb thrff gung "V" ersref gb bar bs gur yrggref. Ubjrire vg vfa'g gur fbhaq bs gur yrggre ba vgf bja gung znxrf vg gur bqq bar bhg.) $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Aug 5, 2020 at 14:17
  • $\begingroup$ @chasly-reinstateMonica Edited! is this better? for readers, comments above refer to answer 1 $\endgroup$
    – Omega Krypton
    Aug 5, 2020 at 14:56
  • $\begingroup$ No, but keep trying! In my first hint, I specifically exclude "lecture" - it's too long and not informal! Also I can't stress enough that my grammar should be taken seriously. My latest edit makes this even clearer I hope. "I/me" does not refer to the talk, it refers to rot13(bar bs gur yrggref). Try reading the clue starting, "My word..." very carefully. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Aug 5, 2020 at 15:25

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