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Here is another easier riddle to solve but I hope you enjoy the rhymes.

Here I am in my perfect state.

Friends of mine in some way relate.

But what confines me isn't straight.

Is it none, one, or many? That's to debate!

If you still don't know, it's not too late.

I gave some hints, but you're doing great!

Now don't be shy and participate,

But remember not to over concentrate!

What is it, and what is the 'debate' about?

Hint #1:

Don't concentrate on 'perfect state' so much as the word state was more so for the rhyme. I would focus more on line 3.

Hint #2:

That you're in my realm, don't postulate!

Hint #3:

To one number I associate.

Note: Hint #2 might not help too much (or be 100% accurate), but I was able to rhyme it :)


If you enjoyed this riddle, some of my other rhyming riddles can be found here.

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  • $\begingroup$ Someone didn't like my rhymes? $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 14:29
  • $\begingroup$ I do, don't worry, here take a +1. I find them challenging but at least i can formulate some sort of answer, might not be the right one but it's fun i can participate :P $\endgroup$
    – Vincent
    Apr 29, 2015 at 14:36
  • $\begingroup$ I updated Hint #1. A third and final hint will be provided if required (but nothing more until then). $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 20:49

9 Answers 9

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the answer is:

quantum particle, yay quantum.

Here I am in my perfect state.

a quantum particle exists in a 'super' position.

Friends of mine in some way relate.

spooky interaction.

But what confines me isn't straight.

it jumbles around also it's either a wave or a marble.

Is it one, or many? That's to debate!

quantum theory is still a theory so there is 'debate' about it.

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  • $\begingroup$ Good guess, but not quite correct :) $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 15:03
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The answer is:

You are a Bell Curve, or more specifically, the median value on a Bell Curve in Normal Distribution.

The reasoning is:

You are in a "Perfect" state - the very middle of the curve. Your 'friends' in some way relate in that they are somewhere on the curve. But what confines you, or separates you from other people on the bell, is the curve itself and therefore not 'straight. And whether or not you represent one or multiple people is up to the interpretation of the data represented by this curve.

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  • $\begingroup$ You're kind of on the right track! $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 20:33
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The answer is:

A circle

Here I am in my perfect state.

A circle can be 'perfectly round'

Friends of mine in some way relate.

Other shapes can be round, and share many of the same properties (area, perimeter etc.)

But what confines me isn't straight.

The circumference(perimeter) of a circle isn't straight.

Is it none, one, or many? That's to debate!

How many edges does a circle have: zero, one, infinite? Some people often argue over this number.

Hint #2:

That you're in my realm, don't postulate!

Circles are 2 dimensional, and we live in the 3rd dimension. (We couldn't live in the 2nd dimension)

Hint #3:

To one number I associate.

π is associated with circles.

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  • $\begingroup$ I considered this, but I couldn't figure out what there was to debate about a circle. I've never heard of "how many edges are there on a circle" before. Sounds like a mathematician thing (which I am not!) $\endgroup$
    – JS1
    May 7, 2015 at 2:59
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Probably wrong but I'll try anyway

Are you the triple point of water? See here

Here I am in my perfect state.

It's the perfect conditions of temperature and pressure to see the water in solid phase, liquid phase and gas phase simultaneously.

Friends of mine in some way relate.

All molecules have a triple point but they are all different in temperature and pressure

But what confines me isn't straight.

At those conditions, you need something that can hold the 3 states of the water and that something need to be closed because of the gas.

Is it one, or many? That's to debate!

At those conditions, we have one molecule, but many phases.

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  • $\begingroup$ A good guess, but it is not that complex. :) $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 17:00
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Is it:

The Riemann Zeta function

Here I am in my perfect state.

Some mathematicians think of this as the most important unsolved problem in math, the "perfect" problem.

Friends of mine in some way relate.

There are other similar functions and converging series.

But what confines me isn't straight.

The function maps out a curve.

Is it none, one, or many? That's to debate!

The big question is whether there are any nontrivial zeroes other than at 1/2.

That you're in my realm, don't postulate!

Postulate -> Riemann hypothesis

To one number I associate.

So far all nontrivial zeroes are at 1/2.

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  • $\begingroup$ I didn't know about this...so this isn't the correct answer. (But it is interesting) $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 30, 2015 at 12:55
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Similar to Vincent Advocaat's answer, how about

a photon?

Here I am in my perfect state.

A photon is in some way "perfect": massless, always travelling at the same speed, etc.

Friends of mine in some way relate.

Other types of particle in the "quantum zoo" relate to each other more than any does to the photon. E.g. matter and antimatter: we have protons and antiprotons, electrons and positrons, etc., but there's no such thing as an antiphoton.

But what confines me isn't straight.

Photons form electromagnetic waves, and a wave should be wavy and not straight.

Is it one, or many? That's to debate!

Is light made of a wave or a stream of many particles? Wave-particle duality gives rise to quite a debate.

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  • $\begingroup$ Another good guess, just not as on point as it should be. $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 18:09
  • $\begingroup$ @MarkN "not as on point" - does that mean I'm close? How about LIGHT? $\endgroup$ Apr 29, 2015 at 18:09
  • $\begingroup$ no comment on the quote. You are matching the riddle very well, but you aren't that close sorry :( $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 18:10
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I'm thinking:

Marriage or Love

Relates to current events!

Here I am in my perfect state.

Some say marriage is a perfect union.

Friends of mine in some way relate.

We have friends that are married.

But what confines me isn't straight.

Some are straight and some are not.

Is it one, or many? That's to debate!

Hmm. Polyamory is also an option...

Now don't be shy and participate,

Marriage is for everyone. Ask someone out!

But remember not to over concentrate!

It's not a hard question.

What is it, and what is the 'debate' about?

Current debate on gay marriage going on.

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Here comes my nerdy answer. You are a:

SQL table

Here I am in my perfect state.

Just a well defined table

Friends of mine in some way relate.

Tables have relationship

But what confines me isn't straight.

Relationship can be straight line or with angles

Is it one, or many? That's to debate!

1 to 1 relationship, 1 to N relationship

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Probably not right, but worth a shot.

My answer:

Universe

Here I am in my perfect state...

You could say that the universe is in a perfect state, or is perfect in general. It's quite possible that its current configuration is the only possible one.

Friends of mine in some way relate...

Makes me think of parallel universes, where other objects or beings can be potentially similar to their representations in our universe.

But what confines me isn't straight...

Where does the universe end? What's outside of it? I interpret "isn't straight" as isn't known or verified.

Is it one, or many? That's to debate!

How many universes are there? Is it just ours? Are there infinite universes? The debate rages on.

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  • $\begingroup$ A good idea, unfortunately this fails with hint #2 :( $\endgroup$
    – Mark N
    Apr 29, 2015 at 20:35

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