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I've thrown together a quick riddle inspired by the as-of-yet unsolved riddle from CodeNewbie. I don't feel like it's very solid, though, and the cadence isn't quite right. It's easy to show that the right answer fits everything but I'm worried about two things:

  1. Arriving at that right answer may not be an easily deduced answer. I like things you can solve instead of things that require an epiphany.
  2. There could be an answer I haven't thought of that fits better

Can you 1) Answer the riddle and / or 2) Once the answer is known, think of some suggestion for where it needs tightening up?

(Edited based on suggestions)

We protect wealth and have wealth ourselves
My brothers do, and I
We share the name, the same name all
I swear I do not lie

One is thoughtful, simple, kind
But rather slow at best
To ponder he must think, think, think
Under Sanders he will rest
He has a hard time hearing
When ears get all stuffed up
He was renamed at 1 year old
Causing some mixup

One told secrets and angered some
He's fled now far away
Called a traitor; booed and hissed
It's best to stay away
Others think he is a hero
And wonder how he fares
His surname was in Heller's book
Confuses polar bears

One tried to save his mother but
He failed quite miserably
It cost him an arm and leg
To fail so blatantly
This brother's brother is not my brother
Though he paid his own high price
He lost his body - saved his soul
Two brothers' sacrifice

Many brothers have been kings for sure
Thus far there are one through eight
There will sure one day be more
Of our royal ruling mates

One was only one of us
When he was not himself
His formula of wondrous hide
Should go back on the shelf

One loved riddles, puzzles, jokes
Mentally deranged bloke
He wears green and laughs too much
Not proud of all kinfolk...

Train, vampire, and bladed hands
A platypus (to kids from oughts)
We are many myriad
Our name is what is sought

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    $\begingroup$ I think I saw FMA in somewhere! (using short form to avoid spoiler) $\endgroup$
    – Alex
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 16:25
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    $\begingroup$ In England (UK) there have actually been eight. Though, in fairness, the eighth didn't live up to the title, so to speak. Still enough for the next one to be the ninth. $\endgroup$
    – Carmi
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 17:36
  • $\begingroup$ @Carmi I wasn't sure to include the king of less than a year. I probably should, though, right? He was King Edward for a time. $\endgroup$
    – Engineer Toast
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 17:44
  • $\begingroup$ I actually thought that "One was only one of us When he was not himself" referred to him, as he was normally known as Albert (Bertie). He is officially counted as a king, so yes. $\endgroup$
    – Carmi
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 17:46
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    $\begingroup$ @Alex FMA is actually where I started and expanded out from there. $\endgroup$
    – Engineer Toast
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 18:45

2 Answers 2

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Is their name

Edward

We protect wealth and have wealth ourselves
My brothers do, and I
We share the name, the same name all
I swear I do not lie

This is explaining the riddle, in addition to Edward meaning "Wealthy Guard"

One is thoughtful, simple, kind
But rather slow at best
To ponder he must think, think, think
Under Sanders he will rest
He has a hard time hearing
When ears get all stuffed up
He was renamed at 1 year old
Causing some mixup

Thanks to Engineer Toast's extra clues I now know this is Winnie the Pooh, originally his name was Edward Bear

One told secrets and angered some
He's fled now far away
Called a traitor; booed and hissed
It's best to stay away
Others think he is a hero
And wonder how he fares
His surname was in Heller's book
Confuses polar bears

Edward Snowden I believe? Is Heller's book Catch-22?

One tried to save his mother but
He failed quite miserably
It cost him an arm and leg
To fail so blatantly
This brother's brother is not my brother
Though he paid his own high price
He lost his body - saved his soul
Two brothers' sacrifice

Edward Elric - from Full Metal Alchemist

Many brothers have been kings for sure
Thus far there are one through seven
There will sure one day be more
Of our royal ruling brethren

This is referencing the British royal Family, Edward the 7th is the most recent King Edward

One was only one of us
When he was not himself
One loved riddles, puzzles, jokes
Mentally deranged

I didn't realize this was two clues thanks for the clarification. first one is Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde, second: The Riddler a.k.a Edward Nygma

Train, vampire, "monster", too
A platypus to kids from oughts
We are many myriad
Tell us, what's our name?

Train: Edward From Thomas the tank engine, Vampire: Edward Cullen from Twilight, Monster: Edward Scissor Hands (This clue was a but of a stretch), Platypus: Edward from Camp Lazlo

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  • $\begingroup$ I think you got it! Better with full explanation on each line thou $\endgroup$
    – Alex
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 16:51
  • $\begingroup$ I was adding it in after the fact, I'm really bad at SE formatting so I wanted to get the answer in first then add the explanation when I had time to format it $\endgroup$
    – Tim
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 17:04
  • $\begingroup$ I think for the first stanza, it is also referencing Edward Jones, the investment company (or the guy who founded the Dow Jones). $\endgroup$
    – Aggie Kidd
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 17:38
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    $\begingroup$ You definitely got the name. I see a few points where I need to improve based on what you missed: 1) Edward means "wealthy guard" so the first stanza is actually a clue. 2) Stanza 2 talks about a tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff whose original name is long forgotten by most. 3) Stanza 6 actually references two different Edwards although the first two lines do not clearly point to Edward Hyde. He and Riddler might need their own stanzas. 4) The "monster" was meant to be Edward Scissorhands but I forgot to flesh out the clues. ("Oughts" refers to the years 2000-'09 when the show ran.) $\endgroup$
    – Engineer Toast
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 17:41
  • $\begingroup$ Updated, I thought it was good overall, I think the problem with the Riddler/Hyde Stanza is that both of them have alter egos so I assumed "When he was not himself " was a reference to the Riddler's actual name. And Honestly I wasnt even looking for a clue in stanza 1 so thats on me too. $\endgroup$
    – Tim
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 17:52
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Here are my suggestions for tightening up the cadence and flow:

We shelter wealth and own it too
My brethren and I
We share a name, the same name all
I swear I do not lie

One is thoughtful, simple, kind
But rather slow at best
To ponder he must think, think, think
'Neath Sanders he will rest
He has a hard time hearing
When his ears get all stuffed up
His name was changed at 1 year old
Which muddled some things up

By telling secrets, one drew ire
He's fled now far away
Booed and hissed; a traitor named
It's best to stay away
To others, though, he's quite the star
They wonder how he fares
His surname, found in Heller's book,
Confuses polar bears

One tried to save his mother but
He failed quite mis'rably
It cost him both an arm and leg
To fail so blatantly
This brother's brother's not my kin
Though he paid quite a price
His body lost, but saved his soul
Two brothers' sacrifice

Many brothers have been kings
To date we've one through eight
There surely will one day be more
Majestic ruling mates

One was only one of us
When he was not himself
His brew to hide his ugly trait
Should go back on the shelf

One loves riddles, puzzles, jokes
He's mentally deranged
With verdant garb and jovial air
He plays his threat'ning games

A train, a vampire, hands with blades
A platypus (to kids from oughts)
We are sundry and diverse
Our name is what is sought

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  • $\begingroup$ This requires pronouncing "brethren" with three syllables (breth-er-en, which is not technically correct, but common), and "vampire" with two (which is technically correct, but it's often pronounced "vam-pie-er"), and "jovial" with two. $\endgroup$
    – GentlePurpleRain
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 21:05
  • $\begingroup$ +1 Bravo on a mighty leap forward! It's much more riddle-y now. $\endgroup$
    – Engineer Toast
    Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 3:46
  • $\begingroup$ *aughts, perhaps? $\endgroup$
    – feelinferrety
    Commented Aug 22, 2017 at 3:33

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