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  1. Moon
  2. False
  3. Coffee
  4. Peace
  5. Neutral
  6. Stones
  7. Hell
  8. Private
  9. Plane

What is the pattern behind this sequence? How might it continue?

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9
  • 9
    $\begingroup$ The pattern is easy. Numbers increase +1 :p $\endgroup$
    – Avigrail
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 12:15
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    $\begingroup$ It might continue with a number followed by a word. $\endgroup$
    – Going hamateur
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 13:45
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    $\begingroup$ @Avigrail I think someone's put too much gravy in his ale. What about the words? $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 13:48
  • $\begingroup$ Are the amount of syllables in each word important? $\endgroup$
    – Doge
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 14:05
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    $\begingroup$ Does the interpretation of the words affect the pattern? For example, if "plane" were interpreted as airplane, as opposed to a mathematical definition (point, line, plane), would it change the options for a 10th word and/or ruin the sequence at plane? $\endgroup$
    – Roland
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 21:11

2 Answers 2

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Roland is on the right track, but it's

rhymes

To go through what we have:

Ought/Naught/Nought (depending on your dialect) -> bought and sold (believe it or not, I thought of it myself and then saw Roland and Echo say it in comments)
One -> sun and moon,
Two -> true and false,
Three -> tea and coffee,
Four -> war and peace,
Five -> live and neutral (terms from AC current),
Six -> sticks and stones,
Seven -> heaven and hell,
Eight -> state and private (like colleges -- thanks Bailey M from comments),
Nine -> line and plane

It might continue with

Ten -> pencil (pen and pencil)
Eleven -> Kell (Kevin and Kell)

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  • $\begingroup$ Great job! +1, but I'll hold off on accepting until you've got 8 and also the title. $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 22:05
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    $\begingroup$ Could eight be 'state'? $\endgroup$
    – Bailey M
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 22:10
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    $\begingroup$ Ought -> Bought and sold? At least I was close! $\endgroup$
    – Roland
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 22:46
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    $\begingroup$ Nought -> Bought and sold $\endgroup$
    – Echo
    Commented Aug 7, 2015 at 4:02
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    $\begingroup$ @valuable_asset Yes, paper or ink would be better than pencil IMO. Pencil seems too much of a giveaway! Still, the important thing was to spot the pattern, not to continue it. Also, who are Kevin and Kell? $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Aug 7, 2015 at 12:13
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This is almost certainly wrong, but my guess at the riddle's format might not be.

Each word in the sequence brings common idioms to mind, as well as opposite/counterparts, like Moon and Sun, True and False, etc. The pattern involves idioms with the words in the sequence as well as with their counterparts.
For example:
Blood Moon -- True Blood -- True/False
False Start -- Starting Tee -- Tee(Tea)/Coffee
Cold Coffee -- Cold War -- War/Peace
To come in Peace -- To be in Charge -- Charge(d)/Neutral

I'll work on some more if this isn't absolutely wrong, but it feels really forced on my end. My next pairings were going to be:

Sticks/Stones
Heaven/Hell
Public/Private
Train/Plane (vehicles) or Line/Plane (geometry)

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  • $\begingroup$ +1; you got halfway there. Was my last comment that big a hint? $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 22:04

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