8
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Resume:
I can measure your purity, your philosophy
I have 4 degrees from the Sacred College
I'm always heading one way, you may disagree
I've traveled all across and around the world,
but have also brought many others with me.
(Or is it the other way around?)
Contrary to belief, I'm actually very open
Finally, I can make something sound to your liking,
And I here's a rose I give to you-
Don't worry- I stole it from my sibling.
I hope it'll help you find your way with me (to be alright).

-From, __________________
Who am I?

                              ,.... 
                           ,,''    ""-. 
                      .--,,'           "", 
                    ,.  ,'     .-, ...    ` 
                   ,'  ,'   .-"   P  ``.  : .,. 
               ,'".'   :   ,   ,--;-,   `.,"   `. 
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              ,  ,     :  :    :  t. ',   :  `   ` 
             ,'  :     `. :    :   `"'`.  :  :   : 
             :   :       :`.   `.     ,'  :  :    : 
             `.  `       : `.   `-,...( .,'  ,   ,' 
              :   :      :   `.      ' "    ,'   : 
              `. ,",     `.    "----'      ,'    , 
               `", `,.    `,             .'      : 
                 :   `,     "-,.,.    ,,'       , 
                 `     `,.      :'---"'       ,' 
                  t      `-....-td           ,' 
                   "-.            "-,,....,-" 
       ,,-,.  ..      `..            :   ,.''"----"",... 
   ,'""'    "" `-. .    `T-..    ..-`).,,'             `. 
 ,"'             `" t    ,( `""""   ,' '    '    ,      `"` 
 : --. ,   `         `.  ::       ,.       :     : ,''   .' 
 (   `"),  `.   -.    `. `,      .'   ,    ,   ,'`""-    : 
 : ,...t,`,.'    `     `,:`,.   '    ,'   ,",--t       ,' 
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    `,              :`'"'  `,t  :`.,",         '  ,' 
      t          ,.-`---,.. : t )' '-`-.....    -'' 
       `. ,""""""'      : ``.  `,",           .' 
        `"`-.          '    `,   :`,..,.,'"""" 
            `-,...-,.,'       ", `,   ' 
                                ", `,. 
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                                       ``-..  `""""'  , 
                                           `""---....' 
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3 Answers 3

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I haven't worked out what all the hints refer to, but I'm pretty sure the answer is a

compass.

I can measure your purity, your philosophy

I was confused by this, but KoA points out in comments that it could be referring to the idea of a person's "moral compass", a metaphor for their value system.

I have 4 degrees from the Sacred College

N,S,E,W are the cardinal directions.

I'm always heading one way, you may disagree

A compass always points north. Not sure why "you may disagree"; perhaps a reference to the distinction between magnetic and geographic north?

I've traveled all across and around the world,

Compasses are very widely used navigational tools.

but have also brought many others with me.

They show travellers where to go.

(Or is it the other way around?)

You could equally say that the travellers bring their compasses with them.

Contrary to belief, I'm actually very open

Not sure about this. (Some compasses are in cases that open and close, but that seems weak. Compasses in the other sense of "instruments for drawing circles" likewise open and close; weaker yet.)

Finally, I can make something sound to your liking,

Not sure about this. (The word "compass" ends with "pass" but that seems weak.)

And I here's a rose I give to you- Don't worry- I stole it from my sibling.

A compass rose.

I hope it'll help you find your way with me (to be alright).

Not sure about this. Perhaps those letters have a significance I've missed. Perhaps it just means that a compass rose on a map tells you how the directions indicated by the compass match up with the directions on the map, but it seems like "(to be alright)" is meant to convey something more specific and trickier.

There are a bunch of "Not sure about this"es there, but enough things match that the answer seems likely right anyway...

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10
  • $\begingroup$ For the first one, rot13(zbeny pbzcnff) fits $\endgroup$
    – KoA
    May 17, 2016 at 8:58
  • $\begingroup$ Ooo, well spotted! $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan
    May 17, 2016 at 8:58
  • $\begingroup$ Your comment is a bit spoilery. I've edited my answer and given you explicit credit there; consider deleting or editing the comment? $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan
    May 17, 2016 at 9:00
  • $\begingroup$ Oopsies - Fixed! $\endgroup$
    – KoA
    May 17, 2016 at 9:01
  • $\begingroup$ For the "open" part, perhaps prefix with "en"? And suffix with "ion" for "I hope ... you ... (to be alright)"? $\endgroup$ May 17, 2016 at 17:36
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Direction

It depends on what direction of life we travel and hence will define our philosophy and Purity on how we tend to respond to situations.
4 degrees are north, south, east and west!
Each direction of course heads one way!
It's spread across the globe and hence helps people in their travel across hence taking a lot of them to their right intended destination!
You can tread on any direction it's totally open and always will be there!
Here I am making a guess and ROSE describes direction, north-flower, south-stem,east-right leaf and west-left leaf.
I really can't make sense on the sibling part though.

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  • $\begingroup$ close, but not what I was looking for :) $\endgroup$
    – michal
    May 18, 2016 at 1:46
  • $\begingroup$ May be compass, which shows direction!! $\endgroup$ May 18, 2016 at 16:55
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Just a guess.You might be a..

diploma.

Since based from the first few statements:
Diploma measures our purity and philosophy.
Could have 4 degrees from college.
You bring it with you accross and around the world.

"And I here's a rose I give to you- Don't worry- I stole it from my sibling."

Material used for diploma are paper which are from trees.
Trees are siblings with flower-bearing plants.

Or, maybe it's a..

paper. But it doesn't fit with other statements.

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  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Welcome to puzzling.SE. Can you add explanations on how you got this answer, given the text in the riddle ? Also, you should use spoiler tags ( >! ) and not quote blocks ( > ) $\endgroup$ May 17, 2016 at 8:06

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