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Three under one name, quick three times,

Once heralded as prime, I am still the first,

I am deadly, and like no other,

Is it warm in here? Am I making you mad?

What am I?

Hint:

One is the smallest, one wears a funny hat, one can predict the weather

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  • $\begingroup$ can you add a hint? $\endgroup$
    – A J
    Jun 14, 2016 at 12:57
  • $\begingroup$ @AJ Can. In about 2 hours. $\endgroup$
    – Brent Hackers
    Jun 14, 2016 at 13:12

3 Answers 3

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You are

Mercury

Three under one name

The element, the planet, the god

quick three times,

The god was fast. The metal is known as quicksilver. The planet has the shortest revolution.

Once heralded as prime,

Mercury was considered by some to be the "Prime matter" in alchemy (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_materia)

I am still the first

The first planet, in proximity to the sun.

I am deadly

The element is poisonous.

and like no other,

Mercury is the only metallic element that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure.

Is it warm in here?

Mercury is used in thermometers.

Am I making you mad?

Mercury poisoning has neurotoxic effects, e.g. "mad as a hatter"(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_hatter_disease)

Hint 1:

One is the smallest (planet), one wears a funny hat (the god, http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/philosophy/religions/classical/graphics/mercury.jpg), one can predict the weather (the element, as a thermometer)

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  • $\begingroup$ Correct answer. Awesome explanations +1 $\endgroup$
    – Brent Hackers
    Jun 14, 2016 at 19:45
  • $\begingroup$ Well done :P All my attempts were way off $\endgroup$
    – Moose
    Jun 14, 2016 at 19:54
  • $\begingroup$ I'm kicking myself for not getting this, considering I made a riddle on <a thing> not so long ago. $\endgroup$
    – Inazuma
    Jun 14, 2016 at 22:14
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Incomplete Answer, and probably not correct:

You are

One

Three under one name, quick three times,

One has three letters. I feel like this cannot be the correct answer to this clue but it's the best I can do.

Once heralded as prime, I am still the first,

One is the first positive integer, and even though the only factors are one and itself, it is not prime. However, it was once considered a prime number.

I am deadly, and like no other,

Unsure why you are deadly, but you are like no other in that you are neither prime nor composite (except for zero, maybe that has something to do with this?)

Is it warm in here? Am I making you mad?

My first thought was absolute zero (which is the complete opposite of warm). Unsure of this

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1
  • $\begingroup$ Not what I'm looking for but some good fits +1 $\endgroup$
    – Brent Hackers
    Jun 14, 2016 at 15:34
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I might have it this time. You are

A Frog

Three under one name, quick three times,

I don't know this one

Once heralded as prime, I am still the first,

Also unsure

I am deadly, and like no other,

This guy carries enough poison to kill 10-20 humans (or 2 African elephants)

Is it warm in here? Am I making you mad?

Frogs are cold-blooded and this cartoon frog is mad; it's in his name

One is the smallest, one wears a funny hat, one can predict the weather

A frog is the smallest known vertebrate, this guy wears a hat, and frogs are thought to be able to predict the weather.

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1
  • $\begingroup$ It's not what I'm looking for but it is educational... +1 $\endgroup$
    – Brent Hackers
    Jun 14, 2016 at 19:26

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