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I am a number, I've a number of names.
My name is in itself.
I am hiding in plain sight.
I am damned if I don't and damned if I do.
(Perhaps this riddle would be better if it rhymed...)

Update:

"I am a number" is not meant to be taken literally. The answer is not a number.

Additional clues:

I am a master of many, choosing to become a slave.
My spirit belongs to another, my face to another still.

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    $\begingroup$ Is the last line part of the riddle? $\endgroup$
    – Mario Garcia
    Jul 19, 2016 at 10:51
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @MarioGarcia Yes. $\endgroup$
    – Yehuda Shapira
    Jul 19, 2016 at 12:02

6 Answers 6

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You are

Jean Valjean - 24601

I am a number, I've a number of names.

24601, Mayor of town, Jean Valjean

My name is in itself.

Jean valjean

I am hiding in plain sight.

He's a Mayor, he's known by everyone in town yet still manages to hide

I am damned if I don't and damned if I do.

Quoting from "Who am I" which is a song from musical Les Misérables: "If I speak, I am condemned. If I stay silent, I am damned!"

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    $\begingroup$ That's a good answer, but not the droid I'm looking for :) Also, the "rhyme" section is sorta part of the riddle, and so is the "I'm not sure myself" in the title. $\endgroup$
    – Yehuda Shapira
    Jul 19, 2016 at 6:30
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    $\begingroup$ @YehudaShapira Edited. $\endgroup$
    – Lafexlos
    Jul 19, 2016 at 13:20
  • $\begingroup$ +1 In hindsight it makes perfect sense but safe to say I would have never guessed this. $\endgroup$
    – DasBeasto
    Jul 19, 2016 at 18:24
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Are you

The number 2

I am a number, I've a number of names.

2 is also known as couple, pair, duo.

My name is in itself.

Two contains 't and o'. to.

I am hiding in plain sight.

We have two eyes which we use to see, but we don't see our two eyes.

I am damned if I don't and damned if I do.

Two choices.

(Perhaps this riddle would be better if it rhymed...)

Couplets are a common form of rhyme consisting of two line endings in sequence.

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    $\begingroup$ This is a really good answer, too. I realized now that my riddle is misleading, and updated it accordingly. $\endgroup$
    – Yehuda Shapira
    Jul 19, 2016 at 12:06
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Are you

"I"?

I am a number, I've a number of names.

"I" is also the roman numeral of 1.

My name is in itself.

The letter "i" is in the word, "itself."

I am hiding in plain sight.

The letter "i" is also in the words "plain" and "sight."

I am damned if I don't and damned if I do.

You are "I," either way.

(Perhaps this riddle would be better if it rhymed...)

A little stumped on how this one would fit, except that "i" is in riddle, but only the "i" sound is in "rhymed" - and the sounds of the words are one of the elements of rhyme.

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  • $\begingroup$ I quite like this answer. It took a more literal approach. $(+1)$ $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Jun 29, 2018 at 4:04
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You are

A mythological little person

I am a number, I've a number of names.

Goes by many names. Gnome, Dwarf, Munchkins etc

My name is in itself.

My name in in 'itself' - elf

I am hiding in plain sight

A common trope, eg. The Hobbit, The Elf and the Shoemaker

I am damned if I don't and damned if I do.

Not a race of Humans so no matter what they have no otherworldly salvation

(Perhaps this riddle would be better if it rhymed...)

Another Elf helper trope. eg. Oompa Loompas

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You are

The word "in"

My name is in itself:

Rather, you are "In", itself

I am hiding in plain sight:

The word "in" is in the sentence as well as hiding at the end of the word "plain".

I am damned if I don't and damned if I do:

As in, are you in or are you out.

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  • $\begingroup$ I've added spoilers. Don't do that again please. $\endgroup$
    – user64742
    Jul 19, 2016 at 22:24
  • $\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling! Good answer! c: $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Jul 20, 2016 at 0:07
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    $\begingroup$ @TheGreatDuck: Spoilers are not required. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Jul 20, 2016 at 0:08
  • $\begingroup$ @Desouvi Yes they are! There have been posts removed in the past for no spoilers! It is a rule! $\endgroup$
    – user64742
    Jul 20, 2016 at 1:13
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You are

Magic, a number, a trick

Hiding in plain sight

Slight of hand, misdirection, illusion

Master of many, choosing to be a slave

Magic takes practice, you need to master it to be good, yet it's a tool to be used

Although there's a correct answer chosen already, I thought my answer still fits.

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