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  • Mack always moves in straight lines, turns at right angles.
  • Zag moves in a helpless way at first, but can develop later.
  • You may have met Mack and Zag aboard the 64.

In a dream, Mack said to Zag: "We can't hug but we can kiss. Please lend me your cat for I haven't taken my pills!"

What are the real identities of Mack and Zag?

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    $\begingroup$ Is the fact that Mack says "borrow me your cat" rather than "lend me your cat" deliberate? (I think some languages don't have separate words for "borrow" and "lend", so if CyberianRat happens to be a native speaker of such a language this would be a natural mistake to make. But perhaps it's a clue.) $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 15:13
  • $\begingroup$ @Gareth, thanks, I wasn't aware of this distinction in English $\endgroup$
    – CyberianRat
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 15:16
  • $\begingroup$ Hmm thinking it could be cell phone/tablets charging slot and the USB slot. Pills might be tablets.. Well not sure about 64 though $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 15:50
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    $\begingroup$ 64: Commodore 64? This sounds kinda like they are from a game $\endgroup$
    – Areeb
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 16:40
  • $\begingroup$ Did you mean "straight" angles (180º), or "right" angles (90º)? $\endgroup$
    – Rodrigo Salgado Atala
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 17:52

2 Answers 2

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Mack and Zag are, respectively,

Pac-Man from Pac-Man and Wizball from Wizball, both being video game characters.

Explanation

The dream:

"We can't hug but we can kiss."

Neither Pac-Man nor Wizball have arms (they can't hug), but they both have mouths (they can kiss).

"Please lend me your cat for I haven't taken my pills!"

The cat is Wizball's companion, Catellite, which helps him in the game.
The pills refer to Pac-Man's power pills, which allow him to eat the ghosts that chase him.

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    $\begingroup$ This should be the answer. +1 And for C64 you can add this link $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Commented Nov 7, 2016 at 2:21
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    $\begingroup$ This may help: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizball $\endgroup$
    – kayzeroshort
    Commented Nov 7, 2016 at 14:12
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    $\begingroup$ Marked as correct. Even without knowing Zag's identity, Rodrigo solved all the key parts of the puzzle, congratulations! Kayzeroshot's comment completes it. $\endgroup$
    – CyberianRat
    Commented Nov 7, 2016 at 17:00
  • $\begingroup$ @CyberianRat Wow, that's nice. :) I'll edit the answer later today, when I have a little more time, in order to update it with kayzeroshort's contribution. $\endgroup$
    – Rodrigo Salgado Atala
    Commented Nov 7, 2016 at 19:48
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Here's something I have

Mack and Zag are chess pieces.
Mack is the rook.
Zag is probably the pawn(Thanks,Gareth)
And the kiss probably means en passant of the pawn which is French.(Saiid from the Sphinx Lair) The dream part is where my theory fails
(Note)- [Gareth McCaughan mentioned this in the Sphinx Lair chat but I had independently come up with this as well.]

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    $\begingroup$ *cough* where did you get the kiss part from? $\endgroup$
    – TrojanByAccident
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 17:22
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    $\begingroup$ Oh, dear, I forgot... Added your contribution $\endgroup$
    – Sid
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 17:36
  • $\begingroup$ A chess board has 64 squares? $\endgroup$
    – Areeb
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 18:44
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    $\begingroup$ @Areeb yes, they are 8x8. $\endgroup$
    – TrojanByAccident
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 18:49
  • $\begingroup$ @Saiid I meant that as a solution to the third bullet point $\endgroup$
    – Areeb
    Commented Nov 6, 2016 at 18:58

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