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I sometimes float, at times I don't,

Some people like me, some don't.

Millions see me, millions don't,

Let me be upfront, I'm not any kind of boat.

Almost everyone has seen me at least once in their lifetime,

Mind you, I only arrive if I'm given some time.

Don't give me too much time else my host will evolve,

If you want my host you definitely should resolve.

If you don't like me, throw me out,

if you don't I'll spread out.

What am I?

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  • 2
    $\begingroup$ +1 just to ruin your 666 reputation. joke - now seriously, maybe is too broad. at least for the first 5 sentences $\endgroup$
    – lois6b
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 12:20
  • $\begingroup$ @lois6b I'll send you a message when it's 777. I'll add a few more hints ASAP. I need a few mins to think :) $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 12:20
  • $\begingroup$ -1 for trying to rhyme "don't" with "boat". (not really) $\endgroup$
    – Trevor Powell
    Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 6:20
  • $\begingroup$ @TrevorPowell I was trying to reduce the scope of the answer by that line. A lot of people would answer boat, ships, cruise etc seeing float on the first line. $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 6:26
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    $\begingroup$ @pnschofield Programming and Computer Science infiltrates our brains. Doesn't it? $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Mar 7, 2017 at 1:43

5 Answers 5

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Is it -

Milk Cream

I sometimes float, at times I don't,

Cream floats over normal milk but not over skimmed milk

Some people like me, some don't.

Very true

Millions see me, millions don't,

People who drink skimmed milk don't see me.

Let me be upfront, I'm not any kind of boat.

Cream isn't a boat, cruise or any such vehicle and doesn't float on water.

Almost everyone has seen me at least once in their lifetime,

Ofcourse.

Mind you, I only arrive if I'm given some time.

It appears after the boiled milk is kept away for some time.

If you don't like me, throw me out,

if you don't I'll spread out.

If you don't like it you just remove it and throw it out. Else it will spread into entire milk.

Don't give me too much time else my host will evolve,

It can be used to make several other dairy products.

If you want my host you definitely should resolve.

If you want milk (i.e I float on it, therefore host) you should resolve to drink it before it turns into curd.

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  • $\begingroup$ I'm going to edit it to clarify some clues :) $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 14:55
  • $\begingroup$ Sure. Go ahead. $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 14:55
  • $\begingroup$ up for a chat? I want some feedback to make better puzzles. You haven't given a link to any social media. $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 14:59
  • $\begingroup$ Techidiot Please join chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/48419/… whenever you get the time :) $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 11:39
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It might generate multiple answers. Here is one -

Is it -

Trash

I sometimes float, at times I don't,

Float on water. Sometimes not.

Some people like me, some don't.

Normal people don't like it while trash retailers do

Millions see me, millions don't,

A clean country with millions dont see it around. Rest see it.

Let me be upfront, I'm not any kind of boat.

Not sure if there is anything to prove here.

Almost everyone has seen me at least once in their lifetime,

Offcourse.

Mind you, I only arrive if I'm given some time.

Given some amount of time it gathers.

If you don't like me, throw me out,

if you don't I'll spread out.

Self Explanatory.

Update

Don't give me too much time else my host will evolve,

If you don't clean it up for a long time, it will spread the diseases.

If you want my host you definitely should resolve.

If you want to identify the disease, you need to resolve and find out the trash which might have caused it.

Another answer might be

A thought

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice answer +1. I edited the question 5 mins before you posted an answer. You were probably writing this answer when I edited the question. If possible try fitting the two new hints as well :) $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 12:34
  • $\begingroup$ @Abhirath Done. :) $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 12:43
  • $\begingroup$ @Abhirath Mahipal- Added another one here. $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 14:01
  • $\begingroup$ You could have posted another answer.... $\endgroup$
    – Sid
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 14:09
  • $\begingroup$ I thought I might catch downvoters if I did that. You never know :) Anyway, both are mine so no problems. $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 14:10
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How about something like

MOULD? (My original thought was a VIRUS, but mould seems to fit at least the second line better.)

I sometimes float, at times I don't,

Probably? Different kinds of mould etc.

Some people like me, some don't.

Mould on blue cheese can be delicious, but most mould is unwanted and disliked.

Millions see me, millions don't,

Mould is often seen, but sometimes it's not seen - it might be inside your walls.

Let me be upfront, I'm not any kind of boat.

Indeed.

Almost everyone has seen me at least once in their lifetime,

Yes, probably.

Mind you, I only arrive if I'm given some time.

Mould needs time to grow.

Don't give me too much time else my host will evolve,

If you want my host you definitely should resolve.

Not entirely sure about these lines, but mould definitely had a 'host'.

If you don't like me, throw me out,

if you don't I'll spread out.

Pretty self-explanatory, I think.

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    $\begingroup$ I figured Mushrooms for the same reasons as this $\endgroup$
    – SpoonerNZ
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 15:47
  • $\begingroup$ Nice try but not the answer :) $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 6:27
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I think

Viral Diseases

I sometimes float, at times I don't,

water-borne diseases

Some people like me, some don't.

People like to see other people get ill. (Bad guys!)

Millions see me, millions don't

Millions of people are sick due to virus every year.

Let me be upfront, I'm not any kind of boat.

Probably just for rhyme

Almost everyone has seen me at least once in their lifetime,

People get sick at least once in their lifetime,mainly due to viral diseases

Mind you, I only arrive if I'm given some time.

Yes, You experience the first symptoms only after the virus enters your body and starts to replicate

Don't give me too much time else my host will evolve,

Viruses have RNA as their genome. They evolve at a faster rate. Host means humans who start developing resistance to such diseases.

If you want my host you definitely should resolve.

Not sure,probably means it takes effort to save a person from a deadly viral disease

If you don't like me, throw me out,

if you don't I'll spread out.

Probably means, prevent the disease or it will spread at a very fast rate through your family...

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice attempt +1. I expected this answer. So I clearly mentioned almost everyone has seen me in their life :) $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 14:15
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It is

Bacteria?

I sometimes float, at times I don't,

They do both

Some people like me, some don't.

When they give disease we hate them, when given in vaccines we like them (some hate that too :D)

Millions see me, millions don't,

They are visible to many organisms, and invisible to many

Let me be upfront, I'm not any kind of boat.

:)

Almost everyone has seen me at least once in their lifetime,

Everyone gets vaccine has seen them.Then there are many examples like rotten food, feces etc

Mind you, I only arrive if I'm given some time.

They take time to gestate and in proper conditions

Don't give me too much time else my host will evolve,

They affect their host: in humans positive and negative effects are there , they rot food etc

If you want my host you definitely should resolve.

I didn't understand this sentence much, one explanation is to save the host (food/animal/human) one needs a solution (resolve)

If you don't like me, throw me out,

Anything which has bacteria growth and is not liked is thrown out.

if you don't I'll spread out.

We all know this and have experienced this :D

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  • $\begingroup$ Heh, we both posted pretty similar answers at the same time :-) $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 13:19
  • $\begingroup$ Um, wat - you shadow-edited your answer to nothing just seconds before I edited it to fix the spoilertags, so now it looks like I wrote your answer for you! $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 13:20
  • $\begingroup$ Haha @randal'thor, my text was not getting hidden. Isn't ">!" the right syntax? $\endgroup$
    – Netham
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 13:21
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, but you put "!>" at first, which doesn't work. $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 13:22

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