15
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Now twenty sixteen has faded away:  
A terrible year, I really must say.  
People dying, relationships up messed,  
Elections and politics dividing the West.


I turn over on my side,
For all is upside down.
I piss again and again,
But really, why bother?

Just west of north,
I exist, but backwards.
Now you are here,
Coming twice for me.

Why do we do it?
Existential crisis!
For all is wrong again,
And we must fill the gap.


The above is a riddle to future from past.  
Here's to a better this year than last.  
Riddles and challenges must be solved  
On this great site, so far evolved.  
And to all of you, my wish for this year:  
That you find fun and ne'er shed a tear.
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2 Answers 2

11
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I believe the answer is:

Happy New Year!

It is hidden in the poem:

I turn over on my side, — H looks like an I with long serifs rotated by 90°
For all is upside down. — A looks like ∀ (for all) upside down
I piss again and again, — PP sounds like "pee"
But really, why bother? — Y encoded as "why"

Just west of north, — N for the leftmost or western letter of North
I exist, but backwards. — E looks like ∃ (exists) on its head
Now you are here,
Coming twice for me. — W is a double "you"

Why do we do it? — Y is "why" again
Existential crisis! — E is "exists" upside down like above
For all is wrong again, — A is "for all" upside down like above
And we must fill the gap. — R in "we are" fills the gap

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5
  • $\begingroup$ Well done, you successfully navigated the shoal of red herrings and found yourself here in 2017. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 5, 2017 at 17:03
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I'm not getting where that final R comes from. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 5, 2017 at 17:08
  • $\begingroup$ @ChrisCudmore: I'm not so sure, either, but I think it's either "are" filling the gap in "we —" or the R filling the gap in YEA—, although that's more like completing rather than filling. $\endgroup$
    – M Oehm
    Commented Jan 5, 2017 at 17:12
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ @Chris It's a sort of meta-non-clue: once you've found HAPPY NEW YEA, you just need to "fill the gap" to get the R. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 5, 2017 at 21:46
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @rand Happy New Year :D $\endgroup$
    – d'alar'cop
    Commented Jan 6, 2017 at 6:58
6
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Partial Findings -

First letters of first part gives NAPE(Which is back of a person's neck)

Now twenty sixteen has faded away:
A terrible year, I really must say.
People dying, relationships up messed,
Elections and politics dividing the West.

I think the middle part gives on

I turn over on my side, -> on is turned to no
For all is upside down. -> ou is upside down of on
I piss again and again,
But really, why bother?
Just west of north, -> West of north but backwards
I exist, but backwards.
Now you are here, -> Twice Here
Coming twice for me.


First letter of the following part gives - A FEW
Why do we do it?
Existential crisis!
For all is wrong again,
And we must fill the gap.


Taking first letter of the last part gives THROAT

The above is a riddle to future from past.
Here's to a better this year than last.
Riddles and challenges must be solved
On this great site, so far evolved.
And to all of you, my wish for this year:
That you find fun and ne'er shed a tear.

So..

I get NAPE ON A FEW THROAT which may or may not be the final answer :)

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1
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ You've successfully caught a red herring by its nape and then finished it off with a quick slash to the throat. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 3, 2017 at 23:26

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