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Two housemates lived in close confines
yet never crossed each other's lines
Within the same walls for nearly a year
they dwelled without even sharing a beer
Most of their time was spent in the vicinity
they had private rooms but they shared amenities
Yet despite spending so much time in the same place
they didn't so much as see each other's face.

How did these two manage to live for such a long time in close proximity but never so much as run into each other?

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5 Answers 5

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I believe the answer is that they are

twins.

The divided housemates

Their cells divided as they grow.

Two housemates lived in close confines yet never crossed each other's lines

"Lines" refers to umbilical cords.

Within the same walls for nearly a year

They were in their mother's womb for nine months.

they dwelled without even sharing a beer

Their mother went without alcohol during pregnancy.

Most of their time was spent in the vicinity they had private rooms but they shared amenities

They had their own amniotic sacs but were both nurtured from their mother.

Yet despite spending so much time in the same place they didn't so much as see each other's face.

They could not yet see.

Special thanks to Bass for explanations to several clues!

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    $\begingroup$ "They had private rooms -> rot13(gurl ner qvmltbgvp gjvaf, fb gurl ner va frcnengr cynpragnf) $\endgroup$ Jun 25, 2018 at 10:11
  • $\begingroup$ @noedne aren't twins in the same "room"? And don't they both feed from their mother? These guys didn't "share a beer".... $\endgroup$
    – Astralbee
    Jun 25, 2018 at 10:14
  • $\begingroup$ @Astralbee see my comment :) $\endgroup$ Jun 25, 2018 at 10:15
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    $\begingroup$ Non-identical twins always have their own rooms (amniotic sacs), and there won't be any beer in the mother to share, since drinking during pregnancy isn't a done thing. Also, the housemates are "divided" (as per topic) in the sense that how they got from a zygote to being a multi-celled organism. If this isn't the intended answer, the fault doesn't lie in the answer itself; everything (well maybe apart from the crossing lines) fits better than most riddles' intended answers. $\endgroup$
    – Bass
    Jun 25, 2018 at 11:09
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    $\begingroup$ @Astralbee, ah sorry, mistook your earlier comment's intentions. $\endgroup$
    – Bass
    Jun 25, 2018 at 13:17
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I bet noedne's answer is the intended one, but I suggest that another that (less interestingly) fits everything is

that they are two prisoners in solitary confinement in the same prison.

Two housemates lived in close confines

Perhaps they are even kept in adjacent cells.

yet never crossed each other's lines

Only allowed out rarely, never allowed to see anyone else but prison staff.

Within the same walls for nearly a year

Solitary confinement sentences can be anywhere from a few days to many years.

they dwelled without even sharing a beer

Prisoners in solitary aren't allowed to see one another. Also, not much beer in a typical high-security prison.

Most of their time was spent in the vicinity

As I said above, perhaps even adjacent cells.

they had private rooms but they shared amenities

Things like toilets and medical facilities may be shared.

Yet despite spending so much time in the same place
they didn't so much as see each other's face.

Again, prisoners in solitary aren't allowed to see one another.

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They are

hot water and cold water

because

They are in separate pipes (private rooms) but share amenities (connected to the same appliances). They never cross each other, and have no faces to see.

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They are:

clocks

Two housemates lived in close confines yet never crossed each other's lines

Their hands never cross

Within the same walls for nearly a year they dwelled without even sharing a beer

you've got to put some effort into spilling a single beer over 2 clocks

Most of their time was spent in the vicinity

a subtle hint there with "time" ;)

they had private rooms but they shared amenities Yet despite spending so much time in the same place they didn't so much as see each other's face.

Clocks have a face, but can not see; and are rarely place in the same room.

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One possible answer (among many)

One works during the day, the other during the night.

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