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People think a part of me is sticky, but I'm not.
I do have a sticky friend though.

I can create almost anything,
but I'm not very creative.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it.
To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

What am I?

Hint:

People think a part of me is sticky, but I'm not.
I do have a sticky friend though.
 
I can create almost anything,
but I'm not very creative.
 
After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it.
To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

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    $\begingroup$ This has got to be the most unexpected hint I've read in a while. $\endgroup$
    – Ian MacDonald
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 14:00
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    $\begingroup$ My frist riddle :D Glad you all liked it! $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 29, 2018 at 8:10
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    $\begingroup$ ^ Good first riddle! :) $\endgroup$
    – m4n0
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 16:37
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    $\begingroup$ Best hint I've ever seen. $\endgroup$
    – ibrahim mahrir
    Commented Jul 1, 2018 at 23:00
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    $\begingroup$ @Hawker65 The best answer I've seen in a while. $\endgroup$
    – iBug
    Commented Jul 2, 2018 at 5:59

13 Answers 13

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You are:

Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V (Copy and Paste)

If you only have half of me, then I am no use

Why copy something if you can't paste it? And you can't paste something without a copy

People think a part of me is sticky, but I'm not

Copy doesn't do anything on itself.

I do have a sticky friend though

Copy is best friends with Paste.

I can create almost everything

You can copy pretty much all text

But I'm not very creative

But copy doesn't generate anything by itself

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it

You can't distinguish between copied text and the original

To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with

Of course it wasn't. It's a copy!

Hint:

It's a copy of the original

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    $\begingroup$ Good Answer :-) Part of me is sticky is probably paste (as a part of copy&paste) and the sticky friend could be the clipboard? (Things you put there will stick around if not overwritten?) $\endgroup$
    – Falco
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 14:35
  • $\begingroup$ Well done, i though @user11153 was quicker. But you beat him 5 min to it! $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 14:46
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    $\begingroup$ "And you can't paste something without a copy" CTRL+C isn't the only way to get something on your clipboard to paste; CTRL+X (Cut) also allows you to paste afterwards (though you can't cut everything you can copy). $\endgroup$
    – Anthony Grist
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 15:59
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    $\begingroup$ The hint (as exposed) is gorgeously twisted! $\endgroup$
    – Stilez
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 20:50
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    $\begingroup$ Translation for VI users : y and p $\endgroup$
    – Hawker65
    Commented Jul 2, 2018 at 8:28
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You are

CTRL+C

If you only have half of me, then I am of no use

Pressing only one button does not copy anything

People think a part of me is sticky, but i'm not.

Something about CTRL, that could be sticky key? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky_keys

I do have a sticky friend though.

CTRL+V

I can create almost anything, but i'm not very creative.

You can copy anything, but it must exist first.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it. To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

It was only a copy of the original thing.

And meaning of the hint:

Hint is a copy of the whole riddle.

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    $\begingroup$ Well done :) I was actually going for the combo of your first and 4th answer. But you got everything else right! $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 14:43
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Maybe you're

The "loop" side of Hook and Loop fastening (Velcro)

People think a part of me is sticky, but i'm not. I do have a sticky friend though.

the hook side might be considered "sticky," as it grabs onto the loop side.

I can create almost anything, but i'm not very creative.

This seems weak. It creates closed shoes/clothing/boxes from open ones? um...

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it. To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

The fastener is positioned between two objects, so it's hidden. It doesn't create anything, just puts two parts together.

The title:

The "loop" half doesn't do anything without the "hook" half. Then again... "A patch is used inside astronauts' helmets where it serves as a nose scratcher." - Wikipedia)

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  • $\begingroup$ Nope, but the little space fact was interesting :) $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 12:01
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    $\begingroup$ "To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with." It was a thing inspired by nature, and not created by an idea ... $\endgroup$
    – UKMonkey
    Commented Jun 29, 2018 at 14:45
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I think the answer is

Two part epoxy resin

If you only have half of me, then I am of no use

If you only have one part of a two part epoxy it will never set

People think a part of me is sticky, but i'm not.

The resin isn't sticky

I do have a sticky friend though.

but there are two part epoxy adhesives as well

I can create almost anything,

You can mold it into any form

but i'm not very creative.

but it's a molded product not the original

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it.

Mostly they set 'invisible'

To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with

Again, a replica of an original generated from a mold

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  • $\begingroup$ Your answer to 'creating almost anything' and 'not creative' kinda contradict. The things you create are quite creative. $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 13:09
  • $\begingroup$ This is similar to what I was thinking. For the "not very creative" bit, maybe it refers to a mold, which is typically just made using an existing representation of what you intend to make. It also works well with the "can't tell I did it" part and "not my creation to begin with" part. $\endgroup$
    – David Starkey
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 13:27
  • $\begingroup$ @DavidStarkey, thank you, I was thinking of a different product, but that makes more sense $\endgroup$
    – Separatrix
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 13:31
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My take is (Edited) :

Glue Bottle with a stick

People think a part of me is sticky, but I'm not. I do have a sticky friend though.

This line is been said by the stick which gets dipped in glue, which itself is not sticky but has a part sticky when it is dipped in. And the sticky friend refers to the glue inside the bottle

I can create almost anything, but I'm not very creative.

Create can be termed as joined or glued together. Gluing something isn't really creative.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it. To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

After gluing something together it can be hardly said that something was done unless some marks are left. We can think of a collage being stuck together. So people really don't admire the job of the glue. And the creation of collage was the initial step and later the role of glue stick and glue arrived.

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice try! But not what I was looking for. The title is also a hint :) $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 10:30
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Let me try... Are you

A Paintbrush?

If you only have half of me, then I am no use

You can't paint anything unless you have the paint and the brush

People think a part of me is sticky, but I'm not

The brush itself is not sticky

I do have a sticky friend though

Wet paint on the hairy part of the brush can be sticky

I can create almost everything

On paper, kinda

But I'm not very creative

Neither am I

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it

Paintbrushes tend to be washed after a painting

To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with

It was the artist's painting after all

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Is it possibly:

Scissors

People think a part of me is sticky, but i'm not. I do have a sticky friend though.

The scissors can sometimes stick inbetween the blades. Scissors and glue are commonly used in conjuction.

I can create almost anything, but i'm not very creative.

The person using them cuts what they desire, the scissors have no say.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it. To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

Cut a piece of paper in two, and you'll just see a smaller sheet of paper. Hard to tell it was cut; and again, the scissors cut what their owner makes them cut.

Title:

Can't use a pair of scissors if you're missing one of the blades.

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    $\begingroup$ You could add something about the title I think. $\endgroup$
    – Untitpoi
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 12:52
  • $\begingroup$ I like it a lot, not what I was looking for, but fits the bill. You can also make it work with the title hint. $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 12:52
  • $\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling.SE! I honestly thought you'd got it right for a minute there - it even matches the title ;) Good first answer! If you haven't already, feel free to take the tour and visit the help center to learn more about the site. $\endgroup$
    – F1Krazy
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 12:53
  • $\begingroup$ Ah, darn. Well thank you! Still fun nonetheless. $\endgroup$
    – Busse
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 13:04
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I think you are a:

Note. (A currency note)

Do people think you're sticky?

Maybe. Considering sometimes you guys do stick together and sometimes it creates issues big enough that news media cover it: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/30/sticky-plastic-bank-notes-could-leave-shoppers-paying-twice/

You have a sticky friend called:

Sticky Notes

You can create almost anything, because:

Money can create almost anything.

And after you've done your thing, nobody can tell you did it. Because you didn't do it:

The one who possessed you did

And most importantly:

Half a note is worthless.

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  • $\begingroup$ +1, that was my guess as well. $\endgroup$
    – Aubreal
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 14:19
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Maybe a bit of a stretch, but it answers the title at least:

Are you

A magnet

If you only have half of me, then I am of no use

One magnet doesn't do much on it's own, you need a second one or a ferromagnetic material.

People think a part of me is sticky, but i'm not.

Although magnets are not 'sticky' like glue or stickers, they do 'stick' to things.

I do have a sticky friend though.

You can use a magnet to stick a piece of paper up or you could just use actual post-its (a sticky friend).

I can create almost anything,

not sure, but magnetism and electricity are used to create a lot of things

but i'm not very creative.

not many things are directly made of magnets though.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it.
To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

sticking a magnet to something doesn't change it in any way

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  • $\begingroup$ I would rather say that "only have half of me" is useless because no such thing exists. $\endgroup$
    – user11153
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 13:36
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You are

piece of copy paper

If you only have half of me, then I am of no use

You can't copy anything with only one layer of sheet - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carbonless_copy_paper-en.svg

People think a part of me is sticky, but i'm not.

Layers could stick to themselves when pressed during copying.

I do have a sticky friend though.

Sticky notes

I can create almost anything, but i'm not very creative.

You can copy anything, but it must exist first.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it. To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

It was only a copy of the original thing.

And meaning of the hint:

Hint is a copy of the whole riddle.

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  • $\begingroup$ Very close! The last three are correct! $\endgroup$
    – SirDuckduck
    Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 14:08
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I think you are

Play Doh

People think a part of me is sticky, but I'm not. I do have a sticky friend though.

Play Doh, itself, isn't really sticky. It's counter part, silly putty, is.

I can create almost anything, but I'm not very creative.

By itself, Play Doh is a blob of flour, water, and salt. In the hands of a child, or even a master craftsman, Play Doh can be used to create anything.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it.

When you bake (cook?) Play Doh in an oven, it'll harden. Apply a coat of paint or something similar, and you can hardly tell it's there. This is especially useful for covering up holes in walls.

To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

It was the child's/craftsman's

Title: If you only have half of me, then I am of no use

If Play Doh is dried up, it's entirely useless. You have to add water to it to form things again.

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I think you are:

A modern digital camera

People think a part of me is sticky, but i'm not.

Sticky can mean complex or difficult instead of adhesive. People thing that getting into photography and taking great photos is really hard, but it isn't. It is easy to get into photography, and with modern camera's (such as in the iPhone) it is easy to take great pictures. If you are inexperienced, then great pictures come from many pictures and studying your results to learn from what you did.

I do have a sticky friend though.

old-school film camera: has film to develop, requires manual adjustment of focus, shutter, and such. Takes a lot time to tell if you did something wrong. A film camera only took a few dozen photos then ran out of film, while the digital cameras of today can take and store thousands of photos.

I can create almost anything,

It can take a picture of nearly anything

but i'm not very creative.

the camera only does what it has already been built and programmed to do. It doesn't invent new functionality on its own.

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it.

The modern camera does high dynamic range, panorama, color adjustment, and the pictures look realistic like what we see with our eyes so the complexity of the transformation is not visible to the viewer. In the best pictures the camera and the photographer are invisible, just a great capture of the subject that leads to an emotional response to the image.

To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

the camera captures what is, but doesn't create it. It doesn't act on its own, but is controlled by the photographer.

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Maybe you're

A chameleon

People think a part of me is sticky, but I'm not. I do have a sticky friend though.

Not sure...

I can create almost anything, but I'm not very creative.

The chameleon can create any pattern on its skin, but it isn't creative because it usually just copies its surroundings

After I have done my thing, you can't tell that I did it.

Once a chameleon is camouflaged, it is hard to see it

To be honest, it wasn't my creation to begin with.

The chameleon was created or evolved (depending on your belief) with the color-changing trait. It didn't create itself

Title: If you only have half of me, then I am of no use

Well yeah... What can you do with half a chameleon???

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    $\begingroup$ A lot of their 'friends' have sticky feet. These do not. $\endgroup$
    – Mazura
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 0:10

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