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Sometimes I'm very hard to hear,
So listen up and strain your ear.

With sixteen added, I'm twenty-three.
Or, with fourteen, I'll wave at you.
Bring me low and I'm just storage,
But call me up and I'll do removals.
Ancient outrage sends me to space,
But enthusiasm helps me to fit right.

What am I? (Hint: I'm not an alien removal guy at a party.)

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    $\begingroup$ You're an alien removal gal at a party. $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Feb 25, 2019 at 18:04

2 Answers 2

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Partial

Sometimes I'm very hard to hear,

A sigh can be hard to hear.

So listen up and strain your ear.

Sigh sounds like sie, which apparently means "to strain" among other things.

With sixteen added, I'm twenty-three.

Sigh + P (16th letter) sounds like "psi" (23th Greek letter).

Or, with fourteen, I'll wave at you.

Sigh + N (14th letter) sounds like "sign".

Bring me low and I'm just storage,

Sigh + low sounds like "silo".

But call me up and I'll do removals.

Sigh + phone sounds like "siphon" (from Tom)

Ancient outrage sends me to space,

Sigh + fie sounds like "sci-fi" (from Gareth McCaughan)

But enthusiasm helps me to fit right

Sigh + zing sounds like "sizing".

Title: Oh, what's he posting riddles about now?

"Sigh... What now?"

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  • $\begingroup$ You got the answer right! But some of the clues still need to be solved: removals, space, and the double meaning of the bit in italics. $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Feb 26, 2019 at 19:01
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    $\begingroup$ Sigh+fie = sci-fi ?! $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Feb 26, 2019 at 19:11
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    $\begingroup$ @GarethMcCaughan Nice! With "zing" that makes 2 new words I've learned today... $\endgroup$
    – Jafe
    Feb 26, 2019 at 19:13
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    $\begingroup$ Incidentally, I thought your idea for "removals" was very clever but I'm glad it was wrong :-). $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Feb 26, 2019 at 19:33
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    $\begingroup$ Removals may be si+phon(e). Sie is a new word for me, could there be a play on si+lent as anag. of listen up. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Feb 26, 2019 at 19:38
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I can’t help but think the answer is

‘G’ or Gee...

With sixteen added, I'm twenty-three.

G is the 7th letter, 7+16=23.

Or, with fourteen, I'll wave at you.

7+14=21, and the 21st letter is ‘U’.

Bring me low and I'm just storage,

What’s lower than the ‘G’round?

But call me up and I'll do removals.

‘G’iddy up helps a horse (and its rider) go away?

Ancient outrage sends me to space,

Outrage against ‘g’ravity or ‘G’-forces?

But enthusiasm helps me to fit right.

‘Gee’, I hope this answer is right!

I'm not an alien removal guy at a party.

So, not a ‘G’hostbuster?

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  • $\begingroup$ Nope. There's more to each line than that. I hope the intended answer will be a better/clearer fit than this, with more confirming clues :-) $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Feb 26, 2019 at 16:20
  • $\begingroup$ I figured as much — I’m not even close, am I? $\endgroup$
    – El-Guest
    Feb 26, 2019 at 18:05

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