@Tuxman:Congratulations! On the first puzzle,
you passed the pedantic test that I would apply.
You are thus half-way to being cordially invited - as a probationary member - to join
TASOP - The Anonymous Society of Pedants (formerly The Society of Pedants; formerly The Pedants' Society; formerly The Pedant's Society; formerly The Pedants Society), and of which I am currently the Anonymous Chairman (so please don't refer to me by name as it may be a different person tomorrow as the role is randomly rotated, anonymously, amongst members).
By the way, the first puzzle/answer combo was provided on a BBC World Service panel game some years ago (I think it was "Does the team think?", or something like that), and I noted it down as I found it amusing, though not entirely correct. However,
because it was not entirely correct, I considered that it would make an ideal test of the first of the two primary criteria necessary for invitation - as a probationary member - to the membership of TASOP.
Those two criteria are:
- (a) the demonstration of pedantry and
- (b) the demonstration of good general knowledge or the capacity to expand one's general knowledge in order to understand something.
Failure to meet either or both of these criteria means
a failure to be invited to TASOP as a probationary member. Probationary membership
is by invitation only. Following acceptance of the invitation, probationary members may enter into full membership, but only after acceptance by majority vote by the full members, following the successful conclusion of at least three debates that all probationary members have to take part in to gain entry and which demonstrates each probationary member's ability to satisfactorily meet the two criteria (above) to a consistently sustainable level. There is no honorary membership status. Full members who are not or do not wish to be actively involved in TASOP may retire or be retired from active membership with the status of
Fellows of TASOP and are free to subsequently return to full active membership later, if they so wish and can find the time/energy to be actively involved.
On the second puzzle (sourced from the very same BBC program as was the first puzzle), you unfortunately
failed to demonstrate both good general knowledge
and the capacity to
expand one's general knowledge in order to understand something.
Regrettably, I am therefore unable to extend a cordial invitation to you to join
TASOP as a probationary member. Better luck next time, if there is a next time.
