Posted by recouperating muppet on January 04, 2006 at 23:56:29:
In Reply to: I hate muppets in exasperation posted by PS on January 04, 2006 at 13:01:23:
: : ...no one saw anything, or at least posted anything, other than about the typo!
: : ...I would actually like to know if anyone understood the puzzle.
: : ...So before I start running around flailing my arms in the air like a muppet in exasperation, I'll just stop there and if anyone wants to venture an explanation as to why British Tom thought the man was trying to commit suicide go ahead.
: It wasn't because (as I implied below in my response to the typo) that he had made an official declaration of suicide? Then I don't get it either. Please explain. I hate muppets in exasperation.
It has to do with the grammar of the sentence...Particularly a slightly outdated British usage that I do actually remember hearing from time to time in English class...though it was never common in American speech. The hook of the puzzle is that British Tom understood it according to this grammar, but the sentence could mean something different if the speaker was not using the British grammar.
Just in case anyone else is thinking of trying it, I'll wait to post the answer until tomorrow morning. Someone lurking out there has to know this...c'mon teachers, writers, internet junkies who know how to find obscure stuff...come out of the shadows! If you don't answer, this thread shall die and no one will save it...or was that the other way around...