Wiki143:Wikifun/Round 12/Answers/Question 16

The trick answer...

Well, the answer could be "a Swiss mobile", if Ravn enjoys his trick questions. Sikyanakotik 04:57, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

It is not, I am sorry. -- Ravn 10:08, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

It's not gonna be a Swiss Army knife, is it? It's Swiss, and, and it's mobile. Ghelae 17:14, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

No, sorry. No tricks involved. -- Ravn 17:34, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

Strange Ideas

"When you turn this , you create a cybernetic ninja." - "this ," - Is there a reason why there is a space before the comma, is it a clue, or aren't you very good with grammar? - Ghelae 12:14, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

There is a reason aside from my bad grammar. -- Ravn 16:26, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

I see. It has become clear. The only thing that isn't is the answer... The answer is an actual word, right?

And is the Swiss mobile related to Swisscom, Orange or Sunrise? Fetofs ^Hello! 11:04, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

No. -- Ravn 12:47, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

turn this...

dial

Frustration

Thanks to that hint I have the answers to all the clues except the one with the comma. Could you confirm whether using the word 'comma' is correct or is it some other word? --Spondoolicks 19:25, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

It's another word, but it's related. Why the frustration? -- Ravn 20:21, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

Eureka! Working backwards from cybernetic ninjas I found plenk which is a word I've never heard of before but I will try and slip into my conversations as often as possible from now on.

Full answer

In each case, each letter in a word is swapped with the corresponding one from the other half of the alphabet. A<->N, B<->O, etc. (i.e. a Caesar shift of 13).

So terra becomes green

• Now here becomes abjurer
• centre becomes prager - i.e. Dennis Prager, US talk-show host.
• plenk becomes Cyrax
• and Natel becomes angry

Phew! --Spondoolicks 20:58, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

How do you find those things, especially the mobile? (looks like you were stuck on the easier part for me, lol) Fetofs ^Hello! 12:46, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

How do I find them? Well it helps being a super-intelligent cyborg from the year 3286 with a quantum computer brain linked directly into the primitive system you call the internet but mainly it was just luck. The Swiss mobile was the first thing I got but it was also the only thing I got for some time. --Spondoolicks 21:00, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

Congratulations. That's correct. (N.B: A Caesar shift of 13 is what you also call ROT13.) A little shell script applied on the list of Wikipedia article titles helped me to find these pairs. -- Ravn 10:05, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

I postulate as candidate for the "fruitless search in the wrong direction for the longest time"... — MFH:Talk 12:34, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

I accept the application. Feel free to add a substantiation, for the case that you have to tie with other candidates. ;) -- Ravn 13:58, 17 February 2006 (UTC)