Talk:589: Designated Drivers

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Revision as of 18:54, 7 February 2014 by 108.162.219.58 (talk)
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I think I read a reference to the goat/wolf puzzle in an older comic. 108.162.212.196 18:08, 1 January 2014 (UTC)

Why no explanation of the third panel? Is it because it doesn't make sense? That seems unlike Randall, so I'll have a go.

Proposed Order of Events:

  • On the diagram, we see three figures entering the bar, and three lines entering dinner (probably Paul, and Emily and Julie). That makes six people altogether.
  • Of the three at the bar, two go to dinner and one goes straight to the party
  • All five people leave the dinner and go to the party, joining the sixth.
  • Two of the six leave the party together (Julie and Emily at 10pm)
  • One of the six leaves the party and goes back to the dinner venue, and from there goes home.
  • One of the six leaves the party and goes back to the bar
  • The last two leave the party and on their way home, appear to join up with the one who went back to the bar

Because there are no times or identities assigned to the paths, other interpretations are possible.

Notes:

  • The diagram as a whole has six entries and six exits, as does each venue. There are definitely six people who all enter from the outside, and eventually leave.
  • Why are there four people visible in the first panel, but only three people start at the bar? That part makes no sense. To match the diagram to the comic, we have to pretend that there are only three people in the first panel.
  • Who is Tom? He must be one of the people visible in the first panel, even though he is spoken about as though he wasn't there.


Ignoring the goat for now, how many drivers do we need?

  • Most cars can take five people at a pinch, so sheer numbers don't seem to be the issue.
  • You need two drivers (and two cars) if people were leaving at different times, or heading in entirely different directions.
  • Presumably, Julie and Emily arrive in their own car and also leave in it. Ignore them for now..
  • Someone drives back from the party to the dinner, and then home. This must be one of the people from the first panel, and they must have their own car.

Proposal:

  • There are only three people at the bar, Tom, Megan and (I'll say) David. They each have their own car.
  • David drives to the party. Tom and Megan drive separately to the dinner, one of them collecting Paul on the way.
  • Tom and Megan drive from the dinner to the party; Paul rides with one of them.
  • Megan later drives back to the dinner venue, then home.
  • Paul later drives Tom's car back to the bar, and proceeds to get drunk.
  • David drives Tom a ride to the bar, to collect his car and drive Paul home.

Note that this scenario implies that everybody who is initially at the bar has to be a designated driver.

And I have still not considered the goat.

Any other interpretations would be welcome! I am not really satisfied with this but got tired of thinking about it.108.162.219.58 18:52, 7 February 2014 (UTC)