KK Challenge 4—Acidic Acid

Another question from my recent KK Challenge 4, which was discussed with the masters shortly after the hunt. I had intended to discuss it in this blog earlier on, but had somehow forgotten about it until it came up again in a recent exchange of emails with the master.

Q) Partially dry acid at this retail outlet?

The kind of question that might be considered as "loose" when the components are treated independently. For example, "partially dry", if taken independently (and literally) might be referring to the word "damp" or "lembab". It can also mean "dr" or "ry" cryptically (partial of the word dry). In that sense one might say it's not an exclusive fit.

Then the word "acid" might be referring to, say, amino or hydrochloric; "retail outlet" might be shop, supermarket etc.

Three components with several possibilities with not much else in the clue to help the solver. The way to solve this question is to scan the sector and hopefully find something there will fit all these 3 components.

A) Dr Phone Shop

Partially dry = DR

acid = PHONE (pH1)

retail outlet = SHOP

The answer on the board covers all the components found in the question. But although the master found this answer, she wasn't very happy with ACID = PHONE.

Now we all know our basic science—pH7 is neutral; above pH7 is alkaline; less than pH7 is acidic. The question we need to ask ourselves now is: Can we agree to equate pH1 to ACID?

After all, pH is a measurement of acidity/alkaline. Therefore, shouldn't we say that pH1 is acidic rather than acid?

My answer is yes, we can equate pH1 to ACID. When I was working on this question, I foresaw this argument coming. In fact, I tried very hard to adopt the word acidic instead of acid. But I couldn't make a decent sentence with acidic. Since I was forced to use the word acid, I had to think hard and long on its accuracy in this context.

One of the many meanings of the word acid is "having pH less than 7". After a lengthy consideration, I decided it is OK to use acid because pH1 is acidic. And an acid is most certainly acidic.

Consider this hypothetical question:

Q) Acid?

A) pH1

If you can't find, say, amino or hydrochloric within that sector, would you opt for pH1 as your answer, assuming there is a board containing that? And would you be happy with that answer?

Now consider this famous question discussed in the RR Blog some time ago:

Q) ELIAM

A) YONEX

Now this is a little bit more complicated. The "I" in the middle of the question is a roman numeral for ONE; and it is contained by the word ELAM (MALE reversed). The setter had intended to equate MALE to XY.

Let's ask that question along similar lines again: Can we accept XY = MALE?

Scientifically speaking, X and Y are names given to the sex chromosomes. The combination of the X and Y chromosomes would result in the male gender. So strictly speaking, XY = CHROMOSOMES or at least GENES. But to equate XY to MALE is a bit loose. One might question the possibility of XY referring to other mathematical formula?

But, if taken as a whole, the ONE supports and confirms the XY, which is reversed to become YONEX.

My view is that if we have a hypothetical question of, say:

Q) XY

A) MALE

I would not accept it.

XY need not necessarily refer to the sex chromosomes. But in the actual hunt question, there is that ONE to confirm the answer. So in that case, I would accept it.

I think sometimes we need to look at the question from the overall point of view. But of course if we can come up with a perfect fit for all the components of the question, even if treated independently, that is even better!