Talk:2944: Magnet Fishing

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Revision as of 20:45, 10 June 2024 by 172.68.50.13 (talk)
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Isn't the solution to make the competition like skiing: The participants take turns fishing, instead of all fishing at the same time? And they're judged on how quickly they can "catch" a magnet in the water. Barmar (talk) 15:44, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

Title text

I believe the first "ten-way tie" refers to calling the competition a "tie" between ten competitors. It's more common in British English, but can be used as a synonym for game/match/etc. So it's saying "the ten-person match was judged a ten-way draw"

It's a pun on tie meaning to knot/tangle the lines, and tie in the sense of competitors finishing equally. 172.70.134.117 18:29, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

Title text

I believe the first "ten-way tie" refers to calling the competition a "tie" between ten competitors. It's more common in British English, but can be used as a synonym for game/match/etc. So it's saying "the ten-person match was judged a ten-way draw".

The prize is also a bit of wordplay. It refers to a magnetic monopole as already noted, but is also a joke, as a regular fishing pole is technically a "monopole". I've never personally seen a fishing dipole, but I suppose they could exist!

Triple pun for some speakers

I found it funny that in Austrian, monopole is "Monopol", and we use the same word for monopole and monopoly! The prize also feels special if you have a monopoly on magnet fishing - without all the others interfering with your magnet like in the comic.

First time ever posting here. Keep up the good spirit! 172.68.50.13 20:45, 10 June 2024 (UTC)