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Yukowsky asserts in the penultimate chapter of his climax that the readers are required to search for and submit a solution to the situation he's presented. And that if no reader can solve it, then [dissappointing ending] will occur.

In the next chapter an ending is presented.

Specifically the happy, "there's a solution" ending.

Is it known whether that was actually the result of the actions (or inactions) of the readership? Or is that merely a 4th wall conceit / community engagement prod.

Was there truly any uncertainty in the author's mind about how the story would progress?

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  • I recognise that the answer may well be "we don't know, and we've no reason to think that we ever will". But the other alternative is reasonably easy to substantiate if it's true - if the author has declared an answer, or if the readership community publicly declared its solution or absence of one.
    – Brondahl
    Commented Sep 13, 2023 at 15:11
  • reddit.com/r/HPMOR/comments/6dajn2/final_exam_answers
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented Sep 13, 2023 at 15:30
  • Also lesswrong.com/posts/4BBYJ7pcGrQtYTrtv/…. That said, I haven't found any indication that they were the "right" solution.
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented Sep 13, 2023 at 15:33

1 Answer 1

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Based on the Link that @FuzzyBoots provided I personally would have accepted one of the quite early posts as a successful solution to the problem given that it closely mirrors the solution presented at the end of HPMOR.

By jimrandomh

The main weapon at Harry's disposal is partial transfiguration.

There are weapons Harry can make with low volume and low mass. If the configuration is not too complex for the time available, he could try transfiguring a cross-section that passes through the brains of each of the death eaters.

Harry does in fact end up using partial transfiguration to create a low volume, low mass weapon that is used to remove all enemies at once. Whether the original author accepted this or another answer at the time is not something I could confirm.

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  • 1
    I think someone also specifically pointed out the foreshadowing for monofilament wire.
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented Sep 14, 2023 at 13:45
  • Indeed the two specific solutions of (ROT13) anab-svynzrag jver + qverpgvbany genafsvthengvba + genafsvther ntnvafg grafvba, and Fghcbesl sebz Syvgjvpx are actively mentioned in there.
    – Brondahl
    Commented Sep 14, 2023 at 13:46

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