[SteveC]

Egyptologists.

[invfish]

The Ford of the Ox part could be this:

The 'ford of the ox' is another name for 'Bosphorus'.
Url: http://home.xtra.co.nz/hosts/Wingmakers/Pavo.html - third paragraph down.

Bosphorus is a straight that is located near the Nile. More info on Bosphorus here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosphorus

=)

[Kirjava]

Hmm, I still think Alan Gardiner fits best. Since it already includes the Oxford joke, why couldn't there be a pun on Gardiner sounding like gardener? Turning to something from yet *another* scholar from Liverpool, such a play on words sounds like it would be just the sort of thing the Egyptians would have liked!

Quote:

Emi Shirikawa, University of Liverpool Choice of Vocabularies: Word Play in Ancient Egypt Literature in ancient Egypt demonstrates exploitation of word plays in a variety of poetic forms....Multiple meaning (Double-Entendre), alliteration and homophony of sounds, metaphor, and allusion are the main techniques of visual and verbal play....

[invfish]

napier wrote:

i spoke to an Egyptologist friend of mine & part of his v brief translation was "there are two lines of burble about writing about Egypt" i'm afraid i'm with the Oxford translation, IMHO

Everywhere in Egypt there is writing about Egypt. Egypt is basically sand and writing.

If it wasn't for the "I make the plants and the trees grow" I would be inclined to think it is Alan. 'Hu' or 'Hapi' are the only ones that satisfy all points.
Also, Papyrus was made on the banks of the Nile. Papyrus being the first paper ever created I am sure would have been awesome to Scribes. No more carving up large blocks of sandstone.

[Salkunh]

napier wrote:

i'm afraid i'm with the Oxford translation, IMHO

there was an oxford translation? The only ones on here are by Liverpool Uni ppl

[napier]

i spoke to an Egyptologist friend of mine & part of his v brief translation was

"there are two lines of burble about writing about Egypt"

i'm afraid i'm with the Oxford translation, IMHO

[invfish]

Salkunh wrote:

my transliteration is (bar missing out 1 word) exactly the same but instead of writing it out conventionally I wrote it in computer standard

Hi Salkunh.. Im a little confused. Are you saying your transcription is incorrect and it should read as the new one?

I have a feeling that the true intrepretation is somwhere in the middle of the two. Mainly because of the 4th line. In the newer interpretation it doesn't seem to resemble a riddle as the rest of the lines do. As for your interpretation the 4th line is more of a riddle.

In both cases The River Nile could still be the answer. Why? because Alan Gardiner did not make the plants and the trees grow. Also, I am going with your interpretation of line 4 - papyrus wouldn't of existed without the Nile.

I have another theory tho:

I am putting spoilers over these just incase that it is on the right track, or a solve.

There are two things though that I am uncertain on.. scribe of his finger

The Instruction of Amenemope wrote:

Chapter 15 Do well, and you will attain influence. Do not dip (your) reed against the one who sins. The beak of the Ibis is the finger of the scribe; Take care not to disturb it; The Ape (Thoth) rests (in) the temple of Khmun, While his eye travels around the Two Lands; If he sees one who sins with his finger (that is, a false scribe), he takes away his provisions by the flood. As for a scribe who sins with his finger, His son shall not be enrolled.

would refer to:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

Thoth: http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/thoth.htm. Except I can only find texts that suggest he was a scribe and nothing more (doesn't seem to have attributed to plant life). He also wrote the secrets of secrets which would go with the cards name. I woudl rule him out though because of the fact that he didn't attribute to plant growth.

That was the first thing.

The second thing is the answer to the card could be who the Egyptians believed to be the God of the River Nile :

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

'Hapi'http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/hapi.htm. He is the personification of the Nile. So if the scribe references within the riddle refer to papyrus fact then the answer could be Hapi.

The only other answer that the interpretation could be is:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

'Hu' - http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/hu.htm Who seems to fit all the answers of the riddle. Hu was seen as a creator and also the word of God. Also, it add's a nice twist to the "who/what is my name?"

If there is any reason why you think it could not be the last option. Please let me know why.

[Kirjava]

Cool solve! And bring on the Latin!

Here's a picture of that suggestively-shaped pyramid that Beano mentioned:
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/meidump12.jpg

Pretty neat, but I'm not sure there's any connection. Somehow I think PMs would get in trouble if they expected us to dig up an ancient historical monument to get the Cube!

Poor Egyptians- their brilliant achievements claimed for the aliens and now even the Cubists!

[[PCGF]dbarnett]

jbd wrote:

I believe the moral of the story here is to be careful with the silver and blacks. Maybe we'll see the return of the 3D cryptic crossword in Latin.

*looks around*dont give the PMs ideas!

[jbd]

NovacaineX wrote:

Quote: 3D cryptic crossword in Latin Now that sounds like a challenge! Bring it on!

I was referencing Timehunt which had an actual one of these. I stayed up with friends overnight (like 6 hours) to crack it. Whee!

I fixed up the wiki with the solve, hope y'all don't mind.

[Rob_Riv]

NovacaineX wrote:

Quote: 3D cryptic crossword in Latin Now that sounds like a challenge! Bring it on!

... you're just asking for trouble

[NovacaineX]

Quote:

3D cryptic crossword in Latin

Now that sounds like a challenge!

Bring it on!

[beano³]

I doubt it's the last time we realise how complex some puzzles are

[jbd]

I believe the moral of the story here is to be careful with the silver and blacks. Maybe we'll see the return of the 3D cryptic crossword in Latin.

[NovacaineX]

Great solve. I think this translation makes a lot more sense. Good work Sarah