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About this quote

What does it mean?
This is a riddle referencing a story where the word 'chess' is the solution, but the specific prohibited word is often related to the pieces involved.
In plain terms
A riddle asks for the one word you cannot say when the answer is chess.
What can you take from it?
Some riddles restrict words to force clever thinking.

Where it applies

  • reading puzzles
  • word games
  • story analysis

Putting it to work

  • solving riddles
  • language games
  • critical thinking

Questions to consider

  • What word would restrict the game of chess?
  • How do rules limit creativity?

Another view

Without context from the specific story, the prohibited word is hard to verify.

More from Jorge Luis Borges

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  3. In the work of Ts'ui Pen, all possible outcomes occur; each one is the point of departure for other forkings. Sometimes, the paths of this labyrinth converge: …

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