The problem is that whether a contribution is accepted sometimes seems to be more about luck than merit. I have lost count of how many times I have searched for

The problem is that whether a contribution is accepted sometimes seems to be more about luck than merit. I have lost count of how many times I have searched for an answer to a technical question on a specialised subject, found a question on SO that was very close to mine, optimistically opened the page, and then found it was closed on some entirely incorrect basis by multiple users, who apparently didn't even understand the question, before any answers could be offered.