> but in order to be helpful, I try to answer Y directly and honestly, and then point out my concerns, describing my presumptions. This works fine as long as Y

> but in order to be helpful, I try to answer Y directly and honestly, and then point out my concerns, describing my presumptions. This works fine as long as Y actually does have a simple solution. Often it does not, and already the question for Y is really weird, but once you hear about the X you can give a quick and simple answer. That said, sometimes X is really really complicated. But even in that case it'll help anyone you are asking if you quickly outline X in a short sentence, just so the one you are asking has enough context. (I have been on both sides, but more often then not the simple X was missing from questions was really strange Ys. Though I also have asked for Ys (and even outlined the X) and have been annoyed by people who insist that I should do something else, and describe my X in more detail, but when I do, they can't answer either, because the X really complicated and Y actually was a valid attempt at solving it).