The author admits that: > "by ‘straight line’ here I really mean ‘geodesic’" In other words, the puzzle hinges on one's interpretation of "straight line". I

The author admits that: > "by ‘straight line’ here I really mean ‘geodesic’" In other words, the puzzle hinges on one's interpretation of "straight line". I am merely asserting that other valid interpretations exist even if you are correct and geodesic is "the most natural interpretation". Incidentally, the article appears revised and seems far more intellectually honest now (thank you Fin, that's a lot more fun!) Consider the tomato. Classified as vegetable by the culinary discipline based on its use in the kitchen, it is classified as a fruit botanically based on the characteristics of the plant[0]. Neither is correct over the other, they are both frames for understanding the world and a classification can be correct (or not) according to the definitions of each. In the same way, I described a means of acquiring a line that I believe most would accept as meeting our ideas of "straight" that was consistent with my interpretation. It made how I failed to understand the author's intention for the puzzle exceedingly clear which can be beneficial for anyone debugging their thoughts and/or social patterns. Do you tend to get into conflicts instead of expanding your perspective? Mine doesn't seem to be the best interpretation and it certainly wasn't that intended by the author but it seems a valid interpretation, especially given the brevity of the problem statement. I find this is generally a forum where we discuss the meaning we intended and benefit from the varieties of perspectives available. Of course we are unified on almost nothing. [0] https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/is-a-tomato-a-fruit-or-a-vegetable-and-why https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/is-a-tomato-...