Buggy Whip Syndrome

Time for the new puzzler.

This one is simple and short.

Here we go.

Most people have heard of the companies that go out of business because they were making buggy whips, which was a euphemism for the fact that current technology had surpassed them. All the companies that, in fact, did make buggy whips, of course, all went out of business. Not all, but 99.9% of them went out of business when cars came along, because you didn't need buggy whips anymore. So the phrase has come to mean that technology has passed them by.

But there was a company that you wouldn't think would have gone out of business. Back in 1919, the Scott Muffler Company was a thing. And you would think that with the mass production of cars, that company would flourish at that time.

One would think that they couldn't miss, right?

And yet, the Scott Muffler Company fell victim to the buggy whip syndrome and went out of business in the following decade.

And the puzzler question is, how did that happen?

Good luck.

Answer the Puzzler »

Remember last week's puzzler?

Skiing with Australians

This is kind of automotive in nature. Here we go.

Many years ago my family and I went on a ski vacation in the mountains.

We spent the first day hitting the slopes, as they say. Well, my face hit the slopes more than anything because I am not any good at skiing.

So, the next day we decided to spend the day recovering in the heated pool.

While we were there, another family came to the pool area and was walking toward us.

My younger son noticed there were two very cute girls about his age walking toward us with what I assume was their parents.

My son watched them. And as they drew closer, he said to me, "They're Australians, you know."

And I said, "Oh, you've met them?"

And he said, "Oh, no. Never met them."

I said, "Did you overhear them speaking and pick up an accent?"

He said, "Nope. Never seen them before in my life."

As luck would have it, they come right near us and sit next to us. At this point, my son leans over and says, "Pretty long way to go from Australia to do a little skiing."

And the father says, "You're right young man, it sure is."

And the puzzler is, how did he know?