Who usually wins in a crap shoot?
In the casino variant, the House – not just usually, but over time, always.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia
• Lady Luck’s escort – for the evening.
Richard Orlando, Westmount, Quebec, Canada
• Whoever owns the box and dice at the end.
David Czifra, Marrickville, NSW, Australia
• People who mind their own business.
Simon Leach, Taunton, UK
Being alike gets the likes
How compatible are individual fulfilments and social acceptance?
It depends which culture you live in. In Vietnam where the emphasis has long been on collective identity, the development of individuality is of less significance. What is important is to be an acceptable member of society by observing the four basic values of family allegiance, having a good name, love of learning and respect for others.
Ursula Nixon, Bodalla, NSW, Australia
• Definitely “income-patible”. With enough income you will probably have achieved individual fulfilment and certainly social acceptance.
Daan Zwick, Rochester, New York, US
• We’ll have to wait until the second coming for the answer, since the first coming only managed to prove how incompatible the two are.
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya
• Those who strive to be alike get the most likes.
David Tucker, Halle, Germany
• Since there are billions of individuals and multiple social units, your guess is as good as mine!
Philip Stigger, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
• It depends what your ambitions are. If your dearest wish is to be recognised and accepted by society, and you govern yourself accordingly, then the two are perfectly compatible.
Joan Dawson, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
No lawn crustaceans thus far
We all know it rains cats and dogs. Can it ever rain fish and prawns?
Mowing the lawn one day, I was surprised to find a live flatfish in the grass. The sea was miles away. The culprit was likely an osprey or bald eagle, having dropped its fishing catch. No crustaceans so far.
Anthony Walter, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
• From where I sit, reigning prawns are commonplace.
Graham Thorburn, Woollahra, NSW, Australia
Ask for Virgil; he’s your man
What should we do when all hope is lost?
Sign up for a tour of Dante’s Inferno, because you have met the basic qualification. Dial 1 and ask for Virgil and have your credit card ready.
Mary Garnett, Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada
• Uncross fingers.
Bernard Galton, St-Nazaire-sur-Charente, France
• Look down the back of the sofa.
Stuart Powell, St Albans, UK
• When all hope is lost, it must be hidden everywhere. Poke around; you’re sure to find some.
Mac Bradden, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada
• Be grateful that you haven’t needed Samuel Beckett’s advice: “Despair young, and never look back.”
Howard Millbank, Bristol, UK
Any answers?
Where do I buy my ticket to ride the gravy train?
Donna Samoyloff, Toronto, Canada
If speech is silver and silence golden, what is texting?
Gerald Garnett, Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada
weekly.nandq@theguardian.com or Guardian Weekly, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, UK
