November 30, 2016
One of the many joys of family is the accumulation of insider jokes and references, quips whose humor would require extensive explanations to outsiders but is instantly grasped by those in the know.

Many years ago, around the time my wife and I were first dating, we were at a party, where we were teamed with a fellow (I never saw him before, and I've never seen him since) for a game of Trivial Pursuit. For every single question we got, he would ask for the question to be repeated, asserting fervently every single time: "Sometimes, the answer is in the question."

Okay, sometimes, every once in a while, that's true (e.g. What were the surnames of the three men hanged at Greenberry Hill, London?). But far more often, the question is completely straightforward, like: List three European countries that begin with the letter A. There's really nothing to be gleaned from further recitation. Still, this guy insisted that every single question, even the most straightforward, be repeated multiple times.

To this day, upon encountering some imponderable inquiry, my wife or I will say to the other, "Sometimes, the answer is in the question," which still cracks us both up.

The above comic illustrates a rare instance in which the phrase made perfect sense in context and could still be funny to people not privy to the history. How sweet is that?

Site business: We'll be taking December off, but new comics will return in January. Happy holidays!