From: utzoo!decvax!microsof!uw-beaver!ubc-visi!mprvaxa!bsmith
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Title: Quest for HHGttN #11
Article-I.D.: mprvaxa.179
Posted: Fri Apr 29 15:06:48 1983
Received: Mon May  2 02:03:46 1983


      One of the mysteries of the net is the fate of Episode 11 of the
Hitch Hikers Guide to the Net.  Although the other episodes have appeared
multiple times, Episode 11 has never reached this node.

      At first I thought this was just due to the unreliability of the net,
but after much thought (and several drinks), I have developed a new theory,
which is outlined below:

   1) Note that appending a zero to the missing episode number (11) yields 110.
   2) 110 is the binary representation of the decimal number 6.
   3) 6 = 4 + 2.
   4) The digit 4 followed by the digit 2 yields 42.
   5) This obviously indicates that Episode 11 contains the Ultimate Question
      of Life, the Net, and Everything, the answer to which, as everyone
      knows, is 42.
   6) By axiom, one cannot simultaneously know both the Ultimate Question
      and the Ultimate Answer.
   7) Since everyone already knows the Ultimate Answer, to receive Episode
      11 would cause a paradox.
   8) Therefore, to prevent the paradox (and the resulting evaporation of
      the net), Episode 11 is spontaneously annihilated upon being entered
      into the net.

      On the other hand, maybe it just gets caught in the same hyperspatial
singularity that causes socks to disappear from washing machines.

				 Not afraid to speculate on silly subjects,
				 Brian Smith