At South African traffic lights*, why does the green light stay on for such a short time for pedestrian crossings? It’s only green for a few seconds before it turns red again – which is usually not enough time for the average person  to cross the road. The light then flashes red for quite a while … More Mister Y’s mysteries (part 8): Crossing over

For many years, the University of Cape Town has hosted a rather mysterious memorial. At the bottom of the Leslie Commerce building lies what appears to be a gravestone, or a marker of sorts. As seen in the picture, Haji Ayesha Teladia died in 1981 – living to be 56 years old. The question is: … More Mister Y’s mysteries (part 7): Who is Ayesha Teladia?

If you’re going to spend the money to get customised number plates, what’s the point of choosing a message that’s redundant? Previous mysteries are available here.

Here’s a new mystery for you: Why do so many zips have the letters “YKK” on them. What does “YKK” stand for? Give it your best guess – then check back here for the answer (if no one gets it first).

(Just like The Case of the Missing Socks, the following mystery is also based on a true story) Just as I was about to retire for the night, I was alerted to the possibility of an intruder…or, as I like to call this category of intruder, a “visitor.” “Don’t be alarmed,” said my wife, “but … More Mister Y’s mysteries (part 4): The Night Visitor

How many people have ever followed the “Serving suggestion” they always seem to give on the food packaging?

After a long while, Mister Y’s mysteries returns with part 2 – a tale of intrigue and cotton thread, saved up from a few years ago. Saturday, 14th October 2006: Socks are forcibly removed from the cupboard, in preparation for the week ahead. These are night-time socks; warm, fluffy – designed for home use only. … More The case of the missing socks

    Why do so many pairs of jeans say “Authentic” somewhere on the label?