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The purpose of a question can off topic (for example wanting a way to solve a computing problem) while the question itself can be on topic (the person who knows the computing answer can be reached through a postal mail using only the First 4 letters of the alphabet so how to do you make someone aware you want to ask them a question using only the first 4 letters of the alphabet)?

In that case, should the post whose purpose if off topic be closed or should it be left open as long as the question itself is on topic?

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I'm afraid that the answer to questions like this will always be "It depends".

Each question will be judged by the community as to whether it is on or off topic. Your example about using four letters seems to be to be off-topic. There is no lifehack there that I can see. However, you will find many examples on the site of questions that seek to take a different approach to some otherwise off-topic subjects.

This doesn't particularly help you of course, but there are no absolute boundaries of topicality. You can always ask if your particular subject would be on-topic here on meta. There should be no objections to making such a request here and you will probably get the answer you seek.

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  • The lifehacks in my example, is How to tell somone at random you want to speak with him using only the first 4 letters of the Alphabet ?. Or do you consider the quoted question in this comment not to be a lifehack too ? – user2284570 Oct 18 '19 at 19:21
  • @user2284570: I can't think of a way of wording that such that it constitutes a lifehack. You could try asking it at Puzzling.SE, as it seems to be a puzzle. – Chenmunka♦ Oct 20 '19 at 9:44
  • but do questions on Puzzling are required to have an existing solution ? – user2284570 Oct 20 '19 at 12:38
  • I don't believe questions on Puzzling need a solution, but I don't visit that site so can't give a definitive answer. – Chenmunka♦ Jun 2 at 19:32

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