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The below question was put on hold for being off-topic, but I personally don't see any issue with it:

https://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/35097/friend-just-an-another-illusion-created-by-humans

may invite speculative answers, as the question is not fully defined.

Sounds like a possible definition of the word riddle to me ...

I personally don't see a need for the OP (or anyone else) to rephrase the question, because I think it's fine.

I just don't think a puzzling site should be "policed" this heavily. Other StackExchange sites, sure, but this one is special as it's speculative by nature (that's the whole point).

Questions may need improvement, sure, just say so. Putting it on-hold is not really going to solve anything. Now this question is basically dead weight. You can't get new answers validated, find out the intended solution, ...

Questions that are off-topic or otherwise inappropriate, should be handled, ofcourse.

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  • $\begingroup$ Have you checked out the post linked in that close reason? A while ago, questions matching these criteria were deemed not a good fit for Puzzling, which prompted the creation of this close reason. (This question also went through the reopen votes review queue, where it received three Leave Closed votes.) $\endgroup$
    – user20
    Jun 10, 2016 at 8:42
  • $\begingroup$ I did, I understand a line needs to be drawn in some form, but that's a grey area. With something as inheritly obscure as puzzles that line is far more blurred still. Also, you can't prove a sufficient amount of answers correct, if people don't get the time to provide them. I have an answer in mind that might (or not) be an objectively verifiable solution. I'm sure others do as well. I think the question was shut down a bit too rapidly perhaps. $\endgroup$
    – Spikee
    Jun 10, 2016 at 8:56
  • $\begingroup$ I don't think it's obviously off topic. I lean to allowing benefit of the doubt on a site like this, even if questions draw outside the expected lines. If people really don't like it they can downvote. $\endgroup$
    – Spikee
    Jun 10, 2016 at 9:04

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If I am right then the reason of putting that particular question on hold is that there are so many answers that could fit in that situation. It's 'guess what I am thinking'. There is no bound in that question. There is only a simple situation given to which we are supposed to explain. And such a thing is not a puzzle. So it is off-topic rather than too broad.

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  • $\begingroup$ Fair enough. But, what harm does it do to leave it open? It's not like the technical sites that need a specific answer to a specific question. I think this is a case of if you don't like it, ignore it. $\endgroup$
    – Spikee
    Jun 10, 2016 at 9:11
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    $\begingroup$ It would have come to the case of likeness if it really were a puzzle. But it is not. I don't think that this site is not technical. One needs practice to solve puzzles same as science and mathematics need. Even though you think that this site is not a technical site but it still needs to be taken care of. So leaving it open lowers the site quality. $\endgroup$
    – manshu
    Jun 10, 2016 at 9:19
  • $\begingroup$ Cool. That's a sensible viewpoint that, while I don't necessarily fully agree with it, I can understand. $\endgroup$
    – Spikee
    Jun 10, 2016 at 9:22
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    $\begingroup$ As an aside, I consider this site as non-technical because of the riddles and lateral thinking questions. Puzzles and math are indeed well bounded (and more easily policed). $\endgroup$
    – Spikee
    Jun 10, 2016 at 9:43

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