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I just read this question & answer https://scifi.stackexchange.com/a/60609/17122

Now the answer contains 2 possible answers but if one of them is the answer how would someone else reading the question know what is correct unless a comment is made?

So should the answerer place 2 answers?

(Of course it's possible it doesn't allow 2 answers I have never tried!)

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  • Well that clears it up then the answerer should split his answer :)
    – Dreamwalker
    Oct 2, 2014 at 7:14
  • I would note that "split the answers" isn't a general case answer to this question. It makes sense in the case of a story-identification, but in questions asking something specific, the fact you have 2 answers different enough to warrant 2 posts suggests that there is a strong element of opinion or there is conflicting evidence that can't be reconciled. In both cases, then the answer boils down to, "There isn't a definitive answer." That's the answer you should post, and then you should expand on why. In the process of expanding, you will naturally cover the different possibilities.
    – jpmc26
    Oct 6, 2014 at 22:37

2 Answers 2

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The idea of the SE network is that you would enter two answers.

Then other users will vote up the one with which they agree. Similarly, the OP may accept the one they feel fully answers their question.

As the help pages state - Good answers will rise to the top.

Putting two possible answers in one posted answer just confuses things.

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If you have two separate answers then those should be posted as two separate answers.

If you post them as a single answer (which then gets accepted) then it might not be immediately obvious which part of the answer is the bit that was considered most useful.

As far as I can recall, I've only double-answered a question on one occasion; Who was the rightful owner of the Sword of Gryffindor?

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