How does time get trapped inside a perfect clock?
I read the book twice, but i still dont understand. I guess i should note that that i only read two pratchett books. ToT, ofcourse, and going postal.

I guess the awnser of 'the way' would be just 'because', but i prefer a bit more reasonable awnser.

I don't think reading other Discworld books would help in this case, it's a completely stand-alone occurance.

I think there are a few theories, but I think one of the following two is most likely:

1) The Glass Clock is designed to be completely accurate. To do this, it has to measure the 'Universal Tick' or, the shortest time it takes anything to happen. To measure something 100% accurately, it has to be static, unchanging. Therefore, the clock has to trap Time to measure it/her to the required level, and if time is trapped, then it can't flow.

2) The Glass Clock is designed to be completely accurate. However, time is flexible (as proven by the History Monks' manipulation of it). Therefore, the only way for the clock to be 100% accurate is to stop time completely, measure at that point and never let time flow again, allowing the clock to be always accurate.



I can't remember if either of those theories are explicitly stated in the book, I'm just extrapolating from my memory of it, so I could be wrong.

Point 1 i understand, but i dont get how a clock can get such powers to trap time. Jeremy Clockson is an analytical and scientific person, so i dont he used magic.

Point 2 is a good point, though what is the use of a clock when there is no time. The clock woudnt even work, it couldnt tick.

Because it was a clock that had time down to perfection. It was the...magnet of time, I suppose. Time was encaged in it, because there was nowhere else to go.

As Jeremy is incredibly Sane (Capital S there...) I think it doesn't matter to him that there won't be any time to measure. He's made the worlds most accurate clock. There is nothing else he wants more.

Thing here is, it's a fantasy book. The world doesn't work the same as here, Jeremy may be really scientific and analytical, but the Discworld is so intrinsically magical that he probably is drawing on the magical field of the disc.

"Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." is a quote from Arthur C Clarke that Terry is fond of repeating (and reversing in the case of the wizards), I think Jeremy does enter that realm here.


In terms of the world of physics, do we know if there is a smallest amount of time? A universal tick? The answer is no. Scientists can postulate as to the nature of time, but the closest they can get (at the moment) is that it is a dimension like length, breadth and height - and what's the smallest amount of each of them?

The answer is - don't know. It's a common answer for a true scientist. We only know what it isn't.

Which also reminds me that most DW characters who thought it all through analytically and purely scientifically failed to understand their DW surroundings, working on magic and narrative laws, entirely, in some way (from Verence II to the auditors, broadly speaking).

I know it's a fantasy book, but mostly offers reasonable explanations for things that happen. Even for magical things. How the clock could catch dindt had a reasonable explanation imo.

I don't see why the explanations Ben already gave aren't reasonable.

I think the explanations are fairly reasonable.
But then I don't know much about that kinda physics etc.
Sure if you're that bothered by it (and I know sometines that kindof thing can just get STUCK in your head) research it yourself

My theory is that to measure the Universal Tick, a part of the clock had to be outside the Universe, because that Son of Time guy took Susan to the "part of the clock that's outside the Universe." Because part of the clock is inside and part is outside, it got stuck and jammed time like a spanner jams cogwheels.