Now, half a year later, it's a time to reveal this mystery...
(Actually, I have heard that somebody have put this challenge
through a brute-force program already, and was rewarded with the feeling of "Why didn't I think even of that!? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!")

On Thu, 23 Dec 2021, xwindows wrote:

__
(.,)
,;==;.
//|__|\\
// / ,\ \\
// ( 6) ) \\
\\ ,`--'. //
`=/____\='
[____]

What you are seeing here is a lit hurricane lantern.
And guess what substance that a hurrican lantern burns to give you the light? Depending on where you came from, you might call it "kerosene";
but it also has another name which is the answer to this challenge,
and that is "PARAFFIN".

Letter usage is as follows:

X M K F P E W O R A N D F I A Y

* * * * * * * *

Hat tip to old technologies,
~xwindows
--
xwindows' gallery of freely-licensed artworks
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xwindows <xwindows@tilde.club> wrote:

On Thu, 23 Dec 2021, xwindows wrote:

__
(.,)
,;==;.
//|__|\\
// / ,\ \\
// ( 6) ) \\
\\ ,`--'. //
`=/____\='
[____]

What you are seeing here is a lit hurricane lantern.
And guess what substance that a hurrican lantern burns to give you the light? Depending on where you came from, you might call it "kerosene";
but it also has another name which is the answer to this challenge,
and that is "PARAFFIN".

Oh right, huh. I had a hard time getting past the idea that it was
some sort of gas (oxygen, etc.) mask, with depth implied by the
bit in the middle. Then I thought of a shaving foam brush, in some
sort of container or stand. Never got to a hurricane lamp, which is
ironic given that I've got a surplus of such lamps and related
parts from my grandparent's house waiting to get sold on Ebay, if I
can ever convice myself that I can package the glass safely enough
to post.
--

- The Free Thinker | gopher://aussies.space/1/%7efreet/
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