I am referring to my answer here (undeleted now, so everyone can see it). I had originally posted an erroneous answer, but later edited it to give the following hint:

$\left(u^3-2u^2+1\right)=\left(u-1\right)\left(u^2-u-1\right)$

When I later tried to elaborate my answer, I found that it has already been deleted. I am not quite sure about the reason. If there is something wrong in the hint, please make me aware of it.

• It was deleted by three 20K users. Personally, I do not think answers should be deleted when they have existed for such a short time! Deleting a month-old answer from a 1rep user who has never returned is one thing, but deleting any answer after less than a day is just silly! (And is not in any way helpful.) – user1729 Nov 4 '14 at 11:41
• (Personally, I would have no issue with you posting a second, new answer. Otherwise, the three 20K users have effectively banned you from answering that question. However, if the question was deleted by "less than 20k" users, then you could undelete it yourself: see here (but that is not the case here).) – user1729 Nov 4 '14 at 11:43
• (...but...if you do post a new answer it probably should be more than just a hint (although I see that your current version is more than a hint). I am all for hints in general, but context demands that it should be more than just a hint. By "context", I mean your erroneous solution, the current highly-upvoted complete solution, and the fact the OP has demonstrated that they have thought about the question.) – user1729 Nov 4 '14 at 11:52
• @user1729: How can you see my current solution? – user 170039 Nov 4 '14 at 12:34
• I am a 10k user - this means that I can see deleted posts (both by the user and by others). I thought you knew this, but I now see that the relevant sentence in your question was edited in by Arthur Fischer. – user1729 Nov 4 '14 at 12:36
• @user1729: What should I do now? Should I repost the same answer or should I wait for my current answer to be reopened? – user 170039 Nov 4 '14 at 12:38
• I would wait a day, or at least until this question has more than just me watching it! I think it is an interesting conundrum, & one which deserves further discussion (but no discussion has taken place - really, I have just been talking to myself. And although I do often disagree with myself, it is nice to have the input of others. It helps with the whole "sanity/mathematician" thing. And is more pleasant than taking pills. Not that I am insane. I just like talking to myself. I tend to do it in private. People find it odd.) – user1729 Nov 4 '14 at 12:41