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From time to time, we get questions such as this one that ask two separate questions, whose answers are unlikely to have much in common, and for which people are likely to be interested in answering one question but not both.

What should one do when encountering these?

Should I edit one of the questions out, so that the post only asks one question? (presumably with a pointer to the OP to post a new question, and where the OP can find the text originally posted)

Does the answer differ if the question already has answers to one of the questions? More than one?

Previously I have commented to the poster that they should split the question. I do not recall ever seeing this lead to a resolution of the issue.

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  • $\begingroup$ Related older question: Posting multiple questions as one?. Other posts linked there might be of interest, too. I'll point out that there is also a comment template. $\endgroup$ – Martin Sleziak Aug 18 '17 at 14:37
  • $\begingroup$ OTOH the question I linked is almost 5 years old - I believe since than even close reasons have been revamped. So perhaps it would not hurt to have a new discussion about this...? (I'd say it's partly up to Hurkyl -as the OP - whether they are satisfied with the answers on the old question or whether they think some new points should be addressed.) $\endgroup$ – Martin Sleziak Aug 18 '17 at 14:40
  • $\begingroup$ When unrelated problems are being combined in a Question, I tend to ask (by Commenting) for the OP to do the editorial work. It has happened that the OP is more interested in the second problem (say) than the first, and it is really up to them to decide. My Comment will typical feature the magic-link [ask] about how to ask. The stick is to vote to close (assuming inaction by the OP), which allows any existing Answers to remain in the original context $\endgroup$ – hardmath Aug 18 '17 at 17:28
  • $\begingroup$ I surveyed Why we should avoid asking multi-question questions on meta.Islam.SE (but it's relevant here). Also note the "too broad" close reason has changed to cover this: "Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question." $\endgroup$ – Rebecca J. Stones Aug 27 '17 at 8:26

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