You light a cigarette. Put it on the ground next to whatever you want to catch fire. When the burning end of the cigarette reaches the thing that's supposed to catch fire, things happen.

Assuming the cigarette doesn't go out from not being smoked, that is.

Assuming the cigarette doesn't go out from not being smoked, that is.

Apparently unfiltered not-packed-down cigarettes work better for this, as the tobacco is loose enough to allow air to get at the ember.

I got that part. I meant how Sawyer could have rigged a time delay to set off his bottle rocket right after Sayid's rocket went off.

We'll probably get a nicotine withdrawl-y Dread Pirate Sawyer ep at some point...

Oh. He couldn't. Locke was lying.

I think you're right, Wolfram. They are ignoring the part where it was a response to the other flares.

I got that part. I meant how Sawyer could have rigged a time delay to set off his bottle rocket right after Sayid's rocket went off.

I don't think Sayid thought about it that clearly.

So Sayid, a trained soldier and electronics expert, couldn't figure out that it was impossible? He bought Locke's explanation like it was the Last Gospel.

I don't want to say it was shoddy writing, but that's the way I'm leaning right now.

It could be argued that Sayid wanted a reason to beat on Sawyer, so didn't think it through well enough, but I think you are right, Wolfram, and it is the writers who didn't think it through, or at least thought we wouldn't as viewers.

Maybe he thought about it later and dismissed the idea? I didn't get the impression from their conversation that he immediately thought Locke must be right about Sawyer, more that he hadn't previously considered Sawyer at all, and now the seed of doubt has been planted. t /fanwank