In your description of an XY problem, it seems as if Y may be an unrelated problem to X. I wonder if I can do any better?

An engineer has a problem X, and (mistakenly or out of inexperience) hits upon Method B as the means to a solution. Applying this method to X results in problem Y, for which she seeks help. Answers that fix Problem Y will continue to conceal the poor choice made earlier. If the questions had been about X, time-tested Method A would have been suggested.

Dum Spiro Spero

In reply to Re^9: XY Problem by GotToBTru
in thread XY Problem by jdporter

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