The question explicitly invites the kind of witty reflection shown in the accepted answer, by adding: "and what do you think?"

As mentioned elsewhere, this is an old question and both the kind of question and answer wouldn't be allowed these days.

However, I also fundamentally disagree that questioning the assumptions in a question is unhelpful. You want to solve a problem, find an approach and want help because you have problems with the approach? What if the approach you took _is_ wrong? Its very helpful especially for advanced beginners or at the intermediate level, to be given a different way of solving the problem even if that is not what you asked.

It depends on context if this is just pedantry or genuinely helpful. The best answers I found start with answering the question that was stated, but then proceed in showing how the problem behind the question can also or better be solved.