Eight years after Scotland last voted on whether to become an independent country, Nicola Sturgeon is almost ready to tell us how it would actually work.
Much has been written about how Scots went into the 2014 ballot with too little clarity on key issues such as currency, pensions, EU membership and the fiscal settlement.
If supporters were hoping this would be the first minister’s moment to cast aside those doubts ahead of a promised referendum next year, they were in for disappointment.
Promise of jam tomorrow
The announcement amounted to little more than window dressing and promises of jam tomorrow in the form of a series of papers setting out the benefits of independence.
Just ask the SNP’s own parliamentary business minister.
Questioned why this first document was not announced in Parliament, George Adam said it is because it contains “no significant policy commitments”.
Ms Sturgeon insisted the first of her papers and those to follow are about addressing the “substance” around the independence question.
The rest of the documents – which the SNP leader promised will provide answers to those great stumpers of 2014 – will come later, but she could not say when.
She also could not say when exactly this new referendum will be held.
PM framed as pantomime villain
In a piece of deliberate theatre that saw her repeatedly denigrate Boris Johnson as a pantomime villain, the first minister said she plans to “forge a way forward” on a new vote – even without Westminster approval.
But she stressed too that any ballot must be “lawful”. That is essential if the result is to be internationally recognised – but how would it actually work?
Again Ms Sturgeon could not say but promised to give a “significant update” to the Scottish Parliament soon.
How will borders work?
Another thing the SNP leader appeared not to be able to say was the word “border”.
She admitted an independent Scotland would face “challenges” when it came to trade with the rest of the UK but insisted the benefits of the EU would outweigh them.
Boris Johnson’s government has so far failed to find a satisfactory answer to the problem of the Irish border, where one side remains in the EU and the other has left.
Ms Sturgeon said she would “not repeat” the prime minister’s mistakes.
She insisted difficulties around regulations and customs requirements could be managed without disadvantaging Scottish businesses.
Asked how all this would be possible, the first minister again pointed to a document set to be published at some unspecified point in the future.
Big questions to answer
The fact Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to address issues which have loomed over the independence debate for years should be welcome news to supporters.
But the problem with mounting questions and too few answers is they start to have a whiff of the final series of Game of Thrones about them.
The SNP’s Bute House Khaleesi proclaiming that Scotland is “more ready than ever for independence” will not be enough.
There are big questions still to answer – and those answers, whenever they arrive, will need to be good.