Quoting mental / rydia.net:

> Quoting Florian Frank <flori / nixe.ping.de>:
>
> > "1 * 2" and "+ 1" are both valid ruby expressions, the latter
> > "(unary +)
> > 1". How should Ruby find out, that you wanted to continue your
> > first expression in the next line?
>
> The parenthesis.  It shouldn't parse if they were treated as
> separate expressions.

Okay, never mind.  Now I know the real answer.

(1 * 2
+ 1)

parses just like:

(1 * 2;+ 1)

-mental