There are a few things going on here:

• The server will allow submissions up to 4 hours after closure.
• The client-side javascript polls the server for question status roughly once every 45 seconds. If it sees the closure, it disables the form.
• Unless, that is, you've been writing long enough to have saved a draft. You might get a notice saying that the question is closed but your form will still work.

The draft system is what's responsible for the weirder outliers (I've seen hours-long delays before) and is much newer than the up-to-45-second window but this one could simply be a client-side delay issue.

You could probably force an answer through up to 4 hours later by just tinkering with the javascript to re-enable the form if you really wanted to. Video showing you can.

There are a few things going on here:

• The server will allow submissions up to 4 hours after closure.
• The client-side javascript polls the server for question status roughly once every 45 seconds. If it sees the closure, it disables the form.
• Unless, that is, you've been writing long enough to have saved a draft. You might get a notice saying that the question is closed but your form will still work.

The draft system is what's responsible for the weirder outliers (I've seen hours-long delays before) and is much newer than the up-to-45-second window but this one could simply be a client-side delay issue.

You could probably force an answer through up to 4 hours later by just tinkering with the javascript to re-enable the form if you really wanted to. Video showing you can.