Compliments?

On the back of the 'Ship Captain's Medical Guide' it clearly states that the information within, should be easily understood and interpreted by an 'Intellegent Layman' The problem is, I found some of it quite hard to understand and interpret
The next compliment was from a guy in the group  and was issued in relation to a defibrillator that was announced by the teacher, as idiot proof. He said, that he had some doubts on whether I was 'a sufficiently talented idiot.'

Compliments are not always given in ways you expect and context, timing and humour should always be considered.