@LukasRotter Grrr. I'm beginning to wonder if one of my neighbours has pinched it :-P

@Alenanno Not forever, but not just for a day or two either.

@Emrakul Oh no :'( That kind of feed looks horrible.

@RosieF When it's in that drop-down ticker feed form, I don't think you can switch it off. When it's in the form of oneboxes posted into chat as though by a regular user, you can easily ignore it just like a regular user.

@Randal'Thor Welcome back, ish

Conclusion: the message feed is better than the ticker feed, especially for those who don't want to see it :-)

(sorry, Emrakul)

Hi @Rubio!

Unfortunately I'm about to leave again, headed bedwards ...

Nice to see you in any case. Hope that shirt ever turns up.

Thanks! :-D

Congrats to @Gareth on overtaking xnor and pre-emptively to @Beastly on 10k rep.

I think I actually prefer the drop-down notifications of puzzles.

(and thanks for the congrats)

@Emrakul Finally saw it... See above (I don't think it looks that bad, but the fact that people can't ignore it is a problem I suppose)

Oh, I didn't tell you all! Remember the puzzle where Avigrail "died"?

I got an email from Avigrail('s email address).

ok...?

It had this image sent "on behalf of Avigrail".

Just my avatar with their background.

I've got no idea what that's supposed to mean. Anyone else know?

huh... not sure... interestingly, his new avatar image has the same grey/white split

oh... that's what you meant

When I first played around with his "farewell" 3d puzzle, the first thing I thought of when I saw this view was that it looked like a gravatar image

Yeah, it's the grey-white split. (Also, I think it's always been like that - just now it has the black line on it.)

Huh.. just noticed, that grey/white split lines up with the container split on the SE user profile page

Oh, really?

That's pretty funny.

i.e. mine vs his

So that's what it was meant to be.

That's clever.

wayback machine's no particular use, previous entry it has stored is a beavis & butthead picture

I can't remember it being anything but the gray and white.

Interestingly, the image above is not your avatar, but a wider crop of the same image...

(I mean, it is from a video game. Not like it's specific to me or anything.)

Don't see any evidence of steganography or anything...

Maybe it's just part of the story?

@Deusovi @Alconja it appears to have changed again (but the split still lines up)

I think he is actually dead, foully murdered by the Puzzling web software grown sentient and run amok: the matching of the splits indicates that he has been absorbed into the machine. The message to Deusovi means "You're next." OOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo. ... Oh, wait, I'm a few days late. Sorry.

Plot twist: deusovi has been dead all along, and avigrail had to resort to flatlining (now that's showing my age) in order to communicate with him.

@Alconja Is flatlining an old concept? lol

Or an old term?

@Alenanno Well, no. But I was specifically thinking of this. :)

@Alconja Oh a movie...

Sorry, couldn't resist :-P

lol

Hello (long time no see!)

'lo

allo

Question : Is there a simple means to check if a "What is a *** word" has already been asked?

Going through all the 90 questions tagged word-property seems a bit tough

which one do you think has been asked already?

I don't think there's a dupe, but let's say I want to ask one question like this one day, how can I check easily if it has not been already asked?

Check using the solution :)

That was the idea, but how would you do it?

With a specific word search?

A start might be my Narcissistic/Echoing puzzle, I think the answer to that explained all the words I used, which was something like half of what existed at the time

Yes, I saw that not too long ago

But since this is a pretty popular type of puzzle, I wondered if there was something easy in order to avoid making a dupe

Also, your puzzle doesn't give the answers for the puzzles introduced in your question

I mean, I still have to click each puzzle to see what are the answers

For example, my viridescent word has a solution of having anagrams of green shades. So you would need to look for something like that.

Wow, I just realized that the SE search engine doesn't return results when you search for text hidden in spoiler-blocks...

lol, really?

@LukasRotter That's something I found the hard way some time ago :(

E.g. if you search "They are called Men Delivered words" is:answer it returns the correct answer, but if you search "Each Men Delivered word" is:answer it doesn't return anything.

@IAmInPLS That would've been a fairly good way to search for keywords in word-property answers when searching for duplicates ;(

@LukasRotter Exactly!

That probably explains why I can never find anything a second time

I'll think "Oooh, I remember this old puzzle, the trick was something like <x>", but of course, the trick would be spoilerized, so it's ignored in the search?

I wonder if it would be possible to get that changed...

With the idea that spoilers stopping people from finding things when they already know the contents of the spoiler (because they're searching it) probably isn't the best idea

It still works with a query though. But keep in mind that data.SE data is only updated once a week. And keep the two %'s at the front and the end.

For example the input %Note that the first letter of a word% returns the right answer.

@Sconibulus It's weird that _ still parses in <pre>. I fixed that formatting mess for ya.

One could also improve the query and specify that the question must be tagged word-property, but I unfortunately have to go AFK right now. Will be back in around 90 minutes.

@Rubio I hadn't noticed until you did it. Weird formatting... Although it looks like I missed a corner

There's a BN_ somewhere

I may have missed an underline too, it was hard to make sure the final matched the original once the editing started because it gets all out of line.

Eh, the underscores were basically just to make it look cubish

they didn't hold any syntactic meaning

I honestly can't make heads nor tails out of what the parser did to that. Whatever - what's there looks faithful to the original answer.

@Alenanno I wonder whether you would like to offer just a little help on your broken mosaic. Specifically, I know that I don't have all the 9s and strongly suspect that at least one of my other words is wrong (because the groups I have left over don't seem to make anything). Perhaps you might tell me something like whether I have 0, 1, or >1 errors, and the length of the wrong word if there is exactly one. Feel free not to, if you think that would be in any way inappropriate.

(And if anyone else reading thinks this isn't the sort of request I should be making, I'm all ears.)

If you're all ears you must look weird :P

Also, how are you typing?

In all seriousness though, I don't find that this request is out of line. Especially considering how hard this puzzle is (at least to me)

@dcfyj When I was maybe 13 years old or so and more ignorant than I am today, I read a book that quoted a remark made about the composer and organist J S Bach, to the effect that "he could play the organ more virtuosically with his feet than most organists could with their hands". I was, as I say, ignorant, and for some years I had the mental image of Bach sitting with his feet up at the organ console playing on the manuals with his toes.

In fairness, that is a glorious mental image

yup.

lol

@GarethMcCaughan Lol! Well, Bach could improvise a pretty good toe-cata.

ahahahaha

50 away...

51 by my count :P

unless you're trying to get to 9999, but I doubt that

Yeah I want 9999 first :P

Then I'm wrong :P

hmmm... which answer to downvote to screw up your total . . . .

Oh wow, you even have gold badges, and a hundred bronzes

@Sconibulus Yes, but 9,999 2 22 99 would've looked cooler.

@RosieF damn! :P

what milestone can I hit? I'm at 6153 11 58

Hmmm 6666 11 66

@GarethMcCaughan Hey! Sorry wasn't home. Would you prefer a hint on wrong words or the small clue letters?

:P

@Rubio I was thinking the same thing. lol

@BeastlyGerbil Never mind, there's always 11,111 and 111 bronzes, later.

I got that once :D

@Alenanno I think it's possible that I understand the small clue letters, though the fact that you're offering me hints there makes me wonder whether actually I've misunderstood something and maybe that's a hint in itself :-).

Oh boy, Gareth's solved another one :P

@Alenanno So my suggestion was to tell me whether the words I currently think I have are (1) all right, (2) just one wrong, in which case you could tell me which length or something of the kind, or (3) more than one wrong.

@GarethMcCaughan Well, I was wondering which one you think it'd be better to have a hint.

Ok let me see.

@Alenanno But perhaps you have reason to think that isn't a good sort of hint to give.

After all it's your puzzle.

@dcfyj I have? Which one?

@GarethMcCaughan You want the exact number of wrong words?

I was joking about "...maybe that's a hint in itself :-)"

@dcfjy OIC

@Alenanno Interesting question. I confess I'd been hoping it would be no more than 2, in which case knowing none / one / more than one would be enough. But yeah, why not?

@GarethMcCaughan Two wrong words. :P

Damn it.

@GarethMcCaughan Interesting spelling of my name :P

@dcfyj sorry, typo.

hehe

I should just hit tab and let autocomplete fix it.

@dcfyj Well, your name choice is not very helpful. :D

On the other hand, any time I type Alennano instead of Alenanno that's an actual misspelling :-).

It's ok, I've had a lot of people type dcfyi

Vote for @dcfyj to change his name to something pronounceable which you can spell

@GarethMcCaughan You wouldn't be the first one lol

@dcfyj understandable!

@BeastlyGerbil You have my vote! XD

@BeastlyGerbil It is pronounceable, d-c-f-y-j :P

@dcfyj I've always wanted to ask, what does it mean anyways?

How about d-c - fij

:P

@Alenanno Not a thing, I hit the keyboard

@dcfyj Is it Rot13? lol

I couldn't think of a user name (quite a few years ago) and I got that

Never tried to rot it, no idea

13 = qpslw

not any better lol

@GarethMcCaughan By the way, feel free to ask for help with the other users (joint effort). I'll most likely accept your answer anyways, considering the amount of stuff you got right (and fast).

@dcfyj Try to rot -13 :D

I do feel free to do so, but I prefer to do this sort of thing largely on my own. It's a psychological flaw.

2 = fehal, 5 = ihkdo, 6 = jilep, 12 = porkv, 22 = zybuf and there's a couple others I didn't write

@BeastlyGerbil The DC of Fiji... is that a Will save to leave?

lol

Clearly you pounded the keyboard with both hands, left first hitting the dfc triangle. Your other hand hit around the hu hand but due to a crease in your balled up fist only the y and j were typed. From this I deduce you are right handed, as your right hand was further up and came second (It is instinctive to go left first, as if holding a piece of paper while writing). You only could have hit the keyboard for a couple of seconds otherwise multiple letters would have been typed. @dcfyj...

Therefore you didn't hit the keyboard hard in fear it would break..

(My try at Shelock Holmes :P)

Of course I didn't hit the keyboard hard, it was on my personal PC, I paid for that keyboard lol

You should have paid more for one that doesn't mind being hit hard.

You are right though, I am right handed but so is a large portion of the world population so the odds were in your favor for that.

Wow what a guess! Er... I mean of course! The evidence is clear.... Uh hum.... :P

lol

Although, if you were Sherlock you would've also deduced that I am fairly ambidextrous :P

@dcfyj If he were Sherlock he would have deduced even how many times you scratch your nose in a rainy day after you've taken a shower before drinking some water.

Damn! How did I miss that! :P

Well, afk for a while. @GarethMcCaughan I'll be back in a while to check on you lol

ok

Hey @JonathanAllan!

Hi

Hey @Deusovi you haven't sent out those E-Mails yet, right?

Not yet - was planning to do that in just a few minutes, actually!

for metapuzzle?

OK, cool, just wanted to make sure I hadn't screwed up somehow

Yep!

Great! You sending it to our login emails or my one that I listed (just wondering so I know which to check)...

beastlygerbil@gmail.com

Wait.

You're in this? You never told me that.

lol

Yeah I did!

Where?

No responses from you in that thread, even in the comments.

Shoot him an invite to the chat? lol

I did it in chat, and you listed me. hang on will try and find it....

That could take a while lol

...Whoops.

Never mind, that was really quick haha

Alright, give me a minute.

Sorry :P

@BeastlyGerbil pro chat searcher

@dcfyj I just searched for my name :P

Nah, probably my fault. I was using the comment thread on that meta post.

Sorry, should probably have posted there. Didn't want to be over eager though :P

That's fine! I'll also need to see if GPR is still in.

I'm just gonna need to make some minor adjustments, that's all.

If you need another body, I'll help, but it seems you have an embarassment of riches on that front

Do I need anyone? Nah, not really. But I do have room if you want to join!

The thing I like about this too, is the participants can still solve the other parts and even the final puzzle.

Currently, I can fit 10 people, and I could even expand it if more people were in.

@BeastlyGerbil Yeah, I didn't want to ruin the fun for other people! That's why I'm keeping the final puzzle secret for now.

Currently we have eight people, potentially nine.

@Deusovi, I just think you like the feeling of being the only person to know something :P

Have to go AFK for a while now, see you all later.

Wait, one thing.

I'm gonna invite you to the chat.

He doesn't have to be on for that :P

Yeah, but he does so I can ask him about answer word preferences.

@Alenanno I have changed two words and now have what might be a complete set. I would be interested to know whether it's right, but don't feel you have to tell me. (If it is, I will probably find out by solving the puzzle...)

@GarethMcCaughan Ok I checked. Seems all right. And I see you made progress on the small clues.

@GarethMcCaughan I have added another clarification under your answer about something I didn't think would create confusion eheh. :P I could have left that as part of the puzzle, but it's already hard as it is.

In Data.SE, which Post Type is question?

I love the confusion in that @Deusovi

Whoops, that first question mark was supposed to be a period. I should probably edit that.

I like it though, it's funny ^^

Oh by the way, thanks to @LukasRotter I can now vote to close

Nice!

@dcfyj Oh noes! He's acquiring power! Quick, stop him now that we still can!

He gave me 500 rep, although I don't think this answer really deserved that.

@Alenanno I'm going to guess it's because of your "modiness" but I thought you had way more rep than you do

@dcfyj I don't quite understand lol but why way more rep? And in all the sites?

No, on puzzling, I thought you had 2k or something not 800 lol

or 3k

@dcfyj lol I just joined! :D

Well, actively anyways. I don't remember when I signed up.

No idea, clearly my few months here have taught me nothing

lol

On the plus side, I'm on page 3 now ^^

(just barely)

Congrats!

Thanks ^^

Greetings, Mr. Burns.

Oh, hello. I just popped in to see what this was.

A chatroom :P

Yeah. I figured that out. For a puzzling site, it was disappointingly easy ;)

Unfortunately, we can't make it harder to get in :P

@Deusovi well... you could, but that would be abuse of your mod powers. :P

Heh, true

@GabrielBurns You should have said "Excellent" with a light shining on your face from below and your fingers from both hands joined together.

Wrong Burns I'm pretty sure

@Alenanno Thanks for the confirmation. I'm still finding contradictions, but presumably just because I'm failing to notice possibilities somewhere :-).

@Alenanno@dcfyj I do that bit that all the time, actually.

This is most likely against the site's policy, but I'm tempted to start some kind of lottery in chat which desides who gets the next +500 bounty :P

that would be very easily gamed if someone cared enough about winning the lottery.

@GarethMcCaughan I'm sure some people would be willing to type one character in chat just for a potential 500 bounty

@LukasRotter Why not just continue doing what you said you were going to do. Put the bounty on questions that last too long

@dcfyj Because I'm not creative. It could take a year until I post my next question.

So? :P

I want to reach my goal of 125 rep ASAP :P

Aww, my average question is barely not good. data.stackexchange.com/puzzling/query/235713/…

@LukasRotter Why 125 rep?

@Deusovi Because I can still downvote with 125 rep. It's the lowest I'm willing to get.

You can downvote once with 125 rep.

well... any number of questions :)

I have a nifty number for my score on that query

@Deusovi I probably won't achieve exactly 125 rep. And if I do, I guess I'll have to put more effort into posting answers :P

It's funny that there's one negative user

Hm?

Although, seeing the name, it doesn't really surprise me that it's overall negative.

What's a good way to tell if my What is word puzzle is too hard?

I feared it was, then changed my mind, and now I can't decide. I think it's tough, but not quite too tough. Arguably made easier by a certain amount of similarity to existing ones (though it's not the same by any means).

@GabrielBurns Wait a week or so. If no one's made any progress, drop a hint.

Yeah, it's very hard to estimate puzzle difficulty.

@GentlePurpleRain OK. I'm just impatient. I seriously doubt it will last that long given the apparent capabilities of some of the members of this site.

It's only my second puzzle (and I think my first was closed as off-topic), and I'm probably a little over-excited about it.

Trust me, I get over-excited over people solving my puzzles all the time.

Are fictional places also allowed for the geography tag?

E.g. I fabricate a fake planet with continents, cities etc.

I don't see a compelling reason why not, although they'd probably also need a tag for the source. E.g. Literature, etc.

yeah, that seems fine