The Sphinx's Lair

Think of words ending in 'GRY'. Angry and hungry are two. There are three words in the English language. What is the third one? Hint: The word is something that everyone uses everyday. If you have been looking carefully, I have already told you what it is.

That one is just frustrating full stop.

The fifth panel also applies to postmodernists.

Volatility

@boboquack That one's not a puzzle though

boboquack

S'pose not, but I'm sure there are puzzles like that

TheGreatEscaper

Most of those get closed, or downvoted into irrelevance

boboquack

And some puzzles don't reach the level of FRUSTRATION, some are only annoying

TheGreatEscaper

I hope that Witless actually does communicate its ideas well :P

And hopefully Witless, while having bursts of annoying, is on the whole fun :)

boboquack

1:20 AM

A certain person that Deusovi would not like me to mention seems to be back.

Volatility

@boboquack let's not raise that topic, shall we?

8.3 is annoying

boboquack

@Volatility Only if you get the wrong idea. It was useful as a checker for me.

Gareth McCaughan

@Sp3000 CCCC solution is ARAUCARIA.

Silenus

ARIA around AU CAR, nice!

Volatility

Ok, now I'm getting two possible solutions for 8.5 :/

oh wait

8.4 too

boboquack

1:32 AM

Maybe you haven't quite got the rule yet. I faced the same problem

Volatility

Oh

that's nice

boboquack

Wow. Just did 9.3 with a solution I'd considered 5 times, marked as wrong 4 times.

Gareth McCaughan

CCCC: Complex and sophisticated sound of crudely enhanced vehicle (8)

Sphinx

1:49 AM

0

Q: Word connections

I am trying a new kind of puzzle so feel free to leave constructive comments and opinions! Thank you! The objective of this puzzle is to connect 2 words by using a chain of words that connects each other. For example, A 2 word chain solution for the following : Connect the words air and ...

word

TheGreatEscaper

Breaking news: the Summit has been solved!

:O

By whom?

Wen1now

I see now (slow internet)

Volatility

1:52 AM

Well, just got set 9

TheGreatEscaper

@volatility only one last family of mechanics left!

boboquack

Finished or started? I'm still stuck on 9.5

Volatility

finished

Sp3000

@GarethMcCaughan Nice ^_^

Gareth McCaughan

2:07 AM

Does that mean you've solved my clue?

TrojanByAccident

2:29 AM

I'm still stuck on 5 e.e

@boboquack language?

Volatility

10.5 and 1.4 are giving me trouble

TheGreatEscaper

Do you understand the eyes?

Volatility

I have a guess

TheGreatEscaper

Does it make unique solutions for 10.1,2,3,4?

Volatility

I believe the solutions to 10.1,2,3 are forced no matter what the eyes are doing (is that too spoiler-y?). I believe my guess does give 10.4 a unique solution as well.

TheGreatEscaper

2:38 AM

Then your guess is probably right

If it explains the graphic, then it should work.

boboquack

@TrojanByAccident Yes

TrojanByAccident

:P

TheGreatEscaper

3:00 AM

Is 'almost' an acceptable homophone indicator?

Volatility

Aha!

TheGreatEscaper

:D did you get set 10?

boboquack

@Volatility 10.2 isn't unique without eyes (though I still can't work out what it would be)

TheGreatEscaper

Anyhow, with cryptics, is 'almost' an acceptable homophone indicator?

Volatility

@TheGreatEscaper Yeah (sorry, just got interrupted). I had a different guess before which didn't give a unique solution for 10.5 or 1.4.

TheGreatEscaper

3:07 AM

Ah okay.

So as a bad example, 'almost non-fictional fishing tool' (4) is an acceptable clue for REEL?

boboquack

OH!

Eye see now

Volatility

haha

TheGreatEscaper

Hehehe

eyes are quite fun aren't they

boboquack

The peak is so close...

TheGreatEscaper

:D

Did you finish set 11 as well?

boboquack

3:14 AM

Just moved onto it.

Volatility

Ooh

This whole "the rules don't change, only your understanding of them does" is really clever

I think I have the actual rule for the eyes now

(...just looked at Deusovi's explanation for set 10; I think I still had the wrong one when I solved it)

TheGreatEscaper

Wow! I hadn't come across another interpretation of the eyes during testing.

Was your interpretation similar, and did it produce the same result for 10.5?

Volatility

Yes, although I realised afterwards that it still didn't make 1.4 unique

(it might not have made 10.5 unique either, but I couldn't find another one that fit)

boboquack

Hi @Jim

@TheGreatEscaper Can I be a test-solver next time you do a puzzle like this? I see other people's comments, can't get them out of my head and then get a clue where I shouldn't be getting one.

TheGreatEscaper

3:33 AM

@boboquack sure

Its unlikely I'll do anything as ambitious as this for a while, though.

boboquack

Finally cracked 11

TheGreatEscaper

:D

'The peak is so close...'

Volatility

just finished 11.4...

TrojanByAccident

Would anyone be willing to give me a hint on 5?

Doesn't have to be here

Volatility

Look at the hint(s) Deusovi gave in his answer

TrojanByAccident

3:43 AM

e.e

Sphinx

0

Q: BFTIODFTTWKBCSC

This is my first self-developed cryptographic puzzle. I hope it is neither too hard nor too easy for you to break, and that you enjoy it. Please do not only post the answer, but also your way towards it. You are Alan Turing 2.0 - a British intelligence officer trying to break newly created cod...

cipher cryptography

Volatility

4:11 AM

Ah, just got 11 (btw I don't think Deusovi's 11.3 is right)

unfortunately I have to go for a bit :(

TheGreatEscaper

Deusovi has a few dodgy solutions

But he gets the ideas down properly

Cya!

Jim

Sounds like y'all are deep into something here

TheGreatEscaper

24

Q: WITLESS - A Puzzling Journey

IMPORTANT! READ ME: The only 'puzzle' parts of this are the links, titled 'Set X', 'Inscription X', or 'Constellation X'. Everything else is flavortext, apart from this readme section, although the flavortext does tell you that the meaning of the inscriptions is not supposed to be deduced until...

grid-deduction

^ This :D

boboquack

4:29 AM

I'm at tHe summit!!!

TheGreatEscaper

:D :D :D

Have fun with that :P

boboquack

4:48 AM

Those eyes are hypnotising me then throttling me

Jim

@TheGreatEscaper flavortext sounds delicious

boboquack

I've got this year's reputation!

TrojanByAccident

Not according to chat :P

Ankoganit

@TrojanByAccident That's his network-wide total rep

boboquack

My StackExchange reputation is higher because I make the effort to do at least a little bit on other sites

TrojanByAccident

4:54 AM

@Ankoganit I know

lol

TheGreatEscaper

5:06 AM

Ooh, the full summit solution is up.

People will be moving onto the constellations...

Volatility

Oh no! I need to catch up!

humn

5:46 AM

Guess I'm a robot. Failed this test:

No street signs detected in my cybertronic input array . . .

Ankoganit

Huh

Volatility

6:04 AM

Finally, I have reached the summit!

TheGreatEscaper

:D

You might be pleased (worried?) to know that the one person who has solved the summit has been stumped by the constellations.

So once you've solved the summit, you're basically equal first :)

Volatility

It's quite the thing, isn't it

TheGreatEscaper

Yup. Summit looks really scary

But it WAS designed to have a nice solve path.

Just FYI, during testing, solve time on Summit ranged from 41 hours (not all working on the puzzle, of course), all the way down to an amazing feat of 17 minutes.

Volatility

wow

Will

2

same @humn

Alconja

6:08 AM

@TheGreatEscaper Out of curiosity, how many people did you have test it?

TheGreatEscaper

Summit? Or the puzzle in general.

I didn't carry every solver to the end.

Sphinx

1

Q: Someday in the park with Fiqo

“Awwwwhat a cute little diagram,” the stranger said, “what’s its name?” “Fi qo. (A misspelling because it isn’t purebred.)” “May I pet it?” “Sure, Fiqo won’t bite, but it can have a bit of a bad attitude.” “?” “As if it’s tr...

mathematics visual

TheGreatEscaper

I must have had about 10 people who did set 1, but only 3 by the time I was testing summit.

Alconja

Both... I'm curious, as I've never used any dummy test-solvers on the stuff I've made (to my detriment at times)

TheGreatEscaper

I usually don't have test-solvers, but due to the general concept of this puzzle I kind of had to put in a bit of effort into testing.

boboquack

6:11 AM

Oh! I just finished the summit too!

Alconja

Totally makes sense. It's a beautiful puzzle, and definitely the sort of thing that could have unforeseen gaps if you didn't test well.

boboquack

@Will Did you F12 the display?

(inspect)

Alconja

(though, sadly I haven't had time to actually go through it myself, just had a scan over what others had done)

TheGreatEscaper

@boboquack nice! Second person to finish Summit :D

@Deusovi is going to be mad when he wakes up.

Volatility

Well I think I know what the starting point is...

TheGreatEscaper

6:13 AM

Or maybe too busy with MIT.

@boboquack have you opened up a constellation yet?

Will

@boboquack No, why?

boboquack

@Will Thought it too much of a coincidence...

@TheGreatEscaper The first one

TheGreatEscaper

>:D

boboquack

By that face I'm getting a little worried...

Will

@boboquack Ah, no, that's just an old screenshot. :P

Sphinx

6:21 AM

0

Q: List of Related Multi-Grams

Each item on this list is a multi-word anagram. I like to call them Multi-Grams. The number of words in each item is unchanged. The items are all related to each other in some way. How many of them can you identify? STADIUM BOTCH SIR DORSAL HE FAKE TROT HATH LET PENNAME WHY ASHTRAY ERN MELL AM O...

word knowledge anagram

boboquack

Up to C1.5

I'm not so sure those blue things mean anything...

Do they?

@TheGreatEscaper?

TheGreatEscaper

shrugs

Deusovi

@TheGreatEscaper Not asleep yet. :P

Just flew into Boston.

(And going to be asleep fairly soon.)

Anyway, nice job on the Summit solve, both of you! I'm not angry - I was fully aware that someone would probably solve it while I was gone.

boboquack

@Deusovi, @TheGreatEscaper, etc. Have fun on the hunt! (And all the others doing it too)

Good! C1 done.

Deusovi

Thanks, I will!

boboquack

6:40 AM

C2 done.

TheGreatEscaper

Yeah, have fun @Deus with being there live :D

Congrats bobo, you're officially in first place! There's still a fair way to go yet, though...

Deusovi

I think I know how the constellations work.

(I should've kept the set 5 mechanic to myself... :P )

@boboquack The entire point is that you figure out the rules for yourself.

boboquack

@Deusovi I am happy to say I didn't look at your answer.

Deusovi

Oh, nice!

TheGreatEscaper

@Deusovi, bobo was checking if I made a mistake

Deusovi

6:44 AM

Ah, alright

TheGreatEscaper

In the email, he simply asked 'is this supposed to be this?' to which I replied 'Definitely not :P'

Deusovi

Anyway, I'm off to bed. See ya!

TheGreatEscaper

Bye!

Have a good rest

boboquack

Those are some pretty funny constellations!

TheGreatEscaper

?

boboquack

6:50 AM

I assume C3.4 was meant to confuse...

BTW, does set 1 actually have acceptable solutions?

(I mean all of it)

TheGreatEscaper

Yeah.

If you've solved all the constellations (and set 1), then you should know what you need to tackle next.

boboquack

I haven't done C3. I think 1.4 has multiple solutions (can you check up on that?)

TheGreatEscaper

1.4?

Constellation 1 puzzle 4? Or set 1 puzzle 4?

boboquack

S1.4

TheGreatEscaper

Ah, you're right! It's an easy fix. I'll update the set 1 link now.

Fixed.

If you're wondering why that happened, it's because the mechanics of the weird dots was changed during testing.

I must have forgot to edit the clues accordingly in puzzle 1.4

boboquack

7:10 AM

Ah

I'm still trying to work out why there is a (||) in C3

TheGreatEscaper

shrugs

boboquack

To engage my subconscious, I'm working on a big grid-deduction puzzle too, but there's no way it's going to win now...

TheGreatEscaper

Do you know when it's going to get posted?

I'd love to give it a good crack.

boboquack

I can only say (unfortunately) not today, maybe tomorrow, but it is way off being completed.

TheGreatEscaper

Any info on the puzzle type?

Or is it a secret

boboquack

7:25 AM

Sudoku...

TheGreatEscaper

With some twist, knowing you.

boboquack

Oh! There's no twist in the sudoku! :P

TheGreatEscaper

Oooh I just thought of a new grid logic puzzle.

boboquack

Oooh I'm excited

Chances are (if it is basic) Nikoli's thought of it though :P

TheGreatEscaper

It's got some things in common with some Nikoli puzzles.

But I'll be very surprised if it's been done before.

And it's simple to explain

Anyway, when you get C3 (or even if you don't) you can feel free to post some partials on the constellations.

I'm going to head off for a bit

TrojanByAccident

8:29 AM

My school filters

are so freaking annoying

URL that is being blocked: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naughty
Reason this is blocked: Keyword: "naughty"

boboquack

8:52 AM

Is www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naught%79 blocked?

TrojanByAccident

9:26 AM

no

wait yes

humn

9:41 AM

@TrojanByAccident Drive-by suggestion: nautical (has "tickle" don't you know)

Techidiot

@Rubio I feel that riddle needs to be interpreted in some way.. I have a strong feeling that tou -> not

And yand-> hand

Rubio

(Solving this puzzle [...] requires a couple of steps of finding the right way to interpret information [....])

Techidiot

But a double quote " in there throws my logic off

Yeah...

TrojanByAccident

@humn lol

Rubio

10:08 AM

@humn scratch-n-sniff huh :)

humn

I want to smell something more than burnt fingernail when I scratch my screen, Rubio.

The world has truly changed since you discovered \toggle .

Rubio

:)

humn

Haven't yet given up on making a Towers of Hanoi like puzzle that uses it interactively.

Rubio

What deeply annoyed me was the discovery that there's no way to shade just the inside of a circle with mathjax.

humn

Have you found a way to shade an array cell? Seems like I saw that once with MathJax. (Standard in LaTeX)

Rubio

10:13 AM

\bbox[color]\text{whatever} inside the cell

humn

I didn't get that to match the cell boundaries, but didn't try everything either.'

Rubio

oh.

yeah that

No, I haven't solved that either

My most recent template for What is a Word™ uses \phantom{Yy} to almost fill the cell vertically, but it's not exact.

humn

Haven't seen MathJax's developer at this site in some time now. It's just up to us mortals to keep the flame lit.

~~Have you seen \Rule ? Not that it's missing, but it's a parametric way to make a solid box.~~ answered

Rubio

Though with \smash\rlap\moveleft\lower\Rule.... you could probably manage to "exactly" fill a particular cell, I wouldn't want to do it routinely

Yeah - I used \Rule for the scratch-here

it's an overlapping set of 3 rectangles, which fit inside a bounding toggle circle

humn

Different browsers round off things slightly differently for MathJax so can't really count on "exactly"

Rubio

10:18 AM

(yeah - "exactly" is quoted on purpose hehe)

humn

I peeked at the workings of your scratcher but not carefully enough to see how it overlapped. Partially? That's what I've expermineted with for Towers of Hanoi. (Currently looking more like Monty Hall game)

Rubio

If you look closely you can see where the toggle circle crosses the puzzlebox square. I suppose with more work I could have fixed that but at that point I was like two hours into it and just wanted to post it :)

it's a wide rectangle, say 4x12, a tall rectangle, say 12x4, and a medium rectangle, say 8x8. all sharing a common center.

humn

(had a pretty good idea what you meant, and how, when I saw your note about putting a lot time into getting the MathJax to work)

Rubio

actually I fibbed; it's 4, not 3

3 looked too jaggy. 4 looked close enough to a star to satisfy me.

Puzzling Meta

4

Q: Categories for "Best of Puzzling, 2016"

Based on discussion in my earlier meta question and in the best-of specific chat room, it is clear that the community agrees that having a single "Best Puzzle of 2016" thread doesn't hold much value as 1) it's hard to compare wildly different puzzles in any meaningful way, and 2) it would be nice...

discussion meta

humn

10:22 AM

Just scratched it again and see that you're exploiting the differential overlap, proving that a state machine can be made. Inspiring me to experiment some more.

Ah, an now see what you're saying about constructing a star. Great fake!

Rubio

Oh, for sure you can make a state machine - but very likely one that can never return to an earlier state

humn

That's exactly what i was trying when I got sidetracked.

Got discouraged by not being able to re-execute \macros.

Rubio

I'm not sure what the limit is, but

humn

The whole thing is converted to HTML before we see it.

Rubio

I did something once upon a time that hit the limit of evaluation space in mathjax

humn

10:26 AM

Good times!

Rubio

so yeah. there is one :)

humn

The limit is expandable though.

MathJax.Hub.Config({TeX: {MAXBUFFER: 499120, MAXMACROS: 920000}})

TrojanByAccident

Arg

humn

Think that allows my machine 40 minutes to render

TrojanByAccident

I can't delete my now-quarantined RAT software

:/

stupid school computer

humn

10:29 AM

(looked up RAT, apt acronym, probably taking selfies of you too for your administrators amusement)

Will

HEY NOW rats are good and pure creatures

TrojanByAccident

?

Remote-Access Trojan

Rubio

trojan lol

humn

Didn't we discover your alter-rodent Will? (the roadie?) Anyone poked fun at that lately...

Rubio

pretty much, yes

TrojanByAccident

10:31 AM

@Rubio lol

Will

My what

humn

Hope I'm not confusing things, but wasn't there an animal puzzle once....

TrojanByAccident

Greetings, @Tech

Techidiot

Hey!

humn

... nonetheless we know your persona rodent is a golden hamster,Will

Techidiot

10:35 AM

@Rubio You already own one of these meta.puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/5736/… :)

Rubio

I what now?

humn

... probably should slink away before making an a-hole sphinxter of myself but, for you and from you @Will:

I can't believe this. It's like Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas follows me everywhere; I cannot escape its reach. This is not the intended answer, sorry. — Will Apr 12 '16 at 9:12

TheGreatEscaper

@humn I might have a new grid logic puzzle type!

Rubio

@Techidiot Oh. lol. I dunno about that, there's been some amazing stuff on here just in the few months I've been around

Will

Right. What has that got to do with rodents? (otters are mustelids)

humn

10:41 AM

who can be sure over the internet?

@TheGreatEscaper Have a picture? have a picture? have a picture?

TheGreatEscaper

Above = example puzzle

humn

Practically speaks for itself!

TheGreatEscaper

Below = solved example puzzle

I thought it was an interesting concept.

humn

!

TheGreatEscaper

(also, I suppose the limitation of pieces can't touch is a good one)

(so this example puzzle has that limitation)

Pieces can't touch prevents having to put circles everywhere in larger puzzles, because otherwise you could clump all the grey pieces together in a corner/side/anywhere really

humn

10:45 AM

As you know, the best puzzle is how to make a puzzle work.

Ankoganit

But this doesn't have a unique solution, right? You can reflect over the secondary diagonal

humn

This one might have a set of pieces that can't solve a circuit if theiy're clumped.

Especially if you fiddle with the overall board's shape/outline

TheGreatEscaper

@Ankoganit I'm tossing up as to whether rotation of the pieces is allowed

But there is DEFINITELY no reflection

I'm considering not allowing rotation, simply because then I would have to place circle clues to kill 3 out of 4 orientations of the intended solution

Ankoganit

@TheGreatEscaper ah ok

Will

lol just got an upvote on that riddle

humn

10:47 AM

No rotation also simplifies painter/illustrator/gimp/...?... manipulation

TheGreatEscaper

True

I feel like it'll be tricky to design a nice one of these, though

humn

@Will Will the animal riddle?