The Sphinx's Lair

1:10 AM

0

Stan is a young man. He is: Shy Neat/tidy Needs order High attention to detail Is Stan more likely to be a librarian or a farmer? Answer: I don't understand this. No where does it mention statistics... I don't understand how there are supposedly these magical important considerations, un...

humn

1:27 AM

I was really having a great time catching up with what I missed while sidetracked by a bunch of puzzles to devise after running out of ideas.

Just as running out of ^votes for the day, I came across one of my pet peeves, an inspired puzzle misunderstood and perhaps underpresented.

-3

Q: Which screws go first?

Humans are not always accurate at measurements. I recently got a table top that came with an attachment. Table top and attachment are nearly of same size and rectangular with four screw holes near corners to attach, although the holes are little disoriented(same size but at slightly different pos...

logical-deduction visual real

To quote an occasionally impetuous commenter:

This is an excellent real life puzzle! Again and again. Every tapping machine is calibrated and maintained to just-barely tolerable tolerances, only solvable by craftspersons. Screwdriver you, downvoters. — humn 14 mins ago

Rubio

lol.

humn

To present an almost-impossible situation, with instructions in a translated foreign language, is at the essence of puzzling, in real life, in this opinion.

ffao

you should upvote the answer to the 29-1=30 puzzle if you haven't yet

I heard it was really inspired

humn

@ffao , link (feeling lazy after ranting)? I might be out of ^votes for another few hours in any case.

Rubio

yeah, that one's been largely ignored

ffao

1:40 AM

puzzling.stackexchange.com/a/52488/20521, it clearly has less votes than it deserves, however

at least 2, by my count

humn

Oh you're funny! One more ^vote for an even 4. As in 100.

Rubio

damn. I didn't know it'd gone that far

Congratulations on your rapidly approaching Gold

humn

Oy oy oy, I have another puzzle not yet even begun to devise. It has to do with a chain of individuals who each understand only one of the others.

Rubio

You should make it about a chain of puzzlers who each upvote only one of the others.

humn

Daisy chain!

Or perpetual voting machine?

From real life: I used to hang out with a friend and each of their progeny.

Each of the progeny knew me for their entire life.

the first understood me completely.

the second understood the first completely.

the third likewise.

But nobody understood the third, except me.

I was there for practically all but delivery.

Rubio

1:49 AM

hehe

humn

.... oooohoho, and except conception!

It was a wonderful loop of understanding!

Everyone was baffled by someone and explained by another.

The ripples of explanation might be worthy of another puzzle.

Where the unknown and discovered ratchet each other through a spiral.

Come to think of it, sounds like almost every puzzle!

Rubio, you understand what I aim for. (You understand others as well, need it be said.)

(And you understand me, as do others, in more ways than that, need it be said.)

And I understand you, not Rubio alone, in ways that evoke:

Devo - Peek-A-Boo!

►

"Because I do it too."

(oai! I am not AK in disguise! Just in spirit. The itch that scratches the scar.)

Rubio

2:09 AM

everyone should have a cat.

Puzzling Meta

0

Q: Can I "raise a bounty" for a contest?

I would like to ask a contest-style problem on puzzling SE and I came up ith an interesting idea. Could I start a contest in a post and offer all reputation that I recieve as upvotes on that question as a bounty prize for the winner? If not, can you give other suggestions as to how I might condu...

discussion

Rubio

a chicken in every pot, and a cat in every lap

humn

And a lap for every keyboard!

"My" cat pads across the keyboard in ways I can disavow.

My chicken . . . . am I, without a keyboard.

n_palum

You're always looking out for people humndinger :)

@PuzzlingMeta interesting

Rubio

Yeah - I wasn't actually sure how to answer that

n_palum

2:15 AM

@Rubio Maybe see what some of the other mods/longer term residents have to say about it

Rubio

Exactly what I'm doing :)

ASCII-only

> longer term residents

People live in Puzzling.SE? °.o

humn

Residents!:

The Residents - Moisture (1980)

►

n_palum

May as well

Rubio

PSE is an institution.

We're all institutionalized

humn

2:18 AM

Let's work on a jailbreak. First step, find a guard who can't help but tell the truth by lying.

Next step, find the key to a lock hidden by 100 doors.

Rubio

The irony is - the mods all got kidnapped. so ..... who's running the asylum??

humn

Never thought a moderator would actually run from the asylum like you, Rubio.

Every wish has been granted!

Gonna stop Rub(io)bing.

Rubio

I'm currently on the bus heading back to the asylum from Anchorage AK - unfortunately it's a bit of a long ride

humn

Travelogue and tell!

Meet you in the badlands (of W(T)Y)

@n_palum , you understand where I'm running from.

n_palum

@Rubio cackles

@humn indeedydo yesseroo

humn

2:28 AM

(unedits too late. it was meant as a compliment)

@n_palum , learn to type!

n_palum

you're one to comment about my chatter! ;P

humn

skeleton crew - learn to talk

►

Again, meant to beam in parallel!

n_palum

type my typos to talk my two cents

humn

sdajajglkajsdfgl;kqwjetg903ut90g uj4k3tisdau90j423 tmvlkn 3328287890

. . . . ;

n_palum

to communicate with community comrades such as you

humn

2:34 AM

comma, on!

@n_palum , the only reason i even begin to chatte_ is because it seems safe.

Felt I threatened by by this medium, I would _____ and ______ and wind up _____.

It would be _____.

Coming from someone with crippling stage fright in person.

Someone told me I wet my pants anytime someone I care about enters the room.

They were speaking figuratively, but they were right.

n_palum

Don't fret now little humming bird

Alas my time to sleep has come @humn so I must bid you adieu

humn

Thank you for a blink and a wink, @n_palum!

(blink means extra to cat lovers)

(wink means extra to humanoids, , , , , need it be said)

... if(when?) you happen to see this, @n_palum, does "humming bird" reference my euphonium experiments? ? ? ...

... didn't think so, then thought, well, recent ramblings ...

Ramble On

►

Musically unimpeachable. (But just like every set of lyrics, half truly inspired, half duly compressed by societal programming) . . . in opinion.

Sphinx

3:11 AM

0

Q: dots and lines rebus

Find a sentence from this Rebus. Eight dots five dots nine dots seven lines I am sure puzzle masters here can solve this rebus

cipher rebus

-1

Q: US Open 2017 Tee Times, Date, TV Online and Prize Money

The US Open 2017 will make its way to Erin Hills, Wisconsin, for the first time in its history this week as the competition begins on Thursday to Sunday 18th of June. US Open US Open 2017

riddle mathematics game sports information-theory

Mike Q

... I really hope that is a puzzle and not a lazy advertisement.

humn

They should've tagged it enigmatic-puzzle among all those others to even have a chance.

... puzzle solved, it's a newly twisted hook. Not a puzzle. Not an ad.

... gotta love persistence. I do.

If my elbow didn't itch every now and then, I might forget all about it and probably leave it somewhere unpleasant.

^ delete if needed.

(25 years, but who's counting?)

Slightly better song by King Missile... gonna try this on the new metal room at Music SE:

"Willy went outside. He loved to breathe fresh air, but he went outside anyway":

King Missile - The Story of Willy

►

Techidiot

3:58 AM

@ffao I was waiting till it goes 99. So, here's a +1 -> 100! :)

ffao

tech keeping the suspense

100 wooo

Techidiot

ffao

I didn't think I would get great answer before fanatic

humn

That's no less than you deserve for not thinking.

Sphinx

5:01 AM

0

Q: two of A, B and C in each row column and diagonal

This puzzle comes from a book called "Braintraining Puzzles" (The one with a blue-green cover). It involves a 6x6 grid which needs to be filled with two copies of A, B and C in each row, column and diagonal. There are certain restrictions given at the start of the puzzle. For this puzzle: In row...

logical-deduction

Beastly Gerbil

6:06 AM

Damn @Rubio finally overtook me :P surprised I lasted so long :P

Grats @ffao

Rubio

A race well run, and quite a bit of fun. :)

Beastly Gerbil

Except the race had no finish line for me :P

Now though all the users above me are not active at all and I'll overtake them at some point, or they are super active like Gareth and deus and I'll never catch them. No competition there

Wen1now

Codenames

For playing the game Codenames. New players, see puzzling.meta...

Codenames anyone?

Beastly Gerbil

I would but I need to revise for a test, so sorry I can't :/

M Oehm

7:45 AM

@BeastlyGerbil Well, you can probabyly catch me. I'm no Gareth and I have stretches where I don't solve anything. So if that is an incentive ...

Mithrandir

@MikeQ spam.

ffao

Took you almost 5 hours to reach that conclusion? :P

I noticed no one considered lost -> L in the 4C, but that doesn't give me anything either

And now I have to go to sleep

Mithrandir

8:00 AM

No. I just arrived :P

Well, no, just noticed that message.

M Oehm

@ffao Good night! Your observation about the abbreviation in the CCCC is very good.

(I have the feeling that I have made the CC a bit too obscure and was about to post a hint that the abbreviation is from the sports section.)

Sid

8:23 AM

Ah, Lost=L. Should have gotten that

M Oehm

I thought I had seen it used in one Guardian or FT crosswords.

The abbreviation isn't listed on the Wikipedeia page, but here's evidence that it exists. The "run", which is represented by red and green bars here, is sometimes written as Ws, Ls and Ds, too.

The tables for NBA and NFL use L and W, too, but expand them to "wins" and "losses".

Sid

8:40 AM

Yeah, Lost=L is common. I think I have seen that in football too

Techidiot

It's pretty common yes. L/W is used in many sports. e.g Cricket There's also a thing called Win-loss record(pitching)

Sphinx

9:07 AM

3

Q: Hey, watch your step!

One day, while hiking in the Jungles, we discovered a place hidden inside the woods. It seemed like it was sitting there quietly for some years now. We approached the gate. A friend of mine knocked the door. There came a voice - You need a password to enter. Watch your steps! That's it. Nothi...

enigmatic-puzzle visual

M Oehm

9:50 AM

@Techidiot: I see that your ASCII period is over. :) Isn't there a line (1,1-1,2) missing for F?

Techidiot

Hehe.

Let me check

boboquack

I don't see it...

Techidiot

Yes :) @MOehm

Thanks.

boboquack

Does that mean the picture has to be changed as well?

Techidiot

Nope.

boboquack

9:54 AM

I mean this one

Techidiot

One of the picture may be.

Sp3000

10:22 AM

Hmm I know W/L more as win/loss than won/lost. But hmmm that L is a curveball, and combining with previous hints makes it seem like the clue is just charades + juxtaposition...

Techidiot

@Rubio You just need a pair of tiles. :)

Rubio

eh?

The connections are between tiles?

Techidiot

@Rubio @MOehm did that.

@Rubio Exactly!

Rubio

Sorry, hadn't seen his comment. (There or here.)

thanks @MOehm

why didn't you post this? hehe

M Oehm

I prepared to post it, but I delayed the post. Anyway, it's solved now.

I liked the confirmation code.

Sp3000

10:37 AM

I feel like the confirmation code detracts from the puzzle a bit :P

(just a smidge - confirmation is good, but ideally the answer would be able to speak for itself)

Rubio

Updated the answer; thanks.

M Oehm

@Sp3000 Okay, agreed. The confirmation should be in the answer itself, as in: You know it when you see it. (And I have to admit that I worked backwards from the Vigenère to get the first two letters, so maybe that's why I liked it.)

Rubio

I started with the duplicate number sets and assumed coordinates, and got backwards P. then tried the first, got the C. Then didn't know which direction the numbers went. The O convinced me I was doing something wrong but wasn't sure what yet, but the Vigenere let me confirm I had the right answer (though clearly not quite the right way). So I liked having it, but it felt a little like cheating :)

M Oehm

10:53 AM

The thing is that the C and O look untidy and could have been written with only the fifth and first columns like the other letters, but that would defeat the purpose of the dot arrangement.

Techidiot

The idea was taken from one of the Indian puzzle hunt from 2008. Thanks for solving :) And, appreciate the feedback.

Sp3000

11:23 AM

Also realised just now that if you assume the confirmation and pass code are both single words a dictionary brute force is possible :P (I was hoping to find fun "alternative" pairs but nope)

Techidiot

@Sp3000 Idea was to keep it simple. I tried a few common Vig crackers, and it remained safe so kept it as it is. :)

But yes, I get what you mean.

The tiles could have been a little more realistic :p But, my artistic skills are not up to the mark ;)

n_palum

11:51 AM

@humn I'm not entirely sure what instrumental experiments have to do with a humming bird but sure?

n_palum

12:07 PM

I really hope the 4C isn't for cleansing = CLEANSER D:

Sphinx

12:26 PM

-1

Q: Crazy Mathematical Riddle!

rjjffrekjj is my name and to figure the network, you have to add the first alphabet of the following words in capital letters, GREAT, MUST, APPLE, INDIAN, LOVE... Let's see if you solve it by writing me

mathematics

n_palum

4C what if Jerk is the def, it starts with L and we are looking for 'solution for cleansing'

Sp3000

12:43 PM

Could be - I'm having trouble thinking of short words that fit that though

n_palum

Eh I can't really find a jerk def

Deusovi

I can't figure out what "first" could do. Dunno how it could be a direct synonym, and there are apparently no 1-character components to the wordplay.

n_palum

Oehm confirmed first doesn't equal first in or cool first iirc

So maybe short word for jerk, L, word for cool, at the beginning of the word, and in is just a connector and 'solution for cleansing' is a whole def

Deusovi

@n_palum Did he confirm it wasn't 'first in solution' either?

n_palum

Jerk = Oaf + L = Loaf :P

@Deusovi I think so

yesterday, by M Oehm

@MikeQ Just to not chase you down the garden path: I've said earlier that it isn't "first in solution" either and that the single letter is an abbreviation.

I'm feeling like first indicates move stuff to the beginning

thecoder16

1:32 PM

Gday

o/

\o

\o/

-1

Q: Who am I ? Batman fans will know this

Who AM I ? What AM I ? If you hold , I leave , I in you , but I hide very well , Even BATMAN wants me , and also you , Nobody has ever seen me , but I am always with you , Summer , winter ,rainy . But If you choose to leave me .it not a bye from you .but a last bye from me . .we never me...

riddle

Sphinx

1:51 PM

0

Q: Simply Cryptic #5

No back story, no setting, no theme, simply a cryptic clue to solve: Starts to taste rather Mediterranean, some lemon too, mixed with another's top condiment. Since cryptic clues traditionally indicate the number of letters in the solution, I'll provide that as a hint: After some feedbac...

cryptic-clues

dcfyj

2:02 PM

Wh

n_palum

fl

Sphinx

1

Q: Invest in this word and it'll never leave

Title gives the base word, the rest of these are plays on or around that word. Add my first, and you'll turn me into an agent. With you, we can jump and leap (for joy?). Take and shake my only one of these in order to flex, a belt, until secure. With an important number added o...