The Sphinx's Lair

1:17 AM

0

Q: When will inversing an algorithm allow it to function the same as the origional?

Let's say I have this zperm algorithm: R' U' R U' R U R U' R' U R U R2 U' R' U2 Now, let's suppose I inverse it. U2 R U R2 U' R' U' R U R' U' R' U R' U R Assuming the cube is in a state of its pll in which it a zperm will put it into a solved state, both algorithms will work. My question is ...

Rubio

2:03 AM

puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/53008/… anyone care to cast a VTD

Sphinx

2:58 AM

0

Q: A Very Easy Wordsquare Riddle

This is my first question. Well, first on this website. Just a simple word square Packed in a riddle tight. My first, he used to be ugly. And Hans is his creator. My second is just a word. There are clues no more. My third can be cramped and small. Yet often he is wide. My last is Bismarck an...

riddle word-square

Sphinx

7:56 AM

0

Q: I've handeled various materials

I eat the used I steal the maid I concave the face And I really like to me Who am I?

riddle

Wen1now

8:43 AM

Hi guys

BreakingMyself

8:54 AM

Hey

I woke up to my first 'big' puzzle being solved, pleased to say the least.

humn

I still get riled when a solution gets more votes of approval than its puzzle.

BreakingMyself

I suppose that depends on the complexity of the puzzle. If your required answer seems more elaborate than the question, I think votes would sway to the solver.

I made pretty pictures for two of my puzzles to try and increase upvotes ;)

humn

Marketing!

Still, though, I've sneezed solutions that got more approval than puzzles that took 9 months.

... sorry to whine, @BreakingMyself, but thanks for an underrated puzzle ...

BreakingMyself

Haha that's a shame really.

That's not whining. I have 3 children between 2 and 11, trust me lol

humn

9:10 AM

More power to you with those puzzles!

Actually, my favorite puzzles are those that receive countless votes of both approval and disapproval.

BreakingMyself

I've already started two of them on riddles, the eldest had a few days pondering the classic 'what get's wetter as is dries?'

@humn The ones that cause chaos and chattering in the background

humn

Right, thought in action leads to activity.

BreakingMyself

Speaking of, I can't share my progressively bias coin idea anymore.

humn

Guess I missed what led up to that, but it's a beaut!

It combines approximation, asymptote, regularity and unpredictability. And incomplete describability.

Just to get circles to tangent squares is no mean feat.

BreakingMyself

I was planning on having the inner sections fixed on one side and semi-fixed on the other, so they eventually loosen and create a bias caused by centrifugal forces. I was considering 3D printing but that itself would create bias in the flip.

@humn Snap to grid is your friend with that one!

Wen1now

9:22 AM

What are you guys talking about?

humn

I talking about that picture. Still don't completely get what it relates to but got me going.

Bias as in warp or weft? Bias as in probabilities?

BreakingMyself

The coin question posted that is now 'on hold'.

humn

Bias as in unbalance?

BreakingMyself

It would be unbalanced for sure, enough to affect a coin flip. The plastic extruded to create layers isn't as precise as some would have you believe.

A real coin would need to be metal, either made by CNC or precisely cast.

humn

You actually have access to a 3-D printer! I've only heard of them.

Ambiguous Cylinder Illusion

►

BreakingMyself

9:30 AM

A cheap Chinese one, it was a gift from my wife. It's great for little projects.

humn

I can't find the on-hold puzzle mentioned. I've probably been blocked for too many votes to reopen.

128-Up

Is that the "starts fair then winds up unfair" one?

Sphinx

0

Q: The game of pebbles

We consider the game at 2, which consists of a set of N stones, from which one can remove a pebble, or c> 2 pebble, the winner being the one who does not take the last stone. Is there a winning strategy?

mathematics enigmatic-puzzle game

BreakingMyself

Yes that's the one.

128-Up

I must admit the answer that proposed the material used on scratchcards tickled me.

BreakingMyself

9:37 AM

@128-Up It's a clever idea, but the flipper would know about the 'tampering' pretty fast lol.

128-Up

Probably. Unless you hire someone easily distracted to flip the coin for you.

Or something.

BreakingMyself

Someone blind with no sense of touch, but then would an unfair flip be required? Lol.

128-Up

...I was about to say you'd still want to play ethically, but given the context...

humn

@BreakingMyself , still giggling over that. What gets wringer the roghter it gets?

Puzzling Meta

9:57 AM

0

Q: Is it acceptable to post puzzles from a game?

I play a game on my android device called Fillomino, some of you might already be familiar with the game itself or the Fillomino Rules. Is it a good place to post the puzzles I am solving from this game on Puzzling? The goal is to give fellow puzzle-lovers the chance to have fun with this type ...

discussion

BreakingMyself

@humn roghter as in wrought?

Or was that a deliberate edit ;)

humn

Wish I'd thought of that. Work in progress.

it was a deliberate misspelling of "righter," but "wr" words are among my favorites.

BreakingMyself

I read it and then came back a few minutes later to something different lol

humn

10:16 AM

Wreck/wrist/wrench/wrestle/wrangle/wreak/wrong/wring/wrought/wrap ... they all have to do with twisting

Don't get me started on "tw" words . . . .

Next-best word of the day:

Potoroidae

The marsupial family Potoroidae includes the bettongs, potoroos, and two of the rat-kangaroos. All are rabbit-sized, brown, jumping marsupials and resemble a large rodent or a very small wallaby. == Characteristics == The potoroids are smaller relatives of the kangaroos and wallabies, and may be ancestral to that group. In particular, the teeth show a simpler pattern than in the kangaroo family, with longer upper incisors, larger canines, and four cusps on the molars. However, both groups possess a wide diastema between the incisors and the cheek teeth, and the potoroids have a similar de...

Is it a kangaroo rat or a rat kangaroo?

Or just another P word?

Perfidy/prerogative/perjorative/pusilanimous/purblind/puler/puter/tater ... probably would have been preferable to go with "tw" words after all, easier to spell and pretend they never happened.

"Tater" is a P word, if it matters: "Potato"

Sphinx

11:19 AM

0

Q: A problem that lies beyond the eyes

Find the answer, Find the code, Know the truth, Lessen your load ... Closer than you realise, the answer lies, the answer lies, beyond the eyes ... YEAIMNHSIAQWERITLLKITTYUIHIEIWI1POOLI1VBCXI:I3MKFAI0

cipher

Rubio

humn holdimng court, hmmmn?

BreakingMyself

11:51 AM

I think I need a Potoroidae.

Mike Q

12:05 PM

Why not a bandicoot?

BreakingMyself

Why not indeed. Although with the rate furry critters go missing where I live, it would be in a Singapore chow mein before long.

Sid

12:29 PM

Arrgh, I am still stuck with the C4

Sphinx

1:12 PM

0

Q: logic game - how would you solve it?

We had the annual team-building event last Thursday, and one of the activities involved solving the logic game/puzzle I transcribed below - which, as I just learned, is similar to the 'Zebra puzzle' and is tagged as 'logic-grid'. My questions are: what do you think the solution is? How would you...

logic-grid

Sid

1:56 PM

How is ANDS=Gates in that C4 OF sPE3K?

(never mind)

got it.

M Oehm

3:18 PM

@Rubio I think the CCCC is RE(COIL)ED (reeled) = in DEER< (game around), LOCI* (unusual locations)

n_palum

:O

Nvm :P

Deusovi

indirect anagram? naughty

M Oehm

@Deusovi Yes, I thought that would be a case for the Cryptic Clue Police, Captain.

@n_palum Loci is a fancy way to say locations. I remember it being discussed here briefly.

Gareth McCaughan

tut tut tut

n_palum

I see that now

Boo

Ankoganit

3:41 PM

Oh duh

Would've never got that

Rubio

@MOehm That is it!

Bah. I did do an indirect didn't I. I got myself in the woods during making it, and botched that part.

That's annoying. Apologies all

Deusovi

And this demonstrates exactly why I don't like indirect anagrams.

M Oehm

3:57 PM

CCCC: Period for last of folio leaves (7)

Deusovi

FOLI(o→AGE)

M Oehm

Bingo.

Deusovi

CCCC: It's sad getting letters from a dozen nuisances (5)

Ankoganit

@Deusovi _ENNUI_

Deusovi

yup

Ankoganit

4:04 PM

CCCC: Man hiding weapon in dress (7)

Deusovi

wait, @Rubio, explanation about your clue? is "around" used both as a reversal and as an insertion indicator?

M Oehm

@Deusovi No. That's what I thought first, too, but the "in" isn't part of the definition, it's meant to read "in {REED}, {COIL}".

Deusovi

hm, I'd think that needs a comma, no?

M Oehm

If I search long enough, I might be able to quote you saying "Punctuiation is usually ignored in the surface reading", or words to that effect. :)

Deusovi

it's fair game to have unnecessary punctuation in cryptics (for the sake of the surface, not just for no reason), but typically not to remove necessary punctuation

M Oehm

4:09 PM

Okay. Let's ban Rubio already.

Deusovi

Fine by me.

Rubio

Why would a comma be needed?

Deusovi

For "in A, B"? Why wouldn't it? "In a car the dog" does not mean "the dog in a car". You'd say "in a car, the dog".

Rubio

Hm. I thought I had seen similar where no comma was given.

Mike Q

4:56 PM

@Ankoganit GARMENT = G(ARM)ENT = GENT hiding ARM

@Rubio Boo..

Meh

@MikeQ New clue?

Working on it

5:22 PM

Oh wow, Rubio's has been gotten. And I guess my silly parsing wasn't as silly as I'd thought after all

Mike Q

5:37 PM

CCCC: Personality aspect in personal force with fear. (10)

Sid

Pins ^ mods

Sp3000

6:19 PM

TIMID ("personality aspect") in INATE ("personal") = INTIMIDATE ("force with fear") ?

... wait no "inate"'s not a word is it

Sid

it's supposed to be innate, right?

Rubio

intim(ID)ate

Sp3000

That would make more sense :P Nice Rubio

Sid

Right, that makes more sense..

Rubio

INTIMATE is personal; ID is personality aspect. I thought it was ID but had the wrong parsing at first. I think we hit it about the same time - I thought you'd beat me :)

Sp3000

6:23 PM

Nah, I was just trying to think of words for "force with fear" since that seemed like a likely def and throwing ideas out

Rubio

CCCC: Inhibited ascetic in a dark opening behind cave entrance. (11)

This one should be proper. :)

Sid

should be?

Rubio

well. I thought the last one was. I rechecked this one though.

Sid

(Also, is it considered bad that I asked some of my friends for help in your CCCC?)

(Not that, they could help much...)

Rubio

I don't see why

I think after enough time passes without a solution, people start broadening the scope of where they look to for help :)

Sphinx

7:17 PM

1

Q: Simple probability game

You are asked to play a classic shell game with two shells. Each round, a ball is placed under one shell, the shells are rapidly, continuously rearranged for 15 seconds with distraction*, and then you are asked to pick which shell contains the ball. *By "with distraction," all I mean is that th...

mathematics calculation-puzzle probability

Rubio

7:30 PM

@MikeQ you here?

Mike Q

@Rubio Aye aye captain

Rubio

@Sphinx Did you delete a comment on this puzzle?

The one responding to the OP responding to me?

Mike Q

Yes. The original comment was deleted.

Rubio

Was it within the edit window?

5 minutes of posting it?

Mike Q

Um... I can't remember. Why?

Rubio

7:32 PM

Trying to figure something out

Mike Q

Oh wait. I wrote it around 27 minutes ago deleted it recently. No, it was not within the edit window.

Rubio

Ok yeah I figured it out.

Mike Q

Great. Glad I helped to solve the mystery...?

Rubio

You did, actually. hehe

hey @rand what's the story with that daven moderator?

Sphinx

0

Q: Non-existence — it's doesn't exist and does exist

The middle of a line stretching for eternity in both sides, in words I am. No thing is not me. I and me—we together is non-existence. What is we?

riddle word enigmatic-puzzle crossword-clues

Rand al'Thor

7:45 PM

26

A: What is story behind the edX Stack Exchange sites?

This is an experimental partnership with edX. They're essentially testing out how our engine might work as a replacement for their class forums. They educate people. Online. For free. We like that, so we're willing to see if we can help or not. While a lot of their needs fit pretty well (spe...

Rubio

huh. I hadn't met any of these sites.

Rand al'Thor

There are lots of unusual and surprising stories around SE, if you keep your ear to the ground.

Like Information Security, where there are exactly two 100k+ rep users and they're both the same person.

Rubio

how ... why ...

Mithrandir

Bears aren't satisfied with only one account, apparently.

Rand al'Thor

Apparently the guy doesn't want to answer all different types of questions with the same account.

Rubio

7:51 PM

that's just weird.

Rand al'Thor

Like as if I had one account for riddles and another one for maths puzzles.

Rubio

but there's a mod at that site with literally zero activity?

Rand al'Thor

7

Q: The moderators do not seem to be moderating

It may just be me not understanding how this site works, but these are the moderators (all appointed March 2014): danallan ♦ 1 - No activity besides reading tour page. daven ♦ 1 - Absolutely nothing. GabrielGuimaraes ♦ 46 - Very little activity - 4 badges and an answer (meta user) glennhollow...

support moderation

> pro tem moderators were never appointed from the ranks of active, helpful users. Instead, this site is moderated by faculty and staff of the course itself (and one faculty member who is not listed on that page).

Sid

Two 100k-rep users who are the same person? Are they an employee?

Rand al'Thor

... no?

Why would an employee do that?

Rubio

8:04 PM

very weird. btw, is there a way to see the mods for a site other than stackexchange.com/about/moderators as that doesn't seem to work for all sites

Rand al'Thor

@Rubio Doesn't it? It should.

Sid

Why would anyone do that?

Beastly Gerbil

GAmen

Mithrandir

GameN

Rand al'Thor

20 mins ago, by Rand al'Thor

Apparently the guy doesn't want to answer all different types of questions with the same account.

20 mins ago, by Rand al'Thor

Like as if I had one account for riddles and another one for maths puzzles.

Sid

8:12 PM

Makes no sense to me...

Rubio

@Randal'Thor it doesn't know cs50 or edx sites. they may just be special-cased out.

heya BG

Beastly Gerbil

Whats been happening? I've been playing cricket all day so haven't even logged on yet

Sid

I don't know how to greet at this time. So, Hello @beastly

Rubio's c4 was solved

Beastly Gerbil

TBh I'm not sure I can call 9:15 after noon, but hey. Its after noon so :P

Sid

A consensus has been reached to ban him.

Beastly Gerbil

8:15 PM

lol

Oooh an indirect. Naughty

Rubio

yes, yes. I hang my head in shame.

Break out the torches and pitchforks.

Beastly Gerbil

As punishment you should give up drinking coke. Thats worse than pitchforks.

Sid

Whoa. That is too harsh

Rubio

I ... don't drink Coke.

5

Beastly Gerbil

We all believe you

Mithrandir

8:18 PM

No. You don't. You drink lime Diet Coke.

Rubio

Also, I got a chuckle out of this: "@Rubio hey, it's a nice saturday. you don't have to spend the day patrolling and downvoting new questions. you're allowed to take a break and go for a walk. i mean, if you want to. up to you. hope you have some fun this weekend!"

Sid

Lol.

ffao

So many incorrect answers for the pebble question o.o

Beastly Gerbil

I found rubio again

ffao

Rubio doesn't drink Coke

Fake picture

Sid

8:25 PM

Nope, that looks like Rubio's impersonator

Beastly Gerbil

We should call the police in

Sid

(Maybe, I can create Rubio. Get that picture of the diet coke I was drinking the other day and Photoshop it with the picture of a dog)

ffao

Wasn't @Rubio here when we ruled out LOCI* for being indirect?

Rubio

Clearly not.

That's totally me.

Beastly Gerbil

Exactly. Why have a can when you can have a box?

thecoder16

8:36 PM

rubio can shapeshift

Rand al'Thor

Why have a box when you box have a can?

Beastly Gerbil

lol

thecoder16

why have a box when you can be a box?

who says the dog is rubio? what if he actually is abox?

Beastly Gerbil

I doubt a box could have the IQ rubio does

thecoder16

until it's scientifically disproven, doubts mean nothing

Sid

8:44 PM

I am also rather disappointed we don't see Rand during contact games too often

Rand al'Thor

@Sid Contact is so addictive!

And time-consuming.

And (this most of all) so fast-moving that it's hard to multitask during it.

Sid

That is... True.

thecoder16

how i multitask during contact is 1. provide clue 2. wait to be pinged

Rand al'Thor

Right now I can chat in a couple of different rooms, monitor the SFF flag queue, read and research for some answers, and get work done IRL.

If I join a game of Contact, next thing I know it'll be an hour later and I've got nothing else done.

@thecoder16 If only people were always consistent about pinging :-/

thecoder16

i was pinged last night after leaving about my clue. i think it's gotten more consistent.

Sid

8:49 PM

I would say Puzzling as a whole is addictive.

thecoder16

yeah

Beastly Gerbil

I don't know. I've never tried to quit :P

thecoder16

you will never :P

Sid

And with that,ad

Mithrandir

@Sid s/Puzzling/SE

(or however you do it)

Sid

8:53 PM

Clearly I am too sleepy. And clock is about to strike 2:30, so, I should go sleep. Have a nice day, all.

Night @Sid!

night!

nihgt

9:07 PM

and also night from me....

Mithrandir

o/

Rubio

\o

Deusovi

9:37 PM

Wait, @Rubio - you don't drink Coke? Then why is that your avatar?

Rand al'Thor

"that's the joke"?

thecoder16

lol

Mike Q

That's not a joke

At least, not a funny one

Sphinx

9:56 PM

1

Q: Tetromino Sudoku

An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #32: Grid Deduction Hybrids The grid below, when filled in, forms a valid Sudoku grid. It can also be filled in like a LITS (nuruomino) puzzle without the 1x4 tetrominos. The two objectives of this puzzle are: Fill in the numbers in the grid. Identify...

sudoku grid-deduction polyomino

Rubio

@Deusovi I drink Diet Coke with Lime.

Sphinx

10:16 PM

0

Q: Puzzles: Meander

I have come up with an interesting type of puzzle based on the mathematical concept of a meander. The concept, of course, is not original to me, but the type of puzzle is, as far as I know. A meander is a curve that intersects a given line a certain number of times, but does not intersect itsel...

grid-deduction

Deusovi

11:30 PM

@Sphinx Gah. Neat idea, but non-unique puzzles. :c

thecoder16

11:50 PM

i don't see why that bothers you so much

boboquack

Without uniqueness, you can't have as many nice deductions

Rand al'Thor

Non-uniqueness is an argument for "too broad".

thecoder16

true, but it's a cool puzzle

Deusovi

@boboquack Without uniqueness, you can't deduce the answer at all!

Rand al'Thor

But you can deduce an answer.

Deusovi

11:57 PM

No you can't - you'd have to "guess" somewhere if there are multiple options, even if both are correct.

It's not just about not being "nice" - it's about being able to get to the answer through pure logic. It's breaking the grid-deduction promise of "this puzzle is solvable through logical deduction alone, without requiring any guessing".

Transcript for