« first day (1645 days earlier)      last day (1982 days later) » 

12:09 AM
I was wondering if puzzles without words are permitted. I couldn't find anything on the meta specifically about this.
And if so how might I get around Stack exchanges requirements for a title
 
Puzzles without words (in their body) have been done before, but I don't think you can get away without having a title... What else are people going to click on in the questions list?
 
use !@#$%^&*() etc. characters
?
 
Yeah. I'd like to do No comment or something similar as a title. But I feel like people will think that is a clue
 
maybe [untitled puzzle]
[untitled puzzle except you need a title on StackExchange]
 
-2
Q: who started and when?

samIn a service station, five tasks – Body Wash, Brake Checking, Engine Tuning, Interior Wash and Wheel Alignment – had to be performed on a vehicle on a particular day. The order in which the five tasks should be performed was fixed. The time taken to finish each task was 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30...

 
12:14 AM
I could title it This title is not a clue
 
TOP TEXT
maybe you could do a clue for the title but without words, using nonalphanumeric ascii i guess
 
Ok new problem.
I need 30 characters in the body of the question
 
comments?
like <!---> thingy
 
Doesn't seem to count the comments
 
some asterisks before and after the image?
 
12:21 AM
Nope don't count
 
I'm assuming you're using images? I've posted with only images and html comments before and it definitely worked...
Not sure if it was because of the number of images (i.e. counted the urls, or alt text of the images or something), or the html comment, but it was definitely 100% visible text free.
 
Hm do you have the post?
I am using an image
 
The hint text at the bottom was added after the original posting
 
Hm yeah
Looks like SE has changed how they count body size
 
12:24 AM
do something like
is the message it gives you for not having enough characters over 30 characters?
 
It tells me that I need 30 characters and that I currently have zero
 
i mean, why not like
do a thing like
> [the message it gives you]
 
I just put 30 chars of text saying that the text is not a clue.
 
12:30 AM
You could hide the text with white mathjax:
$\color{#FFFFFF}{\textsf{This is not a clue, please ignore. Just need 30 characters to post the puzzle...}}$
 
Nice I will do that
 
I downloaded the image and using the fill tool i discovered that there doesn't appear to be any hidden message in the background
 
You could make it "red herring" in linear A (unicode code point U+1060x, requires deciphering linear A)
 
my first thought was the bridges of koenigsberg but i'd wonder what the point of the bridges pointing to their startpoint
 
0
Q: The Cryptic Lab (remake) *1*

Ben DoverThis is a remake of the old puzzle, which was too broad (and I made such a terrible puzzle, lol). This is a harder yet simpler remake of it, with a new problem, but the same scenario (5 rooms, 5 parts.) I'll make a second part of this when it is answered, the rules are at the bottom of the puzzle...

 
12:59 AM
0
Q: Problem #NaN Fodder/Output

deep thought Inspired by Ben Franks' Input/Output Problem #1 and the others in the series Hint: Knowledge required is

 
 
2 hours later…
2:58 AM
0
Q: Help Me Solve This Riddle

MadiThe word I'm looking for has 4 letters. Riddle me this: The closer you get to it, the further away it is. What is it? This has been bugging me all day! Please help me answer it.

 
3:09 AM
Should I give another letter hint for the C4? I'm not sure what's appropriate at this point
 
take could be remove but I can't find the wordplay at all, direction could be E, state MO, but I just don't know
Then again it's 1am so I'm probably missing something obvious
 
Well, it's been more than long enough, so I'll give a different hint
C4 hint #3: There is a reversal
 
3:28 AM
0
Q: The Cryptic Lab +2+

Ben DoverSPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT "The Cryptic Lab * 1 *, YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND MUCH HERE! I'm glad people enjoyed the first part of the puzzle. I didn't think any of you would, and neither did I think that anyone could solve it. So without further ado, here is the second part of the 5 part...

 
 
1 hour later…
4:48 AM
now I see how the surface reading might work
if you take siren for a different meaning
question is, which meaning does the wordplay use?
my guess would be
siren<-direction
(siren-direction)<, and state lines as the def?
I mean, are there any other words that could indicate reversal?
 
 
2 hours later…
6:29 AM
0
Q: The Three-Trench Truce

Level 51The 100th anniversary of the end of World War I just passed a few days ago! In memory of this, in this puzzle we're going to reconstruct an ancient war, told by a veteran of the war itself. The grid below will serve as our map of the battleground. (1) The war took place between two sides. Both s...

 
6:39 AM
@Alconja The technique looks okay to me. The only quibble I have is that it would have to be "take directions", plural.
@micsthepick No. I think the hint is more or less equivalet to saying that "around" is a reversal indicator and with standard cryptic grammar, the reversee (?) should be the word(s) before it.
 
so then it would be that second theory of mine?
 
There are still several possibilities: def "take direction", siren< + state lines; def "state lines", (siren - direction)<; def lines, (siren - direction)< + state. The state lines cold even be compound such as HI + LL.
Now that I read it, I can see RECITE as "state lines" (read poetry). That would mean that the reversed directionless siren is —ETIC, which is a likely suffix.
 
yeah, that's the difficulty with CCs, each potential indicator doubles the amount of possible wordplays
 
(Okay, that was nonsense. The directionless siren would have to be the whole thing reversed, ETICER. Perhaps I shoudl do some dumb work to refresh my cryptic mind. :))
Ah, and there it is:
 
oh?
 
6:55 AM
@EricTressler RECITE (state lines, read out poetry aloud) = E(n)TICER<, a siren with the direction N taken from it and reversed ("around").
 
well done.
so it was actually the same definition as my reading of the surface
"siren" that is
 
Yes, probably. How do you read the surface? Obey a pretty woman who tries to lure mo near the state border?
 
not quite
get navigation instructions from a "pretty woman" on how to avoid the border
or perhaps to follow those instructions
 
Yeah, that sounds more plausible.
 
7:45 AM
@Sphinx The Three-Trench Truce is impressive, but also way over my head. Well done, L51 and MPH. (And the first answer also fits the overall theme.)
 
thanks!
 
Well, I half-cheated with the help of MPH's answer, but still managed to get enough on my own to savour it. (I didn't know the texting abbrev and thought it had to do with organic chemistry.)
 
:P
 
0
Q: Short, but it shouldn't be sweet

malioboroInspired by Fortnightly Topic Challenge #41 : Short and Sweet, this riddle just suddenly appears in my head: What happens if American students prefer to bring milk rather than water to school? the answer is only one short word, and please explain the answer :) Note: This riddle is not rela...

 
8:29 AM
0
Q: What am I riddle , can you see me?

Amruth AYou see me , I see you , Scratch my back , I am dead , You think , I have directional dyslexia, But its not me , but its you who is suffering , You might love me or hate , I am always your twin sibling , Now you see me ? What am I ?

 
 
1 hour later…
9:44 AM
0
Q: Anime guess Riddle #2

JannisLike in my first part, I'm searching for the name of an anime. Knowledge from the anime is required so maybe, if you havent seen it, you cant figure it out. I hope you have fun :) My MC is the worlds best terrorist, his friends are his sidekicks and his worst nightmare. His hobbies are ri...

 
 
1 hour later…
10:58 AM
1
Q: Top ten best ways of transportation

Thomas BlueLast night me and my friends had a fun night at the bar. When it was time for us to leave, we couldn't come up with a transport that will be comfortable and fit our status the most. After a while we came up with the following list of candidates (left to right on the picture): Oyster Wild r...

 
11:27 AM
O-O I would've never thought "state lines" = "recite". Brilliant.
 
1
Q: Find the number using the data

Quark-epochThere is a number hidden in this picture The number is not 365 This is all I can tell you for now

 
11:46 AM
48
Q: R.H.P.C. crossword puzzle

Thomas Blue This is an entry into the Fortnightly Topic Challenge #36 I got a ticket to the Red Herring Puzzle Club in the middle of the street. There was just a guy giving them out, like some advertisement flyers. When I took one, I asked him "This club advertises so hard, are they low on members?" "That...

All right, so I settled the +1000 and if nothing happens I post the solution.
I will also answer any question in this chat.
 
@PostLeftGarfHunter technically you can add $% at the beginning and $ at the end to make the title disappear
 
@MOehm that's correct
 
Phew!
 
12:13 PM
1
Q: A tribute to Stan Lee

Quark-epoch Start Here One answer will lead you to the next question

 
 
1 hour later…
1:19 PM
@JohnDvorak I just spent a few days in Prague. It's a lovely city.
 
1
Q: Anime guess Riddle #3

JannisLike in my second part, I'm searching for the name of an anime. Knowledge from the anime is required so maybe, if you havent seen it, you cant figure it out. I hope you have fun :) So Mr. ... youre really that small? ok, it just distracted me. Lets begin with our job interview. You are 21 yea...

 
1:44 PM
CCCC: Redesign of numeric writing system (9)
 
1:58 PM
4
Q: Was it a Bird I Heard?

AstralbeeI was taking a walk, trying hard to unwind but was suddenly startled by a swoosh! from behind This sound was soon followed by an "eek!" overhead but before I could see what it was, it had fled. I didn't feel relaxed as I yelled "argh!" out loud and everyone heard me, I didn't feel so proud I scar...

 
2:21 PM
@MOehm (OF NUMERIC)* = CUNEIFORM?
that has to be one of the few anagram clues that i've gotten without having to write everything out in a circle
 
@Level51 Yes.
 
really neat clue, i liked the surface
CCCC: Top grade, by tiny dropped margin, becomes bottom grade (7)
 
Thanks.
I've never done that circle-of-letters thing, but it seems to be common. The Guardian's online crossword offers it as mini-app.
 
yeah, it's built-in with their online cryptics too
 
That's what I meant. Not an app, an online widget.
 
2:44 PM
When I feel the need for visual assistance with an anagram, I usually put the vowels in one blob and the consonants in another.
 
3:01 PM
And your "blobs" are not on a line? I just use the words in the clues and cross out the letters I know. Then I have an idea and I start putting dots under the letters. It doesn't work. Then I have another idea. I put dots above the letters. That idea doesn't work either, so I write out the leftover letters as word next to the clue. Or I start looking for the rubber, which may take me some minutes. I think I may not be very systematic about solving anagrams. Or organising my writing utensils.
 
literally me
to date i still carry around a pencil without an accompanying eraser
 
0
Q: A puzzle about 13

FireCubezRound 1: Only thing you need to do in this round is solve the cipher, you'll need 13 along the way. The solution will guide you the the next round. lrftbbqlbhnervagryyvtraglbhunirhaybpxrqebhaqgjbabjhfrguvfgrkgnfnxrlgbgursbyybjvativtrarerpvcure Cfzge 2 Hlzpk jmfmk kxypoacitr. Zlih ieye ufdokxc ...

 
3:38 PM
My blobs are roughly circular blobs. I try to put multiple instances of a given letter together. Dots and lines and crossings-out are for double-checking if I think I've solved the anagram but don't trust my sense of what's an anagram of what.
On a computer I put the anagram fodder into a text editor in whatever order feels comfortable and remove letters from it as I add them to the candidate anagram.
Mostly, though, I either solve them in my head or fail to solve them.
 
4:13 PM
1
Q: Wikipedia Says So #2

kanooPrevious puzzle: #1 A bird without wing, body, feet or tail, An invention am I who can effortlessly sail. I am unlike my lowly brothers who only deliver mail; Surging over the winds I am majestic without fail! ...Alas, that is a lie, I do have one shortcoming In order to be useful to you I cann...

 
 
1 hour later…
5:20 PM
In text editors, I keep the fodder in a line and drag letters to the result on line below with the mouse. But if I just want to confirm an anagram, I often type the fodder at the shell prompt and delete the letters of the answer. I rarely solve longer anagrams (eight letters and more) in my head.
@Level51 I like to use pencils and I erase a lot, even in scribbles.
 
 
1 hour later…
6:27 PM
1
Q: Twelve friends and their birthdays

Bernardo Recamán SantosTwelve friends, Anna, Bill, Deb, Dory, Eliza, Gaby, Jan, John, Judy, Mary, Otto, and Sam, were talking about their birthdays, and much to their surprise discovered that they were all born on different months and, in fact, that each of them was born on a month with at least two different letters i...

 
 
1 hour later…
7:57 PM
0
Q: Grandpa and his silly questions. Another Grandpa mystery

DEEMAn entry into the Topical Challenge #41 Short and Sweet Grandpa was in one of his very silly "puzzling" mood. "There is only one answer to the following", he quipped. "Take a number between 0 and 9, Split it into 3 to 2 ratio, And there it is! follow me?" "Only one answer...

 
8:55 PM
I haven't used a pencil in years, for anything; I'm left-handed and get graphite all over the side of my hand. I stick to pens
 
9:16 PM
@MOehm that's a really good CCCC
@EricTressler perhaps you should learn Arabic or Hebrew...
@Level51 this one is quite good too
 
9:42 PM
0
Q: The Cryptic Lab ~3~

Omega LulSPOILER ALERT PLEASE READ The Cryptic Lab * 1 * AND The Cryptic Lab +2+ BEFORE READING PART 3! The series is getting less and less attention, so I might close it sooner than I think; after part 5 is out. If you guys enjoyed this, I'm glad you did. Still, enjoy part 3. LAST SPOILER ALERT!!! SERI...

 
9:58 PM
@Sphinx what tense do you want to use, present or past?
seriously, each part in this series switches between those tenses like as if they were one and the same
If you want to have you post get more attention, then make sure that it is actually nice to read, and nice to solve. Get someone to proofread it!
another thing to keep in mind is that test solving never hurt a puzzle
 
 
1 hour later…
11:26 PM
0
Q: Number sequence 5

DennispuzFill in the correct number in this sequence: 5 3 8 9 1 27 ? The options are: 18, 54, 38, 14 or 13. I can see the pattern of 3, 9, 27 but other than that I am clueless. Source: an IQ-test.

 
11:41 PM
@mics, up for a game of dots?
 
11:57 PM
@WELZ well, why not
I should make it
what size?
 

« first day (1645 days earlier)      last day (1982 days later) »