The Sphinx's Lair

oAlt

00:03

yeah short but sweet

bobble

I was trying to make it a charade ><

bobble

00:18

Also could a mod/room owner unstar all of the last game's clues in the Contact room?

Deusovi

just added you as a room owner! didn't realize Contact games are still ongoing

bobble

ooh, responsibility :D

Did you have a chance to look at my Chain Puzzle cryptics?

Deusovi

the message was burned when i looked at it

i think you used the wrong link? but i've got time now

bobble

00:33

I need to re-write all the notes I added... darn

Deusovi

hold on

Sphinx

02:23

0

Q: I am as fast as lightning

I am as fast as lightning and my pose is recognized around the World. Who am I?

Sphinx

03:12

0

Q: Relations between numbers

Through some special formulas and relations I have come up with the following numbers 770, 84, 220, 6050, 1695, 29, 322, 45, 6095, 1666. How are these numbers related? Secondly, how were they formulated?

mathematics

Jeremy Dover

03:56

@bobble I thought about using that tag, but I think the [cryptic-crossword] tag tends to be used very specifically at PSE. My puzzle fails to meet some of the typical criteria, particularly in having a large number of unchecked letters.

But if you think it merits the tag, I'm glad to put it on.

bobble

Oh, I didn't know about the extra criteria. But I still feel it counts. Though you can take my opinion with a grain of salt; you've been around longer

Jeremy Dover

Eh, I'll put it on there. If others feel it doesn't merit, they can always remove it.

Sphinx

1

Q: A Cryptic Hourglass

An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #43: Variety Crossword Grids The answers to ten cryptic clues need to be entered in the grid below. Words start in their numbered rectangles, and proceed down through adjacent rectangles, one per level, terminating in the bottom row. Words may change direc...

grid-deduction cryptic-clues cryptic-crosswords

Sphinx

04:27

0

Q: Snakes, snakes, snakes!

I am a long snake, terrible to everyone, I unite everything that has fallen apart. I am hard to conquer for human, even the smartest ones, I may help you to find your size.

riddle

oAlt

05:00

oh no. it seems my internet has slowed down and is preventing me from posting the c4.

take three:

CCCC: Volcano's moment of unpredictability: starts shifting about in noon time, quiet up front (5, 8)

jafe

07:27

@oAlt m_ o_ u_ + n + t + p + inatubo*

oAlt

as expected hahahah

@jafe your turn

(also I used "[fodder] starts" in a previous clue, and jafe also solved that... it seems I must minimize my use of that cluing :P)

(although in general first/last letter indicators seem easier to detect compared to other indicators)

jafe

07:47

hehe i overuse them myself so indicators like that ring a bell pretty fast

oAlt

07:57

yeah

jafe

08:18

CCCC: Type of instrument unassociated with highest part of register (4)

Sphinx

08:58

0

Q: Starred, as to the crew's aid

The flavour text (except for the puzzle's name) is not a hint, but a true story I didn't really have any ideas for a puzzle, but my everyday life gave me one. I think, the puzzle could be better if I had a better camera resolution, but you guess everything so fast, that I decided to leave it this...

enigmatic-puzzle real movies cards

Sphinx

09:48

0

Q: A Tribute to Psych

An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #43: Variety Crossword Grids The following is a 4x5 grid: Within the grid, there are 13 words laid out in the following way: The words may go forwards or backwards along the lines. That is, two words that are parallel do not necessarily read in the same...

crosswords word-square

Sphinx

13:29

1

Q: Ever notice those dangerous hollow eyes staring at you?

I have two eyes and one mouth, both my eyes are hallowed out. My mouth won't let me talk, yet my eyes will have you shocked. For though air is what's inside, I'm one reason why many died. What am I, that causes doom? Here's a hint, I'm in your room.

riddle word rhyme

msh210

19:12

@jafe Probably not but maybe TUBA &lit (TUB (type of instrument) associated with A (lowest part of scale), reworded as "unassociated with highest…" just to confuse)

Sphinx

0

Q: A fraction puzzle

This is a puzzle with both the computer-puzzle tag and the no-computers tag. We have the following list of five fractions: $$11/5, 30/77, 1/11, 21/2, 5/7.$$ Starting with an integer $x$, we perform the following operation: at each step, multiply $x$ by the first fraction (from left to right) in ...

no-computers computer-puzzle

Prince North Læraðr

Highest part of register = R?

@msh210 TUB is a type of instrument?

msh210

19:42

@PrinceNorthLæraðr yeah, I was thinking so. I still think it's likely, though I haven't found anything to do with that.

@PrinceNorthLæraðr eh. Sorta. I mean, it is something you use for something, which is what an instrument is.

Prince North Læraðr

Oh, i was thinking of a musical instrument

msh210

Like I said, I doubt my proposed solution above is correct.

Avi

19:59

... but what if it's a Schrodinger clue

accidental Schrodinger &lits., that is true peak performance

Deusovi

i would say this straight-up doesn't work as msh described - the rewording in particular breaks it, and the rest of the clue would be bad even if not technically illegal

Avi

might be ALTO ddef (type of musical instrument, as in ALTO saxophone, and unassociated with highest part of register - not SOPRANO, in other words)

if I did get it, awarding next clue to msh210, cause busy doing chess puzzles

Sphinx

0

Q: Addition table with hidden digits

Similar to the previous puzzle, find the values behind the letters. T , E , M , A K , A , K , A + S , A , F , T ------------------- F , E , S , T , A These are roughly the Swedish words for theme, cookie, soda, and the result, partying. All letters correspond to different digi...

arithmetic alphametic

jafe

@msh210 not the intended solution, i'm afraid

msh210

@Deusovi it would indeed be a very poor clue; I just thought I'd propose it anyway, just in case

@jafe I'm shocked, I tell you: shocked

@Avi That would be a single definition used twice.

@Avi @jafe I suspect you haven't seen this, so I'm alerting you to it.

@Avi @jafe Much along the same lines is BASS (a type of instrument) ddef... but that, too is really a single def used twice rather than a ddef.

Prince North Læraðr

20:21

Well, ALTO or BASS could be a vocal range

Type of instrument I tend to think musical families

there's REED, WIND, etc.

OBOE

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr fork, rake, ...

Prince North Læraðr

Highest part of register could be R or maybe G?

msh210

a tub is rarely called an "instrument" but a fork and a rake yes.

@PrinceNorthLæraðr bass is as much an instrument as oboe (chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/14524?m=54473359#54473359)

Prince North Læraðr

Never said bass wasn't an instrument

msh210

fair enough

Prince North Læraðr

20:26

Yeah. Bass usually refers to the double string bass or electric bass

I've heard it called both

I was saying that BASS could be both the vocal range, as well as the instrument

Which would be two different things

Though "bass" isn't exactly a register, per se

msh210

yeah but a bass guitar or double bass is called that because of its range

(at least, I assume it is. Maybe not. Maybe the bass guitar was actually invented by Harriet Bass.)

Prince North Læraðr

Fair. Same with bass clarinet, contrabass flute, BASSoon, etc.

Actually Idk why bassoon is called bassoon

Maybe "highest part of register" is the def

Like HEAD as in head voice?

But ending with "with" is kind of awkward

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr and "unassociated with" is the end of the wordplay?

Prince North Læraðr

Hm, "part of register"?

"Type of instrument unassociated with highest"

msh210

It's too short an answer to have lots of parts in a charade.

Prince North Læraðr

20:30

Anyway BRASS--> BASS?

Like removing the r?

Deusovi

ah that sounds right

msh210

ahhhhh so it's an &lit

Deusovi

as an &lit

Prince North Læraðr

Ah

Got it

jafe

that's correct :)

Prince North Læraðr

20:31

eyyyy

My music skills coming in handy boyzzz

msh210

nice clue

@PrinceNorthLæraðr and the rest of us

Prince North Læraðr

Yeah, that was a really nice clue :)

jafe

thanks!

Prince North Læraðr

@msh210 Lol. That was just a guess, bc brass and bass rhyme, and I was like, oh the R gets removed

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr ("and the rest of us" was a reply to "boyz")

jafe

20:32

brass and bass rhyme?

Prince North Læraðr

No

Deusovi

not that type of bass

Prince North Læraðr

I mean

msh210

@jafe no

Avi

ya I saw the R removal but couldn't think of brass -> bass

oh well

Prince North Læraðr

20:33

"brace" and "base"

:P

Avi

base and bass

Prince North Læraðr

Geez need to make a clue now

Avi

enjoy!

Prince North Læraðr

I like solving them bc I always get an adrenaline rush after getting one

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr so short-lived... and then you need another fix...

Prince North Læraðr

20:39

@msh210 I'm hooked for another high

jafe

if cryptic clues are the gateway i wonder what the hard stuff is

msh210

@jafe your cryptic puzzles

Deusovi

ucaoimhu's cryptic puzzles

math.uchicago.edu/~wald/jediatlast.pdf

msh210

@Deusovi maybe this applies there but... I think the rules themselves need an approach

Deusovi

oh this isn't even his most complicated set of instructions - this one's about average

(but it's a good puzzle worth solving, and a very impressive construction)

msh210

20:59

@Deusovi Are we supposed to understand what "'on the ground'" means, or is that part of what we're supposed to figure out?

Deusovi

that's part of what you're supposed to figure out

msh210

Oh, I wasn't sure whether it was standard slang for "in the grid" (as opposed to in the clues) or something.

@Deusovi I don't understand what he means by "the other seven Down answers"... there are more than seven remaining. Perhaps he meant "some other seven Down answers"?

Deusovi

hm? no, there are 7 left

six with terminal letter cut, six with an extra letter "on the ground", seven left over

msh210

Oh, I can't count.

"as per the author's pronunciation"... does the typical solver know where this setter is from?

Deusovi

he's from the US - not sure of the specifics, but iirc general american pronunciation should work

hm there's actually one that might be a bit unusual

(also, not to halt your progress on understanding the instructions, but i'm not sure that one's even the most impressive? he has a huge catalog: math.uchicago.edu/~wald )

msh210

21:25

@Deusovi Oh... no, I got the instructions a while ago. Looking at the clues now.

Deusovi

good luck!

msh210

will definitely need it

Prince North Læraðr

Can someone help me with my C4? I have my general idea but need help with working the grammar

Deusovi

some of my recommendations that don't require knowledge of their events, digging semi-randomly through my sheet of solves:
- Happy ___an Thanksgiving (http://www.math.uchicago.edu/~wald/thanksgiving15.pdf)
- Some Extraction On The Side (http://www.math.uchicago.edu/~wald/someextraction.html)
- Not The Harth Cryptic (https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/xeimhu-aug-2002.pdf)
- In A Century of Letters (http://www.math.uchicago.edu/~wald/inacenturyofletters.pdf)
- the NPL Con Cryptic series from 2012 and 2019 (i think all the con sets are good but these two are pretty accessible in terms of …

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr I can if you wish.

Prince North Læraðr

21:33

Ok

msh210

It will take my mind off of my ucaoimhu inadequacies.

Deusovi

hey jafe asked what the "hard stuff" is

msh210

yep

Prince North Læraðr

@msh210 onetimesecret.com/secret/amn8l8ohhfqxff352zrc9r2mplssubq

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr onetimesecret.com/secret/ein447adneiz2s6ahzbr8geiw4dkzxi

Prince North Læraðr

21:40

@msh210 onetimesecret.com/secret/8de100e9s3ad5fy9zsizlxv7t30teo8

msh210

@Deusovi rot13(V'z cerggl fher 33n zhfg or Une[y]rz nsgre "rirelbar" vf erzbirq -- ohg gura gur "gu" frrzf rkgenarbhf. Vs ur cynlf snfg naq ybbfr yvxr gung jvgu uvf pyhrf, vg'f tbaan or zhpu uneqre. Ohg znlor V'z jebat nobhg 33n.)

Deusovi

@msh210 "Y" pna zrna "svsgvrgu" -- jura guvatf ner tvira Ebzna ahzrenyf nf vaqvprf. Fhcre Objy Y vf "gur svsgvrgu Fhcre Objy".

msh210

@Deusovi ah I see.... okay

Deusovi

don't worry, he doesn't play fast and loose with his clues - he is overall very Ximenian

...apart from the gimmicks where things need to be added or removed before solving, of course (but those are intentional, not artistic liberties)

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr onetimesecret.com/secret/jnqmu904zaqse2y505vr2usk2oxzquq

Prince North Læraðr

21:52

@msh210 onetimesecret.com/secret/nhktvwbu1au8m761zu8mn2wckh69u8u

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr onetimesecret.com/secret/6yq3nzldqi8c1bfiociwzedplkpvavz

Prince North Læraðr

22:10

@msh210 Hm, interesting idea

I might shelf that idea (no pun intended) and maybe pick a different word

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr don't shelve it for too long.... if you do, then when you finally post it I may forget I helped and solve it

:-)

Prince North Læraðr

Hehe

Well, there's another word that seems fun to use- I guess I'll go with the word I already shared with you

msh210

@Deusovi Are we supposed to know what "NI2" and "NI3" mean, or is that part of what we're supposed to figure out?

Prince North Læraðr

Ah I think I got it, but I would need your opinion

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr ready, willing and (I hope) able

Prince North Læraðr

22:18

onetimesecret.com/secret/a2abvyzat25vew5802ryiw1tqnkbtfe

Deusovi

@msh210 That's referring to dictionaries that the words can be found in - Webster's New International, second/third edition. (Words outside of Merriam-Webster's 11th edition are often tagged in the National Puzzlers' League.)

msh210

@Deusovi ah I see, thanks

I always thought W3NID (which I assume is NI3 here) was the standard AmE dictionary.

@PrinceNorthLæraðr I don't get it.

Hang, on, lemme write back.....

Prince North Læraðr

Hold on, revising

onetimesecret.com/secret/icghwrbqd4i5n1b7wnd3c7ds2axjlsb

Deusovi

At least in the NPL, it's Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition. I'm not sure what's standard in other places.

Prince North Læraðr

@msh210 onetimesecret.com/secret/p2thz7f2p3vdttuneqs8ku3b27yjae2

msh210

22:22

@PrinceNorthLæraðr you can omit it

Prince North Læraðr

True, but it's funnier with it

msh210

nah, I think it's fine without

@PrinceNorthLæraðr this is good, but I'm trying to think of an answer to your question

Prince North Læraðr

@msh210 Oh wait, I got one

onetimesecret.com/secret/i17xq0wi632olzyuqo4oe2jmau34knw

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr onetimesecret.com/secret/jwy6qd4ab2n2jb8twiedc85elvpf8pf

@PrinceNorthLæraðr onetimesecret.com/secret/s9fclwdpy6ahvzfceu91ksyb6e5fp4r

Prince North Læraðr

Okay

msh210

22:26

@Deusovi I'm pretty sure the Scripps National Spelling Bee uses the W3NID

...fwiw.

Prince North Læraðr

@msh210 onetimesecret.com/secret/kafsex4wwoubezhsatf9pk921aks976

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr onetimesecret.com/secret/4ngdxy4f8rcm5fy8iwatgbib3usvqwc

Prince North Læraðr

I don't think this word's gonna work, so Imma just make it a CMC and pick a new word

CMC: Make a clue for RESTRAIN with the clue ending with "... rain check"

Prince North Læraðr

22:44

CCCC: Cover covered cover cover (11)

There we go :P

This is about as ambiguous as a "quick crossword" (well, worse, but it's funny at least)

(it's funny to me. Probably to no one else)

merrybot

it is definitely funny :P

msh210

@Deusovi Can I assume that this was published toward the end of some Gregorian year?

Deusovi

yep

msh210

okay, that's helpful info :-)

Deusovi

that assumption is true

msh210

22:48

Yeah, I wasn't really asking if I can assume it (the answer is "no") but if it's true. :-)

Deusovi

figured as much! was going to follow up that last comment with the specifics of when it was published but couldn't find the details

(not that it matters too much anyway)

Prince North Læraðr

Actually, I know this is a bit unusual, but I might need to retract that C4 on reasons of validity

Deusovi

that's fine

msh210

@PrinceNorthLæraðr nah, just keep it and let us break our heads trying to solve it

(kidding)

The best would be if someone puts some arbitrary cryptic-clue-looking thing down as the C4 without it actually being a cryptic clue. Or not an intended one, anyway.

Maybe I'll do that one time.

(still kidding)

Prince North Læraðr

Yeah. I'll work on a new clue- the word was INCAPSULATE (variant spelling of ENCAPSULATE) where INSULATE was around CAP, but I realized the definition of INCAPSULTE is too close to the definition of INSULATE for it to be fair

Both basically meaning to "enclose around a thing"

Sorry about that :/

Deusovi

22:55

i wouldn't say that makes it necessarily invalid but i agree that it's kinda unfair (especially with that variant spelling)

it's fine! at least it wasn't up there for very long

Prince North Læraðr

Yeah

msh210

@Deusovi well... this has been fun. I've got a total of seven lights so far and am putting it on hold but hope to get back to it soonish. Thank you for introducing me to it.

GameN, y'all.

Deusovi

see ya!

hope you enjoyed the puzzle, and apologies for throwing you into the deep end

oAlt

23:37

@Deusovi (oh, I had no idea it was pronounced like that. All this time I had been pronouncing it the same as the instrument)

today I learned

Prince North Læraðr

23:49

"I'm wearing a ribbon around my arm," said Tom with abandon."

6

Such a great quote

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