The Sphinx's Lair

12:01 AM

I've posted an answer, though I should confess that I haven't actually checked everything because I don't have the patience either to do it by hand or to transcribe it all so as to do it by computer. And also that it seems to me like xhienne was more or less there already. I wonder whether I should delete my answer.

Lukas Rotter

Yep, if I'm not mistaken all they did wrong was checking for e/o as used normally instead of transforming that appropriately given the set of values

humn

in The troll, 3 mins ago, by humn

I stay up nights just to make this or any world a better place.

doing so now

sorry to interrupt

@GarethMcC, i count on you.

Along with others!

But you read my mind as if there were no screen.

One of these days you'll bare your soul as i have.

And this world will be better for that.

Dr John "There Must Be A Better World Somewhere"

►

Sciborg

12:26 AM

humn, i'm going to attempt to speak your language

humn

international

Sciborg

everybody's looking for something, because your friends don't dance. but you don't really care for music do ya - hit me with your best shot, fire away

humn

Ian Dury and The Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick (Official HD Video)

►

Sciborg

i heard there was a secret chord, but i think it's gonna be a long long time

humn

Just guess!

Sciborg

12:28 AM

wanna play the boss? guess what.

humn

The whole frequency isn't complete until the trail end.

Sciborg

don't let the sun go down on me, then.

humn

!

Yeh, you and i are that bad.

Sciborg

beat it, the only thing a gambler needs is a suitcase and a trunk.

humn

so bad it's good

the trunk is more than can bear

Sciborg

12:32 AM

i said i don't mind, you play your game.

humn

.

I'm playing mind games beyond belief. If you don't mind.

Because i have a mind to play.

Sciborg

mind is a prison, do you hear me now?

humn

Telling my mind to cool it?

I cool it almost(!) every day.

Then i return like a bad penny.

Sciborg

still there never seems to be a single penny left for me - that's too bad...

humn

O

If you need a spare cent, see me on pavement.

Sciborg

12:39 AM

how much a dollar cost?

humn

Just that much!

Sciborg

make lemonade then!

humn

"Ain't We Got Fun?" (Van & Schenck, 1921)

►

You remind me of someone you'd be cimplimented.

Sciborg

somebody you used to know?

humn

Someone who died too soon.

I still cry.

Someone who led me astray.

Sciborg

12:41 AM

the sharp knife of a short life

humn

.

The sharpest knife digs deep.

Sciborg

pain without love, no such thing as the glory days.

humn

someone who pulled my pull strings

(looking up song)

Dmihawk

did I accidentally eat mushrooms with my lunch? O_O

2

humn

!

Sciborg

12:44 AM

shhh, i've learned how to commune with humn

humn

share the love!

Sciborg

can you feel the love, or is this just fantasy?

humn

i'm a reluctant earthling

(and that's the song)

Sciborg

we've got good vibrations, Major Tom.

humn

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (with lyrics)

►

(and that's the other song!)

Sciborg

12:47 AM

:D

humn

David Bowie - Space Oddity live excellent quality

►

Sciborg

not gonna lie, i jam to that one

humn

!

Ok, so now everyone knows. I have Bette Davis eyes.

Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes

►

Could be worse.

But, really @Sciborg, you ready to reveal?!

Took me stumble steps.

Sciborg

we were on a wavelength for a while there, but now i feel like i have lost you again :p

humn

Billy Murray - Stumbling 1922 Vaudeville Singers

►

I'll be back!

As will you?

Give me another chance. I've taken every chance.

To the bitter end.

Sciborg

1:00 AM

I had to phone someone so I picked on you, I'll be back for more

scaramouche!

humn

Genesis "Keep It Dark" (The Mama Tour 1984)

►

I truly wish i could really tell all the things.

Meanwhile i give hints.

And hope for the best.

And should post the next generation of puzzles. They're up my ass.

Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill (Live DNA)

►

My heart going boom boom boom.

I'll live to regret it. No fear.

Pathologically. I have no fear. And have helped diagnosticians career.

And pappy called! If you don't know the next biig thing after Fourier transforms you don't know.

humn

1:30 AM

And he tried to hang up. I said "a lot" and "with all my heart."

Some people have all the luck.

NEIL YOUNG - OLD MAN

►

But, again, the dog discovered random brush.

With a random brush everything is orthogonal.

Live and learn.

Back to Troll.

Sphinx

1:53 AM

0

Q: Stop the robot by changing value of variable Z

You're a computer security expert (i.e a hacker who doesn't break law). Your neighbour is infamous professor MacGoofy himself. He specializes in designing programming languages and programming languages that he designs are frequently controversial for his strange design choices. This time MacGoof...

Anonymus 25- Reinstate Monica

3:57 AM

Oh, a DnD game

In the chatroom

oAlt

4:21 AM

Ugh, it's always when I'm asleep that Gerbil posts his sudokus... Guess I have bad timing (joke no I suspect I have to wake up 2-4 am local time for me to encounter the sudoku, which means rip sleep)

humn

5:29 AM

We can do it. Done it before. Can do it again.

Sphinx

6:06 AM

0

Q: Compoundoku wants REALLY BIG and WACKY!

This is an entry for Fortnightly Topic Challenge #47: Wacky Sudokus. Rules of Compoundoku: Solve both left and right Sudokus. In addition, the board below them is the Compound Board of both Sudokus. Each number on the Compound Board should tell either: (1) the number on the left Sudoku, or (2...

logical-deduction grid-deduction sudoku

Sphinx

6:57 AM

0

Q: First digit of 2021^2021

Can you find the first digit of $2021^{2021}$ without a computer? Good luck!

mathematics no-computers number-theory

Sphinx

11:11 AM

0

Q: Are there any games like 0hh1 but with bigger grids?

I am loving 0hh1 but I got bored by the largest grid 12x12. Are there similar games but with much larger grids?

grid-deduction 0hh1

Sphinx

12:01 PM

0

Q: A talking with Four Brothers

Once upon a time, on going to the small park nearby to take some fresh air, I met some four and quite peculiar brothers and had a talk with them. Each had a different story to tell. The first two brothers were racers, and had also ran on the same competition. They both were excellent runners, on...

riddle word lateral-thinking story

risky mysteries

2:15 PM

Can I get everyone' favorite puzzle tag?

@Mithical Yours specifically ^^

Mithical

why?

risky mysteries

@Mithical curious.

Mithical

riddle (but not Rileys, proper riddles)

risky mysteries

@Mithical Hey! Riley isn't proper?

Mithical

I don't define them as "riddles" per se

I personally classify them more as wordplay

risky mysteries

2:27 PM

@Mithical can you link me a riddle you like?

Mithical

not to toot my own horn, but just because it's a convenient example - puzzling.stackexchange.com/q/97729/25966

to me, riddles use obfuscated language or symbolism to describe something cryptically

rileys describe parts of a word, placing them as wordplay in my book

which is fine! i like wordplay, they're just different things

risky mysteries

@Mithical oh, good to know :D

BTW, the rhyme applies to you riddle.

humn

in The troll, 2 mins ago, by humn

I don't F around, by Fing around. See how that works?

@risky , i wish i'd thought of your nym.

@Mithical , i flow below. Gratefully!

Mithical

\o

Parting gift, @humn:

Home Free - Ring of Fire (featuring Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix) [Johnny Cash Cover]

►

humn

sweet heart!

down down down

the lower we go the softer it gets. until it burns like a saw.

Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue

►

Sciborg

2:41 PM

Admittedly Riley Riddles aren't my cup of tea either, but I do enjoy some other riddles especially when they have clever rhyming.

humn

! I was annoyed by riddles once. Rand al'That cured that.

Sciborg

The thing that usually makes me iffy on Rileys is that they sometimes have multiple, equally valid solutions, which I usually don't like in a puzzle.

humn

Ambiguity is the next best thing to certainty.

^ that was for you @Deusovi.

The devious one understands me.

risky mysteries

I'm just wondering how fun logical deduction grid puzzles are.

humn

Sheeeeit. Have you made one? I'm feeling too lazy at the moment to look it up

Sciborg

2:49 PM

They are a lot of fun to solve and make :) PSE taught me how to do them.

risky mysteries

@humn no

humn

Then do

risky mysteries

hint: they sound too boring

humn

the bore hole

Sciborg

it's okay if they're not your thing, no worries.

humn

2:51 PM

everything is worth boring. if you have the time!

risky mysteries

Are they well defined puzzles, or are the ways to Crack them always alternating?

humn

well well well

Sciborg

If you make them with care and plan out an intended solve path, they are very well defined and have one solution that requires purely logical steps to reach.

However you can definitely make one with multiple solutions by accident so it's tricky

humn

dwell dwell dwell

risky mysteries

@Sciborg I mean, is there a rule, like sudoku?

Sciborg

2:53 PM

Each grid deduction genre has its own rules, I make Nurikabes but there are plenty more that require their own unique deductions.

humn

swell swell swell

Sciborg

totally okay if they are not your thing, i know they're pretty niche.

humn

swirl swirl swirl

i solve puzzles on the toilet. in my sleep. can't help it

risky mysteries

@Sciborg of course it's okay :) I want to get into them more, though

humn

creating puzzles is a different story. told many times.

Sciborg

2:57 PM

if you'd like to learn, Deus has some really great guides and starter packs

humn

Deus is

and has

risky mysteries

@humn who are these directed at?

@humn and these?

humn

When i point a gun it aims to miss.

(And no, no gun. Figuratively.)

I'm didactic!

risky mysteries

a puzzle in a user...

bye!=

humn

For now.

Sciborg

3:04 PM

called my puzzles boring ;-;

ah well, i like them

humn

You too?

I'm still crawling out of my shell.

And get slapped down here and there.

Puzzled to be.

Best is yet to come.

Gush.

Anonymus 25- Reinstate Monica

Humn, you always spam the lair with videos and messages that are supposed to go to The Troll

Why

humn

Okay, i can take a hint

Last gasp: go there

humn

3:41 PM

Just can't help it:

Monty Python: How Not To Be Seen

►

When i am not seen i am everywhere.

Can't help it.

While trying my best.

Welcome.

. . . at least until thrown out . . .

. . . again . . .

Lukas Rotter

Wow, all recent (and only) 4 puzzles of Robalni got to HNQ

humn

Ooopsie thought i was Troll.

I live in wonder. To a fault.

As evident.

Bye again.

Just too good to resist. Friends:

Al Green Here I Am Come & Take Me {Soul Train}

►

The dang died too young.

As shall we.

in The troll, 2 mins ago, by humn

I'm tired of being typographically correct.

Want to be correct in real life. Signed, Pinocchio.

bobble

4:25 PM

humn, could you please stop spamming the Lair with posts that should be in the Troll?

humn

OK. bad aim

Sphinx

4:41 PM

1

Q: What is a Quotidian Word™?

This is in the spirit of the What is a Word™/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles. It seems that it's a rite of passage on PSE to make at least one of these, so if a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Quotidian Word™. Use the examples below t...

pattern word-property

Sciborg

"It seems that it's a rite of passage on PSE to make at least one of these" i mean, they're not wrong :P

matt

at least one of what?

Sciborg

I forgot you have Sphinx ignored - it just posted a Word(tm) puzzle

matt

oh

humn

I'm Going Down - Bruce Springsteen RARE version!

►

FFFFFFFFF wrong place, please trace to Troll

matt

4:47 PM

your (semi-confusing) home

Deusovi

(MIT Mystery Hunt's going on! will be checking SE rarely, if at all, for a few days. don't burn the place down while i'm out!)

Sciborg

Nice! Have fun :D

Prince North Læraðr

@Deusovi Have fun!

bobble

hides matches under the bed

matt

you just happen to have brought matches?

humn

5:50 PM

To quote:

in The troll, 3 mins ago, by humn

World is truly a crazy place.

Matches just make it lighter.

(And, yuh, i wuz here.)

Sphinx

0

Q: Sudoku... with 10 digits? SS#6

An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #47: "Wacky Sudokus" Other puzzles in this series Welcome to the sixth puzzle in this series! For more information about the series, see the first puzzle and the introduction. Enjoy! (Added a notice about an upcoming bounty to SS#1) I also accidentally po...

logical-deduction grid-deduction sudoku

Beastly Gerbil

Woah sphinx is quick today

Sphinx

6:22 PM

0

Q: Deceit + Ransom = What we're doing on this site

There is a word... Its first half is deceitful. Its other half is ransom. In whole it's what we're doing on this site. What is the word?

riddle word wordplay

Sciborg

7:56 PM

Err, ignore the answer I just posted to your music puzzle @samm82, I realized immediately after clicking "post" that I did the anagram completely wrong. Whooops

bobble

They haven't come in chat and are therefore not pingable

We have an old meta question about how to make a table, and I'm writing a new answer

Can you think of more stuff to add to the table there?

The rest of the answer will just be some short examples of how it works

Lukas Rotter

Maybe a nice way of saying "and also it doesn't look as shit as MathJax" :P

bobble

I can add a "Looks pretty" row and a note that it's Lukas's opinion

Sciborg

You can cite me on that one too :p

Fixed my answer goof, there we go

Sid

8:21 PM

CCCC Hint : The last letter is D.

Sphinx

0

Q: Solving Kordemsky's Prime Cryptarithm and proving uniqueness

This is a cryptarithm from Kordemsky's The Moscow Puzzles, problem 273 to be precise. Each digit is a single-digit prime ($2,3,5,$ or $7$). Find a solution and prove that it is unique. $$\begin{array}{ccccc} & & * & * & * \\ & & \times & * & * \\ \hline & * & * & * &...

mathematics alphametic primes

0

Q: If I hold you and you hold me

If I hold you and you hold me, you might be alone. If I hold you and you don't hold me, someone could be following you. If I don't hold you but you hold me, you're very helpful. If neither of us holds the other, you might have a reason to be happy. Who am I?

riddle word

0

Q: Who is Mr. T and where does he work?

Part 1: Write each answer as ONEWORD, without spaces, punctuation or abbreviating. Some questions may have more than one answer when taken alone, but only certain answers will work with respect to the whole puzzle. 1: Where can you find the easternmost traffic light in the United States, includin...

knowledge enigmatic-puzzle geography english

bobble

8:41 PM

0

A: How can I make a truth table?

Stack Exchange now has table support Markdown-based tables are preferable in vast majority of situations where tables are required. To demonstrate why, I'll make a table. Feature Markdown MathJax Table looks like a table to visual-based users Yes Yes Screen readers can, in general, read...

matt

"to demonstrate why, I'll make a table." how very meta (pun intended)

Sphinx

9:46 PM

0

Q: ⌈3n/2⌉−2 weighings are required to find the lightest and the heaviest coin among n coins. Prove/disprove this

We are given n coins, all of which have a different weight. Prove/disprove that ⌈3n/2⌉−2 weighings are required to find the heaviest and the lightest coins among them using a 2 pan balance scale. You can assume that n= 68 or any other number if you so need. Do the number of weighings required ...

mathematics weighing coins

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