Find the Building: Solve the Clues & Show the Map!

[Jonathan Scott]

Perhaps I should clarify that this was his "legal home" as established after his death as part of the process of execution of his somewhat controversial will.

 

[collinsmark]

Then I suppose It must have been somewhere around here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alfred+Nobels+Björkborn/@59.3402852,14.5324212,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x465c8a429ea0cb19:0xe6a1836f74eeea2f!8m2!3d59.3402852!4d14.5346099

[From this source: http://nobelmuseetikarlskoga.se/index.php/alfrednobelenglish]

It was now that Karlskoga and Björkborn Manor were to play an important role in Nobel’s Will. Much importance was placed upon the question of where Alfred Nobel had legally had his home. At the time of his death, he still owned his grand apartment in Paris plus a huge house in San Remo, Italy. Which property could actually be called his home? In the end, the courts decided that his legal home was in Karlskoga.​

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Yes, that's exactly the answer I was looking for!

From the same source, where I've highlighted the bit that relates to my original clue about where the horses are stabled:

It was now that Karlskoga and Björkborn Manor were to play an important role in Nobel’s Will. Much importance was placed upon the question of where Alfred Nobel had legally had his home. At the time of his death, he still owned his grand apartment in Paris plus a huge house in San Remo, Italy. Which property could actually be called his home? In the end, the courts decided that his legal home was in Karlskoga. Traditionally, it is said that this ruling was based upon the fact that Alfred’s three much-loved Russian Orlov horses were stabled in Karlskoga. In French law, a person’s home was where his or her horses were stabled. As a direct result of this ruling in the French courts, the execution of Alfred’s Will became subject to Swedish law. Had Alfred’s Will been subject to French law it is doubtful it would have met the strict, formal requirements necessary for it to be executed under France’s legal system.​

I lived in Sweden in the 1980s and visited Karlskoga briefly (although I didn't visit Björkborn) and was very aware of Bofors and of Alfred Nobel while I was there, which is why I thought of this curious fact.

Over to you now.

​

 

[collinsmark]

The new challenge comes in the form of poem:

Bars, bars everywhere but none but none that serve a drink.
Water, water everywhere surrounds the island clink.
This was a place of residence, oh what a motley group.
It was in nineteen sixty two that someone flew the coop.
The careful scheme was done at night to avoid the daytime crunch.
Papier-mâché was put to use to form a noggin bunch
Tucked in sheets the noodles were with purpose to deceive.
And through an unused corridor a few were able to leave.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Nice poem, but I didn't even need to Google it to know the answer. I'll hold off for now and let others have a go.

 

[wolram]

The new challenge comes in the form of poem:

Bars, bars everywhere but none but none that serve a drink.
Water, water everywhere surrounds the island clink.
This was a place of residence, oh what a motley group.
It was in nineteen sixty two that someone flew the coop.
The careful scheme was done at night to avoid the daytime crunch.
Papier-mâché was put to use to form a a noggin bunch
Tucked in sheets the noodles were with purpose to deceive.
And through an unused corridor a few were able to leave.

Are you eluding to the rock?

 

[collinsmark]

Are you eluding to the rock?

Yes, that is correct!

I'll leave it to you to be more specific, but yes.

 

[wolram]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz_Island

Alcatraz Island is located in the San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States.[2] The small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison (1868), and a federal prison from 1933 until 1963.[5] Beginning in November 1969, the island was occupied for more than 19 months by a group of aboriginal people from San Francisco who were part of a wave of Native activism across the nation with public protests through the 1970s. In 1972, Alcatraz became a national recreation area and received designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

 

[wolram]

This wheel has a 72-foot-6-inch (22.1 m) diameter, is 6 feet (1.83 m) wide and revolves at approximately three revolutions per minute, and is the oldest in the world.
Where is it?

 

[Jonathan Scott]

If you don't already know, Google will give it to you as the first hit on the question!

 

[wolram]

If you don't already know, Google will give it to you as the first hit on the question!

Darn it JS you are to knowledgeable.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Darn it JS you are to knowledgeable.

Perhaps not in this case; I had heard of this water wheel but couldn't remember the details so I simply googled for 72-foot-6-inch wheel and the Laxey Wheel (Lady Isabella) on the Isle of Man was the first hit, and most of the rest of your clue words were in the first paragraph of the Wikipedia entry, so I think this one was too easy.

The Alcatraz one was even more obvious, in that I didn't even need a Google search (and I'm guessing you didn't either).

It's tricky thinking up puzzles that can't be answered with an obvious Google search which is why I tend to let others have a go to save me having to think up a new one. I thought my last one (Nobel's "legal home" in Karlskoga) was topical but fairly obvious, and I was a bit surprised that it took a few days to solve.

Are you willing to have another go? If not, I may need some time to come up with one myself.

 

[wolram]

Perhaps not in this case; I had heard of this water wheel but couldn't remember the details so I simply googled for 72-foot-6-inch wheel and the Laxey Wheel (Lady Isabella) on the Isle of Man was the first hit, and most of the rest of your clue words were in the first paragraph of the Wikipedia entry, so I think this one was too easy.

The Alcatraz one was even more obvious, in that I didn't even need a Google search (and I'm guessing you didn't either).

It's tricky thinking up puzzles that can't be answered with an obvious Google search which is why I tend to let others have a go to save me having to think up a new one. I thought my last one (Nobel's "legal home" in Karlskoga) was topical but fairly obvious, and I was a bit surprised that it took a few days to solve.

Are you willing to have another go? If not, I may need some time to come up with one myself.

I think it depends on who thinks of one first,it will take me a while to think up a stinker, so if you think of one first please do

 

[tionis]

This one is so easy I bet it won't take Jonathan a nanosecond to solve lol:

In a windy city, they'll tell you I was born
If you have no freedom, I'll poke you with my pole.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Certainly not a nanosecond - I've already spent a few minutes on it and I have to get back to work now!

The most well-known "windy city" is Chicago (although there are several others). There's a "Statue of the Republic" in Jackson Park (a smaller copy of an earlier one) which has a pole with "Liberty" on it in one hand, which might fit the rest of the clue. Is any of that right?

 

[tionis]

"windy city"

Windy city is correct, the rest is wrong.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Windy city is correct, the rest is wrong.

Sorry, but in that case I'm not likely to make any more progress without more clues to check things against. I first looked for something associated with the Chicago Freedom Movement but couldn't find any specific place or object to match the clue. The Golden Lady "Statue of the Republic" seemed to be associated with a pole and "liberty" but that wasn't a clear match anyway.

 

[tionis]

Sorry, but in that case I'm not likely to make any more progress without more clues to check things against. I first looked for something associated with the Chicago Freedom Movement but couldn't find any specific place or object to match the clue. The Golden Lady "Statue of the Republic" seemed to be associated with a pole and "liberty" but that wasn't a clear match anyway.

No way, is it possible, that Jonathan is stumped?!
Perhaps he should go searching, for some abstract poles.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Perhaps he should go searching, for some abstract poles.

Well, that at least eliminate various concrete poles which I was considering, not to mention wooden and metal ones. But I don't think I've ever seen an abstract pole in my travels (although admittedly I've never been to the North or South pole, magnetic or otherwise).

The stuff about "poke you with my pole" sounded like a picador in bull-fighting, so I had also wondered if there was any connection with the Chicago Bulls (basketball) but I couldn't find anything.

 

[tionis]

Well, that at least eliminate various concrete poles which I was considering, not to mention wooden and metal ones. But I don't think I've ever seen an abstract pole in my travels (although admittedly I've never been to the North or South pole, magnetic or otherwise).

The stuff about "poke you with my pole" sounded like a picador in bull-fighting, so I had also wondered if there was any connection with the Chicago Bulls (basketball) but I couldn't find anything.

Last clue!

Let the record show, that our UK riddle hero
This day was defeated by a Moscow zero.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Ignoring the minor personal attack, I already tried searching for stuff relating to complex analysis (relating to winding numbers, poles and zeroes) but I couldn't see how it would relate to some location around the world.

 

[tionis]

Ignoring the minor personal attack, I already tried searching for stuff relating to complex analysis (relating to winding numbers, poles and zeroes) but I couldn't see how it would relate to some location around the world.

No offense was intended, your forgiveness I implore
The gentleman in question invented his own pole.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Windy city is correct, ...

Can I check again that this definitely means that "windy city" was a reference to Chicago?

 

[tionis]

Can I check again that this definitely means that "windy city" was a reference to Chicago?

Windy city is correct, but it's not Chicago. It's not even in America. Follow the abstract pole.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

I thought that when you said "Windy city" was correct after my statement, you were confirming that it was a reference to Chicago (known as "Windy City") as I suggested.

Am I at least correct in assuming that the "poles" and "zero" relate in some way to complex analysis?

And is "Windy" related to "Winding" or is that simply somewhere there is a lot of wind?

 

[tionis]

I thought that when you said "Windy city" was correct after my statement, you were confirming that it was a reference to Chicago (known as "Windy City") as I suggested.

You thought wrong.

Am I at least correct in assuming that the "poles" and "zero" relate in some way to complex analysis?

Think quantum.

simply somewhere there is a lot of wind?

Yes!

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Think quantum.

OK, in that context "Moscow zero" suggests "Landau pole" but Lev Landau was a person, not a location!

 

[tionis]

OK, in that context "Moscow zero" suggests "Landau pole" but Lev Landau was a person, not a location!

And where was he born?

 

[Jonathan Scott]

And where was he born?

OK, "City of Winds", that is Baku, Azerbaijan. You were only looking for a city? I had expected a more specific location.

I'm probably trying to do too many things at once. I might well have got it after the "Moscow zero" clue if I had taken more time; there was however no way I could have got it from the original clue.

 

[tionis]

OK, "City of Winds", that is Baku, Azerbaijan. You were only looking for a city? I had expected a more specific location.

Correct!

I'm probably trying to do too many things at once. I might well have got it after the "Moscow zero" clue if I had taken more time; there was however no way I could have got it from the original clue.

The first clue was based on this :

Landau poles appear in theories that are not asymptotically free

Hence,

If you have no freedom, I'll poke you with my pole.

Over to you!