How does the PF Username Game work?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a forum game where participants create and solve cryptic clues related to the usernames of various members on Physics Forums. The game involves different levels of difficulty and employs various cryptic puzzle techniques, including anagrams, hidden clues, and wordplay. Participants share their guesses and explanations for the clues presented.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant outlines the rules of the game, explaining the types of clues that will be used and the format for answering.
  • Several participants express excitement about the game and share their experiences with cryptic puzzles.
  • Clues are presented, with some participants attempting to solve them and providing explanations for their answers.
  • Some participants suggest potential answers to the clues, while others express uncertainty or difficulty in solving them.
  • Participants correct and refine each other's guesses, discussing the reasoning behind their interpretations of the clues.
  • New clues are introduced throughout the discussion, with varying levels of difficulty noted by participants.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion features multiple competing views as participants propose different answers to the clues. There is no consensus on all clues, as some remain unsolved or are interpreted differently by various participants.

Contextual Notes

Some clues are noted to be particularly challenging, and participants mention the possibility of using external resources to assist in solving them. There are indications that some clues may have been repeated from previous rounds, but this is not confirmed.

Who May Find This Useful

Participants interested in cryptic puzzles, word games, and community engagement within the Physics Forums may find this discussion enjoyable and engaging.

  • #61
An incredibly difficult one, perhaps:

31. What the lookout in the crow's nest yelled, when a very distant radio beacon appeared in his telescope
 
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  • #62
And here's a final one, for fun.

32. Get to the point
 
  • #63
16. "No, not any!" he rages.

Hootenany?
 
  • #64
Gokul43201 said:
And here's a final one, for fun.

32. Get to the point

Tiny Tim?
 
  • #65
Andre said:
16. "No, not any!" he rages.

Hootenany?

Too many n's
 
  • #66
Gokul43201 said:
An incredibly difficult one, perhaps:

31. What the lookout in the crow's nest yelled, when a very distant radio beacon appeared in his telescope

Probably not "Danger," if it was very distant
 
  • #67
And now, to help with the harder ones, here's a little something extra.

PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY

All the answers to the clues fit in the Crossword grid provided below, in unspecified locations. What you now get to do is one or both of two possible things:

1. You can call the locations where you think already solved answers should go. The locations on the grid are referenced by numbers which mark the position of the starting letter of each answer. Furthermore, to indicate whether the answer fits horizontally/across (A) or vertically/down (D) you append A or D to the grid number.

So, for instance, you can make the following call: 1: Berkeman goes into 6A (naturally this would be a bad call, since 6A is for a 5-letter-word, which "berkeman" isn't)

There are limitations imposed here too. You are entitled to a maximum of 5 good calls or 2 bad calls (whichever happens first). Once you reach either limit, you may no longer make calls on grid positions, but you may still continue to solve unsolved clues (see below), as long as you don't hit the separate limit for solving clues. Because of the limitation on bad calls, you may only make 1 or 2 calls at a time (depending on whether you have 2 or 1 unused bad call chances).

2. You can solve clues, just as before. The existing limitation of 4 correctly solved clues still holds (unless you've returned from a time-out, in which case, it is now 3 correctly solved clues). If you hit the limit on solving clues, or even otherwise, you can continue to call grid locations, so long as you haven't hit that separate limit (described above).


http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/3654/fixedyt7.png


And here's the list of solved answers (and unsolved clues), with their clue numbers:

Code: 
1. Berkeman

2. Moonbear

3. kurdt

4. Astronuc

5. lisab

6. Vanesch

7. MIH

8. Zapper

9. Ivan Seeking

10. Redbelly

11. mgbphys

12. Evo

13. hypatia

14. Borek

15. Cristo

16. Hootenanny  

17. artman

18. Andre

[b]19. Antonius, who wanted your aures.[/b]

20. LowlyPion

21. matthyaouw

22. Chi Meson

23. Jimmysnyder

24. Vanadium

[b]25. Other AZ Sen. follows chariot racer's dad?

26. Heels broke in the afternoon - returned.[/b]

27. Edward

28. Proton Soup

29. mathwonk

[b]30. Meh ... cooties is gone, somehow.[/b]

[b]31. What the lookout in the crow's nest yelled, when a very distant radio beacon appeared in his telescope[/b]

32. tiny tim


I will periodically check people's calls, tell you which ones were good or bad, and update the grid accordingly.

All clear? Go.
 
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  • #68
Andre said:
16. "No, not any!" he rages.

Hootenany?
Correct. But it is spelled Hootenanny. So that's one more down.

NeoDevin said:
Tiny Tim?
Easy pickings, eh? Correct.

lisab said:
Probably not "Danger," if it was very distant
Yeah, what he saw was really, really distant.
 
  • #69
Gokul43201 said:
21. Same clue as 10, strangely

matthyaouw, anagram of clue 10.
 
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  • #70
Gokul43201 said:
17. In part, M and N are the middle letters.

Artman?

This one is a guess, Art = in part, man has M and N.
 
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  • #71
NeoDevin, good work on 21.

Artman is also the correct answer (guessed by kurdt, a while ago), but the explanation is way simpler.
It's a simple hidden clue: part m and n
 
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  • #72
Gokul43201 said:
NeoDevin, I need explanations.

I edited my posts with explanations.
 
  • #73
NeoDevin said:
I edited my post...
So Did I. :biggrin:
 
  • #74
Gokul43201 said:
So Did I. :biggrin:

And here I thought I was being subtle :wink:
 
  • #75
Question about the crossword puzzle: Do we include spaces?
 
  • #76
No. Do not include spaces or other separators that are found in the username.

Eg: Ivan Seeking becomes IVANSEEKING, one continuous 11-letter word.
 
  • #77
Ouch! Found a mistake in the grid. Will have to redo it. Most of the existing grid is correct though. So, if you want to make any calls now, I will count them and enter them in the new grid - you don't have to wait for me to fix it. You will not, naturally, be penalized for a mistake I've made.

Will be replacing old grid with new grid at 4:50pm EST (in 2 minutes).

EDIT: Grid is fixed. We are all set now.
 
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  • #78
Gokul43201 said:
25. Other AZ Sen. follows chariot racer's dad?

Hurkyl: kyl = other AZ Sen., chariot racer's dad = Hur (As in Ben Hur?)
 
  • #79
Nice one. Not taking any shots at the grid?
 
  • #80
Gokul43201 said:
Nice one. Not taking any shots at the grid?

I'm thinking about it.
 
  • #81
25 Down, MIH
28 Across, jimmysnyder
11 Down, Evo
13 Across, Lowly Pion
14 Down, Ivan Seeking

Edit: I would keep going, but you said to stop after 5.
 
  • #82
All correct.

You're all out of grid calls and have 1 (or 2?) left for clue cracking.

The grid will be updated in a bit.
 
  • #83
Gokul43201 said:
You're all out of grid calls and have 1 (or 2?) left for clue cracking.

I don't have any ideas yet for the rest of the clues, but I'll think on them.
 
  • #84
UPDATED GRID:

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4999/grid2vf5.png Updated list of solved / filled (#) answers (and unsolved clues), with their clue numbers:

Code: 
1. Berkeman

2. Moonbear

3. kurdt

4. Astronuc

5. lisab

6. Vanesch

7. MIH #

8. Zapper

9. Ivan Seeking #

10. Redbelly

11. mgbphys

12. Evo #

13. hypatia

14. Borek

15. Cristo

16. Hootenanny  

17. artman

18. Andre

[b]19. Antonius, who wanted your aures.[/b]

20. LowlyPion #

21. matthyaouw

22. Chi Meson

23. Jimmysnyder #

24. Vanadium

25. Hurkyl

26. mheslep

27. Edward

28. Proton Soup

29. mathwonk

[b]30. Meh ... cooties is gone, somehow.[/b]

31. CaptainQuasar

32. tiny tim
 
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  • #85
NeoDevin said:
I don't have any ideas yet for the rest of the clues, but I'll think on them.
That's the point of the crossword grid - it will help with the hard ones that are left. But I made the grid somewhat sparse, so it doesn't provide too much help.
 
  • #86
26 down: Edward
 
  • #87
You forgot to add the answer to 25 on the list.
 
  • #88
Gokul43201 said:
31. What the lookout in the crow's nest yelled, when a very distant radio beacon appeared in his telescope

CaptainQuasar, The lookout yells for the captain, to report a distant radio beacon, a quasar?
 
  • #89
lisab said:
26 down: Edward
Correct!

NeoDevin said:
You forgot to add the answer to 25 on the list.
Thanks - fixed now.
 
  • #90
NeoDevin said:
CaptainQuasar, The lookout yells for the captain, to report a distant radio beacon, a quasar?
Brilliant! Very nicely done.

Edit: Grid and answers edited into post above.
 

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