PF Treasure Hunt - Solve the Clues & Crack the Code!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gokul43201
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SUMMARY

The forum discussion revolves around a collaborative treasure hunt game hosted on Physics Forums, where participants solve a series of cryptic clues leading to a final solution. The first clue, which involved deciphering the keyword "extremities," was successfully solved by user TenaliRaman, who interpreted the clues correctly and identified the hidden message. The second clue introduced a cipher puzzle that requires participants to connect various hints to find a keyword, which was identified as "CAESAR." The game emphasizes teamwork, communication, and adherence to specific rules to enhance the experience.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cryptic clues and wordplay
  • Familiarity with basic ciphers, particularly monoalphabetic substitution ciphers
  • Knowledge of acrostics and their structure
  • Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively in a forum setting
NEXT STEPS
  • Research techniques for solving cryptic clues and puzzles
  • Learn about monoalphabetic substitution ciphers and their applications
  • Explore the concept of acrostics and how they are used in puzzles
  • Investigate collaborative problem-solving strategies in online forums
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for puzzle enthusiasts, cryptography learners, and anyone interested in collaborative problem-solving within online communities.

  • #91
chroot said:
I'm getting there. :devil:

- Warren

You know the thread you closed last night ? Could you not have waited just a little longer ? :mad: It messed up all my plans.

Anyways...if you've found something, post it here before you set about cracking it.
 
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  • #92
for3to0won has posted twice. One post dealt with "practising latex" and contained the transliterated english phrase

"turn back sig and eliminate the repeating key."

I have reversed your new signature (as well as performing a simple histogram on it), and am trying to figure out the repeating key business. It appears to begin with the word 'if' and end with the word 'others,' but I'm still trying to figure out the exact pattern.[/color]

- Warren

p.s. Sorry about closing the thread!
 
  • #93
Remember the unused key, from before...
 
  • #94
Okay chroot...you've done enough. You have solved another clue, so I'm shutting you down again.

Moonbear may get back in at 9pm ET and Chroot gets activated again at midnight ET (9pm PT).
 
  • #95
Chroot, if there's anything you wish to say, short of solving this last clue (yes this one's the final clue), you may say it now, and then hold your peace for another 8 hrs.
 
  • #96
*bites tongue*

- Warren
 
  • #97
*stunned*

*bites tongue really really hard*

Bravo, Gokul, Bravo.

- Warren
 
  • #98
Thanks chroot, I take it you've...

Anyway, put some ice in your mouth - you'll be okay. :biggrin:
 
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  • #99
Glad Chroot found that because I saw it earlier and was having a hard time keeping my fingers off the keyboard! :smile:

9PM, okay...I guess local time, since we're both on the same local time? I guess I better wrap up what I'm working on in the next three hours so I can jump back into the game! Or maybe since the prize is a membership upgrade, and I don't need one of those, I might just give some other folks a chance and just help out with hints as I find stuff.

Oops, just realized you did specify the time zone. I better get my game cap back on!
 
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  • #100
Gokul43201 said:
Thanks chroot, I take it you've...

Anyway, put some ice in your mouth - you'll be okay. :biggrin:

Try scotch! It's better at numbing the pain. :wink: :biggrin:
 
  • #101
Moonbear said:
Try scotch! :biggrin:

Is there any other way to have ice ?? :confused:
 
  • #102
Moonbear : you're ON. Looks like you're the only one playing, anyway.
 
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  • #103
And I'm late getting back. I need to catch up.
 
  • #104
I know I'm close, but am not certain of the final detail:

Reverse Gokul's new signature and remove the repeats of the key "Caesar"...we were told to keep it, and I did, but took a while to see how it was used.
This gives the phrase:
"if u factor hardy’s cab#, the unlucky one is the __ of the others"

Not being a mathematician, this took a little Googling to figure out.

I found out that 1729 is known as the Hardy-Ramanujan number, based on some anectdote about an unlucky cab ride for Hardy in cab #1729.

The factors are: 7*13*19 (this figures, we know Gokul's fondness for prime numbers).

So, remove the 13 (the unlucky one). But I'm still not sure how to fill in the blank. Do I just multiply the remaining two? That's 133. Or is the blank supposed to be a word, the middle. It's the average as well (I hadn't thought of that until I wrote middle).

I'd have posted as I worked through it, but it just all struck me at once, so there wasn't much work to show until I suddenly cracked the code.[/color]
 
  • #105
Moonbear, check the clue again, carefully. "if u factor hardy’s cab#, the unlucky one is the __ of the others"[/color] You are missing a very tiny detail here...but I'm not sure that'll help.

Do you see any pattern between the numbers ?[/color]
 
  • #106
That's the part I wasn't sure about:
Mean. 13 is the mean of 7 and 19. That's what I meant by average above. [/color]

If that's not it, then I'm stumped. Chroot will probably swoop in at midnight and finish the solution for me.
 
  • #107
You've got it, save for the following tiny detail : "if u factor hardy’s cab#, the unlucky one is the _ _ of the others" - there's 2 words required.[/color]
 
  • #108
Oh, wait! Is this what you're looking for?
arithmetic mean[/color]
 
  • #109
No. It's what you should be looking for ! :wink:
 
  • #110
Gokul43201 said:
No. It's what you should be looking for ! :wink:

No wonder you got the homework helper medal! No new ideas yet. Dammit Jim, I'm a biologist, not a mathematician! :smile:
 
  • #111
Wait. I think you misunderstand. You are correct - it is the AM. Now you just have to figure out what to do.
 
  • #112
Oh! Cool. Now there's something to be done? Alright, back to thinking.
 
  • #113
Aha!
You started a thread titled: Arithmetic Mean that says:
Well done, brave adventurer ! This is THE END, my friend.
Thanks for playing. Hope you enjoyed the game !
(I didn't think the plea to not have the thread locked was part of the clue. :smile:)
[/color]

Yay!
 
  • #114
Well done Moonbear.

This is THE END, I guess.
 
  • #115
Sorry Chroot, got that in just in the nick of time before you were allowed back in the game. :wink:
 
  • #116
Gokul43201 said:
Well done Moonbear.

This is THE END, I guess.

:smile: Yay! Cool game!

:rolleyes: But that means it's over. :frown:

When should we watch for Part 2? :approve:
 
  • #117
Given the interest this generated...I'm not sure I'll attempt a Part 2. :frown: It's just too much work...even though I thoroughly enjoyed making it. Also, the possibilities are now greatly reduced, and it'll take a lot more thinking (and probably conspirators as well) to come up with more ways to hide clues.

Glad you enjoyed it ! :smile:
 
  • #118
I'm actually considering making my own. Too bad there wasn't more interest. I think it was one of the neatest things I've ever seen on PF.

Unfortunately, I think I will have a hard time making mine non-technical.

- Warren
 
  • #119
chroot said:
I'm actually considering making my own. Too bad there wasn't more interest. I think it was one of the neatest things I've ever seen on PF.

Unfortunately, I think I will have a hard time making mine non-technical.

- Warren

I've never seen a scavenger hunt on any forum before. I thought it was great fun. I wonder if it would have gotten more interest if posted in General Discussion rather than Brainteasers? I don't think there's as much traffic in here. Of course, you'd have an easier time creating threads and characters without them being inadvertently locked by the admins! :biggrin:

I don't think I could be clever enough to come up with challenging clues on my own, but if anyone needs a conspirator... :wink: :wink:
 
  • #120
I think it was great, but it moved too fast for snails like myself..:cry:
 

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