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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253

PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:50 pm    Post subject: Coming soon... Reply with quote

Just to let you know, there's a new (and very different) section of Puzzletome about to hit your screens.

A lot of people competing in PT1 (and also Alphabet Set, for that matter) have said that they lack puzzling experience and are not sure how to approach the various puzzles, and that they are unfamiliar with some of the techniques used.

We are addressing this issue even as we speak - and a new section on Puzzletome will be starting shortly. We are in beta-testing phase at the moment, so it's not going to be instant - but it will hopefully be fairly soon...!

The new section is called "Back To Basics", and covers (as the title implies) basic riddling techniques - including different types of substitution, cryptograms, various codes such as Binary and Morse, plus loads more.

Each section has both explanations and worked examples to illustrate the technique(s) in question, and there are also lots of accompanying puzzles of varying difficulty to solve. It is not a "contest", though - so the sections and puzzles can be accessed in any order... you don't need to solve one puzzle before you can move on to the next one.

We'll keep you informed about a launch date - so watch this space...!


T22
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theandygrant
This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet


Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 1264
Location: The Lethargic Dodecahedron

PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fantastic!

I could kiss you. In fact, I think I will...

*MWAH*
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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253

PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

theandygrant wrote:
fantastic!

I could kiss you. In fact, I think I will...

*MWAH*

Glad to hear you like the idea - I thought it would be useful...! And the puzzles are fun too, as the playtesters have discovered - as well as the "information element" involved.

Think I'll live without that kiss, though...LOL! Ill


T22
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Rebecca
Thou whoreson cullionly barbermonger


Joined: 16 Sep 2003
Posts: 128
Location: Perth

PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 11:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Coming soon... Reply with quote

Titanium22 wrote:
The new section is called "Back To Basics", and covers (as the title implies) basic riddling techniques - including different types of substitution, cryptograms, various codes such as Binary and Morse, plus loads more. T22


In the mean-time if you need help :

http://www.puzzletome.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=16551#16551


Edited to ask : Guys are you going to use some riddles from contests already done or create new riddles just for the purpose of learning ? as if you want you can disect some RP ones (well mine at least)
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Strife777
Thou whoreson cullionly barbermonger


Joined: 18 Sep 2003
Posts: 119

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And if you need to show what NOT to do, take 1.24 and 2.24 Thumbs up
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Stretham
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Joined: 15 Sep 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 1:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Coming soon... Reply with quote

Rebecca wrote:
Edited to ask : Guys are you going to use some riddles from contests already done or create new riddles just for the purpose of learning ? as if you want you can disect some RP ones (well mine at least)

We're creating new riddles, but it's a cracking idea to dissect previous ones (and let's face it, there are some really notorious ones out there Smile ). I'll leave the decision to T22 as she's doing most of the hard work for this, but one possibility would be to have a request section where we do exactly as you say. The only thing we'd need to do is be careful to mark any spoilers, in particular for external sites.

Stretham
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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 1:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Coming soon... Reply with quote

Rebecca wrote:
Guys are you going to use some riddles from contests already done or create new riddles just for the purpose of learning ?

They are all original and specifically created to illustrate and practise particular riddling techniques. There will be approximately 80 new puzzles (in addition to lots of worked examples) in the complete module.

I am not really comfortable with the idea of dissecting existing puzzles because of the "spoiler" issue that Stretham has mentioned. In any case, we have a section here for PT1 in the "Winners' Enclosure" which is devoted to explaining how specific puzzles in the contest worked, and I think that is probably enough.


T22
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Strife777
Thou whoreson cullionly barbermonger


Joined: 18 Sep 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't dissect any recent contests if you go with that...but there are plenty of "dead ducks" out there, if you catch my drift. I agree that it should mostly be original riddles since youre sticking to basic concepts...but hell, if you can recreate an original Vraal riddle to teach people off of...ouch :-p . Would be kind've cute if you set it up as a learning environment...aka, if you have 80 to "teach"...you should have a 20 question final exam at the end so people can put the new skills to practical use.

Also, are you sticking to relatively common methods? Aka, the usual suspects...or are you going to delve into harder puzzles to define, for example a multistep or highly difficult methodology. I guess I'm asking if its going to be a basic tutorial, or are you going to reach the level of some of the most difficult we've seen?

Finally, a request. I personally am not the best at Cryptic Clues, though I am getting the hang of it. A puzzle using all types of these clues would be appreciated.
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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Strife777 wrote:
I wouldn't dissect any recent contests if you go with that...but there are plenty of "dead ducks" out there, if you catch my drift. I agree that it should mostly be original riddles since youre sticking to basic concepts...but hell, if you can recreate an original Vraal riddle to teach people off of...ouch :-p . Would be kind've cute if you set it up as a learning environment...aka, if you have 80 to "teach"...you should have a 20 question final exam at the end so people can put the new skills to practical use.

Also, are you sticking to relatively common methods? Aka, the usual suspects...or are you going to delve into harder puzzles to define, for example a multistep or highly difficult methodology. I guess I'm asking if its going to be a basic tutorial, or are you going to reach the level of some of the most difficult we've seen?

Finally, a request. I personally am not the best at Cryptic Clues, though I am getting the hang of it. A puzzle using all types of these clues would be appreciated.

Funny you should mention a "final exam" - I've just completed exactly that, and with 20 puzzles in it too...LOL! Smile

Yes, the relatively common methods. It would be impossible to cover all puzzling techniques, and this is indeed designed as a basic tutorial (although some of the puzzles are quite hard and include things like "disguised" Morse or Binary).

And you'll be pleased to hear that there are also some worked examples and puzzles specifically using cryptic clues, together with an explanation of some of the common words/expressions/abbreviations etc that are used when constructing such clues.


T22
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goetzy89
Thy mother's name is ominous to children


Joined: 05 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Strife777 wrote:
And if you need to show what NOT to do, take 1.24 and 2.24 Thumbs up


So True... I Had Nightmares Over Both... no really... too many possible answers for both of those Razz

James
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Strife777
Thou whoreson cullionly barbermonger


Joined: 18 Sep 2003
Posts: 119

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't worry about that...you shant see anything like that from me again Smile I've written a good 30 or so newer ones, but Im still going back and forth between two mediums on how I'd want to present them.
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january
Banbury cheese


Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 166
Location: Derbyshire

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 6:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please....I have one request.

Every time a read a description of either cyphers or binary, the explanation is more puzzling than the puzzles themselves. Sad

It would be great if examples and explanations can be written so that they are easily understandable by the totally dim ( like me)

Some of us ( maybe just moi) went to school pre-calculators let alone computers, and the jargon that goes with them. Sad

Please...someone...somewhere...own up...don't let me be the only ancient artifact on PT Crying or Very sad I might be kicked off Crying or Very sad

January
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CognosZeteo
You bull’s pizzle


Joined: 31 Jan 2004
Posts: 85
Location: N.B. Canada

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Strife777 wrote:
Finally, a request. I personally am not the best at Cryptic Clues, though I am getting the hang of it. A puzzle using all types of these clues would be appreciated.


The "Back To Basics" section sounds great!!
And I definitely second Strife's idea of a puzzle using and explaning all types of Cryptic Clues cuz I'm not even getting the hang of it. Sad

Pre-calculators...yes. Slide rule era, but it still did not work miracles on 5.12 tho. Razz

Cognos
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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

january wrote:
Please....I have one request.

Every time a read a description of either cyphers or binary, the explanation is more puzzling than the puzzles themselves. Sad

It would be great if examples and explanations can be written so that they are easily understandable by the totally dim ( like me)

I sympathise - I had a similar struggle myself when I originally tried to understand how some of the different codes actually worked. It's all too easy to bang stuff into an online solver without having a clue about how or why a code actually works, and that's one of the things I'm trying to address in this module.

But I think (hope!) you'll find that my explanations and examples are clear and accessible - and there will also be a forum to accompany Back to Basics so that people can ask further questions if there's anything they are not sure about.


T22
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theandygrant
This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet


Joined: 07 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Titanium22 wrote:
It's all too easy to bang stuff into an online solver without having a clue about how or why a code actually works, and that's one of the things I'm trying to address in this module.
T22


There are online solvers???
I've been doing it by hand!
No wonder I'm behind everybody else Surprised
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