Lawrence solved!

[Ghost Post]

Since you are just about out of water, you couldn't have been more than three days. Therefore, you couldn't have wandered more than 60 miles. If you set off in the opposite direction you were going when you entered the desert, you will have no more than a three day journey home. Of course, if you have traveled in a straight line the whole 3 days, then go the same way for another 2 days to get to civilization.

[Wonko the Sane]

Actually, this isn't true. Look at the wording the puzzle. You were lost in a sandstorm when it happened. Therefore you can assume you had no idea which way you were going.

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It's not the size of the spork, it's whether or not it's made of #7 recyclable plastic.

[Ghost Post]

However, you don't need to know what direction you were going during the storm. Just before the storm <BR><BR>It's not the size of the spork, just what you're eating that counts .<BR><BR>Why would you carry a compass in the desert if you're not reading it. I don't know anybody that lost in a sandstorm from outside a desert. Therefore, the person would have to know what direction they were initially going.

[This message has been edited by RubberPaw (edited 03-28-2000).]

[Wonko the Sane]

You're skipping some basic assumptions of this puzzle. First, Grey Labyrinth tells you all the info you have. If it isn't there, you assume it isn't part of the puzzle. It doesn't say you have a compass, so you probably don't. It was you were walking during the storm, so you were. The puzzle states that you're utterly lost and have no idea which way is out.

[Ghost Post]

Most people wouldn't be trying to move in a sandstorm though. They would huddle down and try to take shelter. So you could assume the sandstorm blew for 2 days, 23 hours and when you stood up there was an oasis just 1 hour away.

[Wonko the Sane]

Yeah...but this is Puzzlania. Everyone that lives in it is a geeky scientist with no common sense. That's why the puzzle says you were still wandering around in it. I don't see where arguing about this helps when the puzzle clearly states you were wanding around in the sandstorm.

[Ghost Post]

Fine. You still can be no more than 60 miles away from the edge, since that is the maximum distance you could travel with your stored supplies. And if you had drifted to the left or right of your original heading, you would only be closer to the edge when you doubled back the opposite direction you came. By the way, it does mention a compass.

[HyToFry]

BUT RubberPaw, what if you were only 20 miles from the edge, and you go the wrong way, that means you have 80 miles to trek...

Stateing that you are "no more than 60 miles from the edge" is pointless, as we already know this, because you are no more than 50 miles from the edge.

Your assumeing that we walked in a straight line durring the storm, and further more, that we were at the edge when the storm started, when in actuallity we were probably in the deseret, and ready to head out when a storm broke, and we got lost, loseing all direction.

you also assume that we had the compass when we were lost, but it never says that, only that we have one now, we could have found it at the oasis.

the last thing that you assume is that when we went into the desert we only had three days supply of food and water, but in truth we could have had food that takes up less space than the food we find at the oasis, and we could have been carrying MORE WATER, and a longer supply of food, so when the riddle says we were wandering for days, for all we know, we had a 100 day supply when we entered the desert.

And FURTHERMORE.....
If we were lost in a sand storm, what makes you think we could even see the compass (assumeing that we had it), sandstorms are blinding (at least the ones ive been in), and its all you can do to keep breathing if your not in a car, let alone worry about what direction your going.

ITS NOT THE #7 Plastic, its if you have to use it to eat, or can you get a metal spork to eat with.

[Ghost Post]

Aha. but there you're wrong. You say: "because you are no more than 50 miles from the edge."That is not true. If you were no more than 50 miles from the edge, you could just walk in less than three days. Furthermore, you say "Your assumeing that we walked in a straight line durring the storm." No I'm not. I am just mentioning that you can't be "more" than 60 miles away because you couldn't travel more than that distance in three days, wandering or no. Next, you say "we were at the edge when the storm started." Not really. The maximum distance you could have traveled was 60 miles from the edge. Therefore, no matter when you got stuck in the storm and wandered, you would be no more than 60 miles away. You would probably be closer. If you had deviated during the storm, as we assume, you would be even closer to the edge of the desert. You mention that I make the assumption "that we had the compass when we were lost." How else would we know it was reliable? Finally, you say "what makes you think we could even see the compass" You don't have to see the compass during the storm. You just have to know which way you were going when you entered the desert. Go the opposite way, and you'll be back in less than 3 days.

[Wonko the Sane]

You're failing to understand this puzzle. You could be 2 miles from the edge of the desert and this wouldn't work. And you can trust if the compass is correct by guaging the way it's pointing against the sun, this isn't very difficult. And the puzzle doesn't say that you looked at a compass before the storm. It says, and I quote "you become lost in a sandstorm. After wandering for days, your water supply nearly exhausted, you come upon an oasis." Okay? You're LOST. The puzzle says you're LOST. So you are LOST. You can't say, "I can just look at it before" because you're already LOST LOST LOST LOST LOST! Okay? How many times do I have to say it? YOU ARE LOST WITHOUT ANY HOPE OF KNOWHERE WHERE YOU WENT!!! Is that clear enough or should I say it a few more times? Because you don't seem to get it. YOU ARE LOST!!!! Sheesh....

[Ghost Post]

Ok Ok. I'll give it up, although I think it would be rather dumb to try to traverse such an expanse without a compass.

[Wonko the Sane]

This is Puzzlania...it's inhabited by scientists with lots of brains and no common sense.

[HyToFry]

RubberPaw, you still missed my point about how much food and water we were carrying when we came in.

If we were carrying space efficent food, eg. granola bars... etc... we may have had a 5 day supply of food and water, and besides that, i never said "we were at the edge when the storm started" i said

[CrystyB]

This is cute!

i never said "we were at the edge when the storm started" i said


quote:
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Your assumeing that we walked in a straight line durring the storm, and further more, that WE WERE AT THE EDGE WHEN THE STORM STARTED, ...

So you meant ONLY "A and B", you never thought that this means also B-alone?

[HyToFry]

No, it can mean B alone, however i never said we WERE IN FACT at the edge, only that rubber paw was assumeing that we were at the edge. in other words, in order for for us to be "no more than 60 miles from the edge, we would have to assume that we started into the deseret with a three days supply, and then NO MORE than 1 day into the desert, we got lost in a sand storm, and thats why we can be no more than 60 miles from the edge, the problem Rubber Paw is haveing is that he is assumeing that the rules that we have to follow to get out, are the same as the rules that got us in here in the first place, ie. its inconceivable that we were in the middle of the desert with a 3 days supply when we got lost without dirrection (according to Rubber Paw's rules. get it? i hope.

I never said "we started at the edge", only that in order for what rubber paw was saying to be true, we would have to assume that we started at the edge.

[This message has been edited by HyToFry (edited 04-05-2000).]

[worm]

Oh my!!! I guess there is a first for everything...I agree with HyToFry

[Andy]

Ricky's desert puzzle conditions were stated much more clearly - and it was apparently less fun, as few GL'ers posted replies.

[Ghost Post]

Let me clarify. Although I won't fight for it, you must understand my logic. First, draw a circle and imagine it 100 miles in diameter. Then imagine yourself going the maximum distance possible with three days of food and water in a straight line(You're right, HaytoFry. I now realize that the conditions going in probably weren't the same as going out. That is what caused me to change my mind. At least you understand what I'm saying ). Of course, we know we couldn't have been going in a straight line and we could not possibly have traveled 60 miles in any kind of a line because of the storm. Now, since we know what way we were ORIGINALLY going at the edge(and that is my second limb to step out on) and we know that we are probably less than 60 miles from the edge we started, we should go the OPPOSITE direction we were going when we entered the desert. So draw a straight line directly back the opposite direction from original desert-entering direction. For sure, it will NOT be the shortest way to get there, but it will get you there in less than three days. Anyway, I realize that my two limbs are rather precarious, so I retract it, even though it makes mathematical sense when you take things for granted.

Thanks HayToFry for at least reading my stuff enough to understand what I'm trying to say. To the others who take my representation of other's misunderstanding and use it as a quote against me, I have nothing to say.