THP -- The More Things Change

[daniel801]

quote:

---

Treasure Hunt Puzzle -- The More Things Change

You tear open a fresh ream of copy-machine paper when you notice that it was packaged with one sheet already written on. Can you make any sense out of the following, and find the one-word solution?

1 Along the long side
2 Chieftains
3 College figure
4 Like most lemons
5 Like some salt
6 Make Fluffy less destructive
7 More than one witloof
8 Occupation involving nails
9 Scar
10 Separate land into smaller plots
11 Type of iron that gets hot when used
12 What human hearing is but grasshopper hearing is not
13 What something is when something's wrong
14 Word associated with coffee and jumping

---

The numbering is my own..
2. BAND
3. BMOC or DEAN
4. TART or YELLOW
6. DECLAW
7. SALAD
8. CARPENTER or MANICURIST
10. SUBDIVIDE
14. BEAN

[Gomez]

1. Lengthwise?
13.Amiss?

[Lightbringer]

12. Headset?

[cebrist]

2 emirs
5 iodized
7 endives

and i would go with
3 dean
4 yellow
8 manicurist

[This message has been edited by cebrist (edited 03-21-2002 11:16 AM).]

[cebrist]

9 cicatrix
11 soldering

and if i've got the hints right, number 12 should have the letters bin - binary?

[This message has been edited by cebrist (edited 03-21-2002 12:05 PM).]

[daniel801]

1 Lengthwise ENG lthwise
2 Emirs MIR es
3 Dean DEA n
4 Yellow LOW yel
5 Iodized ZED iodi
6 Declaw LAW dec
7 Endives END ives
8 Manicurist MAN icurist
9 Cicatrix CAT cirix
10 Subdivide VID subdie
11 Soldering OLD sering
12 Binaural BIN aural
13 Amiss AMI ss
14 Bean BEA n

ENGMIRDEALOWZEDLAWENDMANCATVIDOLDBINAMIBEA

[Alter Ego]

Since I couldn't take it all the way (again!) here's (most probably) the next step : The following pairs of equal length words share letters in exactly 3 positions :

code:

---

Lengthwise


Manicurist = NIS


Emirs


Amiss = MIS


Dean 


Bean = EAN


Yellow


Declaw = ELW


Endives


Iodized = DIE


Cicatrix


Binaural = IAR


Subdivide 


Soldering = SDI

---

So here's a new list

EAN
ELW
DIE
IAR
MIS
NIS
SDI

Oh, and my bet on the answer : similar. I can't work out why though

[Werebear]

Aren't those in the wrong order? Each set has a different number of letters per word...

(4) EAN
(5) MIS
(6) ELW
(7) DIE
(8) IAR
(9) SDI
(10) NIS

Now to figure out the next step... maybe the order of the original lengths matters?
(10,5,4,6,7,6,7,10,8,9,8,9,5,4)
Maybe taking the list as a string?
(EANMISELWDIEIARSDINIS)

Werebear



[This message has been edited by Werebear (edited 03-22-2002 11:46 AM).]

[daniel801]

is the answer Darwin?

[Orbiting]

It's all greek to me.

-o-

[Werebear]

Well, I agree the answer probably has something to do with the title, but working backwards from the two possible solutions hasn't yielded any pattern... I just perused www.websters.com for synonyms of "same" and "similar" (as well as "change") for interesting words, just in case, but haven't found anything to help.

Werebear

[Werebear]

"A WINNER," SMILED I. "DAISIES"

Well, the Internet Anagram Server (http://wordsmith.org/anagram/index.html) has proved to be useless in mixing those letters up... that was the most coherent answer it gave; and it seems too coincendental that there's pairs of word lengths each sharing three letters. Will keep working on it.

Werebear

[Werebear]

FOUND IT! ROFL, finally.

Now, how do I post invisible? I don't want to give it away to those who haven't yet...

Werebear

[Werebear]

Oh, by the way, none of the answers posted so far are correct, including "daisies"

Werebear

[Alter Ego]

Use the invisible tags Like this

{invisible} text {/invisible} but with [] instead of {}.

If it's still not clear edit my message for details.

[Werebear]

The solution: When placed in order, 4-10, the edges of the block read "Answer is inside me". The encircled letters spell "Iliad"

Werebear

[start pilot]

Strong Werebear !!
It took me some time to see what you meant.

[Werebear]

This font isn't the best, capital i's and the letter l look exactly the same... and rereading it, I should have been clearer... anyone not see the answer?

Werebear

[Logain]

[Orbiting]

As a very fine donkey once said, "Thanks for noticin' me."

[Werebear]

"Yes, well, that's as may be," said Werebear, "if that's the way you want it," said Werebear, "which some do. There's no accounting for taste, I suppose." Werebear said as he looked gloomily at his collapsed house of sticks.

*giggle*

Werebear

[Fayelea]

Er...Werebear, I tried doing the puzzle on my own to see how you did it...and I cant see how you got the answer. I did a bunch of stuff and I dont understand what the heck you are saying in your soluton...I suck at doing puzzles...I shouldnt of signed up on here >.<

[Werebear]

Don't give up! that's the first rule. I'm not the best puzzler by far, but work at it, and you'll get answers. Here's a better explanation.



Take the letters as they are in Reply #8.

E A N
M I S
E L W
D I E
I A R
S D I
N I S

What tipped me off is I found the word "Answer" in there.. start with the A on top, and move around the outside of the block... it spells out "Answer is inside me". The five letters I've put in bold that are surrounded by this message is 'iliad'. This make it clearer?

Werebear

[Fayelea]

much clearer! Thank you.

[Water]

I love puzzles but even the easiest one here is impossible to solve I suck at practically any puzzles.

------------------
All are brain-dead, the sparkle in their eyes is just the light coming in their ears.

[CrystyB]

Water, that CANNOT be. I mean we have 131 puzzles out of which some must be suitable for you. i mean I found some that even i was able to solve!

[cyberthug_assassin]

well ok that answer is interesting but what im going to say is regarding the ppl who cant(snicker) read it cause they dont know that highlighting it shows the answer
This puzzle is not shown as solved so maybe that guy that created it can hurry and verify your quite likely answer