The Grey Labyrinth is a collection of puzzles, riddles, mind games, paradoxes and other intellectually challenging diversions. Related topics: puzzle games, logic puzzles, lateral thinking puzzles, philosophy, mind benders, brain teasers, word problems, conundrums, 3d puzzles, spatial reasoning, intelligence tests, mathematical diversions, paradoxes, physics problems, reasoning, math, science.

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

As a public service, for new members unfamiliar with the IT threads:
THE RULES:
1. If you're not familiar with the IT thread, the answer to the current puzzle (which, as you're reading this, is likely posted on or near the last page of this thread) is the password for the user name IT 4 (capital-eye, capital-tee, space, four).
2. If you think you know the answer, you can test the password either by replying to the thread under the name IT 4, or (more easily) clicking "profile" at the top of the page and attempting to access the profile for IT 4.
3. If you solve the puzzle, you post your own puzzle to this thread under the username IT 4 and change the password, and then someone solves your puzzle, etc., ad infinitum.
4. Puzzles are often (but don't necessarily need to be) relatively complex; thus, the bulk of this thread is discussion of solution techniques; feel free to join in.

***JUST REMEMBER:
The password can consist of alphanumeric characters (as well as spaces and/or various punctiation) from 1 to 13 characters and is Case Sensitive. A password longer than 13 characters will kill the IT 4 name.

Link to the previous thread, now closed and archived.

[This message has been edited by IT 4 (edited 11-13-2003 07:26 PM).]

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

The following is a triple cryptolist...that is, three seperate groups of items have been encoded using three separate ciphers. * indicates a proper noun, + indicates slang or unconventional spelling, and _ indicates a swear word that's been bleeped out.

code:

BDFFJFA LDQ LX QJCN





"BJINB LX *WLBMOF"





CQZNZ'I HSN +UHLQZN-_________ UHMKZ YQZYD





DZGPOPH FOFKGX/NGGF FMG HKDCG





EKJVKJT *UKNBUBW BJV LQZ UHJDZA





FMG MSF RDNGX VSRU





HBSYLOPH *PSPRJ





ILZBXKJT LQZ UHJDZA





"ISNNZJVZN LQZ HNBJTSLBJ"





JDB +HDFFS XFDZ FMSF UOPL DQ LYGSNOPH





"KL'I QSJLKJT IZBIHJ"





KZUPG YOBM





"LQBL'I HJZ ESJDA UHJDZA"





MOESRUOPH *MSNKGF





"NOLPOHMF, VSXGVSKK VSFX, SPL +VDDHGJ NGP."





ODQLCOQJP KJTLQ





OJBTJFN XLLM





PLPRKJQ





QOPLOPH *QYGLLJ





S VKDDLJ NGXX





"YNBOA YNBYDZNI CKLQ TSJI"





"^ZQOUJFA ^OTJIN"

------------------------------------------

code:




_________  __  ___  ______


  6  1      B       8


                              


___ & ______ ___ ______ ____


         C5          3    9


                              


________!


24   7 A

The password should be entered lowercase, without spaces.

[This message has been edited by IT 4 (edited 11-04-2003 10:37 AM).]

Sami · Daedalian Member

I think you have a typo...
"LQBL'I HJZ ESJDA UHJDZA" should be
"LQBL'X HJZ ESJDA UHJDZA," maybe?

Sami · Daedalian Member

[
running out of time
"river of Jordan"
where's our mother-******** movie check
opening titles/meet the glove
finding Miramax and the monkey
the hat comes back
guarding Nancy
stealing the monkey
"surrender the orangutan"
you gotta stop that kind of dreaming
"it's hunting season"
psych ward
"That's one funky monkey"
hijacking Hamlet
"midnight, baseball bats, and boogey men."
automatic pilot
airline food
cockpit
finding Freddy
a bloody mess
"crazy crackers with guns"
"Staying Alive"
]

Celt · still thinking

[

code:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ...(1)


yawkf  osnitvrz h ugmdxlce





ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ...(2)


 uvojteg yldhminfca kb srp





ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ...(3)


grmu nh vipodeactk ly jfws

running out of time...(3)
"river of *jordan"...(3)
where's our +mother-_________ movie check...(1)
opening titles/meet the glove...(2)
finding *miramax and the monkey...(1)
the hat comes back...(2)
guarding *nancy...(2)
stealing the monkey...(1)
"surrender the orangutan"...(1)
you +gotta stop that kind of dreaming...(2)
"it's hunting season"...(1)
psych ward...(3)
"that's one funky monkey"...(1)
hijacking *hamlet...(2)
"midnight, baseball bats, and +boogey men."...(2)
automatic pilot...(3)
airline food...(3)
cockpit...(3)
finding *freddy...(2)
a bloody mess...(2)
"crazy crackers with guns"...(1)
"^staying ^alive"...(3)
]
^{I should have refreshed before posting. Sorry. Anyway, the extra info might be useful later}

[This message has been edited by Celt (edited 11-04-2003 01:07 PM).]

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Got it!
- Celt

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Got it as well. I only recognized one of the three, but then, [I’ve only seen one of the three].

Incidentally, [Google suggests that “MOESRUOPH *MSNKGF” is actually “*MSNKGF MOESRU”]. But then, I don’t always trust Google.

--Tah

On Anon · Daedalian Member

Oh rats. One long meeting and I miss the whole shebang.
Don't nobody spoil it yet!...

Sami · Daedalian Member

I decoded the messages and [recognized the films], but what on earth were we supposed to do with the bottom piece?

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Well, if you [recognized the films]: treat the bottom three lines as [sets of blanks with numbers/letters below some of them].

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Yah okay. Cool, Foggy, thanks.
Sami, the bottom piece is just a [series of blanks yearning to be filled].
-- On Anon

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Oh. Duh.

-Sami

Foggy · In the clouds

quote:

Google suggests that “MOESRUOPH *MSNKGF” is actually “*MSNKGF MOESRU"

I got the former straight from my copy of the DVD, so the latter was either a different version (which is possible) or is just incorrect.

Tahnan · Daedalian Member

I figured you'd gotten it right off the DVD. Odd that it gets no Google hits--you seem to have a rogue copy. *nudge*

Foggy · In the clouds

A-ha...figured out the discrepancy. When I composed the puzzle, I put in that DVD and checked the scene selection pages. But the printed list of chapters on the packaging actually has a different title.

Sigh...

This is one of those things that bugs the **** out of me. Even the source doesn't have consistent information.

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

New Puzzle

1. T CQGOIN NTEBIR WS T ASPIN (BASE)
2. TAANSJEGTWI (ROUGH)
3. WPS QCRIN ATN (EAGLE)
4. TRMTCWTUI, NIBSQNYI (ASSET)
5. TCUNH (IRATE)
6. YLSEYIBW ATNW (5)
7. YFEGO (ASCENT)
8. DSECW OIWPIIC VSSW TCR FIU (ANKLE)
9. BYNTPCH (4)
10. WICCEB IKQEAGICW (RACKET)
11. BSQN (TART)
12. AINVSNG TUTEC (REDO)
13. US VNSG BSFER WS FEKQER VSNG (MELT)
14. ATH TWWICWESC WS PLTW BSGISCI EB BTHECU (LISTEN)
15. VICYECU OFTRI PEWL WNETCUQFTN YNSBB-BIYWESC (EPEE)
16. TBBEBW (HELP)
17. BWSA TCR FITMI HSQN YTN (PARK)
18. NSQBI VNSG BFIIA (WAKE)
19. WS OI SQW SV LTNGSCH (JAR)
20. BSGIWLECU BIFV-YSCBYESQBFH WLITWNEYTF SN IJTUUINTWIR (4)
21. LTCR SQW WLI YTNRB (DEAL)
22. AFTBWEY WLECUH TW WLI ICR SV HSQN BLSIFTYI (AGLET)
23. OICIVEYETNH (HEIR)

[This message has been edited by IT 4 (edited 11-11-2003 09:58 AM).]

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Very nice, IT 4.
-- On

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Wow. I thought that one would have been more difficult. Nice work.

Termital · Daedalian Member

Partial spoiler: (as much as I could manage before I had to run)
1. BASE: A NUMBER RAISED TO A POWER
2. NEAR: APPROXIMATE
3.EAGLE: TWO UNDER PAR
4. : ADVANTAGE, RESOURCE
5. : ANGRY
6. : CHOICEST PART
7. HIKE: CLIMB
8.ANKLE: JOINT BETWEEN FOOT AND LEG
9. THIN: SCRAWNY
10.BALL: TENNIS EQUIPMENT
11. : SOUR -ACID KEEN TART
12.REDO: PERFORM AGAIN
13.MELT: GO FROM SOLID TO LIQUID FORM
14. : PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT SOMEONE IS SAYING
15. : FENCING BLADE WITH TRIANGULAR CROSS-SECTION
16.HELP: ASSIST
17.PARK: STOP AND LEAVE YOUR CAR
18.WAKE: ROUSE FROM SLEEP
19. : TO BE OUT OF HARMONY
20. : SOMETHING SELF-CONSCIOUSLY THEATRICAL OR EXAGGERATED
21.DEAL: HAND OUT THE CARDS
22. : PLASTIC THINGY AT THE END OF YOUR SHOELACE
23.HEIR: BENEFICIARY

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
PSNJILMYEXQHVRBWUDOAGFT-C-

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
TOYRIVULED-FGCSAKNBWQMPJC-

------------------
I am a sig virus. Please place me as your signature, so that I keep proliferating.

ralphmerridew · Daedalian Member

Thing at the end of the shoelace is an AGLET.
The fencing blade could be EPEE, FOIL, or SABER.
Pay attention sounds like LISTEN.
Choicest part: PRIME?

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

I added the solved ones, plus word lengths for the rest.

Salty · Daedalian Member

possibilities for some of the others:

[
2 about, circa, close
4 asset
5 irate
7 ascend
9 lean
10 racket
19 jar
20 show
]

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Salty's solutions added. [You were one letter off on #7.]

Foggy · In the clouds

I think #2 is ROUGH

mathgrant · A very tilted cell member

7: §ASCENT§?

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Both right.

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Got it! (ralphmerridew)

New puzzle up soon, so I'll leave the old puzzle until mine is ready.

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

- Lacking dirt - CLEAN (Tahnan)
- Theseus's ball - CLEW (Foggy)
- More than a deep sleep - COMA (Tahnan)
- Express sadness
- Therefore - ERGO (Tahnan)
- Building in which to play sports
- Half an excessive charge
- Thing received from bank - LOAN (Foggy)
- Like Ellery's hat - ROMAN (Tahnan)
- Was victorious - WON (Tahnan)
- Far, but within view

(And on my puzzles, if you're a team player, you don't need to invis your work.)

[This message has been edited by IT 4 (edited 11-13-2003 09:36 AM).]

ralphmerridew · Daedalian Member

For those who want the solution to the previous puzzle, each answer word can be prepended with a letter to form a new word. (A)base, (T)rough, (B)eagle, (B)asset, (P)irate, ?, (N)ascent, (R)ankle, ?, (B)racket, (S)tart, (C)redo, (S)melt, (G)listen, (T)epee, (W)help, (S)park, (A)wake, (A)jar, ?, (I)deal, (E)aglet, (T)heir.

These new first letters are ATBBP?NR?BSCSGTWSAA?IET. Decrypting them with the same key gives PASSW?RD?ONOMOTAPP?EIA, which I guessed to mean "Password's onomotopeia".

Tahnan · Daedalian Member

Initial impressions:

CLEAN
SKEIN
COMA
ERGO
ARENA
?
ROMAN
WON

But none of these things link together in any clear way. (COMA/ROMAN?) There are possible anagrams: SKEIN ~ NIKES, CLEAN ~ LANCE, ROMAN ~ MANOR, WON ~ NOW, ERGO ~ GORE. But none of these really link in any obvious way either. Anyone else?

[This message has been edited by Tahnan (edited 11-11-2003 06:44 PM).]

On Anon · Daedalian Member

I assume that Theseus' ball is TWINE. (I've also heard it as a ball of THREAD.)
No clue on what these words have in common.

Sami · Daedalian Member

Thing received from bank = STATEMENT (which anagrams to TESTAMENT, fitting in with Tahnan's theme)

Sami · Daedalian Member

Place to play sports = FIELD? (FILED)

IT 4 · Daedalian Member

Lots of nice answers, but no more correct ones.

(Also, when I solved the previous puzzle, I had NO ideas, and I thought for an hour without coming up with any ideas, so when I finally had an idea, I really rushed it. I apologize to any of you who, upon seeing the final answer, think the puzzle idea or cluing was poorly done, because it was.)

Sami · Daedalian Member

Theseus's ball: STRING?
Place to play sports: PARK? STADIUM? RINK? DIAMOND? COURT?
Thing received from bank: MONEY? CHECK?

Bicho the Inhaler · Daedalian Member

Originally posted by IT 4 (original post):
IT 4 (capital-eye, capital-tee, space, three).

Now that just ain't right.

Foggy · In the clouds

#2 is likely CLEW, but #5 and #6 are way too open-ended.

#6: Blood? Sperm? Loan? Free calendars? Toasters?

Tahnan · Daedalian Member

Figured it couldn't hurt to invis--give people a chance to come up with their own answers (or to come up with the same ones independently).

I agree that what's left is a little open-ended without knowing what's going on, and I have no idea what's going on.

Salty · Daedalian Member

It looks probable that the answers are in alphabetical order.

Park and Payment may be possibilities

On Anon · Daedalian Member

Ah. Good eye, Salty.
Thing received from bank might also be PLASMA...

Then we'd have two words starting with CLE, two ending in AN, two ending in MA.
Coincidences?