A Monday Puzzler: "Beloved Aunt"

[trampledamage]

Actually, since it's Zion's puzzle it can be whatever he wants. If you don't like it, don't try it. Make your own puzzle thread.

Ranting at Zion that his puzzle is somehow invalid is ludicrious, especially since two people have solved it.

Well, I'd like to know how they solved. I've looked at the numbers, I've said them outloud, I've tried saying "what the number is" (94 tredecillion...), i've tried to see if the numbers shapes "form letters" between them, the only thing I've not tried is an alpha-numeric replacement which is impossible to do without spaces.

I just don't know where to start, what I'm supposed to do or anything. I'm just seeing... numbers.

Then you need to think harder. But not too hard, as a few here who did get the answer right have already thought the solution was too easy.

This is the aim of the puzzle - trying to figure out what to do with what you've got, seeing if it makes logical sense, and making a reasoned estimate of what it could mean and how to proceed further. I can't spoon-feed the working for you.

And once you do find out the solution, there is a chance you could kick yourself.

It's a perfectly logical puzzle. You just need to think around the problem a bit.

Your question would have been much easier to guess correctly using a universal truth if the first line had read:

942803609680438043096806858475907490290738361

Indeed.

Go on, then - submit your answer and I will see if you are right or not.

oh for crying out loud!

New PM to Zion...

 

[ITL]

So...

Holdfast's trying to sort the uggos from the pretty, and Zion's trying to sort the thickos from the brainy....hmmm....

ITL, uggo thicko.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

trampledamage and Holdfast are also winners tonight!

So...

Holdfast's trying to sort the uggos from the pretty, and Zion's trying to sort the thickos from the brainy....hmmm....

ITL, uggo thicko.

[hugs ITL]

 

[Trekker4747]

Actually, since it's Zion's puzzle it can be whatever he wants. If you don't like it, don't try it. Make your own puzzle thread.

Ranting at Zion that his puzzle is somehow invalid is ludicrious, especially since two people have solved it.

Well, I'd like to know how they solved. I've looked at the numbers, I've said them outloud, I've tried saying "what the number is" (94 tredecillion...), i've tried to see if the numbers shapes "form letters" between them, the only thing I've not tried is an alpha-numeric replacement which is impossible to do without spaces.

I just don't know where to start, what I'm supposed to do or anything. I'm just seeing... numbers.

Then you need to think harder. But not too hard, as a few here who did get the answer right have already thought the solution was too easy.

This is the aim of the puzzle - trying to figure out what to do with what you've got, seeing if it makes logical sense, and making a reasoned estimate of what it could mean and how to proceed further. I can't spoon-feed the working for you.

And once you do find out the solution, there is a chance you could kick yourself.

It's a perfectly logical puzzle. You just need to think around the problem a bit.

Your question would have been much easier to guess correctly using a universal truth if the first line had read:

942803609680438043096806858475907490290738361

Indeed.

Go on, then - submit your answer and I will see if you are right or not.

Well, then I must be a functional retard then with an IQ of 146 because I don't know what to do.

I feel like freaking Deep Thought.

"42"

?!?!?

That's the answer. YOU figure out the question.

I just see numbers with no idea what to do with them.

Sod this "puzzler."

 

[Holdfast]

Well, I'd like to know how they solved. I've looked at the numbers, I've said them outloud, I've tried saying "what the number is" (94 tredecillion...), i've tried to see if the numbers shapes "form letters" between them, the only thing I've not tried is an alpha-numeric replacement which is impossible to do without spaces.

I just don't know where to start, what I'm supposed to do or anything. I'm just seeing... numbers.

Then you need to think harder. But not too hard, as a few here who did get the answer right have already thought the solution was too easy.

This is the aim of the puzzle - trying to figure out what to do with what you've got, seeing if it makes logical sense, and making a reasoned estimate of what it could mean and how to proceed further. I can't spoon-feed the working for you.

And once you do find out the solution, there is a chance you could kick yourself.

It's a perfectly logical puzzle. You just need to think around the problem a bit.

Your question would have been much easier to guess correctly using a universal truth if the first line had read:

942803609680438043096806858475907490290738361

Indeed.

Go on, then - submit your answer and I will see if you are right or not.

Well, then I must be a functional retard then with an IQ of 146 because I don't know what to do.

I feel like freaking Deep Thought.

"42"

?!?!?

That's the answer. YOU figure out the question.

You have NO idea just how funny and ironic that line is, coming on the back of the post of mine you just quoted.

Honestly, in my wildest dreams, I couldn't have set things up better.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I'm too stunned at seeing Jim Gamma to even try to figure it out. ["Excuses, excuses, you mathematical dimwit." - Ghost of Albert Einstein]

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Well, then I must be a functional retard then with an IQ of 146 because I don't know what to do.

I feel like freaking Deep Thought.

"42"

?!?!?

That's the answer. YOU figure out the question.

I just see numbers with no idea what to do with them.

Sod this "puzzler."

You need to think more laterally.

If four people - typical TrekBBS people - can get the answer right, so can you.

 

[Trekker4747]

You have NO idea just how funny and ironic that line is, coming on the back of the post of mine you just quoted.

Honestly, in my wildest dreams, I couldn't have set things up better.

Woah, man! No one, certainly not me, is coming on your back!

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Holdfast, although you didn't get the puzzle before anyone else, you and Trekker definitely win a few Internets for that series of posts.

 

[backstept]

I consider myself a good problem solver, but when I don't even know what the problem is . . .

[edit] wait . . . maybe if I put it in my calculator and read it upside-down? 8008135 hehehehe

 

[TheWifeOfBrian]

The answer.... tell it to me.

 

[Holdfast]

You have NO idea just how funny and ironic that line is, coming on the back of the post of mine you just quoted.

Honestly, in my wildest dreams, I couldn't have set things up better.

Woah, man! No one, certainly not me, is coming on your back!

Solve the puzzle first. Then we'll talk sexual favours as a reward.

Holdfast, although you didn't get the puzzle before anyone else, you and Trekker definitely win a few Internets for that series of posts.

I feel uncommonly & unsanitarily nerdy for both setting up the gag, and for finding Trekker's reply so amusing. I think I'm about minus a million cool points for the night.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

The answer.... tell it to me.

No!

Holdfast, although you didn't get the puzzle before anyone else, you and Trekker definitely win a few Internets for that series of posts.

I feel uncommonly & unsanitarily nerdy for both setting up the gag, and for finding Trekker's reply so amusing. I think I'm about minus a million cool points for the night.

I lol'd. That's reward enough.

 

[trampledamage]

Well, then I must be a functional retard then with an IQ of 146 because I don't know what to do.

I feel like freaking Deep Thought.

"42"

?!?!?

That's the answer. YOU figure out the question.

I just see numbers with no idea what to do with them.

Sod this "puzzler."

Zion's cryptic comments are actually a little unfair. It isn't an easy puzzle. It's one of those "once you figure it out it's easy" puzzles that some people solve without breaking a sweat. If you don't see it immediately it's a difficult puzzle.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

That's actually quite a good assessment of the puzzle.

It's actually not as easy as it looks.

 

[trampledamage]

That's actually quite a good assessment of the puzzle.

It's actually not as easy as it looks.

Just to be pedantic (and probably give Trekker an aneurysm) - it's exactly as difficult as it looks. If you see the solution straight away, it's an easy puzzle. Otherwise it's an incomprehensible string of numbers and a difficult puzzle.

Forgive me, I was awake half the night, I'm not at my best.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

That's actually quite a good assessment of the puzzle.

It's actually not as easy as it looks.

Just to be pedantic (and probably give Trekker an aneurysm) - it's exactly as difficult as it looks. If you see the solution straight away, it's an easy puzzle. Otherwise it's an incomprehensible string of numbers and a difficult puzzle.

Forgive me, I was awake half the night, I'm not at my best.

No worries - I was just teasing. Yes, it is difficult if you don't see it straight away.

Incidentally, if any of you do send me your answer, send me your working. You may be on the right lines even if your answer is wrong.

 

[Trekker4747]

So, then this:

As it's my first one, I've made it extremely easy just to break you in gently.

Is complete bullshit?

 

[Holdfast]

^ If I can answer for Zion without spoiling the fun of solving the puzzle for yourself, it is a easy puzzle in the sense that it is a fundamentally trivial problem, not one requiring any sort of complex knowledge, higher level mathematics or indeed any other special skill. It does require lateral thinking, but anyone on this board can solve the puzzle. In that narrow sense, it is entirely an easy/trivial problem.

Incidentally, if any of you do send me your answer, send me your working. You may be on the right lines even if your answer is wrong.

Maybe, but don't let them get their wires crossed if they're on the right lines.

 

[trampledamage]

So, then this:

As it's my first one, I've made it extremely easy just to break you in gently.

Is complete bullshit?

Oh give over. Solve it, don't solve it. Just stop picking a fight.