Perplex City Wiki - User contributions [en]

The Puzzler's Guide/Intro/General Strategies

2007-04-18T14:21:26Z

Arcysparky: /* Tips! */

First off, '''DON'T PANIC!''' The main thing to remember is that puzzles, no matter how hard they profess to be, ''want to be solved''. As such, what you may think of as "impossible" on first sight may contain many more clues, hints and possibly useful bits of information which will all make solving the puzzle a whole lot easier. (Of course, you might still need to do some hard work, but we can't just sit around thinking ''all'' day now, can we?)

The first thing to do then is to work out what the puzzle wants you to do. With easy puzzles, this is usually spelled out rather obviously. e.g. "What comes next?", "Who dunnit?" etc. If there's no obvious puzzle to begin with, then you already know one thing you're looking for - a question. This is important - interpreting "random" information is a lot (or bit) easier if you know what ''kind'' of thing you're looking for - whether it's a word, a sentence, or even a picture or a reference to something else. Look for the question mark, it is usually a good signifier of what kind of thing you are looking for.

In terms of Perplex City Puzzle Cards, try entering your code and find out what kind of answer the puzzle setter is looking for. It will usually be a word or a number, but sometimes it might be a second name or a series of answers. The input form is as much a clue as the card itself.

So if you're lucky and you have a question, a good next step is actually not a step at all. It is an anti-step. This unstep is: '''don't jump to assumptions''', at least not too quickly. It's easy, oh so easy, to start working on a puzzle after reading the question too quickly, and then realising - once you've used up your 3 daily guesses - that it actually wanted THIS, not THAT. Take your time, read the question. Make sure you know what you're looking for.

Always remember, Google is your friend. Puzzles which involve a bunch of words, pictures or numbers that seem unconnected might all come together if you simply perform a google search with them.

==Tips!==

1. What do you see? Look at every part of the puzzle, though some have red herrings, chances are you'll need to use every part of the puzzle to solve it, or the extra parts will at least provide a clue to help you.

2. Are there any recognisable patterns? Do you see a number or a colour sequence that looks familiar? are there any unusual symbols or characters that might help you? A lot of puzzles involve recognising patterns and continuing them or using the pattern on something else, try to find the significance of the pattern or sequence.

3. Find the easiest route. Once you've discovered what the puzzle is asking you to do, try thinking about the easiest or quickest way to solve it. Try to look up similar puzzles via a search engine like Google and find out if there are techniques that make that type of puzzle easier to solve.

The Puzzler's Guide/Intro/General Strategies

2007-04-18T14:20:40Z

Arcysparky: Added "Tips!" section, and Puzzle Card specific paragraph

First off, '''DON'T PANIC!''' The main thing to remember is that puzzles, no matter how hard they profess to be, ''want to be solved''. As such, what you may think of as "impossible" on first sight may contain many more clues, hints and possibly useful bits of information which will all make solving the puzzle a whole lot easier. (Of course, you might still need to do some hard work, but we can't just sit around thinking ''all'' day now, can we?)

The first thing to do then is to work out what the puzzle wants you to do. With easy puzzles, this is usually spelled out rather obviously. e.g. "What comes next?", "Who dunnit?" etc. If there's no obvious puzzle to begin with, then you already know one thing you're looking for - a question. This is important - interpreting "random" information is a lot (or bit) easier if you know what ''kind'' of thing you're looking for - whether it's a word, a sentence, or even a picture or a reference to something else. Look for the question mark, it is usually a good signifier of what kind of thing you are looking for.

In terms of Perplex City Puzzle Cards, try entering your code and find out what kind of answer the puzzle setter is looking for. It will usually be a word or a number, but sometimes it might be a second name or a series of answers. The input form is as much a clue as the card itself.

So if you're lucky and you have a question, a good next step is actually not a step at all. It is an anti-step. This unstep is: '''don't jump to assumptions''', at least not too quickly. It's easy, oh so easy, to start working on a puzzle after reading the question too quickly, and then realising - once you've used up your 3 daily guesses - that it actually wanted THIS, not THAT. Take your time, read the question. Make sure you know what you're looking for.

Always remember, Google is your friend. Puzzles which involve a bunch of words, pictures or numbers that seem unconnected might all come together if you simply perform a google search with them.

==Tips!==

1. What do you see? Look at every part of the puzzle, though some have read herrings, chances are you'll need to use every part of the puzzle to solve it, or the extra parts will at least provide a clue to help you.

2. Are there any recognisable patterns? Do you see a number or a colour sequence that looks familiar? are there any unusual symbols or characters that might help you? A lot of puzzles involve recognising patterns and continuing them or using the pattern on something else, try to find the significance of the pattern or sequence.

3. Find the easiest route. Once you've discovered what the puzzle is asking you to do, try thinking about the easiest or quickest way to solve it. Try to look up similar puzzles via a search engine like Google and find out if there are techniques that make that type of puzzle easier to solve.

The Puzzler's Guide/Intro/First Aid

2007-04-07T09:23:18Z

Arcysparky:

When you're playing an ARG and a puzzle drops in your lap, sometimes its hard to choose exactly what you should start to do to decode it. However, there are some puzzles that appear often in ARGs, so by applying '''ARG First Aid''' right away, you may be able to quickly solve the puzzle. Some First Aid strategies are outlined below.

== ROT ==
[http://www.unfiction.com/resource/rot-it/ ROT Decoder]

=== What is it? ===
'''ROT''' codes are just words that have had their letters '''rot'''ated through the alphabet a certain number of letters. For example, in an ROT-2 code, ABD would become BCE. One of the most common ROTs to use is ROT-13, as it moves the letters halfway through the alphabet.

=== Tell-tale signs ===
* What appear to be random letters in common word formations (three letter, four letter)

=== Example ===
You receive the following code:
:Lbh'ir nccyvrq fbzr NET svefg-nvq.

Using ROT-13, the letters become
:You've applied some ARG first-aid.

== Cryptograms ==
[http://www.oneacross.com/cryptograms/search.html Cryptogram search]

=== What is it? ===
'''Cryptograms''' are phrases in which each letter of the alphabet has been replaced with another random letter. The letter carries through the phrase, so, for example, all Es will be replaced with the same letter. However, if P replaces E, E does not necessarily replace P. They are also known as Mono-Alphabetic Substitution Ciphers, but that's a bit of a mouthful, and cryptograms sound like they're more fun to solve.
=== Tell-tale signs ===
* Phrases in which a few letters occur very often (these are most likely E, L, R, S, and T)

=== Example ===
You receive the following code:
:XCXVB YXKKXV GT LGPPXVXOK.

Because X comes up the most often, assume that it represents E
:'''E'''C'''E'''VB Y'''E'''KK'''E'''V GT LGPP'''E'''V'''E'''OK.

The letter pattern of the first word looks like it is most likely EVERY
:'''EVERY''' Y'''E'''KK'''ER''' GT LGPP'''ERE'''OK.

Using knowledge of English, because "every" is an adjective, that means that the next word must either be an adjective or a noun. If it were another adjective, then "GT" would need to be a noun and "LGPPXVXOK" a verb. Because it is unlikely that a two letter word is a noun, assume that it is the verb. This makes it most likely to be the word "is", as it cannot be "be".
:'''EVERY''' Y'''E'''KK'''ER''' '''IS''' L'''I'''PP'''ERE'''OK.

The letter K appears a lot in the puzzle, but it is not R, E, or S. Guess that it is T.
:'''EVERY''' Y'''ETTER IS''' L'''I'''PP'''ERE'''O'''T'''.

The second word is most likely LETTER.
:'''EVERY LETTER IS''' L'''I'''PP'''ERE'''O'''T'''.

What word at the end would make a sentence? DIFFERENT.
:'''EVERY LETTER IS DIFFERENT'''

== Anagrams ==
[http://wordsmith.org/anagram/ Anagram server]

=== What is it? ===
'''Anagrams''' are phrases in which the letters must be re-arranged to form another word. For example, the letters in "A PEAR SPIDS" rearranges into "DISSAPPEAR".

=== Tell-tale signs ===
* Groups of words that just don't make sense together
* Regular letter distribution (lots of E's, S's, T's, etc.)

=== Example ===
You receive the following code:
:A TEENY TRILATERAL

Because the code contains lots of Es and As, it is most likely an anagram. By using an anagram server, it is revealed to anagram into:
:ALTERNATE REALITY

=== Warning ===
When using anagram servers, you often end up with a ridiculously long list of possibilities that you need to sort through, with doesn't really help you that much. Sometimes, it actually just makes more sense to sit down with a pencil and paper and begin jumbling around the letters.

The Puzzler's Guide/Intro/First Aid

2007-04-07T09:22:14Z

Arcysparky:

When you're playing an ARG and a puzzle drops in your lap, sometimes its hard to choose exactly what you should start to do to decode it. However, there are some puzzles that appear often in ARGs, so by applying '''ARG First Aid''' right away, you may be able to quickly solve the puzzle. Some First Aid strategies are outlined below.

== ROT ==
[http://www.unfiction.com/resource/rot-it/ ROT Decoder]

=== What is it? ===
'''ROT''' codes are just words that have had their letters '''rot'''ated through the alphabet a certain number of letters. For example, in an ROT-2 code, ABD would become BCE. One of the most common ROTs to use is ROT-13, as it moves the letters halfway through the alphabet.

=== Tell-tale signs ===
* What appear to be random letters in common word formations (three letter, four letter)

=== Example ===
You receive the following code:
:Lbh'ir nccyvrq fbzr NET svefg-nvq.

Using ROT-13, the letters become
:You've applied some ARG first-aid.

== Cryptograms ==
[http://www.oneacross.com/cryptograms/search.html Cryptogram search]

=== What is it? ===
'''Cryptograms''' are phrases in which each letter of the alphabet has been replaced with another random letter. The letter carries through the phrase, so, for example, all Es will be replaced with the same letter. However, if P replaces E, E does not necessarily replace P. They are also known as Mono-Alphabetic Substitution Ciphers, but that's a bit of a mouthful.
=== Tell-tale signs ===
* Phrases in which a few letters occur very often (these are most likely E, L, R, S, and T)

=== Example ===
You receive the following code:
:XCXVB YXKKXV GT LGPPXVXOK.

Because X comes up the most often, assume that it represents E
:'''E'''C'''E'''VB Y'''E'''KK'''E'''V GT LGPP'''E'''V'''E'''OK.

The letter pattern of the first word looks like it is most likely EVERY
:'''EVERY''' Y'''E'''KK'''ER''' GT LGPP'''ERE'''OK.

Using knowledge of English, because "every" is an adjective, that means that the next word must either be an adjective or a noun. If it were another adjective, then "GT" would need to be a noun and "LGPPXVXOK" a verb. Because it is unlikely that a two letter word is a noun, assume that it is the verb. This makes it most likely to be the word "is", as it cannot be "be".
:'''EVERY''' Y'''E'''KK'''ER''' '''IS''' L'''I'''PP'''ERE'''OK.

The letter K appears a lot in the puzzle, but it is not R, E, or S. Guess that it is T.
:'''EVERY''' Y'''ETTER IS''' L'''I'''PP'''ERE'''O'''T'''.

The second word is most likely LETTER.
:'''EVERY LETTER IS''' L'''I'''PP'''ERE'''O'''T'''.

What word at the end would make a sentence? DIFFERENT.
:'''EVERY LETTER IS DIFFERENT'''

== Anagrams ==
[http://wordsmith.org/anagram/ Anagram server]

=== What is it? ===
'''Anagrams''' are phrases in which the letters must be re-arranged to form another word. For example, the letters in "A PEAR SPIDS" rearranges into "DISSAPPEAR".

=== Tell-tale signs ===
* Groups of words that just don't make sense together
* Regular letter distribution (lots of E's, S's, T's, etc.)

=== Example ===
You receive the following code:
:A TEENY TRILATERAL

Because the code contains lots of Es and As, it is most likely an anagram. By using an anagram server, it is revealed to anagram into:
:ALTERNATE REALITY

=== Warning ===
When using anagram servers, you often end up with a ridiculously long list of possibilities that you need to sort through, with doesn't really help you that much. Sometimes, it actually just makes more sense to sit down with a pencil and paper and begin jumbling around the letters.

The Puzzler's Guide/Intro/General Strategies

2007-04-07T09:16:30Z

Arcysparky:

The Puzzler's Guide/Number/Special Number

2007-04-07T09:06:55Z

Arcysparky:

Number Sequences feature regularly in ARG's and this section will detail some of the famous sequences that may occur in a puzzle. It's important to learn a few of the most common sequences such as the first few fibonacci and square numbers, first few digits of Pi and Phi as they are not only very useful numbers when dealing with mathematics but also a lot of puzzle setters like to sneak them in here and there to see if you are paying attention.

== Square Numbers ==

1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100...

=== What are they? ===

'''Square numbers''' are numbers that are the result of squaring a particular number (multiplying it by itself). For example 36 is a square number because it is the result of 6 x 6. In a square number sequence the numbers created are usually consecutive - the example above is formed by the sequence 1 squared, 2 squared, 3 squared and so on all the way up to 10 squared.

=== Tell-tale signs ===

An easy way to tell if you are dealing with square numbers is to find the difference between the sequence of numbers. If the difference of these differences are all equal then you have a sequence of square numbers. Normal square numbers produce a sequence of 2's

==== Example ====

You are given the sequence: '''121, 144, 169, 196, 225'''

The difference between the numbers in the original sequence are: '''23, 25, 27, 29'''

The difference between the numbers above are: '''2, 2, 2'''

This indicates that the sequence is a sequence of square numbers as the difference of the differences are all 2

=== Exceptions ===

Sometimes the entire square sequence has been multiplied by a number. In this case the difference of the differences will be multiples by that number

==== Example ====

You are given the sequence: '''2, 8, 18, 32, 50'''

The difference between the numbers in the original sequence are: '''6, 10, 14, 18'''

The difference between the numbers above are: '''4, 4, 4'''

This indicates the sequence is a sequence of square numbers (all the numbers the same) but a the differences are '''2 times greater than normal''' (2) the square sequence has been '''multiplied by 2'''.

== Fibonacci numbers ==

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34...

===What Are They?===

This one's a complicated one, but basically each number in the sequence is defined by the sum of the previous two numbers in the sequence, with the first two numbers being 0 and 1. So following from that:

'''0'''

'''1'''

0 + 1 = '''1'''

1 + 1 = '''2'''

1 + 2 = '''3'''

2 + 3 = '''5'''... etc.

If you are given more than three of the numbers in the seqence (which you undoubtedly will, if you are being asked to continue it) then it's simply a matter of adding the first two numbers and seeing if they sum to the third, if they do, then it is likely they are part of the fibonacci sequence.
== Pi ==

== Phi / The Golden Ratio ==

The Puzzler's Guide/Number/Special Number

2007-04-07T09:05:00Z

Arcysparky: added short intro, added to fibonacci number section

Number Sequences feature regularly in ARG's and this section will detail some of the famous sequences that may occur in a puzzle. It's important to learn a few of the most common sequences such as the first few fibonacci and square numbers, first few digits of Pi and Phi as they are not only very useful numbers when dealing with mathematics but also a lot of puzzle setters like to sneak them in here and there to see if you are paying attention.

== Square Numbers ==

1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100...

=== What are they? ===

'''Square numbers''' are numbers that are the result of squaring a particular number (multiplying it by itself). For example 36 is a square number because it is the result of 6 x 6. In a square number sequence the numbers created are usually consecutive - the example above is formed by the sequence 1 squared, 2 squared, 3 squared and so on all the way up to 10 squared.

=== Tell-tale signs ===

An easy way to tell if you are dealing with square numbers is to find the difference between the sequence of numbers. If the difference of these differences are all equal then you have a sequence of square numbers. Normal square numbers produce a sequence of 2's

==== Example ====

You are given the sequence: '''121, 144, 169, 196, 225'''

The difference between the numbers in the original sequence are: '''23, 25, 27, 29'''

The difference between the numbers above are: '''2, 2, 2'''

This indicates that the sequence is a sequence of square numbers as the difference of the differences are all 2

=== Exceptions ===

Sometimes the entire square sequence has been multiplied by a number. In this case the difference of the differences will be multiples by that number

==== Example ====

You are given the sequence: '''2, 8, 18, 32, 50'''

The difference between the numbers in the original sequence are: '''6, 10, 14, 18'''

The difference between the numbers above are: '''4, 4, 4'''

This indicates the sequence is a sequence of square numbers (all the numbers the same) but a the differences are '''2 times greater than normal''' (2) the square sequence has been '''multiplied by 2'''.

== Fibonacci numbers ==

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34...

===What Are They?===

This one's a complicated one, but basically each number in the sequence is defined by the sum of the previous two numbers in the sequence, with the first two numbers being 0 and 1. So following from that:

0
1
0 + 1 = 1
1 + 1 = 2
1 + 2 = 3
2 + 3 = 5... etc.

If you are given more than three of the numbers in the seqence (which you undoubtedly will, if you are being asked to continue it) then it's simply a matter of adding the first two numbers and seeing if they sum to the third, if they do, then it is likely they are part of the fibonacci sequence.
== Pi ==

== Phi / The Golden Ratio ==