11-16-2003, 04:27 PM | #1 | |||
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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OT - Numbers puzzle
Quote:
Just for Chubby – here is a new puzzle… Generally, I frown upon "complete the series" puzzles -- but I like this one, and it's not exactly as simple as the same-ol' same-ol'. We'll see how it goes over here... You will receive below a series of numbers, placed carefully in order. However, there are some numbers missing from the series. It is up to you to determine what numbers are missing, and where they should be inserted into the ordered list. Here is the list: 30, 90, 42, 83, 33, 97, 40, 80, 41, 74, 39, 95, 34, 84, 42, 88, 39, 77, 29, 98, 40, 75, 42, 71, 31, 91, 36, 96, 30, 98, 35, 98, 47, 122, 33, 112, 47, 123, 40, 75, 34, 84, 42, 88, 30, 90, 41, 74, 40, 75,39, 77, 39, 77 Good luck. (edit - remedied my omitted pair of numbers, as detailed below) Last edited by QuikSand : 11-19-2003 at 10:13 AM. |
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11-16-2003, 04:35 PM | #2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Here
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2/3
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11-16-2003, 04:42 PM | #3 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Syracuse, NY
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YAY!
Of course I won't get it right but that's ok. ummmmm the number 3 is missing righhhhhhhht there! |
11-16-2003, 06:14 PM | #4 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Cary, NC, USA
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Well, the numbers seem to be in paired steps of some kind. Perhaps locations on a grid?
30 90 42 83 33 97 40 80 41 74 39 95 34 84 42 88 39 77 29 98 40 75 42 71 31 91 36 96 30 98 35 98 47 122 33 112 47 123 40 75 34 84 42 88 30 90 41 74 39 77 39 77 |
11-18-2003, 11:21 AM | #5 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Hmmmm... maybe it was the weekend. Maybe it was the new game release. Maybe it was just a lousy puzzle.
Time will tell. |
11-18-2003, 11:28 AM | #6 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Cary, NC, USA
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Gridding them out didn't seem to work so well.
Rushing performances? |
11-18-2003, 02:01 PM | #7 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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uh, bump?
Gee, and I actually invested a little time into this one, too... |
11-18-2003, 02:13 PM | #8 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Syracuse, NY
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I never said I was any good at them, just that I liked them
Hmm.. it seems that there's a pattern that begins with 30 90 and ends with 39 77 that repeats 3 times with numbers missing in the middle... |
11-18-2003, 02:15 PM | #9 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: North Carolina
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Q1.) Does the line break mean anything, or is that just the screensize?
Q2.), which is actually a request for a hint. Is this the complete series, or does it go on? |
11-18-2003, 02:24 PM | #10 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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The linebreak is simply a function of screen size. In fact, the presentation by Celeval above might be more useful.
The list is finite -- there are missing elements, and you should be able (eventually) to determine what they are, and where they go to complete the whole series. |
11-18-2003, 04:19 PM | #11 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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The numbers are, as you might guess, not the product of a purely mathematical function.
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11-19-2003, 09:07 AM | #12 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Hmmm.
Well, for anyone who might have any interest, here's another hint. Yes, the numbers are "paired up" - and in fact each pair has a certain characteristic. Notice (in Celeval's list above) how each pair's first value is in a fairly tight grouping? Lowest is 29, highest is 47 -- nothing outside that range. The second number in each pair is also in a certain range -- a little broader, but 71 to 123, it seems. Each pair of numbers corresponds to something. Once you get that, then you must determine what got them into that order. Then, you will be able to figure out what numbers are missing (hopefully). Wow, after a number of too-easy puzzles, maybe I'm outthinking myself in trying to give you all a challenge. Not much happening on this one. |
11-19-2003, 09:42 AM | #13 |
Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Kennesaw, GA
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Well, so far they seem to be latitude/longitude values that loosely correspond to major U.S. cities.
Code:
I'll finish up the list shortly... |
11-19-2003, 09:46 AM | #14 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Maryland
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I'd check for NFL cities - Arizona is 33 112 for example, Atlanta 34 84. I think you've got it VPI, find the 6 teams that aren't there. The city editor utility is handy here
edit: Baltimore and Washington are both 38 77...
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null Last edited by cuervo72 : 11-19-2003 at 09:47 AM. |
11-19-2003, 10:04 AM | #15 |
Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Kennesaw, GA
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Well, there are some repeats and some non-"major league" cities that I think associated with these numbers...
Code:
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11-19-2003, 10:12 AM | #16 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Code:
I have put an asterisk on cities above that don't correspond to the list that I used to generate the numbers. Since, as you put it, the coordinates are "loose" I had to do some rounding in a few places... and I don't want that inaccuracy to slow down your progress. PLUS, I now realize that I made one unintended omission from my list. It's still conceivable that you could solve the whole puzzle without it (and just include that as one more missing number set) but in keeping with the design of the rest of the puzzle, please add another 40 75 - Philadelphia, PA as the third-from-last entry on the list. So, with modifications from above, here is what you have accurate so far: Code:
Good work so far... there's one more significant breakthrough yet to come, of course. Last edited by QuikSand : 11-19-2003 at 10:14 AM. |
11-19-2003, 10:22 AM | #17 |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2001
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So did he just get San Antonio and Austin backwards? Clearly Austin should be at a higher latitude.
So switch SA and Austin on his list. And change Olympia to Tacoma.
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11-19-2003, 10:25 AM | #18 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Quote:
Correct on all counts. You have your list of cities now. |
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11-19-2003, 10:41 AM | #19 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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While googling, many of these cities were on the page "Strip Clubs - The Ultimate Strip Club List".
Anyways, if it is to be googled, don't forget- they only allow 10 words. Also, exclude some large cities not on the list (only one or two, tho, since it could be in the future sequence). SI
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11-19-2003, 10:47 AM | #20 |
Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Kennesaw, GA
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Thought - Since they're in a specific order and features duplicates, it could be an itinerary of some sort.
I'd say all of these are either MLB or Triple A cities...Mike Morgan's career stops? |
11-19-2003, 10:48 AM | #21 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Here is a hint - I don't think it will be a giveaway:
The long list is in fact multiple smaller lists bunched together. Each smaller list is still there, in order, but is itself missing one element (pair of numbers). So to solve this, you need to figure out: -how (generally) did I come up with the lists of cities? -specifically, where does each list come from? -figure out what is missing from each smaller list? -(technically) find the numbers to match up with each missing city |
11-19-2003, 10:48 AM | #22 |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2001
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I thought of baseball teams and AAA affiliates also.
However, Austin does not have a AAA team, but there is a AA team in Round Rock that will become a AAA team next year I think. Round Rock is a suburb of Austin that most likely shares its coordinates.
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11-19-2003, 10:50 AM | #23 |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Well, with New Orleans and Detroit at the top, I thought it might be a ranking of murder rates.
__________________
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11-19-2003, 11:13 AM | #24 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Here is a filled-in, ordered list for you to work with. (You still need to resolve the DC/Baltimore issues, of course)
Code:
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11-19-2003, 11:13 AM | #25 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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EDIT: Well, never mind then, since Quik just divied the list up above
SI
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11-19-2003, 11:19 AM | #26 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: North Carolina
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"I went from Phoenix, AZ all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta, LA"
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11-19-2003, 11:19 AM | #27 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: North Carolina
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Dola--
I think that Los Angeles (and it coordinates) should go after Atlanta, GA. I also think that song lyrics are going to be important to solve the rest of these. |
11-19-2003, 11:22 AM | #28 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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How about "42 83" for a guess?
SI
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11-19-2003, 11:23 AM | #29 |
Pro Starter
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Two other songs that might apply
"Heart of Rock and Roll" - 2nd list? "Dancing in the Streets" -? Last edited by Bee : 11-19-2003 at 11:24 AM. |
11-19-2003, 11:24 AM | #30 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Quote:
That looks good, too. |
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11-19-2003, 11:28 AM | #31 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Fairfax, VA
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D.C., San Antone and the Liberty town, Boston and Baton Rouge
Tulsa, Austin, Oklahoma City, Seattle, San Francisco, too - Heart of Rock and Roll |
11-19-2003, 11:30 AM | #32 | |||
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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Ok, so here are out first two songs:
Quote:
Quote:
EDIT: And here's the last one Quote:
SI
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Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" Last edited by sterlingice : 11-19-2003 at 11:36 AM. |
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11-19-2003, 11:41 AM | #33 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Ok, so in the end, the answers are something to the effect of:
1. Los Angeles (32 118) 2. San Francisco (38 122) 3. Los Angeles (32 118) 4. Detroit (42 83) which gives lists of 30 90 42 83 33 97 40 80 41 74 39 95 34 84 42 88 32 118 39 77 29 98 40 75 42 71 31 91 36 96 30 98 35 98 47 122 38 122 33 112 47 123 40 75 34 84 32 118 42 88 30 90 41 74 39 77 39 77 42 83 ... SI
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Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" Last edited by sterlingice : 11-19-2003 at 11:42 AM. |
11-19-2003, 11:47 AM | #34 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Well done.
For those who followed along... I'm open to constructive criticism here. I feel like I obscured it too much, making the puzzle impossible. What might be a worthy way to turn this into a puzzle that I could use again, with a different fairly intelligent audience? Should I leave the sets of numbers in the smaller groups? Should I offer any sort of verbal hints - like I di a few times along the way here? Anything else you can think of? (I think there's some potential with this idea... but it didn't quite click this time) |
11-19-2003, 11:51 AM | #35 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Maryland
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No "Sweet Little Sixteen"?
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11-19-2003, 11:58 AM | #36 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2002
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I'll be honest, I took a look yesterday and couldn't get anywhere with it. When I saw that the two highest first values were 47 I immediately thought home run totals (both league leaders had 47 this year), but couldn't find any connection to the second numbers. Eventually I figured that there were just too many possible "small number/big number" pairings, and since the answer could have been obscure ("ages of famous grandfather/grandson folk singers", etc) that it wasn't worth pursuing.
In hindsight, I wish I'd stayed with it. I doubt I would have gotten the link to geography (insert accusation of US-centicism here), but I think the puzzle was fair. And there was a nice payoff once you got the cities, with the music connection. So my guess is that the puzzle was good, it just didn't get the repsonse it deserved because people like me underestimated it. |
11-19-2003, 12:00 PM | #37 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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What about some kind of opening line: "Fear not! This is not a math puzzle."
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11-19-2003, 12:07 PM | #38 | ||
Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Kennesaw, GA
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Quote:
Quote:
Last edited by VPI97 : 11-19-2003 at 12:08 PM. |
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11-19-2003, 12:15 PM | #39 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Quote:
Fear not...this has nothing to do with Winston Churchill.
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11-19-2003, 12:36 PM | #40 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Quote:
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11-19-2003, 03:19 PM | #41 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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I agree- splitting up the keys made it too easy, tho I'm not sure it's possible otherwise.
Perhaps don't inform others of what the lists are, but mention there are 4 of them. Also, don't leave out one from each, just have people try to solve the last one. That, however, will hinge on people finding the line "Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A." and humming along at the right time. The other suggestion I would have is to have maybe another song or two that is more recent (not that any spring to mind) where the words are all bunched together like that. SI
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Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
11-19-2003, 03:34 PM | #42 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Grafton, WI
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Excellent puzzle QS. I too, assumed it was a math puzzle. The not-a-math-puzzle disclaimer may have helped garner more participation.
Come up with another puzzle. These are quite fun. |
11-19-2003, 05:41 PM | #43 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Quote:
What about this one? Chicago, IL New York City, NY Detriot, MI Dallas, TX Houston, TX New Orleans, LA New York City, NY Buffalo, NY Any guesses? |
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11-19-2003, 06:12 PM | #44 |
Pro Starter
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So, the answer was 2/3, right?
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11-19-2003, 07:19 PM | #45 | |
lolzcat
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Quote:
Sounds like Truckin' to me. |
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11-19-2003, 10:16 PM | #46 |
Bounty Hunter
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I may be a little slow in the head, but it would've been more helpful to me to know that music was involved in this puzzle someplace.
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11-20-2003, 12:28 PM | #47 | |
High School Varsity
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Quote:
"Fear not! The answer to this question is not 2/3."
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