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Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 31 Dec 2018, 13:26
by PanBiker
My GCHQ book says that all available reference aids are allowed, this includes the internet. All would have been used for cracking codes or cyphers if they had been available at the time. The range of what the puzzles are based on is all encompassing as well. One example, I am aware of the periodic table but do not have it committed to memory.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 31 Dec 2018, 18:02
by plaques
Mine are just bog standard Mensa word puzzles, sent to me by Mrs P's sadistic sister in Australia. Printed in America. Now you know why I've a down on these two countries.
PanBiker wrote: ↑31 Dec 2018, 13:26
I am aware of the periodic table but do not have it committed to memory.
Listen to Tom Lehre's Elements
Elements. You'll soon get the hang of it.
PS, your last puzzle, we have been out of this box before.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 31 Dec 2018, 18:20
by PanBiker
plaques wrote: ↑31 Dec 2018, 18:02
PS, your last puzzle, we have been out of this box before.
Maybe but that's not an answer.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 01 Jan 2019, 17:30
by plaques
Answer to Panbiker's last puzzle.
► Show Spoiler
Hadrian probably one of our best known Romans. Looking for a Roman link within the 'age' numbers we have..
Numbers one to four, no numerals, fIVe = 4, sIX = 9, eIght = 1, nIne =1 . Therefore, seVen = 5,
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 01 Jan 2019, 18:49
by PanBiker
Well done P.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 02 Jan 2019, 03:12
by Stanley
Here's a real life puzzle for you.....
I needed to make a shelf 12" deep and 25" wide. I found some 4" wide boards in my mate Ian's wood pile. How many pieces did I need to accomplish the project?
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 02 Jan 2019, 09:49
by PanBiker
Five, and if I'm not mistaken that is a bog standard DIY project and not really a puzzle.

Well done anyway in a bit of useful recycling.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 02 Jan 2019, 09:54
by PanBiker
SUN ????? SUN
Should be easy for those taking notice.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 03 Jan 2019, 04:28
by Stanley
Sorry Ian, that's the wrong answer!
Or more accurately it's the right answer but to the wrong question.....
(This may help demonstrate that not all brains work in the same way!)
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 03 Jan 2019, 08:42
by PanBiker
OK, if your question is supposedly only alluding to the shelf it's 1 cut into 3 but as you said how many pieces it would still be 3 to accomplish the finished shelf size of 12" x 24. The entire shelf project took 5 pieces which is the question you asked or 3 if you are still counting the shelf as 1 piece.
This is the same sort of question as how many beans make 5, there are multiple answers which are all correct.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 03 Jan 2019, 09:12
by Wendyf
I would have said 3.

that's 3 x 4inch planks....
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 03 Jan 2019, 09:48
by Stanley
I think this demonstrates how different brains work in different ways. Both equally valid..
I needed to make a shelf 12" deep and 25" wide. I found some 4" wide boards in my mate Ian's wood pile. How many pieces did I need to accomplish the project? Was the question and when I asked it I wasn't including the two battens and it referred to Ian's wood, not the end result. The answer is one and the reason is that when I looked in Ian's wood pile there were some 4" boards 75" long so one piece and two cuts gave me my three.
What brought the question to mind is that when I went in Ian's yard I was thinking, like you, it terms of the 25" wide shelf, it was only when I saw the boards I realised I only needed one.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 03 Jan 2019, 10:46
by PanBiker
PanBiker wrote: ↑02 Jan 2019, 09:54
SUN ????? SUN
Should be easy for those taking notice.
What are the missing letters? There's only one answer to this one.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 03 Jan 2019, 13:01
by plaques
Waiting for a flash of inspiration. (too many letters). in other words at this point in time I'm still looking for my pipe and tobacco.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 04 Jan 2019, 10:21
by plaques
Never did find my pipe! Trying to muster up and maximize my cognitive knowledge I came up with this guess,
Taking notice, could be leaving place /something etc, Some of the Sun lyrics concern leaving. But why, Sun Leave Sun. I don't really know. That's the best your'e going to get from me, Leaving stage left.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 04 Jan 2019, 11:29
by PanBiker
There's one key word in the question and a clue would be the third line in a Frank Sinatra standard.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 04 Jan 2019, 22:19
by plaques
That's another 5 minutes of my time on this puzzle. Using the word easy, which I've tried before to no avail, and adding it to your clue about Frank Sinatra, Picking Nice 'N' Easy as the song, the third line contains the word 'Loves'. And from there 'Who Loves the sun'. which has the words Sun Sun Sun. If I accept that there are 5 x' ?' = five letters the answer is Sun Loves Sun. And so to bed. Who said that? You read the book Sue.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 09:46
by PanBiker
Nice theory P but you are thinking too far outside the box. Right on the number of letters but the wrong song, come on "Fill my heart with joy". Another clue, a string of letters can be a word or just a string of letters. Took a while for the penny to drop with me as well, the last sentence is literal and has no clues to the puzzle.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 11:49
by plaques
I only went back to it because I was Googling Lee Hazlewood and saw that he had composed some songs for Sinatra. Sinatra has sung nearly every song that's ever been written. So from this point count me out. Put me down as a don't know.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 11:55
by PanBiker
"and let me play among the stars", go on, have another go. You have already typed this one up in one of your puzzles so I have had double the angst.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 11:59
by Tripps
Spring ?
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 12:05
by PanBiker
Indeed, in the next line but not the answer.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 12:10
by Tripps
Good I'm pleased - because I only said it since it was the only 5 letter word in the line you steered us towards.
I give up.

Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 12:13
by PanBiker
Answer is not a word.
Re: PUZZLES - CRYPTIC CLUES AND ANSWERS
Posted: 05 Jan 2019, 12:17
by chinatyke
WORDS = play among the stars (suns) ???
Sorry, Ian, I'm not on the same wavelength as you.
Aah! among ? That is even more weird!