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Starts: Now
Ends: Jan 29, 2012 12:00 am GMT+8
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Proof
Entries so far: 46

Here comes the puzzle. First, numbers.

the unknown value X is represented by the numbers' positions(1,2,3,4&5), and their value(0-9).

Edit: This seemed to be a bit confusing... so here's some examples: if the roots found are 1,2,2&3, then the code may look something like 2x2xx(positions=1&3,value=2&2). Or if the roots found are 1,2,9&5, then the code may look something like 2xxx9(positions=1&5,value=2&9), 9xxx2(positions=1&5,value=9&2), 95xxx(positions=1&2,value=5&9), 59xxx(positions=1&2,value=9&5), x1xx9(positions=2&5,value=1&9) or x9xx1(positions=2&5,value=9&1).

X can be found by solving the following equation.

x^4 - 12x^3 + 51x^2 - 88x + 48 = 0

note: There are 2 equal roots.

Edit: The 2 equal roots are not positions.

Second, letters. Take the first letter of the answer.

  1. (0,3)-(0,0)-(0,1)-(1,1)-(1,0)
  2. on some Chinese keyboard, this key has 日 on it's right-bottom corner.
  3. X Sparkle

Which letters are capitalized? 1 of them.

Edit: It's the one on left-most of the keyboard out of the three letters.

Note: you need to solve the equation first to find the numbers' positions, then the rest are the letters, with the permutation of 1-2-3(there maybe numbers in between them)

This is the solution:

First, numbers.

By factorizing the equation x^4 - 12x^3 + 51x^2 - 88x + 48, you'll get (x-4)^2(x-3)(x-1), which the roots are 4, 4, 3 & 1.

The 2 equal roots are not positions, so the position would be 1 & 3, and the values are 4 & 4, which means the code discovered so far is 4x4xx.

Second, letters.

1. (0,3)-(0,0)-(0,1)-(1,1)-(1,0)

Simple enough, like connecting the dots, once you do it, you'll soon find out you drew a letter.

2. on some Chinese keyboard, this key has 日 on it's right-bottom corner.

The keyboard I recently bought. Look at letter D.

3. X Sparkle

If you're a brony, the answer is quite obvious. The answer is Twilight sparkle.

After those, you'll get the code 4h4dt.

Finally, capitalized letters.

It's the one on left-most of the keyboard out of the three letters.

Look at your keyboard, it's D.

So once you solved those, you will get the code 4h4Dt.

Congratulations to those 46 users who solved the puzzle.

13 years ago*

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I don't have interest in the game but just in solving the puzzle :p For letter 1, aren't there supposed to be commas instead of minuses? It would make it more clear.

13 years ago
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It's a pity we do not have any clue at what letter is capitalized. This way you basically have to brute-force three combinations every time you want to try a new idea for an answer that comes to your mind. I do like the idea of ciphering both the numbers and their positions, though. This is very neat.

13 years ago
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Please read again.

Edit: It's the one on left-most of the keyboard out of the three letters.

13 years ago
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Oh ok, thanks. I thought it was a hint for one of the answers to the questions, not which of the answers was a capital letter. :P

13 years ago
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"This seemed to be a bit confusing... so here's some examples: if the roots found are 1,2,2&3, then the code may look something like 2x2xx(positions=1&3,value=2&2). Or if the roots found are 1,2,9&5, then the code may look something like 2xxx9(positions=1&5,value=2&9), 9xxx2(positions=1&5,value=9&2), 95xxx(positions=1&2,value=5&9), 59xxx(positions=1&2,value=9&5), x1xx9(positions=2&5,value=1&9) or x9xx1(positions=2&5,value=9&1)."

Hm. Not sure if I'm interested in From Dust, but I'll comment on the puzzle. If a puzzle explicitly and knowingly (i.e. by design) contains such ambiguities, with no other hints suggesting which option is the right one, then it's a poorly designed puzzle. I mean, what quality are you looking for in your entrants? Is it their cleverness, or their willingness to try all possible number combinations for every answer they find? That's making it a chore, rather than a puzzle.

13 years ago
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+1...
Even if you have the right answer, you have to try 5 different permutations.

Still, I am grateful that the giveaway exists somewhere out there in the interweb.

13 years ago
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Oh yes, definitely. I'm glad and grateful for every giveaway posted. :-) I'd just prefer it if puzzles contained ambiguities only by mistakes, not by design.

13 years ago
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When I solved the equation it seemed to me like there is only one possible way to interpret which numbers should be in which positions. I might have obtained the wrong solution, of course, but still I found my answer to be unambiguous.

13 years ago
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The equation is pretty unambiguous imo.

13 years ago
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It has two unique roots and one double root. Let's suppose for a moment that they're 1, 2, 3, 3.

numbers are 3, 3, on positions 1, 2:
33xxx
numbers are 2, 3, on positions 1, 3:
2x3xx
3x2xx
numbers are 1, 3, on positions 2, 3:
x13xx
x31xx

13 years ago
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Thanks for your opinion, I hope I can improve on making puzzles in the future.

13 years ago
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May people enjoy both your puzzles, and the games. :-)

13 years ago
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Oh you're right... I never thought that only ONE of the equal roots could report a value as I was considering them as pairs (a pair of equal roots go as values, unequal roots give positions)...Thanks.

13 years ago
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LOL same

13 years ago
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Well if YOU used this pattern for giveaway than it's quite obvious which number should be where.
Even though I still cannot get the right answer. =/ I wander whether I am having the problem with Sparkle or something else. And now there are periods instead of minuses. Ok..I guess at least I understand how this answer should be.

13 years ago
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just a question to the OP: would you call "-1" negative one or minus one?

13 years ago
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Negative, used to call it Minus.

13 years ago
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14 Entries so far.

13 years ago
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Why does it always have to be math puzzles? D:

13 years ago
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I've got the most of them but the "X Sparkle" one. What is that supposed to mean? Is it a title of sorts?

13 years ago
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If you can figure out what it is, welcome to the herd.

13 years ago
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Yay, I've figured it out :) It was actually the chinese keyboard one that was wrong for me, not the Sparkle one :)

13 years ago
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Im not sure which one im getting wrong since there are about 4 different keys that have that symbol and 3 of those have it in the bottom right corner.

85% sure i have the numbers.
90% sure i screwed up on this one
50% sure i got the chineese symbol
and 100% sure i got the last one :P

Well done on the puzzle though, its the only one that ive spend over a day trying to solve XD

Edit: Thanks for the last hint, i was able to rough my way through it with that one ^_^

13 years ago
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So many variables that could go wrong that i dont actually know which one of mine are wrong. which thing does x sparkles refer to?
Is the first one what i think it is? Am i using the right word for 2?
Now that i dont have to guess the math positions the other ones dont seem to be what i thought were the obvious answers.
I really dont care about the actual giveaway anymore i just want to understand this puzzle that i thought would be easy.

13 years ago
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The Sparkle hint has nothing to do with math. Think purple.

13 years ago
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still clueless, and after caspianroaches post i might be doubting the one answer i thought i knew for sure

13 years ago
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The hell does purple have to do with it?

13 years ago
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Once you get it, you'll know the relationship.

13 years ago
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i dont get it xD
y u no give me the link?

13 years ago
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I gave you the link. Check carefully again.

13 years ago
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I've got it, I've got it !!! I made a small mistake on the first letter but it makes perfect sense now :)

13 years ago
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Got an E in math so i wont even try this puzzle.

13 years ago
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Thank u very much, I realy like puzzle giveaways, especially when I find the answer ;)

13 years ago
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no llama nooooo!

13 years ago
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Got it. Nice little puzzle. I think your wording is a little convoluted for some of the clues though, but it obviously doesn't completely obfuscated the answer.

13 years ago
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A crazy thought. Now that we have periods instead of dashes in 1 it kind of looks like a set of points. (yes I have been tryin gall day on and off). hai~

13 years ago
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I thought I had it but I guess not. question for those who know is there 5 different number combinations or just one?

13 years ago
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These additional conditions:
note: There are 2 equal roots.
Edit: The 2 equal roots are not positions.
make only one combination valid.

13 years ago
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Solved it finally! Thanks :D

13 years ago
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10 hours left, 36 entries

13 years ago
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Still stuck at the brute forcing part, after solving the equation and letters. I'm not even sure if my answers are true, too many possibilities..

13 years ago
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This is crazy.

13 years ago
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this is madness

13 years ago
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The giveaway had ended.

Solution would be posted soon.

13 years ago
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Solution posted.

13 years ago
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awwmaannn! I almost had it! when drawing the letter I thought I found a "b" instead of "h"! headdesks

13 years ago
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Closed 13 years ago by simonli2575.