Part
Answers, Part Not
Part
Answers, Part Not
"Part Answers, Part Not". What a thought! The idea is that, as said in HINTS, there are no actual answers in here. Instead, the following can help you understand how some of the puzzles are created. With that knowledge, you may be able to find strategies to solve them on your own, easier. The steps are shown below, with an example of level 1 letter puzzle.
1. First, random numbers are chosen from the alphabet. The number of letters depends on the level being created. Ex. A, B, C, D, E
2. For each number, a number will be chosen that meets up with the title, that may be created during this point. Ex. Title: "Forward March - Almost" Values: A: 1 B:2 C:3 D:5 E:4 The values are rarely in numerical order, so it isn't a good idea to believe that, since A comes before B, A will always be a lower number than B.
Note: For higher levels, A is different than A which may be different than A. It depends on the number of letters required or wanted.
3. The rest of the puzzle must now be created in order for it to be
solvable. To do this, there are a few choices, and they often depend
on the level.
One option is to make the numbers go into
doubles. In the current example this doesn't work as well, but it
would be like this: A + A = 2, B + B = 4, etc. In most puzzles, the
idea would be Z - X = X, Z + Z = D, etc. One could then figure out
that Since D is the highest, it would have to take the highest number
available. In this small example, pretend that the highest is 4. D
would then be 4. 2 of Z is 4, therefore Z has to be 2. X is half of
Z, making X 1. The low is 1, and the puzzle solved.
Another option is to simply make numerous
questions, still alowing you to figure out which number is the
highest and/or lowest. Ex. A + A = B, C - B = A, D - E = A, D - C =
B, B + B = E. With this, D will be found to be the highest, and A the
lowest. After substituting the rest of the numbers, the answers will
be found.
Yet another way is to do a variation of the
2nd option with a 'hint'. This sometimes means excluding the highest
or lowest values in the puzzle. The hint may look like this: K = FI.
K has to be at least 2 digits large. If F = 3 and I = 2, K would
equal 32. If F = 10 and I = 0, K would equal 100. It can also look
like this: K = 1F2. If F = 5, K would equal 152. If F = 12, K would
equal 1122. It isn't adding or subtracting, it is inserting the
numbers. This method usually cancels out enough possibilities for the
puzzle to be solved.
4. When published on this site, the equations (A + C = D) are jumbled up to some extent, making it harder to find the clues that make the puzzle solvable. Ex. C - B = A, B + B = E, D - C = B, A + A = B, D - E = A. During this time, it is usually checked that all the questions are not addition or all subtraction, to add a variety. Occasionally, you may come across such a puzzle. Multiplication may be used in some puzzles, but since some people may have difficulty solving these puzzles they are always marked with a * in the name.
5. Although usually skipped for level 1, the high and low are added on to the puzzle. Ex. High 5, Low 1. The puzzle is published on this site, and you may then solve it!
Note: INFORMATION will give you more information about the puzzles and what is in them.
Also, look at the titles if you want a hint. Sometimes they will give away an answer, or say the obvious. Sometimes they are just funny! Still, it may help to look at them.