"...anything you can do on a computer can be done with a pencil and paper... " then how do you read a spectogram (Dreamer challenge) using pencil and paper?
I did dreamer manually. I would rate this one as easier to do manually than dreamer (in terms of each individual step/piece), but this has far more pieces.
hmm, on second thought ... I forgot I used a scanner at the end for this one. This is a step up from dreamer
Was surprised when code scanner managed to read stuff composed of '#' symbols from terminal on computer screen through camera :) although at that point was pretty obvious what to do with stuff if scanner did not like it.
Spectrograms are just Fourier analysis. this is just math. math can be done with a pencil and paper. a fundamental theorem in Computer Science is something called "the Turing Hypothesis" or "the Church-Turing Thesis", which basically says "anything we can compute, can be computed by a 'Turing Machine'". The basic instantiation of a Turing Machine is an infinitely long piece of paper tape divided into "cells", and instructions on what to do with the tape when you see specific symbols in the cell you're currently looking at. you look at the current cell, consult some rules, optionally erase the symbol and write a new one, then move the tape either left or right. repeat ad nauseum. computers aren't "magic". they follow rules. they follow rules written by, and understandable by, humans.
So... I'm reading about Data Matrix codes and I feel like this is not the correct path only because I cannot find an L pattern or a timer pattern... Hmm... Even if I rotated the image and inverted colours and such, I still feel that it does not follow these rules.
This was a nice one. Thanks. I had genuine fun both while poking around in Photoshop clueless and while solving the riddle after I knew I only needed Paint 😂.
I was going to put some pointers here, but realised the beauty of this riddle: it will only take one step after you get how to do the step, but the process may take your whole life to figure out on your own.
PS I doubt this was intentional, but if you mirror the image horisontally and overlap black squares with the original, the white dots make a nice pixel art of a meditating Scarabei =)) This was a particularly entertaining rabbit hole to follow XD
Thank you @uditaren this is a very nice challenge! It's really great to be able to pick your preferred tool (or write one) to derive the solution. And then the final twist! What a satisfaction when you reach the solution - because you know what to do, but you have to find a way to accomplish it.
I think I'll try to solve it with pen and paper now, to see if I could have done it 😅
Thank you @Vorticity, @Kokuryuu, @uditaren and @ATR0P0S, hope you guys had as much fun designing the challenges as we have solving them. I loved them all so far, each in their own unique way. Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next! 🤩
Edit: think I had messed up the author names, hope it's correct now, sorry!
I'm completely new to decoding challenges, so I'm really not sure how to progress. I know that the box with the black and white tiles is the code but even looking at the many 'hint' comments didn't really help much. Sorry if I sound stupid but I'm down a rabbit hole that I'm not getting out of.
I was at work so I did just enough earlier to satisfy myself that I was indeed on the right track, and that's the only section I did by hand because it was cool
Oh boy. When that clicked I was really proud of myself. I have to say this was an elegant puzzle and I enjoyed it.
I haven't dealt with this solution in about 15 years. I'm not a comp sci guy. I couldn't code anything and I can't imagine using excel for this. I used an online tool, a ruler and some patience. Then I had to do it again because I went too far the first time.
I'm glad I only spent limited time going down wrong rabbit holes this time around.
Hints that helped me: Don't bother trying to find 13AR. It will just make life difficult and you can't do it directly anyhow. The background text does contain a hint, but if you're not familiar with the solution it's obscure.
My background in programming is very weak. As in, I can't do much more than HTML, CSS, a bit of VBscript and Javascript. I solved the Kakuro using Excel to assist me but I'm feeling very helpless and totally dumbfounded right now. I've looked up cellular automation and Langton and Conway but I can't made heads nor tails of this.
Everyone here are pros and get it fast... the pro way. i'm usually just confounded, and thus what i call the CON WAY. from the first page of comments on this thread, i had figured out what needed to be done. these puzzle GAMEs, as it were, have usually been hard for me to start off. but being a software simulator guy, this grid OF dots stood out immediately as to what it was. i found many tools online to help me do it, and it takes only one step to solve it. but for the LIFE of me, after i got the solution... none of the checkers would check it. i went over my layout again and again. . for like two hours. but it was good. but then i had an epiphany and switched colors... white was black and black was white... and boom... the key appeared.
This is by far the most straight forward puzzle so far. Some hints:
1- If you pay attention to the description archetype, it contains a hint por the proper tool to decode and it can be found in a very well known decoding website used in previews challenges.
2- Don't think too much and play with the algorithm, you just need one step to the final solution.
3- Grids are not always helpful at some point.
*13AR or format passcodes aren't even needed in this particular case.
Comments
"...anything you can do on a computer can be done with a pencil and paper... " then how do you read a spectogram (Dreamer challenge) using pencil and paper?
I did dreamer manually. I would rate this one as easier to do manually than dreamer (in terms of each individual step/piece), but this has far more pieces.
hmm, on second thought ... I forgot I used a scanner at the end for this one. This is a step up from dreamer
found out the tool i was using reversed the colors.. heh... well.. that was the only problem i ran into.. simple fix and was able to solve.
thanks for those that helped!
I think you mean the interpreter challenge. This one is nowhere near as software dependent as that one.
this requires precision and patience.
thank you for the challenge, this is very fun 😁✌️
Got it, very nice one!
Was surprised when code scanner managed to read stuff composed of '#' symbols from terminal on computer screen through camera :) although at that point was pretty obvious what to do with stuff if scanner did not like it.
Spectrograms are just Fourier analysis. this is just math. math can be done with a pencil and paper. a fundamental theorem in Computer Science is something called "the Turing Hypothesis" or "the Church-Turing Thesis", which basically says "anything we can compute, can be computed by a 'Turing Machine'". The basic instantiation of a Turing Machine is an infinitely long piece of paper tape divided into "cells", and instructions on what to do with the tape when you see specific symbols in the cell you're currently looking at. you look at the current cell, consult some rules, optionally erase the symbol and write a new one, then move the tape either left or right. repeat ad nauseum. computers aren't "magic". they follow rules. they follow rules written by, and understandable by, humans.
So... I'm reading about Data Matrix codes and I feel like this is not the correct path only because I cannot find an L pattern or a timer pattern... Hmm... Even if I rotated the image and inverted colours and such, I still feel that it does not follow these rules.
Brilliant! thanks for a fun challenge.
This was a nice one. Thanks. I had genuine fun both while poking around in Photoshop clueless and while solving the riddle after I knew I only needed Paint 😂.
I was going to put some pointers here, but realised the beauty of this riddle: it will only take one step after you get how to do the step, but the process may take your whole life to figure out on your own.
PS I doubt this was intentional, but if you mirror the image horisontally and overlap black squares with the original, the white dots make a nice pixel art of a meditating Scarabei =)) This was a particularly entertaining rabbit hole to follow XD
Nice find of the maker!
Thanks for all the hints here
Thank you @uditaren this is a very nice challenge! It's really great to be able to pick your preferred tool (or write one) to derive the solution. And then the final twist! What a satisfaction when you reach the solution - because you know what to do, but you have to find a way to accomplish it.
I think I'll try to solve it with pen and paper now, to see if I could have done it 😅
Thank you @Vorticity, @Kokuryuu, @uditaren and @ATR0P0S, hope you guys had as much fun designing the challenges as we have solving them. I loved them all so far, each in their own unique way. Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next! 🤩
Edit: think I had messed up the author names, hope it's correct now, sorry!
you're down a rabbit hole. come back up and try again.
i didn't use them
It's just the passcode format, with some extra herrings for new players.
I'm completely new to decoding challenges, so I'm really not sure how to progress. I know that the box with the black and white tiles is the code but even looking at the many 'hint' comments didn't really help much. Sorry if I sound stupid but I'm down a rabbit hole that I'm not getting out of.
Obviously I'm down the rabbit hole, but Data Matrix is the only 2D I could get out of it without overwriting the graphic to force it to a QR code...
That was fun. The only clue that can be given is the clue in the background text.
I stuffed up my squares a couple of times, so it helps to make sure you do them correctly lol
Background text is "life".
Life... Life... Is it life game??
man I don't want to go that far
Now I know we're definitely not talking about Jumanji here... 😂
was I the only one trying to figure out why there was some kind of space invader/Defender lander in the upper left corner?
I was at work so I did just enough earlier to satisfy myself that I was indeed on the right track, and that's the only section I did by hand because it was cool
Oh boy. When that clicked I was really proud of myself. I have to say this was an elegant puzzle and I enjoyed it.
I haven't dealt with this solution in about 15 years. I'm not a comp sci guy. I couldn't code anything and I can't imagine using excel for this. I used an online tool, a ruler and some patience. Then I had to do it again because I went too far the first time.
I'm glad I only spent limited time going down wrong rabbit holes this time around.
Hints that helped me: Don't bother trying to find 13AR. It will just make life difficult and you can't do it directly anyhow. The background text does contain a hint, but if you're not familiar with the solution it's obscure.
Superb challenge! The solution was very elegant!
I am ashamed that I did not see the solution right away.
Indeed, it was necessary to remember my first steps in programming.
My background in programming is very weak. As in, I can't do much more than HTML, CSS, a bit of VBscript and Javascript. I solved the Kakuro using Excel to assist me but I'm feeling very helpless and totally dumbfounded right now. I've looked up cellular automation and Langton and Conway but I can't made heads nor tails of this.
It isn't where you are right now, it's where you will be if you take a step.
Everyone here are pros and get it fast... the pro way. i'm usually just confounded, and thus what i call the CON WAY. from the first page of comments on this thread, i had figured out what needed to be done. these puzzle GAMEs, as it were, have usually been hard for me to start off. but being a software simulator guy, this grid OF dots stood out immediately as to what it was. i found many tools online to help me do it, and it takes only one step to solve it. but for the LIFE of me, after i got the solution... none of the checkers would check it. i went over my layout again and again. . for like two hours. but it was good. but then i had an epiphany and switched colors... white was black and black was white... and boom... the key appeared.
There's a hint for you in the background text, especially in the context of the things you've already looked up
This is by far the most straight forward puzzle so far. Some hints:
1- If you pay attention to the description archetype, it contains a hint por the proper tool to decode and it can be found in a very well known decoding website used in previews challenges.
2- Don't think too much and play with the algorithm, you just need one step to the final solution.
3- Grids are not always helpful at some point.
*13AR or format passcodes aren't even needed in this particular case.
Good luck!