Author
Message
amkade
Greenhorn
Joined: 24 Feb 2011 Posts: 3
The Master Theorem, "Members-Only Society of Puzzle-Solvers" Online puzzle site I thought I'd let everyone know about a site that just launched called The Master Theorem. It calls itself a "members-only society of solvers," and it's related to a college puzzling society I was in a few years ago--there's a thread somewhere on here about Them Earth Meteors, which was the anagram of The Master Theorem (unfiction people found the site even though it was mostly aimed at Columbia students).
The newly launched version: http://www.themastertheorem.com/
Anyway, some of these puzzles are fun but quick to solve. That said, given that I know some of the powers that be, rumor has it that there are some harder puzzles on their way, too. There's a weekly puzzle (to earn membership you have to solve it on any given week) and you get points for solves, for solving fast, and for finding "Seals," which are like badges that you earn for solving mini-puzzles. From what I've heard, some of the Seals are for doing easy things like visiting certain web pages, but some of the not-yet-launched Seals are for extra hard puzzles, too.
I'm usually more of a passive reader than a big discussion participant, but I thought I'd give everyone a heads up!
Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:20 pm
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4266 Location: Where the cheese is free.
Wow! Magic stickie powers; Activate!
Gotta say that being told I'm in 153rd place doesn't make me all jazzed to play when there was no way to solve the theorem any better than I did.
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"
Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 2:23 am
urthstripe
Entrenched
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 1113 Location: Atlanta, GA
Hmm, I solved the two available puzzles fairly quickly, and I don't think of myself as a particularly good puzzler, especially around these parts.
I fear UF is going to tear that poor website apart.
_________________In this life, there are nothing but possibilities.
Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:21 am
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4266 Location: Where the cheese is free.
There's actually quite a bit to do for points, on the site. I got as far as 90th place and am waiting to see if I've interpreted some of the more interactive tasks correctly, for more points. As newer people have little chance of ever catching the leaders, based on how points are asigned, I'm not sure how long any interest will last.
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"
Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:12 am
urthstripe
Entrenched
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 1113 Location: Atlanta, GA
Stuck on the puzzle for the Videbimus Lumen seal. Any hints?
_________________In this life, there are nothing but possibilities.
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:15 am
reesylou
Decorated
Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 260
urthstripe wrote:
Stuck on the puzzle for the Videbimus Lumen seal. Any hints?
Look at the link that lead you to that area.... and pay attention to ALL the information you are given. To say much more than that would give too much away, sorry.
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:06 am
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4266 Location: Where the cheese is free.
I can't figure out what you're supposed to do with the clock.
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:28 pm
urthstripe
Entrenched
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 1113 Location: Atlanta, GA
I've figured out the name of the song and where it's from. I'm figured out what the building is on the map. What do I do with the bloody numbers?
_________________In this life, there are nothing but possibilities.
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:44 pm
reesylou
Decorated
Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 260
urthstripe wrote:
I've figured out the name of the song and where it's from. I'm figured out what the building is on the map. What do I do with the bloody numbers?
A link to an image has more infomation than just the picture... take a look and do what it says. This is probably the trickiest bit of the puzzle - finding out what to apply the numbers to.
Rogi Ocnorb wrote:
I can't figure out what you're supposed to do with the clock.
So play around with it and observe closely what happens when you do different things.
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:01 pm
Delusional
Entrenched
Joined: 16 May 2005 Posts: 839
I like the site although it's been fairly easy so far, the theorems themselves haven't taken me more than a couple of minutes to solve but the Videbimus Lumen puzzle was a little trickier. I just have to remember to check the theorems when they are posted since I'm usually up at the PC at that time anyway. I'm ranked at 21
st
at the moment (w/ 16 seals) and don't see any way I'll every get much closer to the top unless I can be one of the first to solve.
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:34 pm
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4266 Location: Where the cheese is free.
reesylou wrote:
Rogi Ocnorb wrote:
I can't figure out what you're supposed to do with the clock.
So play around with it and observe closely what happens when you do different things.
Yeah. After an hour or so of switching numbers and it not giving you any obvious hints, it gets old.
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:40 pm
reesylou
Decorated
Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 260
Rogi Ocnorb wrote:
reesylou wrote:
Rogi Ocnorb wrote:
I can't figure out what you're supposed to do with the clock.
So play around with it and observe closely what happens when you do different things.
Yeah. After an hour or so of switching numbers and it not giving you any obvious hints, it gets old.
It does give very obvious hints each time you switch a pair of numbers, you just aren't understanding them
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:28 pm
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4266 Location: Where the cheese is free.
Okay I see, now. It was just one of those tedious flash exercises. I was looking for some deeper logic..
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:03 pm
urthstripe
Entrenched
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 1113 Location: Atlanta, GA
Here are the things I have found concerning the Videbimus Lumen seal:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
The song is Facade from the Broadway musical Jekyll & Hide. The building is the Butler library at Columbia. Butler has names of famous writers inscribed on the facade of the library. 8 names on the front (where the numbers are). 8 numbers.
I've applied the numbers to the names (taken the nth letter from each name in sequence) but it doesn't come out to anything.
Am I on the right track? Do I need to know more? Rogi? Delusional?
_________________In this life, there are nothing but possibilities.
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:53 am
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4266 Location: Where the cheese is free.
'Fraid I can't help on this one. I've been trying all manner of:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
applying the inverted numbers to the card catalog database search.
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:02 am
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