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 Forum index » Diversions » TimeWasters
ISIS PUZZLE FAQ READ THIS FIRST
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cyberus
Veteran

Joined: 18 Feb 2007
Posts: 102

 		 ISIS PUZZLE FAQ READ THIS FIRST
Read this before posting questions in the main ISIS thread!
In light of 50+ pages of people asking questions that have been answered repeatedly within the thread itself, I am posting this FAQ to help with clutter the main Isis thread, if this could be stickied, that would be awesome!

I will be spoilering some of the answers to questions that may go a little too in depth for people who enjoy a challenge.

There is also an official forum for the Isis Adventure at http://isisadventure.com/forum

I.
Outer-Workings of the Puzzle.

The exterior of the Isis has a few moving parts, three rings engraved with glyphs that spin in metered movements(clicks) around the orb itself, and a plunger at the top of the orb that can be depressed. Also important are the placentas, two circular 'glyphs' placed on the two center most non-moving bands. Here is a picture with the plunger and placentas identified.

The plunger, when fully depressed, goes about .25 inches(.5cm) down.
This is the manner in which the puzzle opens once solved;
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
the puzzle opens by means of the two halves unscrewing, each placenta indicating one half of the puzzle.


NOTE: With some of the Isis puzzles, you will find the Placentas can move 1-2cm apart from one another. This is not necessarily an indicator of how close you are to solving the puzzle.

II.
Deciphering the Clues.

The Isis comes with a booklet containing ten clues which are encrypted. There is a difference between the UK version and the US version of the clues. The clues from my booklet(US version) read as follows;

Code:
#1
Lb homvy qbf tfil eoon lwo hfllby sdjvym fnadpzi

#2
Fmgwg owg o xqjygw ui yoee ygowlxph lxhlrg fmg Lhlh fmof kox yg mgowr

#3
Uw ztwitjdd n uvrtp onee ojntrhi hjjpd uw oj tjejndjp

#4
Zwt eaukj ouy jphdncj fensayt o uosakozanuoc etvtetugt fnauz

#5
Gf qfidoax gwu aupulbu fd gwu gwoav tlpp tulaoin,
grai rcbovu vfji, afglgu liv pobgui qlaudrpph

#6
Zddn nldeefbi uod nyjbidl jbufy uodld fe v bcufpdvxyd
povbid, uofe mfyy fbrfpvud uovu kcj ovwd ejppdeeajyyk
ldvpodr uod ovyamvk euvid

#7
Xlf Jwjw jw d upbxj njufmwjtmdb vpssbf wt vetyefww cjxl
xljw jm ujmn

#8
Awjoxz op orx Wjwj izk yxxe upoiowzd wo vzowa wo dpxj svwxo, mpv
lim ricx orxz lpcxk pz hupl orx riahtim joidx

#9
Nzk ykte mipmnt ymdwemdw evu vmijpmn temcu pdev hkte evu odcve
routtkou dj nzk mou czdwc ez rozcoutt ez evu jdwmi temcu

#10
Zk uji ywzld uji wsbt ilejxdtq ywt Zhzh, otlyeu jvtl ywt
Zhzh cu yimlzlo ywt wsek xejxdgzht


The Sharper Image also offers a PDF of the instruction booklet here.

It has been acknowledged by SonicWarp that there are typos present in some of the clues, so keep this in mind if you are deciphering and find one letter out of place in your solution.The next part describes the nature of the cipher used;
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
The clues are encoded with a simple substitution cipher(A=Q, B=D, C=W.) Notice that in a simple substitution cipher, letters are not rotated which would look like this; A=Q, B=R, C=S, etc.

Now, a link for people who are too lazy to use pen and paper to solve the cipher(I have used hxxp:// in the spoilered text because on some computers, the link will show through the spoiler, so copy and paste, but change the hxxp:// to http://)
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
hxxp://www.blisstonia.com/software/WebDecrypto/


There is also a clue which was supposedly distributed by the official Isis forum administrator 'PUZZ' which is commonly referred to as the 11th clue, it is as follows;
Code:
Apply the dominant theory on the creation of the universe.


III.
Problems With the Isis Puzzle.

The Isis puzzles are, in my opinion, poorly manufactured. As such, some problems can arise, causing the puzzle to lock up. SonicWarp will fix your puzzle for a fee of £25. You also incur any shipping charges neccessary to get your puzzle to the UK. However, some lock-up scenarios can be circumvented simply by starting over from Step 1. Should your puzzle almost open, with the placentas on opposite sides of one another (180˚) starting over should help. If you find your puzzle locked, and are desparate to save money, read on, as I offer a more detailed explaination of how the puzzle works below.

WARNING: The next portion of the FAQ deals directly with the solving of the Isis puzzle, should you wish to accomplish such on your own, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER!

IV.
Solving the Isis Puzzle.

So, you've spent $200, and many many hours toiling with the Isis and it's vague clues, and have finally decided to throw in the towel. Here is a step-by-step instruction on how to open that bastard. I have spoilered each step separately, in case you only need a push in the right direction.

Step 1.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Release the third Ball Bearing.
This is accomplished by hitting the Isis quite hard against something. The third BB is held in place by a fairly strong magnet, and can require a good amount of force to jar it loose. Keep the plunger facing upwards when you do this. You can tell when you've done this because you will now hear an additional BB rolling around inside. The third is slightly larger than the other two, so the sound WILL be different when it is loose.


Step 2.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Navigate the Third BB through the maze.
After the third BB is released, it drops into a maze that you must navigate sight unseen. To do this, simply rotate(read: swirl, like one would do with a glass of wine) the isis counter-clockwise while repeatedly depressing the plunger. You will know when you have the BB in the correct spot, because the plunger will only depress about half way.


Step 3.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Invert the Isis.
While keeping the plunger depressed, turn the Isis upside down(Plunger side down.) Keep the plunger depressed.(In this step when I say keep the plunger depressed, it should only go down halfway, because the third BB is at the end of the maze.)


Step 4.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Place the other 2 Ball Bearings.
Loosen your pressure on the plunger ONLY SLIGHTLY. While doing this, begin to slowly Rotate(read: swirl, like one would do with a glass of wine) the Isis slowly, direction doesn't matter this time. You should be listening for the other two bearings to cease their rolling. When they stop, push the plunger in, HARD. You should feel something click into place, and the plunger will fully depress. At this point, turn the Isis plunger side up, then release the plunger.


Step 5.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Opening the Isis.
Grip the lower half with your free hand while turning the upper half counter-clockwise. It should rotate slightly and then stop, so the placentas are about .25 inches(.5cm) apart. Now rotate the upper half clockwise., it should take about three rotations, then disjoin the two halves and your Isis is open.(NOTE: it is not uncommon for the center ring to come off while unscrewing the Isis. As you've probably figured by now, the rings don't really do much anyway, but if your ring does come loose you can simply place it back on, it will not affect the reset of the puzzle.)


V.
Resetting the Isis Puzzle.

I found the instructions available from SonicWarp very vague when it came to resetting the Isis, so I have included a more detailed instruction here. It will be spoilered for obvious reasons.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Resetting the Isis.
1. Ensure that no moving parts from inside the Isis have been removed. If you discovered a bearing in the center of the puzzle when you opened it, hold on to it.
2. Place the third BB onto its magnet. The magnet is located inside a shallow shaft on the outer ring of the upper half(plunger side) of the puzzle.
3. Make sure the lock/maze mechanism is in the 'open' position. This is indicated by looking at the lower half of the puzzle, the locking/maze mechanism is the circular shaped piece that is a slightly different color from the outer shell. There is a platform with two holes that should extend above the base of the inside perimeter of the shell, and two wings that should be flush with the base of the inside perimeter. If the wings are raised at all, your locking mechanism is in the 'locked' position. To fix this, invert the lower half of the Isis, and rotate it slowly until you cannot hear the two ball bearings, then push in on the lock/maze mechanism until it clicks into the 'open' position.
4. Screw the two halves back together. When you screw it tight the two placentas will be offset from one another, I am not sure whether you are supposed to be at this position, or whether you should loosen it slightly so the two placentas line up, try it both ways.(I have only successfully reset my Isis with the placentas lined up.)
5. Hit your Isis plunger side up into the palm of your hand(or a carpeted floor if your palms are sore,) what you are trying to accomplish is to release the maze/lock mechanism so that your puzzle will lock. If you are successful, please post which way you had the placentas, whether they were lined up(loose), or offset(tight.) When you hear an audible click, line the placentas up if they were offset, and your puzzle should lock into place.


V.
The Isis Explained.

In this section I will give a detailed explanation on the inner-workings of the isis puzzle.

Top Half.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
The top half(plunger side) of the Isis has three important parts of interest. Firstly, the plunger, which is basically an extension of your finger used to open the maze/locking mechanism. It consists of a spring-loaded button with a concave point on the inner-end so the third ball bearing can rest on it. Next, the housing for the Third ball bearing, on the outside perimeter of the puzzle, holds BB3 before it has been released. It is a well about 5/8 of an inch(1.5cm) deep with a magnet at the base. Lastly, two indents opposite each other on the perimeter wall, this is where the locking mechanism sits when the puzzle is locked, not allowing to screw it in either direction.


Bottom Half.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
The bottom half of the Isis is comprised of two main parts, the maze/lock mechanism, and the outer shell of the Isis. The outer shell is the same color as the outside of the puzzle(obviously,) while the maze/lock mechanism is brushed aluminum. The maze/lock mechanism has two holes on the top side, one on the outer perimeter, which lines up with the housing for BB3 on the top half of the puzzle, hence when you release BB3 it drops into this hole. The second hole is at the center of the maze/lock mechanism, and is the finish point for the BB3 maze, and lines up with the concave point of the plunger on the top half. The actual maze is covered by a thin top layer of aluminum which is why the two holes are drilled into it. The actual locking part is the two 'wings' that protrude from the sides of the maze/lock mechanism. When in the locked position, they are raised so they rest in the two indents on the upper half, which prevents you from unscrewing the Isis when locked. The underside of the maze/lock mechanism is not visible unless you remove the entire mechanism from the outer shell. It is flat with a smaller cylindrical protrusion in the center that holds a spring in place. The springs purpose is to allow the puzzle to be reset. It also has two divots in which the other two ball bearings must rest in order to press the maze/lock mechanism into the 'open' position. The maze/lock mechanism is held in the locked and open position by two 'bearing joints' consisting of spring-loaded ball bearings in the sides of the maze/lock mechanism, which can only protrude halfway, but can be pushed in flush with the sides of the maze/lock mechanism. The inner-half of the outer shell which is not visible due to the placement of the maze/lock mechanism consists of a well in the center where the reset spring sits. There are also two circular 'rails' that run the perimeter of the shell, they contain the two ball bearings that can be heard before BB3 is released. When the maze/lock mechanism is in the 'locked' position, and the bottom half is held right side up, you can hear the bearings rolling on their respective rails. When the bottom half is inverted, you can hear them rolling until they come to rest in their two divots, which will allow you to push the maze/lock mechanism into the 'open' position.

WARNING: I DO NOT SUGGEST REMOVING THE MAZE/LOCK MECHANISM AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO PROPERLY REPLACE. HOWEVER, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO I HAVE PROVIDED INSTRUCTIONS TO REPLACE IT.

So, you decided you just had to see it for yourself, and now you're stuck with the maze/lock mechanism separate from the outer shell, two ball bearings, and a spring. Read on, bold adventurer, all hope is not yet lost!

1. With the maze/lock mechanism inverted, place the spring into its holder, and the two ball bearings into their divots.
2. Take the outer shell, and let it rest on the spring. It is important to keep the maze/lock mechanism perpendicular to the ground so the bearings don't come loose. It's easiest to hold the entire thing over your head so you can see what you're doing.
3. Spin the outer shell so that the locking wings of the maze/lock mechanism are lined up with their indents in the outer shell.
4. Slowly push the maze/lock mechanism into the outer shell until you are met by resistance of the two 'ball bearing joints.'
5. Using a thin instrument(I used a pair of forceps) reach in and depress the 'ball bearing joints' one at a time, and slowly push the maze/lock mechanism further into place.
6. the maze lock mechanism should be almost into place, with the walls of the outer shell holding both 'ball bearing joints' depressed.
7. Quickly push up on the maze/lock mechanism, this should get it all the way into the open position. If it doesn't, you've knocked a ball bearing loose and have to start over again.

It's important to remember that you need to do this while keeping the entire thing inverted. You simply cannot place the ball bearings onto their respective rails, put the spring back and snap the maze/lock mechanism back in place. Doing it this way will transfer the force down through the outer shell, causing the ball bearings to 'jump' and more than likely they will both end up on the same rail, which will not let you get the maze/lock mechanism back into the 'open' position. It's a tricky procedure, and i don't reccomend anyone doing it. I've already done all the dirtywork for you.


VI.
Tips for Solving the Isis Again and Again.

The first time you open it may be by luck, you may not be quite sure how it worked out. My advice is to study the puzzle as well as possible, other wise you may never open it again! Here are some tips for learning your puzzle inside and out.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
1. Place the third BB onto its magnet and figure out how much force is needed to get it loose.
2. Drop the third BB into the start of the maze, and navigate it through as many times as you can, it may even help to drop it in the center and do it all backwards.
3. Engage the lock and listen to the two BBs rolling around, then drop the third in and listen for the change, this will help you know when you have released the third ball.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice!



Alright, there you have it, everything I have discovered about the Isis puzzle. If you think I have anything to add to this, please make a post, and I will edit this to include any information I feel should be included.



Edit: Stickied. Thanks for posting this great reference, cyberus! -SpaceBass

PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:31 am
Last edited by cyberus on Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:42 pm; edited 4 times in total
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donz
Greenhorn

Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 7

 		Thank You
Cheers for such a great detailed explaination.

(still cant open mine though lol)

Donz

PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:50 am
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Conrad
Veteran


Joined: 30 Nov 2007
Posts: 77

 		dont tell too many people about this page or there will be 100 pages and the %5 club will turn into a %90 club wich is just more competition! oh well

PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:01 am
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cyberus
Veteran

Joined: 18 Feb 2007
Posts: 102
Conrad wrote:
dont tell too many people about this page or there will be 100 pages and the %5 club will turn into a %90 club wich is just more competition! oh well


I don't know, if someone needs this much help to open the puzzle, I wouldn't be too worried about them being any sort of 'competition' when it comes to solving those ridiculous riddles. Especially the people who can't even decipher the clues. Rolling Eyes

PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 3:11 pm
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kjhlu
Guest


 		hey man i solved mine about an hour ago and found this to reset my ISIS but you really shouldn't put such step by step directions in that just ruins the fun..if anyone can read this and then solve it it ruins the greatness of being able to say i opened the hardest puzzle ever...THE ISIS!! I am not even going to tell my friends not because im mean but because it make sour eliteness lessen. this was like a test to me and i can be counted in that elite 5% of people who are smart enough to solve it. I had help with the decoding and a hint as to the 3rd ball but that was it. please delete the step by step how to solve instructions...PLEASE...very god though and thanks for the Reset directions.. the ones on the website suck.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:39 pm
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cobrafast1
Boot


Joined: 25 Dec 2007
Posts: 39
Location: Bonita Springs, Florida

 		Confirmation on Resetting
Hey Cyberus, I solved the puzzle without looking at this thread. Then I got anxious about resetting as one of the BBs fell out as I was holding the two halves. Not knowing which hole it fell out of, I started doing research and found your thread here about solving and resetting. Thanks for the reset instructions, it helped me figure out where the estranged BB should go. Simple after I saw what was happening there. I followed your instructions and since I have no placentas engraved on my orb, I used some tape and made a mark to line up the traverse holes, so when I reset it, I'd know that it was correct, before doing the final bang to lock it down. Your method worked perfectly on mine. Then I reopened it within a minute to verify that it was correct. Thanks for the reset instructions; much better than Sonicwarp's version.

I agree that I'll tell no one about this thread. I think we're in the Elite Status maybe. LOL

PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:53 pm
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laura9643
Guest


 		I solved the puzzle
And won a prize!
I received the Isis puzzle for Christmas and solved it yesterday. Today I answered the question correctly and won a Dyson vacuum! Don't get me wrong, a Zero G Weightless Experience would have been cool, but I was just talking about getting the Dyson the other day!

Laura9643

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:14 pm
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thatdarndragon
Greenhorn

Joined: 27 Dec 2007
Posts: 4

 		hey all, great thread, thank you Smile

I just have an issue (that may help anyone else that comes in with the same issues)

I followed the instructions on resetting the ISIS, but it won't screw closed all the way. there's a gap in the middle of the ball (placentas line up).

how do I fix this? Did I do something wrong?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 4:40 pm
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MRMEOWMIX
Guest


 		 HELP!
Ive done all the steps but on step 4 when the bbs cease their rolling and i press HARD and hear the click and then flip the ISIS are the bbs supposed to
roll around after its flipped?

And also after I do all the steps i cant screw the ISIS counter-clockwise or clockwise and how much force does it take?

Thanks

PostPosted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:10 pm
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cobrafast1
Boot


Joined: 25 Dec 2007
Posts: 39
Location: Bonita Springs, Florida

 		Re: HELP!
MRMEOWMIX wrote:
Ive done all the steps but on step 4 when the bbs cease their rolling and i press HARD and hear the click and then flip the ISIS are the bbs supposed to
roll around after its flipped?

And also after I do all the steps i cant screw the ISIS counter-clockwise or clockwise and how much force does it take?

Thanks


Just a normal amount. Not excessive. Maybe start over and try again.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:17 pm
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ram13
Guest


 		 Re: I solved the puzzle
And won a prize!
laura9643 wrote:
I received the Isis puzzle for Christmas and solved it yesterday. Today I answered the question correctly and won a Dyson vacuum! Don't get me wrong, a Zero G Weightless Experience would have been cool, but I was just talking about getting the Dyson the other day!

Laura9643


I'm still trying to solve the riddle , its been a month of suffering. what was the riddle that you solved?

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 2:35 pm
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jigalsky
Guest


 		I am having a lot of trouble getting the 3rd BB through the maze. I've been at it for probably an hour, which I'm sure is WAY overkill? I hear it hitting into the walls, so I'm pretty positive it's still in play.

I'm "swirling" (I think) the ISIS counterclockwise while pressing the plunger 1-2 times/second, but it never depresses only half-way. What could I possibly be doing wrong?

If it's any help, my top placenta is about 2-3 millimeters to the left of the bottom one so it doesn't line up perfectly.

Thanks!

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:13 pm
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MeCon
Decorated


Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 154
Location: I'm right here... Or am I?
Swirling
jigalsky, if you cant get the plunger to go down only half-way after 2-3 sec. of "swirling", try swirling the Isis faster. If it still doesnt work maybe the 3rdbb is actually not in play

the first time i opened the Isis was almost by accident. and when i tried to do it again it took a long time and i still didnt know exactly what i did, but with the "swirling motion" advice i can now open the Isis on demand. Trust me, it works.

By the way, you are no closer to opening the puzzle even when the placentas dont line up, it just means the puzzle is locked in a different position

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:55 pm
Last edited by MeCon on Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
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MeCon
Decorated


Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 154
Location: I'm right here... Or am I?
Nice Job
I would just like to commend cyberus for his great job explaining the puzzle. i solved the Isis without looking here but this post makes it so anyone could do it in a matter of seconds. looks like it took a long time to put together and for a good cause. im sure everyone here thanks you.

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:08 pm
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cyberus
Veteran

Joined: 18 Feb 2007
Posts: 102
Nice Job
MeCon wrote:
I would just like to commend cyberus for his great job explaining the puzzle. i solved the Isis without looking here but this post makes it so anyone could do it in a matter of seconds. looks like it took a long time to put together and for a good cause. im sure everyone here thanks you.


Thanks MeCon, and everyone else who appreciates this FAQ. I've gotten a few messages asking me to take this down, saying that it makes the whole Isis 'adventure' far too simple. I, however, happen to disagree.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:21 am
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