Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's it. You got it.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Terran ship launched a volley of capital ship missles right before the phong ship took out it's engines?

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If the destroyer was already severly damaged when the Terran ship lost its supplies, and the Terran ship was carrying fighters/drones/sats that it launched before it lost its supplies, those could concieveably have taken down the destroyer.

Edit: right, missles too - any delayed method of damaging a target could work.

[ August 01, 2003, 00:57: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Very good answers, Geo & Jack.

To make it more difficult:
A single, low-tech Terran ship is ambushed by a Phong Destroyer. The scoutship has 6 speed and two meson bLasters, but by murphy's law, loses its engines and supply bays to the piercing Shard Cannons. The terran ship miraculously emerges victorious in the combat (run strategically).
How is this possible?

[ August 01, 2003, 01:55: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

The Phong ship was also heavily damaged by the Terrans, but retained the minimum number of components to still have a combat movement of 1 and fire (one engine and one cannon?). The Terran ship having lost his engines was imobile, and having lost his supply could not fire, but otherwise was undamaged. And perhaps he had some armor components as well, since you seemed to particularly mention the Phong was using shard cannons. The Phong ship moves in for the kill but decides to ram instead of firing to finish off the Terrans and because his remaining comps have less structure then the Terran escort he is destroyed and the Terran is left alive, though likely barely so.

[ August 01, 2003, 01:55: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Another point for Geo!

How about a different one then:
A single Jreanar transport ship is in combat with a single Norak Battlecruiser (well designed, including a talisman). The transport ship has only colonists and weapon platforms in cargo, while the Battlecruiser has plenty of shields and point defense. [EDIT]Also, neither ship was damaged before combat started.[/EDIT]
The Jreanar ship miraculously emerges victorious in the combat (run strategically).
How is this possible?

[ August 01, 2003, 01:57: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

These are fun! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

The Jraenar transport is a very large transport. You didn't say what size it was.

The Norak has tailsman and plenty of shields and Point defense, but no weapons able to target a ship. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

A few rams later and no more Norak ship.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Having no weapons on a battlecruiser could hardly be called "Well designed", especially with a talisman included.

A reasonable number of shield generators would also make the BC survive any ramming attempt by the transport. Even a large transport just wouldn't have enough hitpoints to get through all that high-hitpoint-ratio shielding.

[ August 01, 2003, 03:04: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

realize shields are ignored for ramming purposes (target, rammer and HP calculation)

besides that, nothing new except what already was said

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">For some bizzare reason, the Battlecruiser decided to ram the transport without firing at it. Your shields don't help when you are the one doing the ramming, and the battlecruiser rammed itself to death. Well designed ship, but poorly captained.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

noo, its much simplier. the battlecruiser had no suplies.

Or the transport had better ECM http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Or the BC was a boarding ship and the transport had Security Stations http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

I dunno! lol

[ August 01, 2003, 06:32: Message edited by: Taera ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Ok, here's neat little puzzle...

You have 2 egg timer sand-type "hour" glasses. One measures exactly 4 minutes, the other measures exactly 7 minutes. You are making a recipe requiring exactly 9 minutes. How do you time it.

Answers to all the weasel questions:
no you can't estimate times
no you can't lay one down on its side
no fancy stuff, this is not that hard.

Slick.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

measure the four minute one half-way. that only works, though, if it's marked or a regular cylinder shape. if the 7 one is marked, you don't even need to do that.

or, just use a clock.

[ August 01, 2003, 07:12: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Can't put one sideways to pause it? Pity. No matter....

1) Start both timers.
2) When the four-minute timer finishes (three left in 7), flip 4.
3) When 7 finishes (three minutes later; one left in 4), flip 7.
4) When 4 finishes (one minute later; six left in 7) flip 4.
5) When 4 finishes (four minutes later; two left in 7) start recepie
6) When 7 finishes (2 minutes later), flip 7
7) When 7 finishes, (7 minutes later; 9 since started recepie), stop recepie.

This may be slightly more complex than is necessary, but should get the job done.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

The simple answer to my Last puzzle:

The Jreanar and Norak were allied, against some other race.
Both the Transport and Battlecruiser were on the winning side.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Can't put one sideways to pause it? Pity. No matter....

1) Start both timers.
2) When the four-minute timer finishes (three left in 7), flip 4.
3) When 7 finishes (three minutes later; one left in 4), flip 7.
4) When 4 finishes (one minute later; six left in 7) flip 4.
5) When 4 finishes (four minutes later; two left in 7) start recepie
6) When 7 finishes (2 minutes later), flip 7
7) When 7 finishes, (7 minutes later; 9 since started recepie), stop recepie.

This may be slightly more complex than is necessary, but should get the job done.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, this is a correct answer. Good job. There is another, shorter method that does not require setup: If you change step 4) to read: "When 4 finishes (one minute later; six left in 7) flip 7.", it works. (8 minutes have gone by at this point, and there is one minute of sand in the bottom of the 7 minute timer, so you can dump it back out to get to time the Last minute for a total of 9 minutes).

Slick.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Seven Crows are in the farmer crops.

He shoots one.

How many crows are left in the crops?

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

counting dead crows, 7.
not counting dead crows, 6.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">One, the one he shot. The other six fly away when the gun goes off.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">One, the one he shot. The other six fly away when the gun goes off.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">BINGO. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Ok, now for a cryptogram. These things kick my butt. I can never figure them out. But I made this one so I know the answer. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Hint: It's Se4 related.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Q H U Q R E G U M U J R I B E Q K N Q R N S B B U N N F H N L I B U

U X L F K U N F N J Q S K N G F L N I W F A F E J E Q G F E E G U F K

E I K T U E N F H B Q X W I E . F E F N E G F N R I B E E G I E

X I M U N E G U E I A F N X I H N S B G I L Q O U K R S A

B Q X L Q H U H E . </pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">

[ August 01, 2003, 17:10: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Note: No Cheating: No looking it up. Use your intellect.

What is the Exact distance in kilometers from:
Hover Damn to Boulder Damn

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's the same dam, so 0 km.

It was originally called the Hoover Dam then the Boulder Dam and is it now back to Hoover?

[ August 01, 2003, 17:43: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Yes it is back to the Orriginal.
You could have answered the question based on knowledge of US: History, Geography, Recreational spots, or:
The best one would have been Deduction.

Anyone care to provide how you could deduce the answer?
Kwok?

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, this question is a little vague. Maybe because you were asking for distances between U.S. landmarks, but asking for the measurment in kilometers? I don't know if I would call that valid deductive reasoning though. It's more of a hunch really. There is no reason you couldn't ask for U.S. measurments in the kilometer scale. Besides even that would require geographical knowledge to be aware that the landmarks were U.S. ones.

You must be talking about something else, though I can't fathom what it might be.

Geoschmo

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Geo, that is a good start but was more of a clue and at the same time something of a red hering (distraction) since most Americans could not easily do the Miles / Kilometers

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Geo, that is a good start but was more of a clue and at the same time something of a red hering (distraction) since most Americans could not easily do the Miles / Kilometers

Addtional Clue: A 12yo boy found this in Playboy and figured it out very quickly.

[ August 01, 2003, 18:08: Message edited by: Gryphin ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well now. Whoever allowed a 12yo boy see a Playboy runs the risk of being brought up on charges. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Why don't you tell us the answer. The suspense is killling us. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

EDIT: How about this. The fact that you specificaly say not to look it up is the key. Because how many people would possibly have a clue at the distance between these two landmarks, so the answer must be something that is easily guessable, or the question is minutae. The only thing that makes sense then that would be guessable is if the two names were for the same dam.

Geoschmo

[ August 01, 2003, 18:21: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

The way I figured it out:
The question was asked so there must be a "real" answer.
The way it was asked it must be deductable since most people would not know it.
Kilometers is a clue since even if you knew the distance in Miles most people would not be able to convert it. It could be a distraction if you took off on or gave up knowing you could not do the translation.
The main clue in the question: "Exact"
Waat is the only number that can be "Exact" in any unit of measurment.
That is how I remember doing it.

And as for those who left the magazine around
One was an engineer
The other is an artist.

(PS: did not mean to be a smart *** here) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ August 01, 2003, 18:26: Message edited by: Gryphin ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Another riddle from the same page of the magazine:

Which of the following is not one of Santa Clause’s reindeer? It listed all eight of them, (I don’t know them). Rudolf.

Note: there is no attempt to deceive in the way this is presented. Typos and spelling errors are just that.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

I think the the part about the 12yo was a Red Herring s well, because what 12yo boy in his right mind given a Playboy would be reading the brain teasers. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Is the thing about the Reindeer a question or just a comment? I don't understand it.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I guess I'm making up for lost time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

The quesiton about the reindeer was posted as a riddle. I will admit it is sorta trick quesiton but I did figure it out. What is funny is you, (Geo), almost know the answer.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I guess, but I still don't understand the question. Youu are saying which one of these options doesn't belong, but then not giving us the options. I am confused. And why do you have Rudolph listed? Is that the answer?

Geoschmo

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Ok, gotcha,
It asked, Which of the following is not one of Santa Clause's reindeer?
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It also included <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The clue is: This was in Playboy.

[ August 01, 2003, 19:06: Message edited by: Gryphin ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

its nixon

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Gryphin, I have no idea.

Tesco, you are funny.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

I don't want you to die from suspece. I guess these are better delived in person.

The answer from the magazine was:

"If you still belive in Santa Clause you are too young to be reading this magazine"

Hope it was worth it.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Nixon the Reindeer.

One of the historically least highly regarded of all of Santa's reindeer. Known by his fellow sleigh pullers as a shifty manipulative S.O.B. who tended towards bouts of paranoia. Managed towards the end of his career to acchieve his lifelong goal of being lead reindeer, but was forced to resign in disgrace before his term ended after a group of his elf operatives bungled a break in of Donders office to, quote, "Find out what that little weasel has on me."

Main positive event of his tenure was leading Santa's team into mainland China for the first time, finally bringing the joy of Christmas to hundreds of millions of good little Chinese boys and girls.

[ August 01, 2003, 19:47: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

how about "it's santa claus, not santa clause so none."

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

There is a seven-letter word in the English language that contains ten words without rearranging any of its letters. What is the word?

[ August 02, 2003, 02:33: Message edited by: TerranC ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

um...English contains a lot of words.

and for anyone who's still interested, the answer is:

*DRUMROLL* >SPOILER ALERT<

a man on a horse with a parrot on his shoulder

two wings, six eyes, eight legs and two tails.

[ August 02, 2003, 05:21: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

On a standard Qwerty keyboard, what is the longest word you can type with your left hand only?

Yes, you can type any word with your left hand only but following what are supposed to be typing rules... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

stewardesses?

[ August 02, 2003, 07:05: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Correct. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">1) There is a 1-letter word "I" on line 4. A 1-letter word can only be "A" or "I". Let's try "A", guessing that you wouldn't use the same letter to represent "I". Try substituting "I" = "a"
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
*** ** *** *** *a***** ** ******* ** **a**
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
******* ** **** ***** a****** ** *** *****
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
*a***** ** ****a*. ** ** **** *a** **a*
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*** *** *a****a* **** a ********
BQXLQHUHE.
*********.</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">2) Count the frequency of letters in the message:
A:3 B:8 C:0 D:0 E:17 F:13 G:8 H:6 I:11 J:3 K:6 L:5 M:2 N:15 O:1 P:0 Q:10 R:5 S:4 T:1 U:13 V:0 W:2 X:5 Z:0

Letters occur in the English language in roughly the following order of frequency: ETAONIRSHLDCUPFMWYBGVKQXJZ, where E is the most common letter and T is the next, and so on.

Because "E" appears 17 times, it is likely to be "e" or "t". The word "EGU" appears twice in the message. A common three-letter word that begins with "t" is "the", which is probable because "U" appears 13 times and could be "e". Try substituting E=t, G=h, U=e.
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *a*t*** ** ****e** ** **a*e
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
e****e* ** **** *h*** a****t* ** h*t the**
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
ta**et* ** ****at. *t ** th** *a*t that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*e* the ta****a* ***h a ***e****
BQXLQHUHE.
******e*t.</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">3) See the word "FE" which is "*t"? What's a 2-letter word that ends in "t". "it or "at". Well, we already guessed that "I" = "a", so then the word is "it" and "F" = "i".
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *a*t*** ** ****e** i* **a*e
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
e**i*e* i* **** *hi** a*i*it* t* hit thei*
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
ta**et* i* ****at. it i* thi* *a*t that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*e* the ta*i**a* ***h a ***e****
BQXLQHUHE.
******e*t.</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">4) Now it's easy to guess that "EGUFK" = "thei*" is "their", so "K"="r". Also "EGFN" = "thi*" is "this", so "N" = "s".
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *a*t*rs ** s***ess i* s*a*e
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
e**ires is ***r shi*s a*i*it* t* hit their
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
tar*ets i* ****at. it is this *a*t that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*es the ta*i**a* s**h a ***er***
BQXLQHUHE.
******e*t.</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">5) Now it looks like "NLIBU UXLFKUN" = "s*a*e e**ires" is "space empires", so "L"="p", "B"="c", "X"="m.
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *act*rs ** s*ccess i* space
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
empires is ***r ships a*i*it* t* hit their
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
tar*ets i* c*m*at. it is this *act that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
ma*es the ta*i*ma* s*ch a p**er***
BQXLQHUHE.
c*mp**e*t.</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">6) It's easy to guess now that the second sentence says "It is this fact that makes the talisman such a powerful component."
Therefore, "R"="f", "M"="k", "A"="l", "H"="n", "S"="u", and "Q"="o"
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
one of the ke* factors of success in space
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
empires is *our ships a*ilit* to hit their
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
tar*ets in com*at. it is this fact that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
makes the talisman such a powerful
BQXLQHUHE.
component.</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">7) Obviously, "J"="y" and "W" = "b", "T"="g".

One of the key factors of success in space
empires is your ships ability to hit their
targets in combat. It is this fact that
makes the talisman such a powerful
component.

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Most impressive, Kamog!

Slick.

[ August 03, 2003, 06:54: Message edited by: Slick ]

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

very well done! i always wondered how the cryptograms are solved, now i have a very good idea where to start if i ever need to http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Yes, excellent job Kamog. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Jokes and Riddles Centre
 

Say this ten times fast:

Calculate the albedo-libido ratio of Antonio's Alsatian albino alpacas.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif