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ErikH2000
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A tuna fish sandwich doesn't need explanation. As long as it's made of traditional edible ingrediants. I mean, if you fashion a styrofoam facsimile of a tuna fish sandwich, then you better be standing nearby to provide some kind of warning, apology, and reason for its existence if I happen to walk by. But generally, a tuna fish sandwich requires no special context to appreciate other than a basic appetite. Our December contest asks for you to devise a puzzle with the same elegance and inherent goodness of a tuna fish sandwich.

Rules

1. Make a puzzle that is sealed airtight in a square box containing exactly 90,000 pixels--in other words a bitmap image, 300 pixels wide and 300 pixels high.

2. The puzzle must be self-contained. You won't be allowed to provide context outside of the picture itself, although reliance on preexisting information not created for the puzzle is acceptable.

3. The puzzle should be solvable and have one specific answer. The answer to the puzzle should be expressable in a word or short phrase. You should make the answer unambiguous for better chances of winning, but there is no rule to enforce this as a requirement.

4. Accepted file formats for the image are JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP. Using animation features of a file format is not allowed.

5. You can use text, symbols, graphics or any form of visual depiction in your image.

6. Your image may only contain work you have created yourself or obtained permission to use. If you see photos, cartoons, writings, or any material you want to use from somewhere else, then there must either be a general license (i.e. Creative Commons) allowing your use, or you must specifically ask for and get permission from the author. American "fair use" law is ambiguous, and I don't want to spend time considering how it applies to contest entries. When in doubt about the licensing for something, just don't use it.

7. The puzzle should be posted as an attachment in a reply to this topic. Remember to specify the right licensing terms for your work. If you don't care what anybody does with your image, then just leave it on the default "Public Domain" setting. You can post an extra link to the image in the body of your message in order to display the image. (Ask if you want to know how to do this.) The only other thing that should be in your message is the answer inside of secret tags. The puzzle image must stand on its own without any extra hints or explanation. To avoid ambiguous situations, I ask that you don't add anything to your entry post other than the puzzle image and the answer.

8. You can post puzzles at any time between now and the Entrance Deadline which is:

Local Time:12-22-2005 at 12:00 AM

9. You can enter multiple puzzles, up to a maximum of 3. If you have more than 3 puzzles posted, then after the Entrance Deadline, only the latest 3 will be considered to be entered. But please clean up after yourself and delete your non-entering puzzles.

10. There will be a cap of 50 puzzle entries for everyone combined. In other words, as soon as 50 entries have been submitted (if we get that many), no further entries will accepted. The limits are to avoid putting too much of a burden on voters.

Winning

After the Entrance Deadline, we'll open a poll for the entries. Voters will be asked to rate each entry based on the following factors: enjoyability, originality, and unambiguousness of the answer.

The entrant with the top-rated entry will win first prize--100 rank points and an item of his choosing from the Prize Pile. Second and third place winners, having second and third-rated entries, will win 50 and 25 rank points, respectively.

We have started! You may post your puzzles here as soon as you are ready.

-Erik

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12-02-2005 at 06:56 PM
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stigant
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10. There will be a cap of 50 puzzle entries for everyone combined. In other words, as soon as 50 entries have been submitted (if we get that many), no further entries will accepted. The limits are to avoid putting too much of a burden on voters.

As a point of order, can this rule be ammended so that everybody has a chance to enter before people are allowed to enter twice? In other words, suppose 17 people enter 3 entries each (making 51) and then somebody else puts up entry #52 as their first entry. Can we have a rule that eliminates 2nd and 3rd entries in favor of 1st entries?

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12-02-2005 at 07:22 PM
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Tahnan
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Stigant: seconded! I'd hate to see someone post their good puzzle and two quick crappy ones, just in an effort to keep other people out.

Also, though I know it doesn't quite belong here:

8. You can post puzzles at any time between now and the Entrance Deadline which is:

Local Time:12-22-2005 at 12:00 AM

On my screen, this shows up as 7:00PM, i.e. without a date. Is this a bug in the "localtime" tag, or a problem with my settings, or...?
12-02-2005 at 07:58 PM
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ErikH2000
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stigant wrote:
As a point of order, can this rule be ammended so that everybody has a chance to enter before people are allowed to enter twice?
I don't see any easy way to enforce this. Who is "everybody" and how would you know when they'd made an entry?

I really don't think people will have a problem getting an entry into the contest. 17 participants each submitting 3 puzzles in a big hurry is more of a theoretical concern. Some people will submit 1 or 2. Most people will take longer than a week to come up with something.

If I have more than 15 puzzles posted by next Wednesday, then I'll consider changing the rules related to entry limits.

-Erik

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12-02-2005 at 08:17 PM
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Chaco
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Ooh, me like. I might actually have a chance for this one.

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12-02-2005 at 08:38 PM
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TripleM
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ErikH2000 wrote:
I don't see any easy way to enforce this. Who is "everybody" and how would you know when they'd made an entry?

Well, all you do is let everybody submit their 1-3 puzzles. If you end up with more than 50, just drop out the 3rd entries, etc.
12-02-2005 at 09:22 PM
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NekoIncardine
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icon Re: Hermetic Puzzles (0)  
Question: Are images from DROD: JtRH allowable for this contest?
I have two clever mini-puzzles that are most easily explained using DROD images. If so, what liscence should they be under?

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12-03-2005 at 12:38 AM
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ErikH2000
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NekoIncardine wrote:
Question: Are images from DROD: JtRH allowable for this contest?
I have two clever mini-puzzles that are most easily explained using DROD images. If so, what liscence should they be under?
There is a complicated way to say "yes" to that question that I don't have time for right now. Can you just use Architects' Edition screenshots or cobble something together?

-Erik

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12-03-2005 at 12:41 AM
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NekoIncardine
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ErikH2000 wrote:
NekoIncardine wrote:
Question: Are images from DROD: JtRH allowable for this contest?
I have two clever mini-puzzles that are most easily explained using DROD images. If so, what liscence should they be under?
There is a complicated way to say "yes" to that question that I don't have time for right now. Can you just use Architects' Edition screenshots or cobble something together?

-Erik

That would work. Won't look as nice, but that is the breaks, I guess. (And just after I finished photoshopping the JtRH image up a bit, too...)

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12-03-2005 at 12:44 AM
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Chaco
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Question: do the puzzles have to be at least slightly DROD-themed? I have a few ideas, but they have nothing to do with hitting bugs with swords.

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12-03-2005 at 12:56 AM
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NekoIncardine
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[Last edited by NekoIncardine at 12-03-2005 01:41 AM]
12-03-2005 at 01:07 AM
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ErikH2000
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Chaco wrote:
Question: do the puzzles have to be at least slightly DROD-themed? I have a few ideas, but they have nothing to do with hitting bugs with swords.
You can have it be DROD-themed or not. Your choice!

-Erik

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12-03-2005 at 01:10 AM
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ErikH2000
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NekoIncardine wrote:
This image is under the same liscence as DROD: Architect's Edition, and was made using AE and Paint.NET. It was originally made in Journey To Rooted Hold.
Neko, I'm modding you up for being the first to stick your neck out, but there's some problems with your entry.

Rule #3: the answer to your puzzle should be an unambiguous word or phrase. In theory, someone could
Click here to view the secret text
but is there just one clear answer? If not, then your puzzle isn't really of the type asked for by the contest.

Rule #7: The answer to your puzzle should be in secret tags and don't add anything to your entry post other than the puzzle image and the answer. Your comments about licensing and being proud of hints should be removed to make this a valid entry. Plus, the answer to the puzzle should be added in secret tags.

The second problem is easily fixable. The first, I dunno--you might have to rethink the puzzle so it makes for an unambiguous textual answer.

-Erik

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12-03-2005 at 01:20 AM
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NekoIncardine
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I edited the post to reword the answer and remove the extra notes.

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12-03-2005 at 01:42 AM
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Tim
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Answer:
Click here to view the secret text



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[Last edited by Tim at 12-03-2005 02:16 AM : removed the extra text]
12-03-2005 at 02:11 AM
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coppro
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Here's my first entry. Don't steal it.

Answer:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by coppro at 12-03-2005 05:17 AM]
12-03-2005 at 05:05 AM
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Mattcrampy
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I wasn't going to do anything for this, but I have a most excellent idea for a puzzle.

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12-03-2005 at 06:08 AM
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Nillo
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ErikH2000 wrote:
6. Your image may only contain work you have created yourself or obtained permission to use. If you see photos, cartoons, writings, or any material you want to use from somewhere else, then there must either be a general license (i.e. Creative Commons) allowing your use, or you must specifically ask for and get permission from the author. American "fair use" law is ambiguous, and I don't want to spend time considering how it applies to contest entries. When in doubt about the licensing for something, just don't use it.
What about making an interpretation of a well-known puzzle? For example, can I do the "you have a boat, a wolf, a goat and a cabbage, and you have to get them over the river..." puzzle or is that considered using someone else's work?

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12-03-2005 at 10:29 AM
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Doom
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Here's an attempt at a puzzle.

edit: Removed temporarily, because of nasty trivial solution.

I may fix it or construct something similar later when I have more time.

[Last edited by Doom at 12-03-2005 02:00 PM]
12-03-2005 at 01:00 PM
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Chaco
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Doom wrote:
Click here to view the secret text

Really? This is what I came up with:

Click here to view the secret text


Of course, you could also just say that

Click here to view the secret text


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12-03-2005 at 01:17 PM
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Doom
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Chaco wrote:
Of course, you could also just say that

Click here to view the secret text
... They should be awake. I played with coloring the iris, but it seems that I didn't put it in the final pic. Propably should be fixing that soon.

PS. I don't think that comment needs secretizing. It's just clearing things up.
12-03-2005 at 01:22 PM
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Tim
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Doom, even with all the eyes activated, I can still prove it's possible :)

Click here to view the secret text


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12-03-2005 at 01:42 PM
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Jacob
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I also just get a time for the deadline, without a date. When's the deadline?

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12-03-2005 at 03:25 PM
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Tim
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Jacob wrote:
I also just get a time for the deadline, without a date. When's the deadline?
For you, it's Dec 22nd 00:00. (for UK people.)

You might also try to look at the source of the original post to see if that helps.

-- Tim

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[Last edited by Tim at 12-03-2005 03:33 PM]
12-03-2005 at 03:32 PM
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coppro
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Updated.

Answer:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by coppro at 12-03-2005 03:46 PM]
12-03-2005 at 03:45 PM
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ErikH2000
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Nillo wrote:
What about making an interpretation of a well-known puzzle? For example, can I do the "you have a boat, a wolf, a goat and a cabbage, and you have to get them over the river..." puzzle or is that considered using someone else's work?
That's fine.

-Erik

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12-03-2005 at 05:23 PM
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Progress Quest Progress

[Last edited by stigant at 12-07-2005 01:04 PM]
12-04-2005 at 12:30 AM
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Chaco
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Yes, that's the answer.

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12-04-2005 at 01:04 AM
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[Last edited by Banjooie at 12-07-2005 04:29 PM]
12-04-2005 at 02:33 AM
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[Last edited by Tahnan at 12-07-2005 06:43 AM : (adding an explanation!)]
12-04-2005 at 02:39 AM
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