enigma 41
 

Add to find what was subtracted:

Candy Shop Value?
Wilder Name for Rhode Island?
Fussing o'er the Bard?
Papa's Key?

129-010
133-006
330-215
325-255
325-255
335-226
435-114
330-215
135-004
230-150
130-010
230-150
128-013
226-306
345-229
048-105
231-156
125-004
055-115

Wilder Name for Rhode Island?

Thorton Wilder spent time a good deal of time in Rhode Island, which inspired portions of his final novel, Theophilus North, that is partially set in that state. Yeh, it's a stretch, but I just thought I'd mention it because of the literary (I'm assuming) reference in the next clue.

Fussing o'er the Bard?

The first thing this calls to mind is the Shakespeare authorship issue, though I don't see how that could translate into a helpful clue.

Also, a disproportionately large count of the #s (23 of 38) are divisible by 5.

Papa's Key?

Ernest Hemingway resided in Key West

Candy Shop Value?

Penny candy?

"Papa" Hemingway... excellent. So that covers north and west, although i'm not seeing any connections with south and east to the other clues at the moment--so maybe it's a dead end.

50 Cent?

I'm not either. If it is directional, every number save that pesky 435 is less than 360. Degrees, or possibly latitude and longitude (starting from zero in the north and west)? The 435 makes it highly likely I'm not on the right track.

For those who might misunderstand, rapper 50 Cent released a single, "Candy Shop", a few months ago.

First thing that comes to mind is 50-cent. But what does it have to do with North and West?

Fussing o'er the Bard?

If its a number, o'er may be an indication that it in regards to one of Shakespeare's works.

That leaves Twelth Night and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Another possible option is Much Ado About Nothing, which sounds like fussing to me and would represent 0.

So is that 50-North, 0-West?

The only other relevant # I can come up with relating Shakespeare to the clue is 17, as the 17th Earl of Oxford is the latter-day favorite amongst Stratford skeptics. Although I doubt the enigma would have us read that much into it.

I definately think that 50/50 Cent and West/Key West are correct though. Not sure about #2.

Sounds like these might be coordinates of some sort.

Uh...bump.

bump

The instructions say to add, so could it be 50 + North + 0 + West? If we use the normal degree system that would be 50 + 0 + 0 + 270 = 320. Does that make sense or am I crazy?

Roughly in the area of London, FWIW (probably not much). More closer to Brighton I suppose, but I think this is a bit of a stretch in any case.

I think that when I checked these coordinates orignally, it landed me right in the middle of the english channel.

But I've tried at elast a dozen strectches of a theory to work out the numerical part and nothing stuck.

So, bump.

And maybe a clue, enigma?

So, anyway, about those coordinates...

Eject! Eject!

Like I said in the other item, this is about as simple as they get. You're all on the right track. Any clues and I'm basically printing the answer in the forum. Which I don't mind doing if that's what people want.

Obviously doesn't seem simple to us! :) Like HERD, I've been racking my brain to figure out the numeric system, maybe it's some kind of code? Is there some sort of mathematical system that corresponds to coordinates? The obvious ones, lat/long or degree coordinates, don't seem to match the numbers given

Well, I guess I'll take a look at it again here in a minute--after a few more beers. :)

Maybe we are to get some values from the initial clues (like two numbers) and then add them back to the values in the list to get a set of coordinates?

Harumph.

Could the second set be directions from a starting point?

So we start at 50N, 0W and move 129 miles on 10 degrees?

Interesting theory Celeval, how would that tie into the subtracted angle? It feels to me that we need to determine the initial coordinates then use those as part of the series somehow to determine "what was subtracted."

Well, might 50N 0W be the starting point?

50N 0W is the best shot we have so far, though honestly I'm not all that certain about our 0 answer to that clue, it seems a bit abstract compared to the other answers.

not sure if it's been suggest, what if this is backwards? it'd be 435 miles in a direction..

just a thought.

Well... IF we were dealing with Lat/Long coordinates, one would probably expect there to be a preponderance of them in, say, North America. Or, failing that, perhaps at least the Northern Hemisphere... in the relatively temperate areas.

But there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to the numbers included in that list...the first component ranges from 048 and 055 up to 435 -- a nonsense range, by the initial standard. So, there's clearly more to it than that.

"Simple" indeed.

From another thread:


So, putting coordinates on a map is the right call.

Would be kinda clever if you 'connected the dots' to spell the password. However, as with others, the 435 and the add to find what was subtracted has me too distracted.

At least we get to see more abuse of our puzzle-solving abilities though! ;)

That never gets old.

That novel takes place in 1926... and it's supposedly about his twin...

so there's a couple other numbers that might help for South?

26, or 2?

Heh. Doesn't bother me. I have no puzzle-solving abilities to abuse.

So, taking the tirade at face value -- "there's nothing to it." Presuambly we are pretty much on the right track. The numbers ARE coordinates, they presumably need some sort of adjustment (add/subtract something) and than correspond to points on a map. Seems to me we just lack the proper adjustment.

I am assuming that the eventual coordinates will need to be betwen 0 and 360 degrees "west" and between zero and 180 degrees "north" to make sense. That makes it hard to come up with a simpel factor to add to each pair shown above to get them in that range -- the first numbers in each pair include both 435 and 048, while the second numbers in each pair include 004 and 306.

Really just thinking out loud... the "there's nothing to it" does suggest that we are overthinking this.

As for "I created that puzzle in ten minutes" -- I draw from that more about the author than about the puzzle.

don't anger the enigma. that would be bad.

"Son, I brought you into this world, and I can take you out!"

-Bill Cosby

Enigma (Jim) said in another thread that they just need to be plotted on a map to see the key. I don't have one handy though.

Well, jumping ahead a bit, I'm wondering if the coordinates will identify cities whose beginning letters will spell out the password.

the password is.........nipple.

That's more or less my thinking.


Maybe these are not lat/long coordinates, but some other sort... I'm not really familiar with coordinate systems, what about altidute/azimuth on a star map? (stab in dark)

I'm thinking that you are overthinking again, Quik. :)

Throwing more ideas out: what coordinate system does FOF or TCY use for its city placements?

129-010
133-006
330-215
325-255
325-255
335-226
435-114
330-215
135-004


There's this. Perhaps a double letter? Or perhaps the answer is 0 for this step since there is no change.

Just tossin' stuff out.

I tried using the decimal system for lat/long such that the first one would be 50.129 lat and 0.010 long. I get places in Mongolia and in the English channel.

Taz, once we figure out the adding to subtract part that system might yield better results, I'm guessing. Maybe we can subtract 50 from the "minus" part of each line? Would lead to some negative numbers though, so that's probably not it.

I don't think negative #'s would be a problem. I negative latitude is below the equator and a negative longitude would be in the Western Hemisphere.

Todd

Yet another bump, and quote from enigma:

"One guy said a coordinate was in the English Channel and everyone gave up on that angle. Weird."


Maybe they are landmarks.

When I use 50 0 0 and 0 0 0 (degrees, mins, secs) in mapquest's lat/long thing, it puts the star on La Manche in the English Channel. From what I've googled La Manche is what the French call the English Channel.

Maybe the point is for the Chunnel? Maybe going historical with Normandy?

[edit]La Manche means The Sleeve.