The FOFC Mole Official Thread

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

I think we should be asking for one or both hints here as I've said all along. There's a mole at work here no doubt trying to sabotage the mission, so we should get as much info as we can before taking our first step into the minefield. And there has to be info in that video that can help us.

Having said that, if people are so strongly convinced we can do this without the hints and be successful, I will go along with it.

I'm down with buying the $5000 hint. Even though I strongly believe that we've got it right, I don't want any doubt, or to have to waste someone's run to figure it out -- my hope is that we can get the 5 known treasures on the first 5 runs, then use the last two to hunt for the hidden treasure.

I'm also up for the $1000 hint. If it seems useful, maybe we can buy the other.

Also, any more order thoughts? Sami was down with going first -- I think I'd like to go last, but it doesn't really matter to me.

[MJ4H]

Yes, a square either contains one item (mine, treasure, whatever), or is empty. There are no squares with more than one thing in it.

[Thomkal]

Naughty Mole! I don't think the order matters too much. I'm fine with you going last Pass, and I don't care where I go in the order either.

[MJ4H]

Any team member may formally request a hint at any time by just telling me they want to do so. Talking it over with your teammates is good, but anyone can do it at any time. Make sure to tell me whether you want the 5k kind or the 1k kind.

[MJ4H]

Thomkal has requested the $5000 hint via PM. He requested to know which tribe mapped Passacaglia's piece, the red piece.

This piece was mapped by the Ko tribe.

[BrianD]

What does this tell us?

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by BrianD

What does this tell us?

Yeah, I just got home and am still confused after reading everything on this one. If we know which tribe mapped a certain piece, then we know which side is "up," correct?

[Thomkal]

That was my understanding from what we've been told yes. I chose Pass's piece since he seems to have a better grip on this challenge than most.

[Passacaglia]

So that means the Ko tribe is on the bottom of my piece, which is the top of my grid. That means Bacla is on the left. I can redo that grid so it looks appropriate with Bacla on the bottom, but probably not until Monday.

[path12]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

So that means the Ko tribe is on the bottom of my piece, which is the top of my grid. That means Bacla is on the left. I can redo that grid so it looks appropriate with Bacla on the bottom, but probably not until Monday.

So does that mean the grid basically needs to be turned clockwise one turn? My spatial abilities are failing me. I think it's the hangover.......but Tom Petty was fun.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by path12

So does that mean the grid basically needs to be turned clockwise one turn? My spatial abilities are failing me. I think it's the hangover.......but Tom Petty was fun.

Sounds like counter clockwise to me. Since nobody seems to care what order we go in, let's just put all the names in a list and let the first person get started. I think we've got a general idea on the plan and I worry that participation is going to drop even more if we don't start making progress. Anybody got a list of remaining players they'd like to put in an order?

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by path12

So does that mean the grid basically needs to be turned clockwise one turn? My spatial abilities are failing me. I think it's the hangover.......but Tom Petty was fun.

I think it's counter-clockwise one turn. But I'm in the middle of packing, so I might be messed up about it, too.

[samifan24]

[quote=BrianD;1810364 I think we've got a general idea on the plan and I worry that participation is going to drop even more if we don't start making progress. [/QUOTE]

I agree. I think this challenge is taking a bit too long. I prefer challenges which are individual, that way we can play them at our own leisure. You guys have been doing great work on this challenge thus far but I know I can contribute very little to this challenge and, as such, have taken a back seat on this one. I think that others are feeling the same way.

[MJ4H]

OK sounds like people want to get this thing moving. Please post your preferred spot 1-7 in the thread. First come first served. We will begin moving through tomorrow.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

OK sounds like people want to get this thing moving. Please post your preferred spot 1-7 in the thread. First come first served. We will begin moving through tomorrow.

I'm willing to go first on this one.

[MJ4H]

1. samifan24
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

samifan24, you may send your entry square and directions whenever you'd like to. One move at a time or a series. I will display the result of each of your moves in the thread.

[Passacaglia]

7

[MJ4H]

1. samifan24
2. path12
3. BrianD
4. Thomkal
5.
6.
7. Passacaglia

[Thomkal]

I'll split the difference. 4

[BrianD]

3

[samifan24]

My first moves: 6-N-N

[MJ4H]

The results of samifan24's first 3 moves are displayed below:
The green spots are squares that are passed through on your journey. The line is the path you took. A red square means you hit a mine and your turn is over.



Next up is whoever decides to be #2.

[gstelmack]

Yay, the challenge is finally rolling! This looks very interesting to an outsider watching on the forum...

[Passacaglia]

WTF?

[Passacaglia]

We don't have anyone in at #2 yet?

[MJ4H]

No.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Yay, the challenge is finally rolling! This looks very interesting to an outsider watching on the forum...

I will almost definitely want to do this again when this over because I am having an absolute blast. If you really like it, I would love to have you and some others join in next time.

[path12]

Cool, I would have asked for spot #2 anyway!

[path12]

Hang on a minute and I'll get some moves in.

[path12]

OK. I turned it counter clockwise. Let's try this:

7 N N N W W W W N N N NW N N

[MJ4H]

The results of path12's submitted series of moves is below. Once again, the green dots indicate spaces travelled through. A full green square indicates a $10,000 treasure was picked up, and a full red square indicates a mine was hit.



path12 has hit a mine and his turn is over. Unfortunately, a $10,000 treasure was destroyed.

Next up is BrianD.

[path12]

Sorry guys.

[Passacaglia]

My suggestion is for people to go toward the treasures toward the end.

[Thomkal]

Well Bummer. So have the paths taken by our two brave souls matched the map we came up with?

And Pass if you have time to repost the map now that we know the posistioning on it that would be great.

[Passacaglia]

Yes, the two paths match, based on the mine that sami ran into, and the treasure that path ran into. We're going from left to right, and I'll repost a map Monday morning. The mine that path ran into was a hidden mine, on cell E5 of my old map. If you want to wait until I repost tomorrow, that's cool, but my suggestion is to take the same route that path did, but avoid the mine at E5.

7 N N N W W

After this, path went W one more time and died. You should do:

NW W

This will put you at F4 (again on my old map), and will clear a path to the treasure at F3. Don't hit F3 yet -- someone else can take it later. From F4, go

N N NE

This puts you at I5 (on my old map).

N NE N

This gets you out. You could go NW instead of NE if you want -- whichever way you think is best.

So with any luck, you'll clear a path for someone after you to get the treasure at F3, grab the treasure at I5 yourself, and have cleared a path for someone to get at least as far as J5 in getting out.

[Passacaglia]

OR

You could start like path:

7 N N N

Then clear the way to the treasure at H10:

NE N

or

N NE

Then grab the treasure at I8:

NW N

Then head out:

NE N N

This way might be better because your third-to-last move, NE from I8 to J9, gives whoever comes after you more options for leaving through a different square from you. However, I doubt we'll be sending more than one person after you who gets all the way through, so that might not be a big deal.

[Passacaglia]

http://www.geocities.com/amadaun17/h...nesweeper2.doc

[Passacaglia]

Here's the rotated map -- should be no problems, but someone should probably check my work. I kept my old map on top for that purpose. Anyway, I recommend one of two paths, red or yellow (orange means it's both paths). I changed the red path so that it clears the space at I15, for someone coming after you trying to get the treasure at J16, but I just now realized that whoever does that can just loop back around and follow you -- so you might as well take out the NE W at O8 and O9, and replace them with an N. The highlighted cells in my recommended paths (cells N10, N11, and O11) are choices where you can go in a few different ways to get to the other side. If you choose yellow, I would recommend against going NE N, though, because then you're really only clearing a path to your own exit at F13 -- anyone following you would have to hope that D14 and E14 aren't mines. Oh, and to clarify some extra letters in the new map -- P means that path cleared the spot, S means that sami cleared the spot, and H means hidden mine.

[Thomkal]

I'm having a problem with that link Pass and did with the earlier one. Don't have excel and it won't work in the excel viewer I have. Sorry to ask for the extra work but can you post it in the thread please?

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

I'm having a problem with that link Pass and did with the earlier one. Don't have excel and it won't work in the excel viewer I have. Sorry to ask for the extra work but can you post it in the thread please?

It's actually a word document.

[BrianD]

OK, here is my start. Please note that I am only going to the other end of the map but I am not leaving the map. I do NOT wish to enter the Turl tribe, I just want to pause and check my progress. That said, here we go:

7 N,N,N, NE,N,NW, NW,N,NE

If I am still safe, I'll go back and pick up a treasure.

[MJ4H]

Here's a screenshot of Passacaglia's document.

[MJ4H]

Here are the results of BrianD's moves. BrianD is still alive and in the field with no treasures in hand.

[Passacaglia]

Nice job, Brian.

[BrianD]

Cool. Now I want to add a few more questions to make sure I've got the rules right. I can only carry one treasure at a time, right? Once I drop off the treasure in the Turl tribe, my turn is over, right? If the answer to both those questions is 'yes', I'll grab a treasure and walk off into the sunset. My moves will be as follows:

SW,SE (should be a treasure), NW,NE. Now, assuming I can't do better than one treasure, I'll enter the Turl tribe and end my turn.

[MJ4H]

Yes and yes.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Yes and yes.

OK, then from my last spot: SW,SE,NW,NE, exit.

[MJ4H]

Here are the results of BrianD's second set of moves:



$10,000 was picked up in the green square. BrianD carried the treasure to the Turl Tribe successfully and ends his turn by adding $10,000 to the group pot!

You will notice the exit from his last spot is now blocked. None of the players to follow may use that exit.

It is now Thomkal's turn.

[samifan24]

Good job, Brian.

[BrianD]

Thanks guys. This is probably pretty obvious, but I'd recommend others use the same strategy. Test out your exit plan first before picking up the treasure. No sense letting it get blowed up.