Friday, 29th March 2024
Puzzles Solved Yesterday: 131
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Friday's puzzle
astrokath
Kwon-Tom Obsessive
Puzzles: 3258
Best Total: 13m 42s
Posted - 2006.02.10 09:16:09
Well, that one was nasty.  Looking at the 3 minute-ish times which were up earlier, I was sure I'd missed something major, but they seem to have disappeared. What's up, Foilman?  Anyone?  Did I miss the blindingly obvious this morning?

Assuming I didn't miss anything, this is a 5min+ puzzle, unless someone takes a lucky route. (And if you rule something out that's actually possible, well, you can add another ten minutes on top of that.  Whoops!)
foilman
Kwon-Tom Admin
Puzzles: 3384
Best Total: 24m 6s
Posted - 2006.02.10 09:22:09
There was a 3 minute time posted earlier, but I found that quite suspicious as, like you say, this is a tough one. Following a bit of investigation in the database, I discovered it wasn't a genuine attempt, but a "copy" where a player either has two accounts or is looking over someone else's shoulder... so I reset the time to the same as the one copied.

It's happened before, I'm sure it'll happen again... but let's keep the leaderboard as genuine as we can.
procrastinator
Kwon-Tom Obsessive
Puzzles: 1083
Best Total: 12m 56s
Posted - 2006.02.10 10:04:08
Quote:
Originally Posted by foilman
I discovered it wasn't a genuine attempt, but a "copy" where a player either has two accounts or is looking over someone else's shoulder...

Can you be sure? Onion's been recording solid but not spectacular times for quite a while now, which makes a day of good luck seem more likely than suddenly deciding to cheat in order to get a time that is no certainty to win given the results of recent Fridays.
foilman
Kwon-Tom Admin
Puzzles: 3384
Best Total: 24m 6s
Posted - 2006.02.10 10:21:55
Well there were 3 clues... I won't give them all away or it'll be easier for people to circumvent them, but individually each thing I look for might be explainable - but all 3 together is a pretty big hint!! One is "same ip address". Another is "puzzle started within a couple of minutes of the other person finishing it". The third clue is the most obvious one but I'll keep that one quiet for now!!

Also I sent an email to the player in question, so if there's a good explanation, the time can be reinstated.
Onion
Kwon-Tom Addict
Puzzles: 362
Best Total: 24m 51s
Posted - 2006.02.10 13:53:45
No, I'll admit that I was watching when my friend worked it. Sorry 'bout that, but I'm glad you caught it and moved it. I really didn't want the 3 minute time anyway. No hard feelings, I hope?
drnull
Kwon-Tom Obsessive
Puzzles: 1053
Best Total: 23m 25s
Posted - 2006.02.10 14:07:16
You know that thing I said about getting a new lower best ever total?


Scratch that.    It's not meant to be this week.
foilman
Kwon-Tom Admin
Puzzles: 3384
Best Total: 24m 6s
Posted - 2006.02.10 14:14:41
Quote:
Originally Posted by onion
No, I'll admit that I was watching when my friend worked it. Sorry 'bout that, but I'm glad you caught it and moved it. I really didn't want the 3 minute time anyway. No hard feelings, I hope?

Hehe, no worries! I'm glad my "copy detection" stuff actually worked like it should.
Onion
Kwon-Tom Addict
Puzzles: 362
Best Total: 24m 51s
Posted - 2006.02.10 23:32:59
Ah, glad to be of service. If I ever do something like that again (which I probably will, at some point), I'll e-mail you and let you know just to be safe.

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