Silph Puzzle Hunt 2021/Quick Fix: Difference between revisions

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|image_caption = A picture representing the puzzle in some way, like an overworld image, or a non-spoiler image from the puzzle.
|image_caption = A picture representing the puzzle in some way, like an overworld image, or a non-spoiler image from the puzzle.
|author = Level 51
|author = Level 51
|link = https://silphpuzzlehunt.com/puzzle/opening-ceremony
|link = https://silphpuzzlehunt.com/puzzle/quick-fix
|solution_link = https://silphpuzzlehunt.com/solution/opening-ceremony
|solution_link = https://silphpuzzlehunt.com/solution/quick-fix
}}
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{{#spoiler:show=Solve Path|
{{#spoiler:show=Solve Path|


Given the fact that there are two columns of what appear to be halves of clues, and that they both have the same number of elements, it's reasonable to assume that the clues on the left should be paired to the clues on the right somehow.
Inspecting the lefthand clues, solvers are meant to identify them as cryptic clues. However, even after knowing this fact, a lot of the clues seem strange, and reuse phrases such as '''''complement, not, opposite, like'''''.


One good place to start is to note that many of the left-hand side clues seem strange, indicating that they are not meant to be read as straight clues, and reuse phrases such as '''''complement, not, opposite, like'''''. On the other hand, the right-hand halves all start with '''is''', and generally read more straightforwardly; some are even directly solvable on their own, and act as a means of breaking in.
Given the fact that the righthand clues all start with '''is''', it can be reasonably assumed that these are the definition half of the clue pair. Some are straightforward, and act as a means of breaking in. The left hand side clues all use prefixes and suffixes in their cryptic wordplay. One potential break-in is outlined below


'''...is Mr. Sorkin''' clues '''AARON''' confidently, so solvers can look to the lefthand column and try to see a cryptic clue that forms it. '''Ron Howard''' directed ''The Da Vinci Code'', and '''a''' can be a prefix meaning '''not''', such as in the words '''atypical, asexual''' and '''asymmetric''', so someone who is '''''not not Ron''''' is '''AARON'''.
As it turns out, the left hand side clues all use prefixes and suffixes in a wordplay-like manner. One notable potential break-in is that '''...is Mr. Sorkin''' clues '''AARON''' quite unambiguously, so solvers can look to the left-hand halves and try to find a clue that could match this. '''Ron Howard''' directed ''The Da Vinci Code'', and '''a''' can be a prefix meaning '''not''', such as in the words '''atypical, asexual''' and '''asymmetric''', so someone who is '''''not not Ron''''' is '''AARON'''.


The number given in parenthesis in the lefthand fragments turn out not to be enumerations of answers. This fact can also be reasonably deduced based on the frequency of 1s that appear. Indexing these numbers into the answered cryptic clue yields the cluephrase '''MORE MORE MAGIC STICK'''. Treating this in a similar fashion as the earlier clues and answering it to an 8 letter answer as given at the bottom of the puzzle yields the final answer.
The number given in parenthesis in the left-hand halves turn out not to be enumerations of answers. (This fact could also be reasonably deduced based on the frequency of 1s that appear.) Since the halves on the right are ordered alphabetically by answer, we can deduce that it is the ordering of the clues on the left that matters. Using this ordering and indexing these numbers into the clue answers yields the cluephrase '''MORE MORE MAGIC STICK'''. Treating this in a similar fashion as the earlier clues and answering it to an 8 letter answer as given at the bottom of the puzzle yields the final answer.


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{{#spoiler:show=Puzzle Elements|
{{#spoiler:show=Puzzle Elements|


[[Clue Centric]] - Most of the meat of this puzzle is solving the cryptic clues. Once the gimmick is understood, solvers can work on the left fragments without needing to pair up the clues.
[[Clue Centric]] - Most of the meat of this puzzle is solving the clues. The left-hand clue halves seem nonsensical and the right-hand clues are ambiguous until the gimmick is understood, after which solvers can more easily solve the pairs of clues.


[[Cryptic Word Play]] - All of these clues use a similar format for their cryptic wordplay, adding prefixes and suffixes to words based on very literal readings of the clues.
[[Word Play]] - All of the clues in this puzzle involve adding prefixes and suffixes to words based on very literal readings of the clues and "creative" interpretations of the prefixes and suffixes.


[[Indexing]] - A final cluephrase is made by indexing given numbers into the answers for each clue.
[[Indexing]] - A final cluephrase is made by indexing given numbers into the answers for each clue.

Revision as of 11:34, 9 March 2022

Quick Fix
Silph Puzzle Hunt 2021
Round 1
Author(s)Level 51
Links
PuzzleLink
SolutionLink


Description

Quick Fix is a puzzle from Round 1 of the 2021 Silph Puzzle Hunt. Solvers are presented with a set of clue fragments in two columns and a final enumeration of (8). The lefthand fragments all give a number in parenthesis and the righthand fragments all start with the word is. There are the same number of fragments on either side.

Solve Path


Final Answer: Click to revealWANDERER

Puzzle Elements

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