Difficulty Level and feedback *** SPOILER WARNING ***

[giraffe]

NO, NO! A nudge is much less than that. It is such a tiny hint that you might not even realise that it is helpful. Such as some of the comments on Lord Peter's thread.

(And therein lies the problem. One person's nudge is another person's hefty thump.) A hint would be a tiny thing too, but you would realise that you had been told something even if you're not sure what or why it is relevant. A clue shouldn't tell you what is relevant, it would be more like a cryptic crossword clue. Perhaps there should be another level in there with a non cryptic clue. Then an explanation of what to do to get the answer. Then the detailed walkthrough.

[Scurra]

Maybe you are all starting to understand my problem now

(Although I'm still quite pleased with some of the hints I have provided to date: they often turn out to have multiple levels within them, once you understand what you are being told...)

[LAT]

Yes maybe, but they are still capable of giving me a headache.

[Cenwulf]

The Nudge, Hint and Clue are given indirectly. Not actually saying 'look at this' but mentioning it obliquely so that the person gets the idea of where to look. And if it's put in a post rather than a PM, it should be in such a way that people don't even notice it's there.

I remember JHF posting a secret cryptic clue to the 'Bird in the Hand' puzzle in DVP (the one with the playing cards), but he spoilt it with another post saying there was a clue there. I had a rant at him and he said I had no willpower. But if he hadn't drawn attention to the fact that there was a clue in the first place, I wouldn't have noticed it.

[Bunnylump]

I'm too thick to understand subtle hints.

[LAT]

Well surely most of the aforementioned nudges hints and clues are going to be in PMs so they will only be for those who have requested them and not visible to unsuspecting souls who aren't after help. Anything that has been posted in a forum thread has generally been much more discreet.

And no you're not thick Bunny!

[Bunnylump]

I am too. I'm not even a bunny any more - just lost it. Think I might change my username to AIRHEAD.

[Scurra]

And no you're not thick Bunny!

I've given up trying to tell her that now.

[MBH]

And no you're not thick Bunny!

I've given up trying to tell her that now.

I keep having a try from time to time....


Oi!! Sis!!! If you think you are in ANY WAY thick - - - then - - - you're just being THICK!!!

[katsmom]

For some horrible reason I've had a great deal of difficulty with issue 4. I can't see what I'm supposed to see even when it's staring me in the face. But when the light dawns after long hours of contemplation, I feel like a real idiot. Forgive my idle brain this issue. It must be too much doing nothing really productive that is killing me.

[gill216]

I know what you mean Katsmom- except it was the other issues I struggled with (while watching gobsmacked at the rate the answers were coming in for the puzzles that had left me bald) and #4 I sailed through.

Not that I struggled with every puzzle in the previous issues- just some of them- but with help from my friends I got there.

I know Bunnylump won't mind me sharing this. She has solved all of the previous issues and left me standing, but struggled with #4 too. She did get there in the end .

Note Scurra's post re 5 different people each solving a different meta first. One man's meat is anothers poison. And in my case, every dog has its day

For those who have struggled with any issue -or some of its puzzles -its worth going back and working through those puzzles with the answers in front of you. It is also worth solving the outer puzzles in every issue too. You may notice that previous issues have had a high concentration of puzzles all connected to one particular field. We have had training sessions which have lead us to this Issue. Some have already noted this. A very clever agenda from our resident puzzle setter.

It is also worth noting that not everyone has tackled these kind of puzzles for the same length of time as others. Those with more experience, and indeed more time to spend puzzling, will inevitably solve puzzles faster than those who have little experience and little time.

Think of it as we do babies, they all progress at different rates- but by the time they reach 5 or 6 they are all more or less on a par with each other- but they will each have different talents.

Gill

[Bunnylump]

I know Bunnylump won't mind me sharing this. She has solved all of the previous issues and left me standing, but struggled with #4 too. She did get there in the end .

No I don't mind you sharing this. But I would add that the ONLY reason I've solved all the other issues is because of a great deal of help and patience from LOTS of people. I'm actually pretty hopeless at most puzzles, but I'm not afraid to ask for help when I can't do something. When I get that help, I can enjoy the puzzles. If I sit and stare blankly at them I just get irritable and grumpy, and feel "thick".

This is the reason why I always encourage people to ASK. Then we can all get lots out of the experience and enjoy ourselves. If there is ANYONE on this forum who is prepared to put their hand up and say they've never had help with puzzles, I'd be really shocked. Yes, some people do click more quickly than others (I am definitely of the slow variety) but ultimately, like Gill says we all have different strengths. And no one is going to be on this forum who isn't good at SOME kind of puzzles, are they? I think we make a pretty good team. Long may it stay like that.

[Laura]

I was actually a bit worried at the start of this magazine, because the first few puzzles I tried I whizzed through with no problems, and I thought it was going to take no time at all to do, and then I'd be bored. But actually, it seems to be going just nicely. I've done a few more, which have taken a bit longer, and some others are looking like they're going to be a bit trickier still, and some I haven't even looked at yet, but generally it seems to me like a good mixture of styles and difficulties.

[Bunnylump]

OK I thought I'd resurrect this thread. I've already told Scurra just how unbelievably, ridiculously stupid I've been about this puzzle, but I had MAJOR trouble with issue 11 - Naval Treaty. I'm pretty sure Scurra won't mind admitting it's one of the more challenging puzzles from this issue(?) but I got stuck at EVERY stage, and every time I got past one hurdle couldn't see how to get over the next.

But as I was just saying to someone else, I did manage to do some of the others which I now realise other people are finding tricky or impossible. Not TOTALLY unaided, but I certainly had quite a lot of input. I'd be quite interested to hear which puzzle (s) other people have torn their hair out over! (Even if it's to make me feel better... )

[giraffe]

He told me Naval Treaty was the hardest one in this set. Quite offputting as I hadn't even looked at it at the time.

[Laura]

Well, as I mentioned on the thread for the puzzle, I had ridiculous problems with the Dancing Men, but they were all completely self-induced. I made three mistakes at my first stage, turning the pictures into something else that I could distinguish more easily, I couldn't see the wood for the trees at the next stage, and so I went round in circles. Once I got a grip on myself, it worked beautifully.

I haven't tried the Naval Treaty properly yet. As things stand so far, I've solved 11 out of 17, which is pretty good going for me. There are a couple left that I'm stuck on the last step, but while I have others to work on, I'll keep going back to them. There are also a couple of others I haven't really attempted at all yet. But at two weeks after getting the magazine, I'd say overall it's about the right standard.

(I might take that back when I get to the tearing my hair out stage with the last few!!!)

[MBH]

I'd be quite interested to hear which puzzle (s) other people have torn their hair out over! (Even if it's to make me feel better... )

I think you'll already know from my comments in the thread, but I think "The Second Stain" refers to the blood from me banging my head off the desk. JABBERWALLY was a twist I could deal with - this one wasn't

As usual, there's plenty here I've not touched yet - but I'm not being tempted towards the Naval one

[gill216]

Once I got a grip on myself, it worked beautifully.

Scurra wont say this but I will. He aims for the "kick yourself moment " when everyone finally gets a grip on themselves

[Bunnylump]

I didn't get one of those at any moment on Naval Treaty! The only kind of grip I thought I ought to get on myself was a firm one to give myself a big shake or a slap. I got a couple of major AHA moments on The Empty House though.

[Laura]

Urgh. That's another one I'm studiously ignoring at the moment, in case some magical inspiration strikes and I suddenly have some idea what to do.