Puzzlebrains

OK, I'm new here and I've been told to join in the forums, so this is it!

I only got to know about this site because someone I sat next to on a train from Durham to London decided I didn't look that scary and wanted to talk to me. He was wafting around some interesting puzzles - like ones I'd seen in a magazine some years ago. I bought a copy, hadn't got a clue what was going on in most of them but was intrigued by the concept, and when I was looking for some holiday puzzles, I went to look for this magazine again, but couldn't find it. I decided it had stopped being published.

So said man on train tells me the sorry tale of DVP and all about this site, writes the web address on a piece of paper and we head our separate ways into the London jungle. Needless to say I lost the bit of paper and it took a lot of Google searching to find my way here.

But here I am, suffering with these impossible puzzles again.

And I wonder if said man on train wants to own up for being the one responsible for getting me on here

I have my theory about that mystery man!
But what a wonderful coincidence.

Welcome dramaticat! Good to see you joining in. I hope you're not intimidated by the seemingly insane bunch of people on here, we're quite friendly really. (Even on trains) If you need any help finding your feet just shout we all help each other with the fiendishly difficult puzzles.

hmmm i wonder who that masked man was......

welcome to the forums

Glad you didnt give up Dramaticat and found us on the web........ hope you enjoy the puzzles and banging your head against the wall as much as the rest of us......

Told you so dramaticat

Nice one MBH, or an outside possibility clvrlad -cant think of anyone else who would have been on that train Would this have been the day you were travelling to our meet up?

giraffe wrote: we all help each other with the fiendishly difficult puzzles.

Speak for yourself. I never help anyone if I can manage it.

(Seriously, don't hesitate to ask someone for help when you are stuck. It doesn't make you look stupid because everyone gets stuck somewhere at some point!)

Unfortunately, quite a lot of seem to get stuck at the same point as everybody else, and we all dither around trying to find someone who has any idea of what's going on!!!

Oh come on, Laura, that's not completely true. If it was, then no-one would ever solve anything... And I know that every puzzle in an issue is solved by at least one person without any help from anyone else, but it's not the same person who does every puzzle!

I love the title of the thread Dramaticat!! Let's be honest, it should probably have been titled "Strange men who talk to strange women on trains" because we're all pretty strange (but nice) on here. Yes, the puzzles are challenging (and yes, before you all start shouting, I know I've made some of the really scary ones too) but really, DO ask. It's so much more fun when you're collaborating with people, and often what one person says will spark an idea in the other, and then you can both move on. Even "evil jester" does eventually give in. But usually only after you've threatened him with death and pulled a few of his toenails out.

Oh, and I know there's a whole lot of banal drivel posted on here too (I'm responsible for about 40% of it) but it's nice to know what people are up to as well, so do feel free to join in with the random banter too!

Scurra wrote:

giraffe wrote: we all help each other with the fiendishly difficult puzzles.

Speak for yourself. I never help anyone if I can manage it.

I disagree. You recently helped me start my least favourite type of puzzle. (It did take weeks of nagging , but eventually a small nudge was forthcoming)

I always get stuck at the same point as myself, if that helps! (not that I seem to have time to do many of the puzzles at all at the moment)

It's well worth asking if you get stuck (just don't ask me, I'll be more stuck than you!), but if you are unfortunate enough to get a clue from Scurra, don't expect to understand it - I reckon his clues are tougher than his puzzles!

Oh, and yes, the mindless drivel on here is one of the things that keeps me coming back. (well, it's certainly not the puzzles )

I like a nice bit of mindless drivel, I must say. It helps pass the time when I can't solve the puzzles... It also often makes me laugh after a LONG day...

Hello Stranger (as oppsed to 'strange')... Losing the bit of paper with the 'answer' on, and then setting out to 'find' us yourself??? Yep - you're a Puzzler

We did welcome you - I distinctly remember:

MBH wrote:Welcome to what I assume is another cat lover I'm looking forward to seeing your avatar (and hope you enjoy meeting the gang)

... but with no follow-on I thought you were another 'non-poster'. As it turns out you've been up to your ears in Western Art - so you're forgiven

eirian's comments about scurra's clues are totally accurate..... and they are made with her added advantage that they are Sister and Brother (so what chance do the rest of us have? That's right "slim" and "fat")

There are other family relationships you'll find out over time - but the lovely, gobby, purple bunny is my adopted twin. Be careful of this website - you can end up with new relatives.

Thanks for your company as I travelled to London. There were 12 of us from the forum all met up for a puzzle-solving weekend [the thread with photographs is out there for you to find]. Glad to see you again here

Gill - I think you need to send MBH out on a mission, armed with a few copies of PB. Maybe he could travel the country* for a couple of days and double the circulation? Watch out though, ladies, if he's not enticng you into obscure puzzling activities, he's foxtrotting round the streets, I believe...

*I think Hertfordshire is a good target audience, there are a couple of us round here already... (and I could actually SEE him this time too... ).

Scurra wrote:Oh come on, Laura, that's not completely true. If it was, then no-one would ever solve anything...

Oh, I know it's not as bad as we all make out, but the one particular one that sprang to mind was the flipping dingbats, where everyone I talked to for about 2 weeks was struggling with the same clue. I just obviously didn't find the one or two people who had got that worked out until much later on!

Anyhow, welcome to Puzzlebrains, Dramaticat. x

Thank you, all!

I'm assuming that the mindless drivel is merely a result of brain meltdown from battling with the puzzles. I'm sure I'll be adding some mindless drivel of my own once my brain starts to liquefy with the effort of tackling these puzzles

MBH: thanks for your company too - and for not pouring scorn on my book of Sudoku puzzles (I mean, what other choice is there at Durham train station!). I didn't see the thread you quoted - probably because I've spent more time in Google than on here recently!

I think this is the one he meant:

http://www.puzzlebrains.co.uk/forum/vie ... &start=420

If that was directed to me - the thread I was thinking of for her to look at was the 'Meet' thread:

http://www.puzzlebrains.co.uk/forum/vie ... &start=300

That's the start of the last two pages (with photos) - but the previous two pages tell a newcomer A LOT about the people here

Sorry, you mentioned 2 threads