Top Labyrinthier Hall Of Fame

[Elethiomel]

Ah, nice. I've updated my long post. Still lots of cryptics left to solve if anyone is in the mood.

I am impressed by the whopping 100 cryptics of such generally high quality. Lots of nice hidden words in particular. Probably many other nice clues, too, but those were harder to crack.

It was a bit of an endurance test to solve it, but it's nice when you're always able to steadily make progress on a puzzle.

[Oscar]

I'll point out that 'Your Men Can All Start' yields YMCA

(And, Elethiomel, you haven't added in the Genesis solution given in post 64)

[Jack_Ian]

[Scurra]

D'oh. I feel incredibly stupid now.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Suspence]

[MNOWAX]

[Suspence]

Don't punish me too bad for that . At least the solvers here seemed to enjoy them.

Are the judges solving them (if so, collaboratively?), or just reviewing the puzzle and solution and scoring from that?
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I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Jack_Ian]

I thought the cryptics were excellent, but the subject matter gave us the opportunity to try go outside our comfort zone a little and come up with something that wasn't "just another cryptics puzzle".
You obviously put a lot of work into it, which made my effort seem paltry by comparison.
And it certainly was fun to solve.

[Suspence]

I can see that. I'm pretty new to cryptics, so I haven't done many puzzles using them, but it is a common puzzle type here.

A few of my favorites are unsolved:

Softened after an accident! (8) (95) (I like the &lit aspect, assuming half-cryptics can be &lit)

Before a camper boards a famous ship. (7) (93) (I think I just like the band, so it took a long time to come up with something I liked since I knew I had to use them)

Call a timeout. (9) (86) (I like that this sentence is actually used in sports, which makes the surface reading really nice)
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[novice]

Call a timeout. (9) (86)
METALLICA

[Elethiomel]

[Scurra]

I have a horrible feeling that both Zag and esme require tune identification - which is going to kill me.

But, for esme:

Assuming that the first line is indicating Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Te-Do-Re (with the number of Mm matching the letters), all I have managed is:

the first 4/4 is Fernando (by Abba) although I can't quite get the lyrics to fit properly ("the same again, ??? ????, my friend, Fernando.")
the first 3/8 is Home on the Range ("Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam")

I don't recognise any of the others at all. Some of the extracts are very short.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Suspence]

[MNOWAX]

[novice]

[Oscar]

Given the note 'he lost his vision' you can dig 'Stevie Wonder' out of 'Empower friendly progressive priest' but I can't use the rest coherently. (I was basically looking to find a S.W. track or album)

Also for 'never a dull moment' you can find 'Rod Stewart' in 'Moronic duo attracts weasels' and can fairly nearly get 'Atlantic crossing' there as well.

And for 'gunned down in self defence' I can't believe 'Fresh hot wind officer' doesn't yield 'I shot the sheriff'.

It's possible that the anagrams are *almost* complete I guess.

Other contenders for artists include Madonna from 'express yourself', Spice Girls from 'order in from Zanzibar', Creedence Clearwater from 'up the creek' and Ice T/LLcool J from 'a cool customer' but I've got nothing conclusive yet...

[Suspence]

I supposed it's possible that the tracks and the notes don't go together? (Indicated by shuffled playlist?)

"Engaged in car chase" could be Snow Patrol. Only one track has all the letters to Snow Patrol - Overgrown parcel spoiled limestone

Also, only one track has all the letters to Madonna - Naughty man violates bedclothes

Eric Clapton - Songbird curbed cardinal proprietor

Aerosmith - Latest ox nurtures child

Unfortunately, Overgrown parcel spoiled limestone also is the only clue that contains Spice Girls. So either Snow Patrol or Spice Girls is wrong, or my idea is going nowhere.

Rod Stewart can also be found in multiple clues...not looking good. Same for Stevie Wonder.
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I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Oscar]

However both Snow Patrol and Spice Girls can be found in that clue if you just re-use one 'S'. This leaves 'OVEREDLMEONE' Maybe we can squeeze another meaningful anagram out of that? (The idea being that each group of anagrams needs the addition of one letter which would generate something coherent)

[Jack_Ian]

First We Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen, seems like the obvious choice for "first strike on Manhattan?".
It was initially sung by Jennifer Warnes, but there were many remakes.

[Oscar]

While I was looking at the 'Artist' words I was struck by how many multiple 'P's there were, so I ran a letter analysis on them:

there are twice as many 'P's and 'M's as you'd expect in English text and one third the number of 'H's. If the word 'the' is being stripped from the names of groups that might help to partly explain the latter though.

[Suspence]

Might sanction torture - Iron Maiden?

Iron Maiden can only be found in Diseases welcome masculine disasters
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Oscar]

Suspence, I'm sure you meant to say:

'Iron Maiden can only be found in 'Overgrown parcel spoiled limestone'

And you're not going to tell me that the fact that:
'Lunar joke gains charm' contains an anagram of Michael Jackson missing (or reusing) a 'C' isn't meaningful?

(This leaves 'AGNRRU' if an anagram of that means anything in terms of song titles...)

[Elethiomel]

You guys seem to be fairly close to a breakthrough on mine. Let me know if I should nudge you gently in the right direction.

[Oscar]

I'm trying the effect of merging every second word set and looking for two songs plus artists in the combined sets. So far results are promising - maybe one or two letters missing, but the trouble is I'm not certain about any two consecutive songs hinted by the notes...

It's also possible that a more structured merging of sets is required.

[Oscar]

No real progress made on Elethiomel's puzzle - partly because I can't be sure of any two adjacent tracks (notes).

I had a look at groza's puzzle and these are my first thoughts:

assuming *real* physics drives the music you'd get a lower note with a longer pipe. There seem to be 8 different lengths of pipe, giving 8 notes. Some pipes are dark brown - possibly signifying sharps or flats?
The size of balloon could indicate duration of note but then what do we make of the balloon colour? There are 10 different colours and that's without including the stripey ones! This extra range of options makes me think that a simple physically driven way of making notes is incorrect.

An alternative way of interpreting the length of pipe might be to use the musical stave: if the smallest pipe is the bottom note on the stave (E) then the longest pipe might give the top line of the stave (F in a higher octave) Balloons missing a pipe might indicate a rest.

my first assumption on the 9 sets of pipes is that they are snatches of songs, and if we assemble the missing units together we get the final song.

Of course this could all be completely wrong but any suggestions for the symbolism of balloon colour?

(This all assumes simple music theory, but it's possible that Dr Monica Harr clues the harmonica rather than just harmonics)

[esme]

re groza's puzzle:

The length of the pipes are not integers. If someone takes the time to transcribe a couple of lines into approximate lengths (say 8.4, etc), I would appreciate it, my printer does not work and measuring the length on the screen does not work well.

re Elethiomel's puzzle:

I suspect that these are broken up cryptic clues, because there are many anagram indicators around.
_________________
Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.

[Jack_Ian]

Re Groza's Puzzle:
It looks like each musical phrase is missing a note and we need to string the notes together at the end and recognise the tune.
Balloons go in a colour progression, I assume that is for length, since it correlates to their size. Some have two colours, but always two neighbouring colours, so I presume that indicates a midway point. This also repeats, so that there is a later much larger Red and Yellow. I can't tell which is white or grey, since the only balloon with that colour has both, so it has a value between white and grey.
The colours are: Black, brown, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, purple, white/grey, white/grey
I'll give them the numbers 1 to 9.

Also the Pipes have notches on the side for easy counting.
Some of the pipes are chopped mid-notch, so I think it's safe to assume they are sharps/flats.
Some of the pipes are darker in colour. Not sure what this represents.
Although it seems logical to assume the length denotes pitch, the fact that there are no short pipes is worrying.

The music transcribed as text, in the form (pipe-length, balloon size) is then:

(12.5, 2) [? 1 ?] (12.5, 1.5) (19, 8.5) (11, 3) (11, 2) (13.5, 3) (15, 2) (15, 2) (15, 2) (13.5, 3) (15, 1.5) (17, 1.5) (19, 4)
(19, 2) (19, 2) (15, 2) (15, 2) [?, 2, ?] (12.5, 2) (11, 2) (14, 3) (14, 2) (11, 2) (11, 2) (14, 2) (14, 2) (19, 4)
(19, 4) (14, 12) (14, 4.5) (14, 2.5) (14, 3) [?, 3, ?] (11, 3) (10.5*, 2) (11, 2) (12.5, 7) (19, 2.5) (19, 2.5) (12.5*, 4) (12.5*, 2.5) (13, 4) (14.5, 2.5) (16, 2.5) (14.5, 2.5) (16, 6)
... rest to follow

Note: Lengths with an * are darker pipes.
Some of the pipes are cut slightly below a notch, while others are cut slightly above. I'm assuming this was just hasty mouse-work. If we get nowhere with the phrases already listed, then I will endeavour to give more accurate values.

[esme]

[Jack_Ian]

[esme]

[esme]

The lengths in the first line are: 149, ?, 149, 224, 133, 133, 149, 168, 168, 168, 149, 178, 200, 224.

If I translate this like 224=C, 200=D, 178=E, 168=F, 149=G, 133=A, I get G, ?, G, C, A, A, G, F, F, F, G, E, D, C.

It sounds familiar, but I didn't recognize it yet.

Pitch:

1) G?GCAAGFFFGEDC
2) CCEE?GAFFAAFFC
3) CFFFF?ABflatAGCCBflatBflatAGFGF (so dark is indeed flat)
4) FFDDFFCCDEflatF?AF
5) GcBAG?GAGcdcceflatdc
6) dcBflatdcBflatcBflatpauseBflatBflatBflatBflatBflatBflatpauseAAA?FG
7) BBBAGpauseBBBAGpause?GAGBGABdG
8) DflatDflatDflatDflatFAflatG?pauseBflatBflatBflatAflatGEflatGF
9) FpauseFF?EflatEflatpauseEflatDflatCClowBflatlowBflat
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Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.

[Oscar]

I'd take a hint on Elethiomel's...

[Suspence]

Lyrics from novice's puzzle, "Rhyme Schemes"

Emily Haines - Bore:
...anymore, every busride's such a bore. I miss that shiny downtown <edited in the song, rhymes with anymore/bore/before> that I was before

Travis - Sing:
....won't mean a thing unless you sing, sing, sing...

Pantera - Proud To Be Loud:
...cause I'm proud to be loud, proud to be loud...

Blues Brothers - Boom Boom:
...When she walk that walk, and talk that talk, and whisper in my ear...

Bryan Adams - Straight From The Heart:
...tell me we can make another start <THESE WORDS ARE SKIPPED IN THE VIDEO, BUT ARE IN THE SONG - You know I'll never go - as long as I know It's comin'> straight from the heart...

Usher - Superstar:
...superstar. And as your number one fan I'll do all that I can to show you how super you are...
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Elethiomel]

[novice]

[Scurra]

Ah, novice, I'd really like to say Thank You for the Music.

Very simple idea but executed really nicely.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Suspence]

22) Fresh hot wind officer
gunned down in self defence
If we assume this is talking about Eric Clapton, this anagrams to both:
CLEAN TROPIC and CLARINET COP

Fresh hot wind officer = CLEAN TROPIC / CLARINET COP?

19) Moronic duo attracts weasels - never a dull moment
Rod Stewart = TWO RETARDS / DRAW OTTERS

13) Park rangers plunder shellfish - engaged in car chase
Snow Patrol = LAWN TROOPS? / LOOT PRAWNS

This seems to be the right path, but I hope we're not looking for the artists in the end, as these seem much easier to solve by finding the artist first, then figuring out the anagrams.

1) Backup plans supplement heresy - we'll just fly away
Aerosmith - OTHER AIMS / OR ATHEISM?
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Suspence]

Got this one anagram first:

16) Practices nasal beer consumption - absolutely unpredictable

LEARNS TO / SNORT ALE = Lonestar
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Suspence]

3) Prejudiced majesty debilitates craftsman - find out why
Inspiral Carpets - RACIST ? / CRIPPLES ARTISAN

5) Gambling pair examines pyramid - order in from Zanzibar
Tenacious D = CASINO DUET / AUDITS CONE

9) Lunar joke gains charm - you can give it to me
Tom Jones = MOON JEST / NETS MOJO

17) Reddish brown artillery crater - first strike on Manhattan?
Leonard Cohen - HENNA COLORED / ORDNANCE HOLE

18) Canary combined flower scent - a supernatural delight
Toploader = RAT POOLED / PETAL ODOR

SUMMARY


1 ) Backup plans supplement heresy - we'll just fly away - AEROSMITH = OTHER AIMS / OR ATHEISM
2 ) Oppose foreign master crook - a cool customer - = /
3 ) Prejudiced majesty debilitates craftsman - find out why - = RACIST ? / CRIPPLES ARTISAN
4 ) Empower friendly progressive priest - he lost his vision - = /
5 ) Gambling pair examines pyramid - order in from Zanzibar - TENACIOUSD = CASINO DUET / AUDITS CONE
6 ) Esteemed follower at summit - might sanction torture? - = /
7 ) Dust hounds exhume deity - away from home in Georgia - = ? DOGS / ? GOD
8 ) Songbird curbed cardinal proprietor - express yourself - WREN? ? = ? OWNER? /
9 ) Lunar joke gains charm - you can give it to me - TOMJONES = MOONJEST / NETS MOJO
10 ) Pig ignited scientific uproar - in free fall - = /
11 ) Naughty man violates bedclothes - submits to double shifts? - = /
12 ) Overgrown parcel spoiled limestone - with tomato glop - = /
13 ) Park rangers plunder shellfish - engaged in car chase - SNOWPATROL = LAWN TROOPS / LOOT PRAWNS
14 ) Latest ox nurtures child - or was it a male donkey - = /
15 ) Conifer worship on website - with acacia roots - = /
16 ) Practices nasal beer consumption - absolutely unpredictable - LONESTAR = LEARNS TO / SNORT ALE
17 ) Reddish brown artillery crater - first strike on Manhattan? - LEONARDCOHEN = HENNA COLORED / ORDNANCE HOLE
18 ) Canary combined flower scent - a supernatural delight - TOPLOADER = RAT POOLED / PETAL ODOR
19 ) Moronic duo attracts weasels - never a dull moment - RODSTEWART = TWO RETARDS / DRAW OTTERS
20 ) Diseases welcome masculine disasters - happy birthday - = /
21 ) Outburst moves radical writer - up the creek - = /
22 ) Fresh hot wind officer - gunned down in self defence - ERICCLAPTON = CLEAN TROPIC / CLARINET COP
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Oscar]

Wow! Indirect anagrams! I'd *never* have thought of that!

A couple to help:
Esteemed follower at summit - might sanction torture? - = / IRON MAIDEN = DEAR MINION ON MERIDIAN
Dust hounds exhume deity - away from home in Georgia - = ? / DIRT DINGOES DISINTER GOD