Within the
LEGO The Hobbit solution post, I
should have added the following note (I have now done so), but, as of late, I have had
quite a few other things on my mind. (^_^)
Note: An expansion on the 'ability to count' requirement for solving puzzles: this
may entail prior knowledge of numbers classified as prime (2 3 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 29 ... ) and/or composite (4 6 8 9 10 12 14 15 16 18 ... ). Prime numbers had already been featured within the 'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided' puzzle. Why had they been used? It has been hypothesized that if a message were to be received by Earth (originating from 'sentient beings' beyond our realm), and, if such communication were to include the usage of prime numbers, it would manifestly prove the existence of extra-terrestrial intelligence (and, may be useful for interacting with said forms of life).
In response to the respectful request made by
G0GGLE_BOX (
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/ninja_giveaway_20/post6940):
G0GGLE_BOX: at some point when they have all been claimed, can you give us the solution methods to these as I (and probably many others) will be fascinated to know how the puzzles worked
Unfortunately, as much as I would love to provide further
somewhat-detailed step-by-step analysis of solved puzzles, it is simply too time-consuming.
Future solved puzzles are unlikely to receive the same treatment. At most, a cursory description of the path to solving (and, of course, the resulting code) will be provided.
Solution to
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided puzzle:
Known Information (from the aforementioned post)
The 241 by 20 pixel image (which may be difficult to see if your browser, by default, enables anti-aliasing) contains groups of characters that have been split down the middle, with the missing 'pieces' on the line below.
Re-assembling each is a rather simple matter (as the related pixels share the same pigment), and, as this was an initial test, scattering of missing halves had
not been performed. I prefer to take a gradual approach, as in, if a person solves a given puzzle (in a timely manner), then, subsequent puzzles of this type will have their degree of challenge moderately-enhanced.
Result:
11D-F35-7CB-336-F34-64E-V6E
However, as it consists of 21 characters (rather than the expected 18) it is obvious that one grouping is invalid. How might one determine which is to be ignored?
The key is the file name itself (17_11_13_2_7_3.png). What is the significance of this? Each of the included numbers are prime.
If one were to count each grouping using only prime numbers, the result would be:
2 3 5 7 11 13 17 (11D F35 7CB 336 F34 64E V6E, respectively).
Referencing the file name, one should quickly notice that 5 is absent (so, obviously, it is meant to be ignored).
Placing the remaining groups in the order listed within the file name (as shown in
this enlarged image (which also includes the original)), the result is:
V6E F34 64E 11D 336 F35 ... which, of course, with spaces removed, is the game code itself (
V6EF3464E11D336F35).
Solution to
GreedFall - Gold Edition puzzle:
Known Information GreedFall - Gold Edition 15
[_] [_]de 13
[_] [_]15 15
[_] [_]d6 2d
[_] [_]fe c2
[_] [_]36 43
[_] [_]91 97
[_] [_]75
L C G 4 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The link refers to my avatar (which consists of a single black pixel). There is no other information within. So (without resorting to usage of a hex-editor), logically, the link itself is the only remaining bit of information.
The file name 'a486d9150d313af43da4f5a4aaa7bba16c6fef22b6bbc236d2d17dead8d69753' (without the included '.png') is the key point of interest.
Referring back to '15[_] [_]de 13[_] [_]15 15[_] [_]d6 2d[_] [_]fe c2[_] [_]36 43[_] [_]91 97[_] [_]75', one realizes that the empty spaces are left or right of each set of two characters.
15[_] seems to mean 15[
0] (while [_]de can only be interpreted as being [
7]de).
a486
d915
0d313
af43
da4f5a4aaa7bba16c
6fef22b6bbc
236d2d
17dead
8 d6
97
53 (space following dead
8 is unintentional... caused by GOG forum handling of certain bold instances)
If the remaining are also located in accordance with the same 'formula', this results in:
15[
0] [
7]de 13[
A] [
9]15 15[
0] [
8]d6 2d[
1] [
6]fe c2[
3] [
2]36 43[
D] [
D]91 97[
5] [
9]75
Extracting and combining each missing character (as well as prefixing said character string with the supplied 'LCG4') produces the following game code:
LCG407A9081632DD59 Solution to the multi-game
Golf puzzle:
Known Information All of the game names link to the attached image (which minimalistically-depicts a 24-hole golf course... "24?!" Yes. 24. ^_^).
As one will notice with the initial game (Cursed to Golf), a 'T' resides to the right of 345. This is indicating to the solver that they should accept 345 as referring (in some way) to 'T'.
Within the sets of numbers for most of the remaining games, again, one will notice that letters accompany some of the numbers. These, coupled with the first (345/T), seek to aid the potential solver with determining the meaning of the others.
In the upper (slight) left side of the golf image, there is a golf 'hole' with 'T' listed. One knows this to be related to 345.
A golf hole labeled with 'Q' (which is somehow related to 015) is located in the upper (slight) right side.
When examining all of the supplied numbers, one notices that the lowest is 000 and the highest is 345. Within the provided range of numbers, not one is less than 15 of any other.
Taking this into account (as well as the placement of the other provided numbers with letters), the '9' hole (which resides between 345/T and 015/Q)
must refer to 000.
From here, it is only a matter of deducing the meaning of the remaining numbers (as shown
here (top portion is derived from original)).
Note: As previously-stated (
here), the positions of many of the golf 'holes' are not as precise as intended. As the drawn lines within the
above image clearly indicate, 16 of 24 are flawed (not perfectly in-line with listed degrees),
which according to measurements, deviate a number of degrees from desired, and only '000 045 090 135 180 225 270 315' seem to be exact.
000/9 015/Q 030/B 045/7 060/S 075/D 090/1 105/J 120/G 135/5 150/Z 165/C 180/6 195/0 210/R 225/3 240/A 255/F 270/4 285/K 300/8 315/E 330/2 345/T
Even if one were completely unfamiliar with degrees of navigational heading, all of the available data would illuminate the path to determining each code.
Results:
345/T 330/2 060/S 105/J 030/B 075/D 135/5 240/A 000/9 000/9 195/0 315/E 135/5 255/F 090/1 300/8 135/5 000/9 =
T2SJBD5A990E5F1859 330/2 045/7 165/C 105/J 225/3 330/2 135/5 300/8 195/0 300/8 300/8 045/7 255/F 300/8 330/2 165/C 270/4 030/B =
27CJ32580887F82C4B 000/9 255/F 270/4 210/R 300/8 165/C 180/6 300/8 195/0 030/B 315/E 090/1 255/F 270/4 090/1 030/B 255/F 315/E =
9F4R8C680BE1F41BFE 030/B 315/E 045/7 165/C 165/C 090/1 165/C 135/5 315/E 255/F 135/5 135/5 075/D 195/0 300/8 075/D 180/6 075/D =
BE7CC1C5EF55D08D6D 150/Z 060/S 225/3 120/G 270/4 315/E 165/C 255/F 255/F 315/E 180/6 135/5 240/A 180/6 075/D 180/6 180/6 090/1 =
ZS3G4ECFFE65A6D661 285/K 030/B 300/8 180/6 135/5 030/B 165/C 000/9 225/3 135/5 045/7 075/D 300/8 030/B 270/4 315/E 090/1 315/E =
KB865BC9357D8B4E1E 225/3 240/A 030/B 015/Q 270/4 195/0 195/0 165/C 270/4 045/7 165/C 180/6 030/B 180/6 045/7 270/4 000/9 135/5 =
3ABQ400C47C6B67495 Solution to
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical puzzle:
Known Information The attached image depicts 21 squares confined within a thin, gray, squarish outline.
14 of the squares have unique colors, while the remaining 7 are white.
For now, it might be helpful to count the rows (which seem to be clearly defined, even without visible lines of separation). There appear to be 14.
Conversely, there appear to be 16 columns.
From the provided data, it is clear that following '7X96', there are 14 missing characters (the same as the number of rows). However, it would seem that there is an insufficient amount of information to proceed any further (in this direction, at the very least).
Perhaps, the file name of the image (D59A26E03B81F47C.png) might actually possess a deeper meaning...
Curiously, D59A26E03B81F47C consists of 16 characters (exactly the same as the amount of columns). Could it truly be as simple as asssigning these characters to each respective column?
Each of the seven white squares share a row with another square, but, said white squares do
not share columns with any other. The fact that they are plain, otherwise unpigmented, and relatively-common... maybe they are meant to be ignored?
That would suggest that the following columns are to be ignored: 5, A, E, B, 8, F, 4 -- this results in only 9 columns remaining in use (D, 9, 2, 6, 0, 3, 1, 7, C).
Now, the focus shifts to the rows. As there are no other indicators, it can only be inferred that the rows must refer to the positions of characters.
As it is known that the game code begins with 7X96, for the sake of consistency, it will be stated that the aforementioned characters reside at positions 0 1 2 3, respectively.
Holding the above to be true, the top-most square resides in column C and intersects with 4. However, the bottom-most square in column 7 could also be considered to intersect with row 4...
For now, in gradually progressing upward (from the bottom portion of the thin outline), the bottom row shall be known as 4, while the top will be thought of as 17 (as shown in
this attached image (which, for reference, also includes the original)).
If this theory is correct, 7 would be the first missing character, while 6, 1, C would immediately follow (and so on). Of course, just as easily, the order
could have been reversed (so, in the event that the first-attempted sequence had been incorrect, naturally, it would have been necessary to consider the opposite (top-down) approach).
The ultimate result (prefixed with the initially-provided four characters) is:
7X96761C31DC09D12C