Area 51 » Recreation

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Puzzling

Proposed Q&A site for those people who love to create and solve puzzles.
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11  
Does this include riddles? – Sniffer Aug 4 '10 at 11:53
7  
Riddles are totally different from puzzle. It is a statement or question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning. These don't have any proper logic to solve. So I think riddles are not appropriate for this proposed site. – chanchal1987 Aug 4 '10 at 16:30
5  
NOTICE: Please discontinue using this Announcements area for comments. For questions, please use "create new discussion" below? Thanks. – Robert Cartaino♦ Jul 19 '11 at 17:14

This proposal is now in the Commitment phase — example questions are locked!

38 Example Questions (7 closed)

active oldest votes
up vote 21 down vote
When generating Sudoku puzzles, how do you determine which, and how many numbers to take out?
added by warren, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Aug 5 '10 at 15:15
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up vote 20 down vote
What is the easiest and fastest method to solve "Rubik's Cube" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik's_Cube)?
added by chanchal1987 Aug 4 '10 at 8:10
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up vote 18 down vote
How do you solve Sudoku puzzles?
added by Wikis Aug 4 '10 at 18:00
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E.g. do you have a fixed plan (that you could automate) or do you work intuitively? – Wikis Aug 4 '10 at 18:01
up vote 18 down vote
How does one get started constructing crossword puzzles?
added by sblom Sep 7 '10 at 15:24
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up vote 17 down vote
Are there any algorithm to solve "Fifteen puzzle" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-puzzle)?
added by chanchal1987 Aug 4 '10 at 8:40
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up vote 11 down vote
Wikipedia says that the "Walls & Lines" puzzle is unsolvable (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walls_&_Lines). Is it right?
added by chanchal1987 Aug 4 '10 at 16:43
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up vote 10 down vote
In a regular sudoku (9x9 squares) what is the absolute minimal amount of given numbers such that the puzzle is solvable?
added by Gamecat Nov 13 '10 at 21:12
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I'd also be interested to see what rules of reasoning are available, and whether there are different 'orders' of rule. That's probably covered by Wikis' suggestion. – Rhubbarb Feb 17 '11 at 22:24
up vote 10 down vote
"This statement is False" leads to a paradox, but is the correct answer to "This statement is True" True or False?
added by oosterwal Feb 10 '11 at 22:02
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up vote 10 down vote
What is a "Knights and Knaves" problem?
added by oosterwal Feb 10 '11 at 22:11
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up vote 9 down vote
How does the Chinese man disapear in the Sam Loyd puzzle?
added by Gamecat, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Nov 5 '11 at 10:52
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up vote 8 down vote
What strategies are used to solve the rush hour puzzle?
added by JiminP Jun 14 '11 at 2:18
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up vote 7 down vote
What is a good place online to find "Logic Grid Puzzles"? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic_puzzle#Logic_grid_puzzles)
added by jwaddell Dec 20 '10 at 3:51
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up vote 6 down vote
How do I solve puzzle #3 in <name a videogame>?
added by blueberryfields Dec 8 '10 at 22:14
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I like this, but would it not belong in gaming.stackexchange.com ? – Mike Wierzbicki Oct 15 '11 at 14:41
up vote 5 down vote
What's the oldest known puzzle? [closed]
added by Sniffer Aug 4 '10 at 18:14
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closed as off topic by warren, Gary Levin, chanchal1987, blueberryfields, Vikas Dec 10 '10 at 9:38

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.
up vote 5 down vote
What is the next in the sequence...? (numbers, shapes, words, ...; maths-, language-, knowledge-based, ...)
added by Rhubbarb Feb 17 '11 at 22:12
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up vote 3 down vote
How can the following "Tangram" be solved? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangram): http://www.tanzzle.com/archive8_files/26_2_2010s0.JPG
added by chanchal1987, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Aug 5 '10 at 15:16
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up vote 3 down vote
Are there layer based solutions of Rubik cubes greater than 3x3x3? (most of them just try to get a 3x3x3 equivalent).
added by Gamecat Nov 13 '10 at 21:19
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up vote 3 down vote
What's the secret to winning a 3-D 4x4x4 Tic-Tac-Toe game?
added by oosterwal Feb 10 '11 at 22:05
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up vote 3 down vote
How can I create my own Logic Grid Puzzles? Is there any software that does this?
added by oosterwal Feb 10 '11 at 22:13
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up vote 3 down vote
What are good variations of the game of...? (Chess, Draughts, ...)
added by Rhubbarb Feb 17 '11 at 22:10
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up vote 3 down vote
There are 100 doors/boxes, and ...; What strategy can be used to maximise the ...?
added by Rhubbarb Feb 17 '11 at 22:30
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up vote 3 down vote
What are good resources for a beginner cryptic crossword solver?
added by sjp Apr 3 '11 at 14:07
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up vote 3 down vote
There are 25 horses. What is the minimum number of races to find the top three horses? In one race, 5 horses can be run. There is no tie in any race.
added by balki, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Nov 5 '11 at 10:50
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up vote 2 down vote
What are some good practices for storing completed jigsaw puzzles?
added by MrHen Apr 19 '11 at 18:07
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up vote 2 down vote
Does anyone have a list of good mathematical puzzle books, like Gardner's and Conway's?
added by eugen Jul 29 '11 at 8:32
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up vote 1 down vote
How do I go building my own Rubik's Cube-like device? [closed]
added by blueberryfields, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Nov 5 '11 at 10:52
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closed as off topic by irrelephant, jwaddell, bigown, sjp, awesomeguy Apr 10 '11 at 19:34

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.

I am not sure it is off-topic if it is made more precise. After all, creating puzzles is also about prototyping those puzzles as objects when it makes sense. – ogerard May 6 '11 at 7:58
up vote 1 down vote
Puzzle included below, prize to the first one to solve it! [closed]
added by blueberryfields Dec 8 '10 at 22:14
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closed as off topic by irrelephant, Rory Alsop, markbruns, bigown, oosterwal Feb 8 '11 at 21:47

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.
up vote 1 down vote
What variations are there for the "Brothers and Sisters Have I None" puzzle and what are the solutions?
added by oosterwal Feb 8 '11 at 22:12
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up vote 1 down vote
Multiple-choice puzzles of the form: Which is the odd one out...? (Shapes, numbers, words, ...)
added by Rhubbarb Feb 17 '11 at 22:08
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up vote 1 down vote
What is the history behind the 15 puzzle?
added by MrHen Apr 19 '11 at 18:03
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up vote 1 down vote
What is the minimum number of moves required to arrange the Rubik's Cube colors?
added by Prasanth Nov 3 '11 at 5:46
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up vote 0 down vote
100 people allocated seats on a plane. 1st person seated at random; others seated correctly if poss. Prob. of last to be correctly seated? (Ans: 1/2)
added by Rhubbarb Feb 17 '11 at 22:19
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This question has a simple answer. I would be interested to discuss why the answer is simple, or to find different ways to view the problem that might lead to enlightenment. – Rhubbarb Feb 17 '11 at 22:21
up vote -1 down vote
What is your favorite puzzle? [closed]
added by gereeter Jul 13 '11 at 16:36
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closed as off topic by Mechanical snail, Phira, F.C., John, stevether Sep 16 '11 at 20:37

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.
up vote -3 down vote
In the computer world, what is the difference between these two words, "weeie" and "error"? [closed]
added by Vikas, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Nov 5 '11 at 10:52
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closed as off topic by Rory Alsop, markbruns, sjp, chanchal1987, Chad Jun 7 '11 at 16:31

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.
up vote -3 down vote
Here is the clue for 22A from [particular cryptic crossword]: (clue). What is the answer, and why?
added by jwaddell Dec 20 '10 at 3:43
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up vote -4 down vote
If 1=5,2=10,3=15,4=20 then 5=?
added by Sarang Dec 28 '10 at 5:56
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up vote -10 down vote
What is the question to which the answer is 42? [closed]
added by Tobias Kienzler, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Aug 5 '10 at 15:16
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closed as off topic by warren, Vatine, blueberryfields, Vikas, sjp Apr 3 '11 at 13:52

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.

42 – Tobias Kienzler Aug 4 '10 at 8:27
up vote -10 down vote
How can world peace be achieved? [closed]
added by Tobias Kienzler, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Aug 5 '10 at 15:15
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closed as off topic by warren, chanchal1987, Vatine, Rory Alsop, markbruns Dec 22 '10 at 22:06

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.