Hunt Questions for April 1994
Vladimir Vrabec
vrabec at cs.felk.cvut.cz
Tue Apr 12 15:32:35 CEST 1994
Pratele,
pripojuji otazky pro dubnovou Gatesovu soutez. Byly zverejneny
vcera vecer.
Vladimir Vrabec
*****************************************************************
* *
* THE INTERNET HUNT *
* *
* QUESTIONS FOR APRIL, 1994 *
* *
* answers due by *
* *
* Midnight, Monday, April 18th *
* *
*****************************************************************
OK, here's a diversion...
I mentioned that we'd be in for something a little different this
time. Here, if you didn't catch it the first time, is a piece of the
April announcement which explains how this Hunt is set up....
FROM THE ANNOUNCEMENT
=====================
Now for something completely different...
Well, a little different at least. This month, we'd like to try
something more akin to the classic linear treasure Hunt. You know,
you find a clue, and it leads to another clue, and to another until
you arrive at the final answer, er, treasure.
I'd like to do something similar with the April Hunt, but with a
twist. Here's how things have worked themselves out.
When I first thought of doing this type of Hunt, I thought that what
I'd need to do was to contact various system administrators around the
world and ask them if they could place a small clue to just be used
for the Hunt. Then they could delete it when the Hunt was over.
There were a few problems. First, I'd need to have the clues placed
far enough ahead of time to insure that they'd be run across by the
varioius indexing programs, like Veronica and Archie.
Second, I'd need to line up a bunch of system administrators, some of
the busiest folks alive, and convince them that the idea had merit,
and that it wasn't just some grad student screwing around. (Well,
maybe it is :-)
So I thought about it for a while, and came up with the following
idea...
Why not make each clue (save the first) reliant on a particular piece
of Net-info before it would make any sense. So clue 1 leads you to a
particular piece of Net-info. Clue 2, by itself, doesn't lead you
anywhere particular, but coupled with the info found in clue 1, will
lead you to more Net-info which coupled with clue 3 leads you further,
and so on.
As this still may not be particularly clear, here is an example:
Clue 1
-------
It's difficult to find Net stuff
That's strewn so far and wide
Unless you finally scream "Enough!"
With Archie at your side
eye net dot services dot tee ex tee
Can help us with Clue Two
For then we see as plain as me
Just what we need to do.
Stare at the clue long enough and you'll realize that it's asking you
to do an Archie search on inet.services.txt. This just happens to
be...
Info 1
------
The Yanoff list
OK, so now here's clue 2...
Clue 2
------
Kids like animals to be sure
From 10 to age 15
A fuzzy rodent will endure
Once Clue Three has been seen
Note that this clue is not real helpful on its own, but coupled with
info 1, you shouldn't have any difficulty finding the following in the
Yanoff list...
Info 2
------
KidLink Gopher telnet kids.ccit.duq.edu or telnet 165.190.8.35
offers: Telecomm. project aimed at 10-15 year olds. (Login: gopher)
OK, now we're rolling. Let's take a look at clue 3...
Clue 3
------
There once was an artist named Ida
Who's artwork was most bona fida
At her family's new home
We will find two that roam
And two that will choosa to hida
Once again, there is little here that you can use on your own, but
once you have info 2, you know you're working with the Kidlink gopher,
and thus, you should have little problem discovering the KidArt menu,
artfiles, denmark, and then Ida's artwork. Look around a bit and
you'll find...
Info 3
------
The picture of Ida's new house (gopher://kids.ccit.duq.edu 70//
0/kidart/artfiles/denmark/kidart-cdk03) has 2 chickens on the ground
and 2 in a tree.
Ok, so 'chickens' then becomes the info that will help us make sense
of clue 4, which might be asking about some recipe, and so on. Get
it?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE CLUES
===============
I've tried to set each clue up so that it would be *really* hard to
figure it out without solving the previous clue. Still, as I've
mentioned, the Hunters are sharp... so I'll impose the rule that the
first entries solving all 10 clues will be declared the winners. Look
for a few changes then, in the Rules section for this month.
Almost every clue has 2 vague areas, one that is a necessarily vague
mention of the solution provided by the previous clue, and the other
that is left vague because it's the solution to the current clue.
I suspect that this Hunt will not be for the faint of heart. In
addition to the Hunt being more conceptually difficult this time,
there are also a few clues that might come under the heading of 'truly
evil'. Then again, I've though I had tough stuff before, only to find
the Hunters make short work of them. Let's watch and see.
Finally, I'd appreciate any feedback that anyone might have about this
type of Hunt, whether you're hunting or not. This type of thing is
tougher to write than a normal Hunt, and I'd really like to know if
you thought it was good, or thought it was the Devil's own spawn. :-)
SCORING
-------
1. Whoever correctly solves all the clues first shall be declared
the winner.
2. In the event that nobody solves all the clues, the player
with the most clues solved shall be declared the winner.
3. If there is a tie for highest point total, the player who
responded first shall be declared the winner.
4. Assume you're solving the clue for someone who understands
the basic network tools (ftp, telnet, finger, gopher, etc.), but just
doesn't know where the data is. Answers like:
ftp host.university.edu
...will not score as high as:
anonymous ftp to host.university.edu
cd /pub/documents
file is called important.txt.Z
Don't feel that you have to detail how to use ftp. Instead, tell me
the steps you've taken to find your answers, what tool you used to find
it, and if necessary, the end information itself. I need to be able
to recreate the steps you took.
5. It's always a good idea to let us know how you decided where to
begin looking. After all, we can't have everyone thinking that you're
all geniuses with innate Net-knowledge! :-)
THE RULES
---------
1. There are a total of 10 clues. I have personally verified that
each of these can be answered using only the resources of the Net.
2. Solve as many clues as you can. Partial credit is awarded.
3. Teams are allowed to submit entries. These must be designated as
such. Pick a team name. Team entries will be scored separately from
individual entries.
4. All answers must be mailed to me. My standard signature will
be at the bottom of this message.
5. The contest will run for one week from the date of posting of this
message. The deadline should appear in the header at the top of this
message.
6. Feel free to send me potential question for the Hunt, be they
scored, or mystery.
7. I consider this and all Hunt files to be in the public domain.
8. Have fun! What's it all for, after all?
THE HUNT
========
Clue 1
------
Mothers read us Jack and Jill
As learning curves start up their hills
Ms. Jones will lead us further still
With info grist for reason mills
A factoid that might leave some sore
Is graduates working door to door
Some work the streets or drive a truck
Or one of these. Is it just luck?
Clue 2
------
(Overheard in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.A.]
"Hey Bob"
"Hey"
"Did you end up going home over Spring Break"?
"Yeah, I had to help the folks pack for the move"
"So they're really leaving Boston 'eh?"
"Uh huh, they took everything with them, except... the Porsche!"
"O wow, cool. So it looks like you won't be buying tickets to
Boston anymore."
"That's right... though I'll miss my favorite delicacies at
the ticket counter."
Question: What does Bob consider a delicacy?
Clue 3
------
ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
-------------------------------------------
Security Division: April Supplies
---------------------------------
| Item Description | Vendor | Quantity |
| | | |
| | | |
| Metal Badges | Opperman | 200 badges |
| Uniforms, Cotton | H & M | 5 unif. |
| First Aid Kits | Taylor Medical | 12 kits |
| Bob's Delicacy | ?????????? | 3 gross |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Clue 4
------
"Welcome to Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous! This week we
take a look at a woman who has made her way to fame and fortune
selling to Community College Districts. Who would have
believed that from such humble beginnings would spring the posh
life that has graced us all. Her philanthropy is known far and
wide. In fact, we are now standing at the entrance to a
library named after her!... well, after someone with the same
first name, at least!"
[cut to inside the library]
"We are now standing in the rare-books area of the library,
talking with a librarian... Could you tell us more about the
collection"
"We collect rare books in the areas of Saratogiana, Science
Fiction, and book illustrations of the period of..."
"Well that's lovely, and we'll learn more about that period
when we return from this short message!"
[cut to endless Soloflex infomercial]
Clue 5
------
That period was but now it lives
Through teachers teaching what it gives
To us today. This course will say
Of the technology of that day
Clue 6
------
Florentine Stew
---------------
1 late career in the department of clue 5
1 lb knowledge of Renaissance society
3 t imagination
4 oz commitment to patrons
6 sprigs of Medici patronage
Combine all ingredients in a large Uffizi. Mix well. Bake for
a few centuries. Deliver to the state of the campus of the
author of the review.
Clue 7
------
A school in the unmentioned state
Has books on reserve, ain't that great?
Mr. Sankovitz knew
That the atlas we'd view
Has a subject of will and of fate
Clue 8
------
The only general
Clue 9
------
"Well, I think the author's name was Feller, and the
illustrator was Gates, and it had the word 'books' in the
title. It came out in the early 80s."
x = the number of Univ of California campuses with a copy.
Take the xth letter of the general's name
Then change it to 's' to continue this game
Move it to last place and then you will know
That you've got a new word. So off we will go
To the largest discussion you ever have seen
And then choose a group with this word in between
That's most palindromic (on lexical grounds)
Then step right on in and look all around
Opinions are wanted on the eastern U.S.
Where feds will wander and agents don't rest
And the last three letters that have Li's attention
Are what will finally stop this invention.
Clue 10
-------
-These are the letters that Li built
-This is a meaning that lives in the letters that Li built
-This is a group, a 4 letter group, that decided the meaning
that lives in the letters that Li built.
-This is a conference, on making Daneel, that's sponsored by
the group, the 4 letter group, that decided the meaning that
lives in the letters that Li built.
-This is the city, that's hosting the conference, on making
Daneel, that's sponsored by the group, the 4 letter group, that
decided the meaning that lives in the letters that Li built.
-This is the company, quite indivisible, that lives in the city,
that's hosting the conference, on making Daneel, that's
sponsored by the group, the 4 letter group, that decided the
meaning that lives in the letters that Li built.
-This is the group, a project of sorts, composed of three
members, along with the company, quite indivisible, that lives
in the city, that's hosting the conference, on making Daneel,
that's sponsored by the group, the 4 letter group, that
decided the meaning that lives in the letters that Li built.
------------------------------------------------------
Rick Gates rgates at locust.cic.net
Student & Lecturer
Univ. of Arizona (602) 621-3958
1515 E. 1st St.
Tucson, AZ 85719
*****************************************************************
More information about the net
mailing list