Questions tagged [enigmatic-puzzle]
Puzzles where the genre or solving strategy of the puzzle is not explicitly stated; puzzles where the puzzler must deduce what type of puzzle it is.
1,577
questions
10
votes
1answer
274 views
10
votes
1answer
313 views
You are not allowed to solve this puzzle without attending a short talk
My friends and I are to be given a short talk about providing the solution to this puzzle. You are not allowed to solve the puzzle without attending the talk. (see latest EDIT)
B
C
H
L
M
P
W
Question
...
4
votes
0answers
134 views
Grandpa's last laugh
To say my grandfather was eccentric is like saying water is wet - technically incorrect, but close enough that nobody really cares. I suppose in lieu of a better word "eccentric" will do.
In ...
5
votes
0answers
114 views
Regarding the universe; life, death, neutrons, stars; everything
My brother Yzarc recently returned from his summer road trip, so I went to visit him.
He seemed unusually quiet, sitting pensive in a chair and watching the clouds. This was unusual, since typically ...
5
votes
1answer
143 views
Dave is meaning to tell me something, but he looks a bit shy. What is he trying to tell me?
We have been through a lot with Dave. Lately, he is a bit strange. He always looks like he's trying to tell me something -- maybe some sort of confession.
Today he sent me these maps. I know that ...
4
votes
1answer
78 views
A very odd story
I met a man once while out for a walk. "Tut, tut!" He would say, as he wandered this way and that. I saw him approach a group, "You there! Will you trade? I've got a lovely a nut right ...
32
votes
2answers
2k views
Which country did my sister visit?
My sister is always talking about pilots. And her passengers. And planes in general. She's a flight attendant, see, and she is OBSESSED with all things aeronautical (always has been). On the rare ...
8
votes
1answer
156 views
See you in the morning
"See you in the morning. Make sure you're not late," my grandfather said. Then, he handed me this photo and left. I was worried I wouldn't be able to solve my grandfather's puzzle, so I ...
4
votes
1answer
295 views
A Large Equation - Small Puzzle
My brother Yzarc is always trying to be clever.
Today he claims that 2 equals 10w43e25s10e36n31w.
Why does he say that?
Hint:
I asked my brother why he chose this particular expression, and he said it ...
7
votes
1answer
183 views
Board of Important Numbers
I was visiting my cousin, a mystery writer and lover of puzzles, when I noticed this list of numbers on her white board.
13,814,070
26,818,110
86,811,060
18,819,190
10,914,190
33,915,010
36,912,211
...
7
votes
1answer
233 views
A Game of Black and White
Two people are playing a board game that involves dice. However, one of the players has rigged the dice so that they get the highest possible roll on every turn, while the other player gets a random ...
3
votes
1answer
393 views
A Devilishly difficult puzzle (I am the author of the puzzle)
Who is summoned by this pentagram?
Hints:
4
votes
1answer
256 views
Can you find the 2 words and solve this puzzle?
Answer to this puzzle consists of two words that are related to the game Old School RuneScape:
3
votes
0answers
140 views
The madness of a master
It was midnight. Mr. Holmes was suffering from abdominal pain, shortness of breath, pain in the bones, skin lesions and whatnot? So in this condition, why would Mr. Holmes drive to Brazilian Churches, ...
18
votes
1answer
222 views
Can you solve this Rubik's cube from inside of it?
You have woken up to find yourself trapped in what appears to be a giant Rubik's cube. A Rubik's Cage I suppose. Bewildered, you take a look around (better video on imgur or just click the photo).
...
12
votes
1answer
245 views
A treasure hunt at your local fair!
(Note that due to the nature of this puzzle, it's inaccessible to folks who are using screen readers. Sorry about that!)
You're at a local fair with your friend Kayleigh in the good old US of A, and ...
7
votes
0answers
229 views
Sequence Puzzle - First Question of 42
Professor Tera was walking on Connecticut Road, where there are some public restrooms.
Tera saw some students standing in a row. They seemed to be playing a game called Evolution.
And it looked like ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
Chess-related puzzle
I'm working on a problem for this cyber security camp, and we're doing a CTF right now. I have one problem left, and I'm almost certain it relates to chess, so I've come here for advice!
Having ...
54
votes
2answers
1k views
This month's $100 question (not a real prize)
****A big one to celebrate my half-century (50th puzzle)!****
I work as a puzzle setter at FakePuzz (not a real magazine). This morning I burst into the office of Eddie Tor (not a real editor) so ...
11
votes
2answers
855 views
What you gotta do?
You have 10 groups of 4 words:
DUO, IRON, LINKS, ROCK
ICE, LED, METAL, TIC
DRILL, PI, WIN, WOO
BRA, IGNITE, LOOM, RUBBISH
AIR, DUST, GO, PAT
AUDI, AURA, MEOW, SPEW
GRIMM, HOOT, MUD, TAIL
ASK, BELL, ...
12
votes
2answers
580 views
+50
An insensible hexagon
The puzzle is (almost) self-contained in the grid above. You can "move" from a tile of the grid to another if they share at least a vertex. After the maze is complete six things will clue to ...
27
votes
2answers
1k views
Looks can be deceiving
Text version:
I saw an "I", he said "it's L"
I saw an "L", he said "it's V"
I saw a "P", he said "it's Q"
"Don't you get it?" he ...
16
votes
1answer
334 views
The Pitiable Coder - Edition 2
It had been a while since my favourite newspaper had published any puzzles. In fact, it had been so long since 'The Pitiable Coder' released $\mathbb{CHEMICRYPTICS}$, that I was beginning to think ...
21
votes
1answer
309 views
Monument Valley Sudoku
Another Sudoku monstrosity from the brains of Yours Truly. No rules are given, part of the challenge is trying to work out what the rules are :)
16
votes
2answers
1k views
The trip of a lifetime… but to where?
Your best friend Alex is great, but she's a bit too into puzzles for your taste.
Today, she sent you a package. It included a letter informing you that she’s planned the adventure of a lifetime for ...
8
votes
1answer
208 views
Obfuscated characters
Hidden in These Numbers, letters, and symbols YOu will find something quite Particular.
To solVE: please stAte the name foR Code LIke this
...
5
votes
1answer
116 views
Competitive puzzles
Do you know any sort of puzzles that can work in the context of a short competition? In other words, puzzles that have these features:
The premise should be fairly simple to follow (but the solution ...
15
votes
2answers
453 views
A maze, a statue, and a riddle
Hints at bottom
John and Jeffrey had been friends for a long time. After meeting at Fort Bragg and serving in the military in the 60's, they had always remained close, even living in the same town ...
15
votes
1answer
200 views
Mathematics is Material
The instructions for this puzzle...darn it, I wrote them down around here somewhere. Well, you're smart so I'm sure you'll figure it out!
CSV:
O,H,T,N,E,Z,R,I,G,M,R,V,P,O,U,E,N,L,I,O,I,E,D,F,I,E,S
N,...
6
votes
1answer
187 views
An Enigmatic Game
I have a fun-ky puzzle for everyone today.
Here is the position.
FEN-rnbq1rkb/ppp1pp2/5p2/8/8/4K3/PPPPNP1P/RNBQ1R2
It can be reached in one way in exactly 9.5 moves, or 10 White and 9 Black moves. ...
12
votes
0answers
359 views
You are the admissions counselor at a school for magic
You are the admissions counselor at a school for magic. You are tasked with the job of sorting incoming students into one of various study-tracks provided at this prestigious institution. The way the ...
18
votes
2answers
466 views
Where am I supposed to be tonight?
This is bad. Really bad.
We’ve only just met, and you don’t know me from Adam, but I really need your help – it’s a matter of national security.
I work for… well, let’s just say I work for the ...
18
votes
1answer
349 views
Tribute to Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri
The background text that follows is in this case not part of the puzzle, nor fictitious. The puzzle, which is self-contained, consists entirely of the image below; I have composed it as a genuine (...
10
votes
1answer
481 views
Where did he hide the key?
On his sister's birthday, James gave her a special treasure chest containing her birthday gift. However, knowing her love for riddles and puzzles, he did not give her the key. Instead, he gave her ...
5
votes
0answers
215 views
Truly unexpected thingy in a Radcliffe novel!
Ann Radcliffe was an English author in the Gothic style at the turn of the nineteenth century. Among the many interesting points in her remarkable career though, one little story is but poorly known. ...
18
votes
1answer
327 views
Dr Aphorism's advice
My old science teacher Dr Aphorism was brilliant – not just at teaching (and, of course, science), but also at providing invaluable life advice. I always remember one day when I went to her office to ...
30
votes
2answers
1k views
Alice and Bob invent a game
The rain was still falling in Wales, and Alice and Bob were terribly bored of having to stay inside the caravan. With just a deck of cards to entertain them they had played all of the card games in ...
5
votes
1answer
194 views
What's the puzzle?
Someone sent me a photo of the last few lines of a puzzle. They were:
BULLDOZER OVENPROOF BROADTAIL
BREAKER ASYNTACTIC TIFF
ALKYNE ABOUND EVASIVE
BEVERAGE HILARITY COOTIE
What ...
13
votes
0answers
303 views
A fairy tale in a golden toy
Once upon a time, long long ago, in the days when good stories were far more beautiful and far harder to come by, a king was asked by his spoilt but beloved princess daughter to give her a fairy tale. ...
15
votes
1answer
213 views
Where did I go on this trip?
I went on a trip yesterday. However I can't quite remember where I went. All I have is my diary entry for yesterday, but I'm struggling to make out where it was I went still. Maybe you can help?
...
17
votes
1answer
228 views
Fun with Flags part 10: don't lose count
In a Formula 1 race, the chequered flag was waved so violently that the black and white patches got mixed up. Who was waving the flag, when and where?
Other (independently solvable) puzzles of this ...
9
votes
1answer
337 views
Fairground Disappointment
This Welsh town's northern fair is, after all, very backward: firstly popcorn with lemon; secondly, bloody agility swings; finally, scary clown going away without starting. All agog, very chewy outer ...
47
votes
1answer
1k views
Selective attention: an unusual game
There's a park behind the local basketball courts, where I like to go for quiet time. The other day, a group of thirty people arrived with a basketball as I was sitting down. One sat next to me, ...
11
votes
3answers
326 views
Where were we supposed to go?
This puzzle will tell you where my family were supposed to travel to this summer, had it not been for the Covid-19 outbreak.
Can you tell me where?
3
votes
0answers
200 views
Does this riddle have coordinates in it? [closed]
I have been given this riddle that is supposed to revel a location:
You might disagree, but invite them anyways; you can at least talk it out.[A drum of what follows a copy / Foxtrot10 Yankee1 alfa11 ...
19
votes
1answer
303 views
A pack of wordsearches
In designing this puzzle involving wordsearches, I struggled to identify the correct collective noun for them. Asking around, nobody knew - a herd? A gang? A parliament?! After much prolonged (perhaps ...
11
votes
0answers
484 views
Just another day in the Shack
I work at the logistics base for a major remote research station in...well, I'm not supposed to say. Let's call Artanctica. It's a great job most days, because most messages are scheduled and routine. ...
34
votes
1answer
1k views
Ridiculous problem from an old maths textbook
There's a puzzling little problem I found in one of my old maths textbooks (Basics of Madthematics). In the middle of a whole bunch of normal problems on calculus and algebra and whatever, suddenly ...
13
votes
1answer
232 views
The calamitous Captain Clumsy
I'm a communications engineer with the Royal Navy - it's a great job, and usually I love it. But there is this one guy who absolutely grinds my gears. I call him 'Captain Clumsy' (not to his face, ...
12
votes
2answers
398 views
Fun with Flags part 9: a different design
We are looking for a 3-word phenomenon.
Hint 1:
Hint 2:
Hint 3:
Hint 4:
Other (independently solvable) puzzles of this type: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10.
