Strolen's Citadel: The Strange Parchment By Monument

This could be used any time you want the party to answer a riddle. I would recommend giving this to them in written form, so they can examine it visually, so that the answer becomes obvious after a while. This puzzle shouldn’t take long for any group of players to solve, but I found it interesting enough on it’s own to make a puzzle out of it.

Personally, I used this as a test of intellect for meeting with a very busy officiate. You see, he didn’t like dealing with stupid people, and this tended to clear out the riff raff.

This is a most unusual paragraph. How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so ordinary that you would think that nothing is wrong with it at all, and, in fact, nothing is. But it is unusual. Why? If you study it and think about it, you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any way. You must do this job, though it is taxing, without any hints or coaching. No doubt, if you work at it for a bit, it will dawn on you. Who knows? So don’t act lazy for it will avail you nothing. Go to work and try your skill. Good luck!

The paragraph has no letter E.

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Comments ( 16 )
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Roack
2005-08-09 06:25 AM

0xp

So it has every other letter?

manfred
2005-08-09 06:30 AM

Certainly not (x comes to mind quickly), but E is the most often used letter in English. A bit insidious, but a nice puzzle.

This should go into Puzzles:
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1127

Ancient Gamer
2005-08-09 07:16 AM

Well, add the missing letters beside E and it is a good puzzle. 4/5 on the puzzle-rank.

manfred
2005-08-10 02:24 AM

In plain English, the letters e,j,v,x,z are missing - I'd really would like to see if they can be put together into something that makes sense. :)

Monument
2005-08-10 07:10 PM

Feel free to give it a whirl(Q is missing too, btw), I'd be interested to see what you come up with. "Valid" might fit in nicely(for V), perhaps the phrase "at this junction" to use a J word. X and Z... hrm... good luck!

Barbarian Horde
2005-08-11 01:23 AM

The 'q' is there, buddy.

Monument
2005-08-11 01:37 AM

DOH! Wait, I never said it was missing. Nope. Wasn't me. I *neeeeeeever* said that. *shakes head in disbelief* LALALALALALAI'MNOTLISTENINGLALALALA...

Monument
2005-08-12 04:40 AM

For "X", "wax nostalgic" maybe, somehow put that in there?
Still thinking on Z, something to put in there. Zaphod... well, maybe not... ;)

First sentance: "At this junction, wax nostalgic on this most unusual but valid paragraph." ??? Takes care of J, X and V. Might throw them off being a bit poetic for the rest of the thing...

HELP ON Z!!!

Ancient Gamer
2005-08-12 09:57 AM

This is a most unusual paragraph. How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so ordinary that you would think that nothing is wrong with it at all, and, in fact, nothing is. But it is unusual. Why? If you study it and think about it, you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any way. You must do this job without any hints or coaching. No doubt, if you work at it for a bit, it will dawn on you. Who knows? So don't act lax and lazy for it will avail you nothing. Go to work and try your skill. Good luck!

~AG

Monument
2005-08-12 11:16 AM

Any way to separate the X and Z words a bit more? As it stands, it looks like they are intentionally placed(not entirely uncoincidentally).

Ancient Gamer
2005-08-12 01:37 PM

This is a most unusual paragraph. How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so ordinary that you would think that nothing is wrong with it at all, and, in fact, nothing is. But it is unusual. Why? If you study it and think about it, you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any way. You must do this job, though it is taxing, without any hints or coaching. No doubt, if you work at it for a bit, it will dawn on you. Who knows? So don't act lazy for it will avail you nothing. Go to work and try your skill. Good luck!

Monument
2005-08-12 03:11 PM

If that covers it(sans E, of course), I'll update the riddle to reflect that.

J=job
X=taxing
Z=lazy
V=avail

No E. I will update the riddle with that one, it looks good to me. Thanks to everyone for all their help!

valadaar
2006-09-06 06:54 PM

Only voted

Murometz
2007-02-23 07:35 PM

nifty brainteaser!

Ramhir
2010-09-19 07:13 PM

Great puzzle. Been a GM for 20+ years but this is the first time I've been on this site. Will be back often, I can tell.

PoisonAlchemist
2011-07-17 03:39 AM

This is simply fiendish, a good puzzle. I always feel cheap when I have puzzles which revolve around the english language though, because in many RP settings there are dozens of languages. Who is to say Common is even something we can understand? Anyway, a minor quibble on a great work.

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