[Agent Lex]

The cube in front is a distraction. The background is key

[blandestk]

the format questions do not refer to base 10 or base three, but the sudoku format: the card only shows 7x7 instead of 9x9. which is it?

i am still confused as to how each circle is correctly numbered in the first place. is starting in the upper left and working right the correct method? or is the order that several people have posted in terms of small to big/thin to thick correct? and why?

[Grizy]

Re: Three

[mudkiplvr]

Three

[mudkiplvr]

Three

[Porthselu]

I realised that it was a sudoku puzzle, then substituted numerals for the circles (for ease of working). The answer then is a medium thick circle. I can see what you mean by base three, but how do you know which way to convert the circles to numbers ?

[fretty]

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

Your answer is right but in base three, you need to enter your answer in decimal

[beglee]

markytc wrote:

beglee wrote: format?? im pretty sure that the answer is just a number, or so i seem to recall when entering the answer last month Ok, so im not going mad! I think the answer is Spoiler (Rollover to View): 20 Can anyone confirm whether thats right or not. And if it is, then it's not accepting it! M

Essentially thats right, but what you need to do is:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

convert that base 3 number back to base 10, i.e. a normal number

[markytc]

beglee wrote:

format?? im pretty sure that the answer is just a number, or so i seem to recall when entering the answer last month

Ok, so im not going mad!

I think the answer is

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

20

Can anyone confirm whether thats right or not. And if it is, then it's not accepting it!

M

[beglee]

format?? im pretty sure that the answer is just a number, or so i seem to recall when entering the answer last month.

[EDIT]altho i cud be wrong, my memory is a bit hazy

[markytc]

Some help people!

I know what the answer is but im stuck on how to format it!

Can anyone help?

M

[Mindez]

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

There are a lot of errors in that =p 1 small thin = 1 = 1 1 small thick = 2 = 2 1 medium thin = 10 = 3 1 medium thin with one small thin inside = 11 = 4 1 medium thin with one small thick inside = 12 = 5 1 medium thick = 20 = 6 1 medium thick with one small thin inside = 21 = 7 1 medium thick with one small thick inside = 22 = 8 1 big thin = 100 = 9

[/spoiler]

[fuse]

Something's bugging me with this one - I actually want to get my head round it too, rather than just plugging in the answer...

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

What sort of grid layout are we supposed to use for the Sudoku side of things? Using the lines on the card gives me this; http://dioxyn.net/stuff/pxc199.gif Which means I'm either using the wrong grid layout, or I'm working the numbers out all wrong...

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Sentinel]

Thank you for that fretty, I hadn't noticed the differences with the circles.

[fretty]

Now that the card makes sense I can explain it. The scan doesnt show all of the circles but since you have the card you can see them clearly:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

As double cross rather aptly figured out it is a sudoku puzzle with a twist. You may notice that there are nine shapes in the puzzle, small thin circle, small thick circle, medium thin circle, medium thick circle, medium thin circle with thin inner circle, medium thin circle with thick inner circle, medium thick circle with thin inner circle, medium thick circle with thick inner circle, large circle. If you number them in base three as the title suggests with thin being 1 and thick being 2 then you get: 1,2,10,11,12,20,21,22,3 Now you can make a sudoku out of this, I find it easier to turn them into 1-9. If you solve the sudoku you will find the number 6 where the question mark is on the card or if you're working in base three you get 20, which I expect is the accepted answer.

All in all, this card is a little obscure but very ingenious.