| Author | Message | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1841 Registered: 2-2001 |
While walking home from work one day Biff noticed some graffiti and was deeply disturbed, even though it was but one bit of vandalism amongst a veritable wealth of such scribblings which he passed every weekday. Not only that, but he knew instantly who had perpetrated the defacement, and immediately set about notifying the proper authorities. So, why did it catch his eye and how did he know whodunnit? | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 80 Registered: 9-2006 |
Were the scribblings done by a gang? (In this case, it wouldn't be difficult to find out the person(s) involved, since each gang has its own "signature"). Were the scribblings on a wall? If so, is it relevant to know exactly where this wall was or which building it belonged to? Is Biff's job relevant? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1845 Registered: 2-2001 |
Danielvs Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 10:36 pm: Were the scribblings done by a gang? No. (In this case, it wouldn't be difficult to find out the person(s) involved, since each gang has its own "signature"). Were the scribblings on a wall? Yes. If so, is it relevant to know exactly where this wall was or which building it belonged to? Yope. Is Biff's job relevant? Yes. | ||
| Wunderland (Wunderland)
New member Username: Wunderland Post Number: 1321 Registered: 3-2005 |
Did it say something about Biff? | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 81 Registered: 9-2006 |
Is Biff a boy? teen? adult? elderly? Does Biff work in the police? Does he work for the government in some way? If he hadn't his job, would he still be able to recognize who wrote the scribblings? Is the city/country relevant? I assume it's a big city, since it's uncommon to find scribblings in villages, right? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1846 Registered: 2-2001 |
Wunderland Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 10:41 pm: Did it say something about Biff? No. ========================================================== Danielvs Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 10:51 pm: Is Biff a boy? teen? adult? elderly? Adult. Does Biff work in the police? No. Does he work for the government in some way? Possibly, not necessarily. If he hadn't his job, would he still be able to recognize who wrote the scribblings?No (with a very slight ish) Is the city/country relevant? Not really. I assume it's a big city, since it's uncommon to find scribblings in villages, right?Sure. | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3078 Registered: 12-2000 |
Hi Tim Was the graffiti in the form of words, or initials or pictures? Was it in the local language? | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 97 Registered: 8-2005 |
Spelling relevant? | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 82 Registered: 9-2006 |
Were the scribblings meant to reach Biff, specifically? Was Biff the only person who could understand the scribblings? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1851 Registered: 2-2001 |
Lynne Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 12:07 am: Hi Tim Hi Lynne! You're up late--would've answered sooner but I've been fixing dinner (only 19:00 here now). Was the graffiti in the form of words, or initials or pictures? Yope-ish. Was it in the local language? Noish. ========================================================== MartinfgPosted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 12:37 am: Spelling relevant? Noish, but could be ORT. ========================================================== Danielvs Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 2:27 am: Were the scribblings meant to reach Biff, specifically? NO. Was Biff the only person who could understand the scribblings? No, but good question. | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 85 Registered: 9-2006 |
Was it a word? A sentence? An excerpt from a printed material (eg a book)? Was it written in a language that is still spoken (eg Latin is dead)? If so, is this language taught in schools in any big city (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian)? Will Biff be damaged in any way (personal life, career etc) because of the scribblings, in case he does not notify the authorities? Will the authorities be able to erase the scribblings? Is it relevant? | ||
| Judgedeadd (Judgedeadd)
New member Username: Judgedeadd Post Number: 29 Registered: 9-2006 |
Were the scribblings exceedingly rude? Did they contain something illegal? Did they contain a signature? Were they done in a specific style? Did they contain something which could be done only by a specific person? Did Biff see the author around the area with the scribblings? Did he see the author draw the scribblings? | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 98 Registered: 8-2005 |
Is Biff a teacher? | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3080 Registered: 12-2000 |
Were the 'proper authorities' those who would clean up the graffiti? Or did they indicate that a particular criminal was in the vicinity? Did he call the police? Did he call the scribbler's parents? The scribbler's school? Did Biff know the scribbler personally? Had he had an encounter with him before? If so, was it face to face? Or did he read about him? Hear about him from watercooler conversations? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1852 Registered: 2-2001 |
Danielvs Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 3:13 am: Was it a word? No. A sentence? No. An excerpt from a printed material (eg a book)? Yes. Was it written in a language that is still spoken (eg Latin is dead)? Yope. If so, is this language taught in schools in any big city (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian)? Er, Yope. Will Biff be damaged in any way (personal life, career etc) because of the scribblings, in case he does not notify the authorities? No. Will the authorities be able to erase the scribblings? Maybe. Is it relevant? No. ========================================================== Judgedeadd Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 8:53 am: Were the scribblings exceedingly rude? Did they contain something illegal? No to both. Did they contain a signature? No. Were they done in a specific style? Well, yes, in that they were done by a specific individual, but I don't think that's what you're asking, is it? Did they contain something which could be done only by a specific person? No (might want to rephrase). Did Biff see the author around the area with the scribblings? No. Did he see the author draw the scribblings? No. ========================================================== Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 10:15 am: Is Biff a teacher? Yes. ========================================================== Lynne Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 11:25 am: Were the 'proper authorities' those who would clean up the graffiti? No. Or did they indicate that a particular criminal was in the vicinity? No. Did he call the police? No. Did he call the scribbler's parents? The scribbler's school? Yes to both. Did Biff know the scribbler personally? Yes. Had he had an encounter with him before? If so, was it face to face? Yes to these. Or did he read about him? Hear about him from watercooler conversations? No to these. | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 103 Registered: 8-2005 |
Was the scribbler one of his pupils? | ||
| 0815 (0815)
New member Username: 0815 Post Number: 502 Registered: 3-2006 |
Was there some spelling mistake in the graffito? which was typical for one of Biff's students? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1853 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 2:48 pm: Was the scribbler one of his pupils? Yes! ========================================================== 0815 Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 2:48 pm: Was there some spelling mistake in the graffito? No...but... which was typical for one of Biff's students? ...ORT | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 104 Registered: 8-2005 |
Had he seen this thing drawn/written somewhere before? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1854 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 3:02 pm: Had he seen this thing drawn/written somewhere before? Yes! | ||
| Judgedeadd (Judgedeadd)
New member Username: Judgedeadd Post Number: 43 Registered: 9-2006 |
Had he seen this thing in the scribbler's exercise book? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1855 Registered: 2-2001 |
Judgedeadd Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 3:23 pm: Had he seen this thing in the scribbler's exercise book? Not exactly, but still ORT... | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 90 Registered: 9-2006 |
Had he seen these scribblings on the scribbler's desk? Is the scribbler a teenager? A child? Were the scribblings a sort of abbreviation? Did the scribbler have any sort of motor coordination problem? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1856 Registered: 2-2001 |
Danielvs Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 7:24 pm: Had he seen these scribblings on the scribbler's desk? No. Is the scribbler a teenager? Could be this. A child? No. Were the scribblings a sort of abbreviation? Yes/yope. Did the scribbler have any sort of motor coordination problem? No. | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 93 Registered: 9-2006 |
He "immediately set about notifying the proper authorities" because it was not something expected from one of his students (actually, from any educated person)? Or there was another reason? | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3093 Registered: 12-2000 |
Was it obvious that the scribbler was from his school - and that would have been embarassing when attracting new parents at the start of the new school year? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1857 Registered: 2-2001 |
Danielvs Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 8:39 pm: He "immediately set about notifying the proper authorities" because it was not something expected from one of his students (actually, from any educated person)? No. Or there was another reason? Yes. ========================================================== Lynne Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 9:03 pm: Was it obvious that the scribbler was from his school Only to him. - and that would have been embarassing when attracting new parents at the start of the new school year? No. | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 107 Registered: 8-2005 |
Was the graffiti writing or a picture of some sort? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1858 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 9:39 pm: Was the graffiti writing or a picture of some sort? Yes. I mean, writing. | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 108 Registered: 8-2005 |
Was the content of the graffiti the thing that disturbed Biff? or was it just the fact that he knew the perpetrator? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1859 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 9:46 pm: Was the content of the graffiti the thing that disturbed Biff? No or yope. or was it just the fact that he knew the perpetrator? Yope or yopeish. | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3095 Registered: 12-2000 |
If he knew for sure that somebody else scribbled what was there would he have been so concerned? Was the graffit ist of any kind? racist, sexist etc? | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 95 Registered: 9-2006 |
Had he seen those scribblings before in the bathroom of the school? Was the scribbler a problem at school? Are the "authorities" the police? Any other public institution? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1860 Registered: 2-2001 |
Lynne Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 10:04 pm: If he knew for sure that somebody else scribbled what was there would he have been so concerned? Maybe, depends. Was the graffit ist of any kind? racist, sexist etc? No. ========================================================== Danielvs Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 10:22 pm: Had he seen those scribblings before in the bathroom of the school? No. Was the scribbler a problem at school? No... Are the "authorities" the police? No. Any other public institution? Possibly. | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 109 Registered: 8-2005 |
Is it relevant what biff teaches? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1861 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 11:04 pm: Is it relevant what biff teaches? Yes. | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 110 Registered: 8-2005 |
OK Art? Music? English? Languages? Sport? History? Geography? Maths? Woodwork/Metalwork? Science? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1862 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 11:13 pm: OK Art? Music? English? Languages? Sport? History? Geography? Maths? Woodwork/Metalwork? Science? Science. | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 111 Registered: 8-2005 |
Branch relevant? Chemistry? Physics? Biology? | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3098 Registered: 12-2000 |
Is this like the storyline of Good Will Hunting? Did the scribbler solve a problem? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1864 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 11:16 pm: Branch relevant? Yes. Chemistry? Physics? Biology? I had thought chemistry. ========================================================== Lynne Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2006 - 11:21 pm: Is this like the storyline of Good Will Hunting? Nope. Did the scribbler solve a problem? Not in my puzzle. | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 97 Registered: 9-2006 |
Did the scribbler have an above average intelligence? Was the scribbler admired by his teacher? Hated? Are the scribblings chemical equations? A chemical formula? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1865 Registered: 2-2001 |
Danielvs Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 12:48 am: Did the scribbler have an above average intelligence? +/- 10 of average, let's say. Was the scribbler admired by his teacher? Hated? Pre-scribble the teacher had a postive impression of the scribbler; post-scribble a negative one, how's that. Are the scribblings chemical equations? A chemical formula? Let's say yes to both/either--relatively complex organic chemistry reactions or something like that (beyond my knowledge of chem, personally). | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1866 Registered: 2-2001 |
BEGIN DISCLAIMER: Er, I suppose I should mention that no particular knowledge of chemistry or chemical formulae is required for the solvification of this here puzzle, just in case that scared anyone off. For myself, I had exactly one year of chemistry in grade 10 (USian high school sophomore) which was back in the mid-'70s*. END DISCLAIMER * Just to forestall the wiseacres among you (you know who you are!), that was the 1970s, not the 1870s or 1770s. I feel old enough already, thank you. Sheesh. | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1867 Registered: 2-2001 |
And, back then, we did have all the recognized elements for the periodic table, no matter what you've heard. All four: Earth, Air, Fire and Water | ||
| Danielvs (Danielvs)
New member Username: Danielvs Post Number: 98 Registered: 9-2006 |
Is this formula important for the future of science? Did the scribbler steal the formula from the teacher? | ||
| Judgedeadd (Judgedeadd)
New member Username: Judgedeadd Post Number: 50 Registered: 9-2006 |
Does the story have something to do with scribbler's successes at school? Did the teacher realize that the scribbler is cheating on his exams/etc? | ||
| 0815 (0815)
New member Username: 0815 Post Number: 509 Registered: 3-2006 |
Did he scribble down a formula that tells you how to synthesize something dangerous? explosives? drugs? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1868 Registered: 2-2001 |
Danielvs Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 3:09 am: Is this formula important for the future of science? No. Did the scribbler steal the formula from the teacher? No. ========================================================== Judgedeadd Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 5:15 am: Does the story have something to do with scribbler's successes at school? Yes. Did the teacher realize that the scribbler is cheating on his exams/etc? YES! ========================================================== 0815 Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 9:52 am: Did he scribble down a formula that tells you how to synthesize something dangerous? explosives? drugs? No, Jacek (Judgedeadd) has it above: The teacher realized that whoever wrote the graffiti was cheating. So, my first question--how did it catch his eye--has been answered, but how did he know the vandal's identity? | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 116 Registered: 8-2005 |
When you say we know how it caught his eye, is it because it was a chemical equation and he was a chemistry teacher? Is the equation correct? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1871 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 3:25 pm: When you say we know how it caught his eye, is it because it was a chemical equation and he was a chemistry teacher? Right, except I was thinking maybe multiple equations. Is the equation correct? No (or, given multiple equations, at least one was not correct). | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 117 Registered: 8-2005 |
Did the Graffiti artist get this equation right during an exam? Was the Graffiti visible from the school? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1872 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 3:58 pm: Did the Graffiti artist get this equation right during an exam? No. Was the Graffiti visible from the school? Yes. Almost there now... | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 118 Registered: 8-2005 |
Did the Graffiti artist paint it on a wall that he could see during an exam? But he got it wrong? So he also copied it down wrong in the exam? | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 119 Registered: 8-2005 |
Or is it much simpler i.e. he wrote it on the desk? | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1873 Registered: 2-2001 |
Martinfg Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 4:10 pm: Did the Graffiti artist paint it on a wall that he could see during an exam? Yes, exactly... But he got it wrong? YES! Exactly! So he also copied it down wrong in the exam? And Yes again! Looks like it's time for a... **** SPOILER **** Yes, Biff taught chemistry at a nearby school, and shortly after giving an exam he was walking home on a slightly different route than normal (he had an errand to run on the way) when he noticed that someone had made graffiti in the form of chemical equations. At first he was amused, since it seemed like an unusual subject for graffiti, but then he noticed a familiar mistake in the formula which brought him up short. Turning from the (very large) graffiti and looking back at the school building he confirmed that it was visible from his classroom window. Knowing who had sat near that window during a recent exam and who had made the exact same mistake, he realized that one of his students was cheating and hastened to notify the school administration. Well done, Martin. | ||
| Martinfg (Martinfg)
New member Username: Martinfg Post Number: 120 Registered: 8-2005 |
Marvellous, nice puzzle and a good end to the working week, I can go to the pub for a well earned beer now. | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 1874 Registered: 2-2001 |
Thank you, and as it's only 8:20am here right now and I can no longer have beer anyhow I'll ask you to have one for me  . |
