Lateral Puzzles • View topic - The Chatroom (Archive, 1 Sep 2018

by **Balin** » Sat Sep 01, 2018 3:47 am

With the onset of September comes autumnal cleaning and a fresh new chatroom thread.

I am not sure how to stick it to the top of the page (or how to unstick the now-archived one over there), so if a wiser mod (Pete) could do that, I'd appreciate it.

by **jumpingjacks** » Sat Sep 01, 2018 8:01 pm

Chatroom hasn't been terribly active lately... let's change that! Hi everyone!

by **Earnest** » Sun Sep 02, 2018 7:27 am

Hi!!!
May start with 2 topics I would like to discuss with you? Is it possible here to chat about something not related to the forum?
If so, has anyone ever used Fiverr? Some friends introduced it to me and said is widespread in USA.

Thanks

by **jumpingjacks** » Sun Sep 02, 2018 3:53 pm

I haven't personally used Fiverr, are you looking to use it as a client or as a freelancer? I've used other similar sites before, and I imagine the pros and cons are about the same -- it's easy-ish/convenient to get work, but because some people are willing to work for very little, rates are driven down. Good if you're a client I guess, though then there's the issue of guaranteeing quality.

by **Earnest** » Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:39 pm

Well...I would like to offer services and to start exploring online opportunities...I am quite unfamiliar indeed. I know there is the need of having skills in order to emerge from the crowd (good logos, good design and so on)...so I was asking myself whather it is better or not to be affiliate with an expert in the field

by **jumpingjacks** » Sun Sep 02, 2018 10:27 pm

What services are you hoping to provide?

by **Earnest** » Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:40 am

Well since I'm actually doing a PhD in Economics Networks and Business Analytics I would like to provide both technical and non technical translations from italian to english and an help (I have to design it yet) on STATA, R code and Excel. Then one of my friends is going also to provide presentations in latex and ppt...that's the hope but since we are trying to attract small/medium sized firms already online or willing to enter on the online, we are quite worried about the design and the "looking professional" part of it :sss

by **peter365** » Mon Sep 03, 2018 7:18 am

I've pinned this post so it remains at the top of the page.

Earnest , it's absolutely ok to post here about things not related to the forum, that's half the point of having the chatroom.

by **Earnest** » Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:30 am

Many thanks peter!
Well I also would like to say sorry to invisiblemimsy and everyone else in the forum for my infinite posts. The fact is that I am able to check the happenings in the forum generally once or twice in the day so that I concentrate all my thoughts and questions. I am done like that so please tell me if I'm exagerating during the solve

by **Balin** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 4:02 pm

Don't apologize; it's great that you're helping keep the forum active! (Unfortunately I can't help with your question about Fiverr, as I've never used it.)

I've finally got a photo of a road sign that was the solution to one of my puzzles a few months ago:

: IMG_2097.JPG (38.22 KiB) Viewed 135566 times

by **WiZ** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 4:40 am

You asked two good questions on the last archive of the Chatroom, Earnest.

When you proposed the idea of a TEDx talk on Lateral Thinking, did you mean about the phenomenon of the Lateral Puzzle, the techniques to approach a problem laterally (testing assumptions, asking correct broad questions, being creative and ensuring the solution is logical), or how to apply lateral thinking in a business context?

Paul (our admin) has delivered several talks on the subject. There are a few floating about on the internet, but here are some interesting ones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKFjbR59-bg (On the puzzle phenomenon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RCb_zkKXWU (On how to apply lateral thinking to business)

by **Earnest** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:22 am

Wow I did not know it! Anyway as a student I was thinking about lateral thinking in decision making. The aim could be both educational (for children...starting from examples of puzzles also from the forum, we could lead step by step children/teen to lateral puzzles in every day decisions...the concept is "lateral thinking is cool and you can be cool by thinking laterally") or about management and business, above all online business...indeed I have not thought about it, anyway it could be focused aroung the main concept that in a world in which anyone could possibly sell online and pay a designer to impress buyer, the difference is made by people able to think out of the boxes...

by **jumpingjacks** » Tue Sep 25, 2018 11:28 pm

OH HI EVERYONE

Is it still tradition to announce one's birthday in the chatroom? Is it still tradition to know that it probably still is, but to ask anyway if it is still tradition to announce one's birthday in the chatroom?

Either way... it's my birthday!!!!! Wooooo!! :lol:

by **WiZ** » Tue Sep 25, 2018 11:57 pm

Happy birthday, Jumpingjacks, and many happy returns.

I see it's a milestone, too - welcome to the Thirtysomething club. It's not a bad place to be.

by **Earnest** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:51 am

Happy birthday!

by **peter365** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:48 am

Ah yes I remember the 30s club. I'm no longer a member

Happy birthday JumpingJacks

by **Balin** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 8:10 pm

Happy birthday Jackie! (And thanks for sparking chatroom activity again - a present to the forum!)

by **Earnest** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 8:16 pm

Guys I think I have proposed previously. But what about organising a skype lateral session (which I'm absolutely not an expert...I just heard about it)?

by **jumpingjacks** » Thu Sep 27, 2018 4:43 pm

Thanks guys! Hopefully another year of accumulated wisdom will augment my puzzle-solving abilities! Haha

by **trebor** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:29 am

A happy belated birthday, jumpingjacks, and welcome to the club.

by **trebor** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:32 am

Earnest, I may be interested in that. I’m in Canada for another week before I jet off to Scotland for a fortnight to visit my partner. I have no idea what jet lag will do to me if we’re looking at sometime before the end of October.

by **Earnest** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 11:04 am

Ok...let's organize it

. As I said I have absolutely no idea on how it works...is there someone who has experienced it before?

by **WiZ** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:13 pm

I ran a puzzle a couple of months ago about a wet-behind-the-ears bartender inadvertently offending her clients with Klan references...

Well, it appears Katie McGettrick has moved to New Zealand and is now working for an advertising agency:

Kiwi Klassic K-Bars.

by **Balin** » Fri Oct 05, 2018 3:01 am

Advertisers never seem to watch their acronyms...

by **peter365** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:49 am

"One of my better solves" he said without a trace of modesty.

by **peter365** » Fri Oct 19, 2018 7:47 am

Hi everyone , I'm getting increasingly concerned at the lack of new members joining the forum.

As a moderator I get emails asking me to approve first time posts of new members. Unfortunately in the past these have contained a lot of very obvious spammers. In the last few months these emails have stopped completely and I'm concerned that some anti spam upgrade has blocked all new users irrespective of whether they're genuine or not.

Can anyone remember the last newbie to post on here?

I might drop Paul Sloane a line to ask if there's been some change recently that might be affecting people's ability to join but before I do can I ask if any of my fellow mods are still getting the new user emails?

by **Balin** » Fri Oct 19, 2018 4:20 pm

I've never gotten any of the "new user" emails.

by **Earnest** » Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:34 pm

Wait wait wait...is Paul Sloane actually in the forum? O.O...what an honor!

by **Balin** » Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:41 pm

Yep - Paul is "Admin."

by **Earnest** » Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:43 pm

But...does he actually participate actively to the forum? I mean has he got a nickname that can be told in the chatroom?

I just realize I am doing questions as if I am trying to solve a puzzle xD...sorry
...just I am honored and thankful to be in this wo derful forum!!

by **trebor** » Sat Nov 03, 2018 5:41 am

I haven’t seen him post in the chatroom since before I actually became a member, but he hosts puzzles under the name Admin once in a while.

by **Earnest** » Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:44 am

Oh I see...

by **JenBurdoo** » Sun Nov 04, 2018 5:37 pm

I haven't had a New User email in ages either, Peter.

Hi folks. Sorry I've not been in here and puzzling. Got a few new ones to keep me posting for a bit.

by **peter365** » Wed Nov 07, 2018 3:38 pm

Our venerable master Paul Sloan (Admin) doesn't post as many puzzles as he used to (like myself) although he did run one in July of this year. I've had the pleasure of meeting Paul twice and I recall him telling me that he used to use this forum to test drive puzzles that he was planning on putting in his next Lateral Puzzle book.

Like Jenburdoo I too can only apologise for my lack of acitvity at the moment. I know the forum is quiet and I'd like to help but my muse is on another call at the moment.

On a separate note, In just a few short weeks we'll be kick-starting our annual 'Puzzle of the Year' poll. I'm hoping that either Balin or WiZ are beavering away at getting things ready.

by **Balin** » Wed Nov 07, 2018 5:04 pm

I've got a "short list" of nominees that's not all that short, so yes indeed.

by **WiZ** » Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:11 pm

I'm happy to start the thread, do the tabulations and polite coughing etc, unless someone else fancies a turn.

Not sure I'll have time to collate the puzzles in a word doc this year, though - my new job is making some quite serious inroads into my leisure time, as you may have noticed by my general level of activity in the second half of the year.

by **peter365** » Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:12 am

Wiz , the word doc is what annoying projecty types would call a 'nice to have'. The puzzles are all there in the solved section and are easily read so don't feel under pressure to produce the document this year.

Like Balin I've started a list of my favs and it's nice to see that while the quantity may be down there's stil some serious quality there.

by **Doriana** » Mon Nov 12, 2018 12:07 pm

Oh so I guess I'm one of those annoying projecty types, I call basically 50 % of things "nice to have"

I have three new puzzles that I'm dying to post (not literally though), so please ask some questions on my current puzzles!

by **WiZ** » Mon Nov 19, 2018 8:33 pm

Since it's tradition, I will announce that I had a birthday. It's still the correct day somewhere in the world.

by **Earnest** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:46 am

Happy bday!!!!!! Since you are in New Zeland I assume Italy is one of them ahaha

by **Balin** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 1:44 pm

Happy birthday yesterday!

by **peter365** » Thu Nov 22, 2018 8:41 am

Belated birthday greetings Mr WiZ.

by **Balin** » Thu Nov 22, 2018 3:47 pm

And happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Even if you don't live in a country with a day set aside for thanks, I'm sure you have a lot to be thankful for.

by **Doriana** » Thu Nov 22, 2018 4:20 pm

Happy very belated birthday, WiZ!

Any happy Thanksgiving! I asked a friend today what he was thankful for, and he said "That Thanksgiving is not a thing in Germany" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

by **WiZ** » Thu Nov 22, 2018 7:21 pm

I'm thankful for the LTPF, and that it just keeps on keeping on. It's frankly amazing that a forum with such a small active user base has kept alive and maintained a standard of quality for almost 2 decades.

I'm also thankful for your kind birthday wishes. I'm 1/3 of the way to the Queen's telegram (or will be in March).

by **Doriana** » Thu Nov 22, 2018 7:53 pm

Which brings us to the question whether the Queen will send herself a telegram on her 100th birthday...

by **WiZ** » Thu Nov 22, 2018 8:20 pm

The Duke of Ed's less than 3 years out from qualifying for one; we can use him as a test case.

by **Hobbsicle** » Sat Dec 01, 2018 1:47 am

Good morning, afternoon, evening, or blackest of nights to you all. I got a new phone, so my internet is more reliable on the go. Glad to rejoin the world of wide webs, and my favorite forum. Well, sometimes a car or computer forum is my favorite, depending on the level of emergency. I’m not sure how much help this site would be in such cases. I’d have to go through at least twelve rounds of questions before I got anything from you lot.

I hear election is coming up, so I need to see what puzzles you all have been cooking up the past few months. Wouldn’t want to be an uninformed voter.

by **Earnest** » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:43 am

Welcome back

by **WiZ** » Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:30 am

We were keenly feeling your absence. And that's not keenly as in 'yeah, Hobbiscle's absence, woo!'. Great to have you back.

by **Balin** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 10:22 am

I missed the LTPF tradition yesterday and forgot to mention that I turned 27. This is the one year I can be glad I'm not a rock star.

by **Earnest** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 4:28 pm

Happy bday!!! I did not think you were so young! Well...I am actually 25 so nothing to say, just you look (well look is not the more appropriate word...anyway...) more mature!

by **peter365** » Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:46 am

Belated Happy Birthday Balin . Darn I was 21 when you were born :cry:

by **peter365** » Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:55 am

HI everyone

Certain esteemed members of this forum (well WiZ, Balin and myself) have been discussing our annual Puzzle of the Year competition which we've run at this time of year in 2016 & 2017 . The consensus we reached was that we're going to wait until early January to run 2018's competition to ensure that puzzles that get solved over the festive season are not excluded.

So if you're sitting on a puzzle you think may be of the calibre needed to win this most coveted prize then get posting. In the meantime why not take some time to browse the many wonderful puzzles in our solved section to see which are your favs so far this year.

We'll post the rules of the comp and the timeframe for voting in early January so watch this space.

Sláinte!

by **Doriana** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 12:53 pm

Happy belated birthday, Balin!

I'm turning 27 next year and I'm thinking about throwing a Club 27 themed birthday party. Or a sports themed birthday party because it's the only year my lacrosse jersey number will match my age.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 4:48 pm

Happy belated birthday, Balin!

I hadn't forgotten the LTPF, but Real Life came and knocked me down, emotionally mostly, and I didn't feel up to puzzling. However Doriana kitteh found me and extracted me from my pile of anxiety and (I admit) some self-pity to remind me I do have actual friends, and the best kind, puzzling friends, so here I am, your truly Kaylee kitteh always.

Glad to be back *offers hugs to all*

by **Doriana** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 4:56 pm

*accepts Kaylee's hug offer*

I'm glad to see you back on the LTPF. We're always here for you!

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 5:33 pm

Doriana wrote:*accepts Kaylee's hug offer*

I'm glad to see you back on the LTPF. We're always here for you!

*kitteh pawz hugz* <3 I'm glad to be back! Thank you for bringing me back <3

by **Balin** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 7:47 pm

Welcome back, Kaylee; Glad to see you back here!

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:12 pm

Balin wrote:Welcome back, Kaylee; Glad to see you back here!

I'm glad to be back! How was your birthday?

by **Balin** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:14 pm

Wasn't bad, wasn't great. The only difference so far about being 27 is that for the last few months I was 26, I kept thinking I was 27 and was wrong. Now when I think I'm 27, I'm right.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:17 pm

Balin wrote:Wasn't bad, wasn't great. The only difference so far about being 27 is that for the last few months I was 26, I kept thinking I was 27 and was wrong. Now when I think I'm 27, I'm right.

XD

Well, I keep forgetting I'm 33. I still feel like I'm 20 something or not even that. And in May I'll be 34, so...o.O

by **trebor** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:25 pm

Welcome back, Kaylee.

It’s interesting to see the range of ages of people here, and to wonder what happened to former members, dating back to the old site. I’m 35 and thought for sure that many members were older than me, but I’m not so certain of that now.

by **WiZ** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:28 pm

Ah, I'm the same age as Kaylee. And Redwine, if I recall correctly. And just behind Trebor.

I started on this forum as a young teenager, and was a very strong argument against allowing young teenagers to participate in this forum

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:57 pm

Hi trebor and WiZ ^_^ good to see you again too

my ten year anniversary passed without me noticing, I think - I'm pretty sure my first puzzle (on the forum before this one) was September 2008. It was a LatVenture. I was pretty happy with it

funny to think how much things have changed for me since I was 23 (and a nervous wreck about my sis TortieKitten turning *20*...she just turned 30 last month!! Cripes...)

by **Doriana** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:13 pm

I've been on the LTPF for 8 years now - I posted my first puzzle on December 15, 2010. That means that when Kaylee and I first met on the LTPF in December 2010, she was younger than I am now :shock:

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:22 pm

I like bananas. But I like LTPF friends even better.

by **GalFisk** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 4:32 pm

I'm 37, in case anyone's wondering.
I started out at the old forum. Isn't that archived somewhere? It would be fun to go back and find my first post.
The first puzzle I recall was about a tetris machine going haywire and beginning to tetris away things in the real world when they lined up.

by **Balin** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 5:08 pm

On the right side of the page, under "Forums," there's a link to "Archived puzzles." The old forum is there.

And the puzzle you're talking about is this one.

by **GalFisk** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 5:16 pm

Thanks Balin!
Thursday, September 24, 2019 - 9:17 am will be my 10-year LTPF anniversary.
So far 294+8236 posts, counting this one.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 9:18 pm

GalFisk wrote:Thanks Balin!
Thursday, September 24, 2019 - 9:17 am will be my 10-year LTPF anniversary.
So far 294+8236 posts, counting this one.

happy belated nine-year anniversary, at least

...actually, you were already on the forum before me, you were there when I joined. I think my brain was failing me, and it's been my EIGHT year anniversary this past September. I joined in 2010, I think. *looks to make sure* Yes. Sorry. Clearly, I can't count, and my brain got boggled from how many times I've read the older puzzles (especially the woubit Christmas puzzles. What, no woubit this year?)

I think one of the first puzzles I worked on was one of yours, Galfisk, and it involved a plane called "the banana" (or, well, the puzzle involved a banana at any rate, and you told us about your skydiving plane called "the banana" which may or may not have figured in the puzzle...now I don't remember) which in turn inspired one of my own puzzles.

by **GalFisk** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 7:58 am

Cool. Here's the puzzle: http://www.lateralpuzzles.com/discus/me ... 20868.html

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 8:02 am

GalFisk wrote:Cool. Here's the puzzle: http://www.lateralpuzzles.com/discus/me ... 20868.html

THAT'S IT! *bounces excitedly* I remember it now!

what ever became of the banana and the cucumber? the banana did manage to get repaired from its banana oil problem, I think?

by **peter365** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 10:38 am

I'm 48 and I'm approaching my 12th LTPF anniversary . I'm not as prolific a puzzler or poster as some of you but I've been pretty constant presence here since January 2007. My children used to be a great source of puzzles but as they've grown older (they're 21,20 and 15) they're not providing as much ammo as they once did. The only mini sabaatical I've ever taken was for 6 years last May when I had a bad fall and broke my shoulder in two places.

With woubit absent from the forum and Lynne and Admin only popping in very occasionally I dare say I'm the eldest 'regular' on here . Despite my greying hair (including beard) and my expanding waistline I don't feel any older than I did when I first joined this wonderful forum.

It's nice to see you back here Kaylee and it's great that we have such a dedicated hardcore of members who keep this happy place ticking over.

Long live the forum!!!

by **GalFisk** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 11:21 am

The banana I think has been sold abroad. The ones who bought it from us never completely got rid of the mechanical issues.
The cucumber was repainted and refurbished, and has been the jumpship of the neighbouring club to the north for several years. I'ts now nearing retirement, and being sold to a flying club where it can fly out its last years in less intense conditions.

We now fly the Pig, a plane intermediate in size and power between the cucumber and banana (which was also known as the Cow).

I hope that within 5-8 years, technology will have progressed to the point where we can jump from an electric airplane. We have a huge hangar roof that could be filled with solar panels, for generating free flying power.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 5:50 pm

Hi Peter, glad to see you too, and merry (almost) Christmas! (In case neither of us drop in on the day itself.

)

Aww, Galfisk, sorry the banana and cucumber have gone their separate ways (from each other), and that the cucumber is almost ready to leave you. The Pig sounds awesome. I guess pigs do fly?

Solar powered electric airplanes sound awesome! What a great idea

By the way, my puzzle is still open for questioning!

by **Balin** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 6:39 pm

The only mini sabaatical I've ever taken was for 6 years last May when I had a bad fall and broke my shoulder in two places.

There's not much "mini" about that length of sabbatical...

(Hope your shoulder's healed up. It's useful to have two functioning arms when putting up Christmas decor.)

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 8:23 pm

I think Peter must mean six months. Or six weeks, lol. Anyway my puzzle, "Paternal Problems" would still like some love, but I'm going out with my mom and won't be back until this evening. I'd love to have some questions to answer when I get home!

(I feel like Nimue now - anyone seen her lately? And where on earth is woubit???)

by **trebor** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 7:23 am

I don’t know if I’ve seen Nimue post on the new forum. I wasn’t a member of the old one, but I certainly read the puzzles and followed along for far too long without having the courage to join. I seem to recall that she mainly hosted puzzles instead of asking questions, yes?

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 7:29 am

Yes I think so. It's been a long time since I've seen her, but I remember her puzzles. I hope she's well.

Anyway I'm glad you're here trebor

by **Doriana** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:06 am

Nimue left the forum some years ago - I think I remember her getting into an argument/debate about the quality of her puzzles, and then she announced her lateral retirement. However, we have exchanged some pictures of cats and desserts (two things we both like very much) over the last couple of years.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:14 am

Oh - now you mention it, I think I remember that argument, or at least some of it. I didn't realize she'd left for good though.

If you're still corresponding with her, maybe let her know I say hi and hope she's well. I don't want to try and make her come back or anything if she really doesn't want to, but it's good to know she's still there, at least.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Mon Dec 24, 2018 4:34 pm

Happy Christmas Eve, my fellow LTPFers! For those of us who are celebrating, I hope it's a wonderful holiday, and for everyone else, I wish you a wonderful day in any case <3

*is staring at Balin's puzzle* think, think, think...*sigh* I'm not feeling very useful there. Oh well, at least my puzzle's still going...

by **Doriana** » Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:30 am

Merry Christmas to those who are celebrating! And happy Tuesday to those who are not :lol:

I hope you all have a wonderful day, regardless of whether you're celebrating Christmas.

by **Earnest** » Tue Dec 25, 2018 9:09 am

Merry Christmas guys...for those celebrating eat and drink a lot. Solutions to lateral puzzles are better found out with some alcohlic beverage

by **peter365** » Tue Dec 25, 2018 11:15 am

Nollaig Shona Doaibh go lèir. A very happy Christmas to you all from your Irish puzzle pal.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Tue Dec 25, 2018 4:34 pm

A very happy Christmas to you as well, Peter, and to all the LTPFers who celebrate. Happy Tuesday to everyone as well

by **trebor** » Tue Dec 25, 2018 6:19 pm

Well, I’m grateful for all LTPFers here, and for many past members as well. Merry Christmas (or happy Tuesday, or whatever you celebrate) to all of you.

by **Balin** » Wed Dec 26, 2018 4:45 pm

I wasn't on yesterday, but I hope you all had a particularly merry Christmas.

by **Admin** » Thu Dec 27, 2018 10:49 pm

Merry Christmas and a Lateral New Year.

by **peter365** » Fri Dec 28, 2018 4:06 pm

I just realised I said 6 years was the longest sabaatical I've ever taken from the forum , I meant 6 weeks if course :lol:

From memory I don't think it was an argument over the quality of her puzzles that led to Nimue's departure , the forum had just switched from the old version to this one and I think she was increasingly frustrated at the lack of activity on her puzzles.

I hope she comes back here as she was very prolific and kept the forum active during some quieter times.

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Sun Dec 30, 2018 4:23 pm

peter365 wrote:I just realised I said 6 years was the longest sabaatical I've ever taken from the forum , I meant 6 weeks if course

From memory I don't think it was an argument over the quality of her puzzles that led to Nimue's departure , the forum had just switched from the old version to this one and I think she was increasingly frustrated at the lack of activity on her puzzles.

I hope she comes back here as she was very prolific and kept the forum active during some quieter times.

I knew what you meant. :lol:

I hope so too. I also miss woubit's fine puzzling (though Balin's done a good job keeping up the Christmas puzzle)

I get frustrated at the lack of activity too sometimes

by **WiZ** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:28 am

Happy new year to all you sillies in the northern hemisphere freezing your backsides off.

24 Celsius in Tokomaru Bay. Not a cloud in the sky, and about as many cars on the road.

I hope 2019 brings you success, fulfilment, and inspiration for puzzles.

by **Balin** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 3:01 pm

Happy New Year to you all as well. May it be a joyful one.

by **Earnest** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 6:34 pm

Happy new year guys from Lucca, Italy

by **peter365** » Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:19 am

Happy new year from an unseasonably mild Ireland . We're normally freezing our butts off at this time of year but it feels like spring outside.

Here's to another great year of puzzling fun

by **WiZ** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:01 pm

Ah. Back from holiday now. Looks like we're in for a quiet January. Do check out the Puzzle of the Year thread if you have not already done so. We need more nominations, or else we'll have to put OAATP#1 to a no-confidence vote.

I see the subject of Nimue's departure has come up again. This was her exit speech, in which she cited the lack of activity on her puzzles, and that she was no longer prepared to deal with this.

I understand her frustrations. This is a small forum with limited activity. We often have periods of inactivity, some of them continuing for days at a time. And when people are stumped, they're stumped. The nature of lateral puzzles is that they're often solved through leaps of faith, or a midnight epiphany, both of which are difficult to force.

However, I think she took this as more of a personal affront than was warranted. When her puzzles were not attracting attention, neither were anyone else's, for the most part. That said, I do think that her hosting style worked against her. She tended to stick religiously to unqualified yes/no/yope/irrel answers, and didn't give hints or guidance as solvers went along. There was often quite a specific strain of knowledge required, particularly with scrunds. It may also have hurt that she didn't participate in others' puzzles as a matter of principle; while this would be a non-issue on a busier forum, the low level of activity here means that a bit of reciprocity is necessary. We must be prepared to both set and solve, regardless of our strengths, to maintain a turnover of puzzles. Yes, I know I need to do this more, too.

There was a quite pointed post in the Chatroom (which I made) decrying scrunds as a terrible genre of puzzle. When I wrote that, I hadn't realised that Nimue was the progenitor of this puzzle type. In hindsight, I should have apologised, although I wouldn't have been able to retract any of the opinions I made in good conscience. While this took place years before her departure, there is evidence that it affected how welcome she felt here: she lamented at one stage of 'the anti-scrund brigade', not that such a thing would have any point (if a forum member didn't like a particular style, there are many other puzzles to choose from).

I would hate to think that we've become a forum that drives people away - I know we're better at avoiding 'gate-keeping' and criticising puzzles than we were in the noughties. I do wonder how much of that is unadulterated civility and how much is driven by our need to attract and keep new members...

by **trebor** » Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:58 am

As a new member, but someone who read along on the old forum, I can say that even though I log in most days, sometimes my brain has just been too mush-ified by all my other concerns to do anything other than a re-read of the puzzles I'm working on. I do note that sometimes questions go unanswered for a while, but I'm saying that knowing full well that I've yet to host a puzzle. I have one that I will post at some point soon, but I need to do it when I can guarantee enough time to give helpful answers. Shouldn't be long now.

I did notice that Nimue never got herself involved in other people's puzzles. Even from the sidelines, it seemed odd to see someone call for participation on their own without participating in other people's. Even though I'm doing the same thing, but in reverse. Cough cough.

by **peter365** » Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:28 pm

HI everyone , it's your moderator speaking :lol:

We had some recent discussions about the worrying lack of new members on our beloved forum and today I finally got off my backside and did something about it.

I tried setting up a new account and noticed that the confirmation code functionality to stop automated registrations (BOTs) is not working and that means the perspective user cant' progress beyond that step in the process. It looks to me like a simple upgrade of that piece of software will address the issue.

I've dropped our lord and master Mr Sloane (Admin) a mail and asked him to get on to his tech guy to have a look at the problem , hopefully this can be done relatively quickly and cheaply .

I'll keep you posted on progress but at least we now know why there's been such a drop off in new members and that it had nothing to do with the quality of content here

Here's to an influx of lovely new puzzlers (and the odd spammer I'm sure).

Peter

by **nimue** » Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:34 pm

Remember me? I went off the forum in 2014, but I'm back with two new puzzles. Please solve them!!

by **nimue** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:39 pm

I've just posted a new puzzle & am eager for your clever questions!!

by **GalFisk** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:35 pm

Welcome back!

by **nimue** » Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:36 pm

I appreciate ( & have answered) the latest round of questions about my puzzles "Delayed Reaction" & "A Teachable Moment," but the new puzzle I posted yesterday ("A Bad End" ) seems to have disappeared. How come?

by **nimue** » Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:39 pm

Opps!! I just found mu puzzle "A Bad End," which I thought had disappeared. Sorry about the false alarm!!

by **NewTestUser** » Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:13 am

Hi folks Peter365 here , I think I've managed to fix the new user issue and I'm using this post to see if the new Test Account I created is able to post.

Can any moderator confirm if they received an email notification that a new member called 'NewTestUser' was awaiting approval.

by **peter365** » Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:23 am

Hooray it worked. Hopefully that's the end of our 'lack of new members' issue.

Can I remind my fellow Moderators to be very careful when approving new members so we aren't letting spambots in . Most of them have fairly nonsensical names and can be easily spotted.

I'm actually absurdly proud of myself for fixing this issue.

Happy puzzling.

by **Admin** » Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:41 pm

Peter,

Well done!

Paul

by **JenBurdoo** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 1:14 am

I did see NewTestUser. Plus around a hundred more, all of which have suspicious names. Except, possibly, Sterling.

by **peter365** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 7:20 am

I got the same Jen , I approved Sterling and ignored the rest. At least the SpamBot's non-sensical names helps us isolate them.

by **nimue** » Sat Jan 26, 2019 6:59 pm

I have just answered the latest round of (inspired) questions on my puzzles & am eager for more, as I have lots of work to do & long for a distraction!!

by **nimue** » Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:27 pm

Thanks for the latest round of questions. I have answered them & posted a HUGE HINT on"A Teachable Moment." I'll be online for at least 2 hours, so. . .

by **Doriana** » Sat Feb 02, 2019 10:37 am

Good morning puzzlers! Sometimes when I click on a link within the LTPF (e.g. just now when I tried to access the Active Puzzles section from the homepage), I get this error message. Does this happen to anyone else?

by **GalFisk** » Sat Feb 02, 2019 12:30 pm

It does happen to me sometimes.

by **nimue** » Sun Feb 03, 2019 5:55 pm

I have just answered all the outstanding (in both senses!!) questions on my puzzles & have also posted a new puzzle. I'll be online for at least 2 1/2 hours, so. . .

by **Hobbsicle** » Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:09 pm

I've been out of pocket for the last couple of weeks and will mostly continue to be so for the next week, but wanted to drop in and attend to my puzzles. I'll get back into things after that. Enjoy yourselves!

by **nimue** » Tue Feb 05, 2019 6:36 pm

Thanks for the latest round of questions, all of which I've answered. And I've posted a HIGE HINT on "A Bad End."

by **nimue** » Tue Feb 05, 2019 6:36 pm

Thanks for the latest round of questions, all of which I've answered. And I've posted a HIGE HINT on "A Bad End."

by **Hobbsicle** » Sun Feb 10, 2019 2:49 am

To moderators, just a note that CoffeeBean's "Three Meetings" puzzle has been solved for a few months, so you can move that one over.

by **Doriana** » Sun Feb 10, 2019 2:26 pm

My puzzle "Stop me if you think you've heard this one before" has also been solved for a while, the title was just too long to add a $poyler tag.

by **nimue** » Sun Feb 10, 2019 6:19 pm

I've just answered all the questions on my puzzles, including the ones I had overlooked. I'll be online for at least 2 more hours, so. . . .

by **nimue** » Sun Feb 10, 2019 6:39 pm

And I've just posted a new puzzle!

by **KayleeArafinwiel** » Tue Feb 19, 2019 7:50 am

nimue wrote:And I've just posted a new puzzle!

NIMUE! you're BACK! and I'm back! <3 happy belated new year Nimue, good to see you, hope you've been well *offers hugs*

by **Earnest** » Thu Feb 21, 2019 7:47 am

Hi all!

Can you please suggest me good and difficult lateral thinking puzzle books? I have already some (outstanding lateral think8ng puzzles by Paul Sloane; Remarkable Lateral thinking puzzles again by Aul Sloane; another by Paul and the last one by Erwin Brecher called "Puzzles of lateral thinking logic"), and would like something difficult and challenging with solutions in order to train a little bit more.
Thank you in advance

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Feb 26, 2019 2:55 am

Hey Earnest,

I'm not sure about which ones are especially difficult. I have many of Sloane's books (and a couple from other authors), and they all do a pretty good job of starting easy and getting more difficult towards the end. And really, I think it's often the simpler ones that help train my brain to make those lateral leaps.

by **Earnest** » Tue Feb 26, 2019 7:04 am

Ok thanks...so I'll check for new Sloane's ones!

by **WiZ** » Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:00 pm

I think the two most suitable ones from Paul and Des' collections are:

Improve Your Lateral Thinking: https://www.amazon.com/Improve-Your-Lat ... 0806913746

The puzzles in this one are rated on a points system, with the 4-pointers being the most difficult puzzles. These will appear at the end of each puzzle category, and are grouped together in a 'miscellaneous fiendish' section at the end.

Outside-the-box Lateral Thinking Puzzles: https://www.amazon.com/Outside-Box-Late ... 1454909579

The puzzles here tend to have short statements and long, complex solutions, similar to a lot of what you see on the forum. These will be difficult to solve by yourself with just the information given (although the clues section is quite helpful), but if you can find a friend to play quizmaster, you could set yourselves up for an enjoyable evening.

by **Earnest** » Tue Feb 26, 2019 9:04 pm

That was very helpful WiZ. Thank you a lot! I'll buy both!!!

by **WiZ** » Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:55 pm

You're welcome.

Paul, I hope I'm getting commission for this. I will accept a free copy of Perplexing :P

by **Earnest** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 7:57 am

Hahaahhahaah I already bough both. Hope they ship to Italy soon

by **raevenclaw** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:42 pm

hey everyone! i've actually had an account on this forum before, but forgot the password to my account, and figured it was a good chance to start over! if you've been on the ltpf for a while you probably remember me as kyeannpepper! i'm seeing lots of familiar usernames so that's cool!
a lot's changed since i was last on here, so i might as well re-introduce myself
as you might guess from the username, my name is rae! i'm a senior in college (i actually graduate at the end of the semester, gosh!). i'm nonbinary, and use singular they as a pronoun! if you don't know what "nonbinary" means, transequality.org has a good explanation here, and i'm always willing to answer respectful questions.
anyways, it's good to be back! i'm currently working on a latventure (i actually started posting this one back when we first switched over to the new platform, but then got overwhelmed with schoolwork and dropped off the forum), and i'm looking forward to being back on here!
you can also find me on tumblr at gendervoidkillua. i tried making an account with that username, but it never got approved-i guess it looked too much like a spam account? anyways, i'm glad to be back!

by **peter365** » Mon Mar 04, 2019 8:26 am

Hi there Raevenclaw, I certainly remember you as Kyeannpepper. In fact I recall approving a user of that name last week sometime so you probably have two accounts here.

On that topic my fellow moderators will be pleased to hear that I've solved the non stop spam mails issue. The Bots were able to bypass the anti spam measures that were in place so I created a couple of general knowledge questions that a new user has to answer in order to create an account, They're straight forward like 'name a country that begins with F' but it seems to have stopped the spammers in their tracks.

So any mails now should be from genuine new users looking to join.

Little victories!

by **WiZ** » Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:44 pm

I read a quote by someone the other day that said no true Ravenclaw would ever declare themselves to be a Ravenclaw, because they'd know better than to think a broad classification system invented by a children's author could meaningfully describe them.

Which just goes to show that some Ravenclaws can be insufferable too.

Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.

by **Doriana** » Thu Mar 07, 2019 11:33 am

Welcome back, rae!

by **GalFisk** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 11:30 pm

I recommend this little video series, a fun lateral thinking game show where you can guess along with the contestants. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 3uv6-MJ0D-

by **Balin** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 1:34 am

That was a fantastic little series. Thanks for sharing it!

by **trebor** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 4:50 am

Lots of puzzles (well, at least a few that I'm participating in) with unanswered questions. Where did everybody go?

by **WiZ** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:33 am

Sorry, I was taking part in February Album Writing Month, and then I spent March trying to clean up all the aspects of my life that fell by the wayside due to February Album Writing Month. I'm back with a vengeance now.

by **trebor** » Wed Apr 03, 2019 1:13 am

By the way, Galfisk, thank you for posting about Lateral. Very binge-able!

by **Earnest** » Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:41 pm

Very cool Galfisk

by **GalFisk** » Wed Apr 10, 2019 9:37 am

Glad you guys enjoyed it too.

by **trebor** » Sat Apr 13, 2019 6:04 pm

Is anyone else on the forum in Glasgow? I’m here for a couple of months and it would be nice to meet anyone. I know it’s a long shot, but I think some forum members are in the U.K. somewhere.

by **peter365** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 2:56 pm

We actually don't have that many members from the UK well not as many as we used to . There's Lynne and Admin of course but I'm struggling to think of any more UK based regulars

by **trebor** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 5:30 pm

Ah, okay.

by **WiZ** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 3:43 am

You may wish to get in touch with InvisibleMimsy, who lives in Scotland. Whether or not this part is anywhere near Glasgow, I cannot say.

by **Earnest** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:04 am

Hi guys,

Sorry for changing the topic.
I have been offered a visiting period of 6 months in La Jolla (CA). Since i come from Italy it is a very far place for me and am a bit afraid of moving. May I ask you how is life there for students? Is it a good town to stay?

Thank you!

by **Admin** » Mon Apr 22, 2019 12:39 pm

Wiz,

Thanks for recommending my books. commission cheque is in the post.

Paul

by **Hobbsicle** » Tue Apr 23, 2019 2:20 am

Earnest, kind of a specific question, although coincidentally I did have a great-grandmother who lived there for a time (while I wasn't alive...). However, La Jolla is basically a part of the San Diego area, where I do have a number of connections. It's a cool place. Good weather and beaches and all that. Expensive, but that's California. Have you been to the US at all before? Are you going through UC San Diego or something?

by **Earnest** » Wed Apr 24, 2019 7:17 am

Hobbsicle thank you a lot!!!!

No...I have never been to the US nor far away from my home town for more than a month or two to be honest...so I am just trying to plan all since I am a little afraid of moving for 6 months in a totally unknown (for me) country. This is actually my visiting period at PhD so I will work with UCSD but from la Jolla since the wprk that I am going to do is half in a firm based there and half with the university. Are the rent so expensive?...I mean...ideally i would like a studio apartment but i have seen prices and are kind of crazy...are there financial helps for students or whatever?

by **peter365** » Tue May 14, 2019 3:16 pm

Things are quiet on the forum at the moment and especially in the chatroom. A busy time of year i'm guessing.

by **WiZ** » Wed May 15, 2019 4:58 am

I recently got abducted by a rogue band of Continuous Improvement methodologists and now I barely have the mental wherewithal to remember to put the rubbish out, let alone think of Lateral Puzzles.

by **CoffeeBean** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:04 pm

I rarely ever stop by the Chatroom and have never posted here, but after 18+ years of participation on here I probably should stop by and contribute more often! Thanks to mods past, present and future for maintaining this gymnasium for the mind.

by **peter365** » Wed May 29, 2019 3:20 pm

As a long standing moderator I can say you're welcome, love the expression gymnasium of the mind!

by **Hobbsicle** » Fri May 31, 2019 6:42 pm

Recently bought our first home, and am now looking for a job change, so have been quite occupied of late. I keep popping on to see what’s happening though, even if I don’t quite get the time to participate.

by **Earnest** » Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:16 am

Congrats and good luck for everything!!!!!

by **Hobbsicle** » Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:05 pm

Thanks, I also realized I never got back to you on your followup question about La Jolla, but yeah, the rent, particularly in the Southern California area near the coast, is some of the most expensive in the country, so there's not a lot of getting around that. I'm sure there's some kind of financial aid for something or other, but I don't much about it. Are you still planning on moving? When would you go?

by **Earnest** » Sat Jun 01, 2019 7:33 pm

Thank you and no worries! I think I will do it next year since i need to end up some work in Italy. But yeah...is still an option.

Time for changes her in the LTPF! Cool ...hope everything is fine for everybody...hobbsicle are there chances to meet you in la jolla eventually?

by **Lynne** » Sun Jun 02, 2019 2:03 pm

I've quoted this for convenience as not everybody can read the BBC website.

“US demands social media details from visa applicants

Nearly all applicants for US visas will have to submit their social media details under newly adopted rules.

The State Department regulations say people will have to submit social media names and five years’ worth of email addresses and phone numbers.
When proposed last year, authorities estimated the proposal would affect 14.7 million people annually.
Certain diplomatic and official visa applicants will be exempt from the stringent new measures.
However, people travelling to the US to work or to study will have to hand over their information
But now applicants will have to give up their account names on a list of social media platforms, and also volunteer the details of their accounts on any sites not listed.
Anyone who lies about their social media use could face “serious immigration consequences”, according to an official who spoke to The Hill.“

Does the Lateral Puzzles count as social media? Looking online, the jury is still out regarding the debate as to what constitutes Social Media and whether forums count..

Would applicants be asked to give the spoilers to their puzzles?? :lol:

by **WiZ** » Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:52 pm

Speaking as a late 90s internet teenager, I'm relieved they're only delving back five years. I can't remember the password for my @limpbizkit.com e-mail address.

Also, I don't post quite as many dead guy puzzles as I used to.

by **Hobbsicle** » Fri Jun 14, 2019 1:51 pm

The doldrums of summer, it seems.

Earnest, I may be in the general vicinity at some point next year, but it's hard to know at this point.

by **Earnest** » Fri Jun 14, 2019 2:14 pm

Hobbsicle wrote:

Earnest, I may be in the general vicinity at some point next year, but it's hard to know at this point.

Cool!!! Yes I understand it's hard to make long term plans (for me it is hard also to plan for tomorrow so...) . By the way I will let you know. PhD advisors are not that type of very decided people...at least in my experience

by **biograd** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 3:27 am

@Earnest... I actually was a student at UCSD when I discovered the LTPF, in a PhD program that I ended up not finishing. I still distinctly remember the time I was in one of the campus bookstores in the evening browsing after a nice cup of coffee and stumbled upon a copy of one of Paul Sloane's books, which resulted in me looking online for more lateral puzzles.

It's exactly as you might have heard--the campus is so close to the beach you can walk and sit on top of the cliffs between classes or on lunch break if you're in a lab or something. Not being a beach person, that quickly got old for me, but I imagine if you like to surf it could feel like paradise.

When I was there, I stayed the first year in housing affiliated with the university--not dorms, but apartments just across Interstate 5 from the main campus. I got in there because I somehow learned about another PhD student who was looking for a roommate. Those apartments were too noisy for me, as the interstate was just barely hidden in a gully the room looked out over, so I ended up moving out after one year and living with a few undergrads in a place about two blocks from campus. A single apartment with no roommates will be very expensive there, though less so the farther you are willing to go from both the campus and the beach. I didn't have a car when I was there.

by **Earnest** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:45 am

@biograd thank you for the info. I would move as a PhD student too. But i am actually reconsidering the choice as my School will pay me just half of the expenses.

By the way I don't like surf but it's cool to have a beach near uni *.*

by **peter365** » Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:00 am

Hi folks , my fellow mods may have noticed a spike in new user authentication mails recently. The spambots clearly got on top of my antispam questions so I've changed them this morning so hopefully the spate of bots will be repelled.

The Chatroom (Archive, 1 Sep 2018 - 1 Sep 2019)