Things that Bansai left for us

[LLapp]

Bansai has held the 11-second record for this quote since February 19, 2011. The only tie happened exactly 9 years later (one week ago) by munchlet.


"No man should ever display his bravery unless he is prepared for battle, nor bear the marks of defiance, until he has experienced the abilities of his enemy." — Hitopadesa

bansaisequoia
May 23, 2009, 6:28 pm
All this time I've been wondering who Hitopadesa was. I just googled it, and it actually turns out to be a collection of Sanskrit fables which is alternately transliterated, "Hitopadesha." Just thought I'd share that with all you cryptediennes and cryptedians.

universalmom
January 22, 2014, 11:22 am
Ha...I'm a cryptedienne! My family thinks I'm a cryptomaniac

[Eureka]

"Oh that I were seated as high as my ambition, I'd place my naked foot on the necks of monarchs. "
— Horace Walpole

bansaisequoia
July 11, 2012, 5:55 pm
That's cruelty to butterflies.

mokonabarb
September 28, 2014, 3:34 am
nice, bansaisequoia!

[kahvecowgirl]

"Today's news was published by word of mouth in the streets of ancient Athens. "
— Unattributed

bansaisequoia
July 9, 2010, 3:36 pm
How did the ancient Athenians know what was going to happen in the 21st Century? Was it the Oracle of Delphi?

[Eureka]

"Duty is heavier than a mountain, death lighter than a feather."
— Jordan

analogy88
July 1, 2010, 11:10 pm
couldn't figure ot duty! Haha

bansaisequoia
February 13, 2011, 4:10 am
I couldn't figure ot "ot."

pootie49
June 19, 2012, 3:26 pm
LOL

(As of this date, bansai has held the record of 13 seconds since April 29, 2010)

[Eureka]

"Beware of the man who knows the answer before he understands the question."
— Unattributed

LiveLoveLaugh
November 8, 2009, 12:52 pm
Ban are they referring to you?

bansaisequoia
April 16, 2010, 6:56 pm
Me and everyone else on this site. We all sometimes solve one before we've really had a chance to read it and fully comprehend it.

(A humble and generous response. As of this date, Bansai has held the record of 10 seconds since July 29, 2011.)

[opallady]

"The only way to have a life is to commit to it like crazy."
— Angelina Jolie

bansaisequoia
April 14, 2012, 7:05 pm
I'm crazy and I should be committed.
wvwoman
February 23, 2013, 10:18 am
i have documented joseph's statement on the above date---we WILL need to refer to it at some point!
abra
April 5, 2017, 2:08 pm
Ha, funny.
blueladyblue
April 3, 2018, 8:04 am
I knew it! I had my suspicions...

[opallady]

"There are few ways in which a man can be more innocently employed than in getting money. "
— Samuel Johnson


bansaisequoia
July 12, 2009, 10:52 pm
Evidently, he lived centuries before Bernie Madoff.
opallady
September 3, 2009, 8:38 pm
I can think of LOTS of ways to get money uninnocently.
dovid1946
December 11, 2014, 12:05 pm
this is at the dawn of the age of capitalism

[opallady]

"If you would know strength and patience, welcome the company of trees."
— Hal Borland

bansaisequoia
January 17, 2010, 6:45 pm
Some of my best drinking buddies are ents.
montyb
May 22, 2012, 7:08 pm
Cheers, Treebeard.
bansaisequoia
October 1, 2012, 7:09 pm
Someday, I'll buy you an ent-draught at one of our watering holes, monty.
maradnu
November 23, 2013, 8:03 am
They are good listeners, but lousy conversationalists.

[LLapp]

"First thing every morning before you arise say out loud, I believe, three times." — Norman Vincent Peale

questionauthority
May 12, 2009, 9:32 pm
"I believe" what????

bansaisequoia
July 8, 2009, 2:21 pm
Just blindly say it. Don't question authority, questionauthority.

[Eureka]

Here is a prime example of the negativity that bansai experienced from some of the players. Imagine reading a comment like that about yourself! I hope bansai got back to this quote later on to see all the supportive responses from his friends.

"My writing is like a ten gallon spring. It can issue from the ground anywhere at all. "
— Su Shih

hotmail1
November 25, 2011, 12:12 am
banaaisquaqua ruins any long term interest one might find in this diversion ban her banish her beat her (or him) with a bat

bansaisequoia
November 15, 2012, 4:49 pm
If you beat me with a bat, I'll call the ASPCA. You're as heartless as Ozzy Osbourne.

maradnu
January 1, 2013, 6:07 pm
Hotmail - If your only interest is being the fastest, then perhaps you focused on the wrong goal.

gryhnd51
February 5, 2013, 2:31 am
poor losers are so boring.

puffybob
March 21, 2013, 4:01 am
Banaaisquaqua? Never heard of him.

chopstix
April 25, 2013, 3:31 pm
hotmail is probably referring to BananaLaquisha

abra
May 13, 2013, 12:38 am
We'd have to lose a lot more people than bansai for me to be fastest. I suspect the same might be true for hotmail. Hotmail, enjoy the challenge. Keep trying to better your own score, and don't worry about anyone else's.

jnoodles
May 15, 2013, 4:20 pm
A light spanking should suffice. We all do know how disheartening it can be to see those solving times. And inspiring. And frustrating. And awesome. Maybe chase her around a bit before spanking.

Kgun5
June 13, 2013, 11:55 am
Oh, hotmail was only being half serious. True trolls seldom take the time to make sure their post is gender-neutral.

nevadasmith68
June 15, 2013, 7:24 pm
bansaisequoia is fantastic. We need her working for the NSA if she doesn't already. Finally get someone with a brain in there.

gryhnd51
July 28, 2013, 8:52 pm
FYI....Bansai is NOT a girl!

slow1
August 13, 2014, 10:11 am
After all these years and many comments later, I wonder if hotmail ever got to read these fun comments. When I began doing cryptos, I thought bansai.... was a robot. He is nearly unbelievable. BUT. I believe. I believe. And I ADMIRE. I should be writing this on 'chat'. I'll probably never get to see this page again. oh well. Poor Su Shih - we ignor the quote to comment on the genius among us.

abra
February 27, 2015, 11:10 am
When I first started, I asked my techie son, how bansai could be doing it. It really only took a little while before it was obvious, that there were a lot more really fast players. There are probably a dozen or more players, who make my jaw drop. I think of it as a talent. There are so many things that I enjoy and do okay at, but at which I will never excel. This is just another of those.

marnita
September 19, 2015, 8:06 am
I'm sure I will never beat any of bansai's times, but I do sometimes end up in the "very fast" category - and that is enough to make me feel successful.

Spellbinder44
September 19, 2016, 2:33 am
On an average my time is 5 or 6 times the time of the fastest solve. Bletchley Park would have been a breeze for the toppers on this site. (link)

abra
December 31, 2018, 7:06 pm
Yes, but the Bletchley solvers had the enigma machine. Bansai, nanrich, gryhnd and all the others do it without.

blueladyblue
June 10, 2019, 6:33 pm
My theory is that these consistent low-time solvers either have a tremendous memory (for quotes and authors) or they're very organized, possibly with a list of previously solved quotes, organized by author. Then it would be easy to know the solution before the clock gets started. And really really fast fingers -- that's the real gift.

puffybob
December 1, 2019, 2:35 am
Something tells me hotmail did not have fast and accurate fingers

(To date, bansai has held the record of 14 seconds on this puzzle since November 15, 2012, the day he left his comment. He must have held a previous record the year before, to elicit the first comment.)

[Eureka]

"Don't just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it. "
— Jim Rohn (author and motivational speaker)

bansaisequoia
February 16, 2012, 7:26 pm
Okay, I won't read any books by motivational speakers.

[Altoid701]

"The end of all education should surely be service to others."
— Cesar E. Chavez

bansaisequoia
June 8, 2012, 6:51 pm
Actually, I think it's "N."

[Eureka]

"Whoever has the gold makes all the rules. "
— Unattributed

bansaisequoia
January 27, 2012, 6:36 pm
The real Golden Rule.

GtrZan
July 26, 2017, 5:27 am
Bah ha! Good one Bansai! Completely cynical but very funny

Capy
August 29, 2017, 12:33 am
An excellent pun

marnita
May 17, 2018, 12:06 pm
Agreed, Bansai. It certainly seems to be the new golden rule.

(To date, bansai has held the record of 9 seconds since January 27, 2012.)

[Eureka]

Dance on, bansai.

"He who does not care for Heaven, but is contented where he is, is already in Heaven."
— Helena Blavatsky

bansaisequoia
June 20, 2009, 1:10 am
"Heaven, I'm in Heaven, And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak; And I seem to find the happiness I seek When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek. Heaven, I'm in Heaven, And the cares that hang around me thro' the week Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek. Oh! I love to climb a mountain, And to reach the highest peak, But it doesn't thrill me half as much As dancing cheek to cheek. Oh! I love to go out fishing In a river or a creek, But I don't enjoy it half as much As dancing cheek to cheek. Dance with me I want my arm about you; The charm about you Will carry me thro' to Heaven I'm in Heaven, And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak; And I seem to find the happiness I seek When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek"

[Eureka]

"The door to safety swings on the hinges of common sense."
— Unattributed

bansaisequoia
May 1, 2012, 2:16 pm
"You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's a signpost up ahead: your next stop: the Safety Zone!" --Rod Serling

(Bansai held the record of 14 seconds from May 1, 2012 until May 11, 2020 when will0416 solved it in 10 seconds)