Solving Tips

[imported_Lurker]

Excellent point, afulton! I usually give myself 15 minutes to solve the last puzzle of the month. Others give it a few hours, just to make sure nothing unexpected comes up.

Wait a minute after the last puzzle, check your stats, then log out until the new month starts. You can still chat and play, but it won't hurt your scores.

[Humphtriptz]

I don't get it

I see these puzzles being solved in 10 or 11 seconds I get most of them on my own within 100 seconds which I think is pretty amazing timing is there a way to turn off the timer or is it automatic I mean come on 10 secs I cant even type that fast lol

[pootie49]

You can play non competitively and the time or points wont count.

If you want to play competitively then the timer is auto and with practice
your time will get better.

The more ya play the faster you will get. If speed is your goal.
There are points and accuracy competitions as well.

Have fun and welcome to the site!

[imported_Lurker]

Humph, when I started, I couldn't believe the times either. And that was with everyone in the chat saying I was fast for a newbie. I now have one 6-second record and one 5-second. (Partied quietly to myself for days on that one. ) Eventually, you do pick up speed.

More important, it's fun to solve these! They're great for your critical thinking, language skills, and TYPING ability. Thanks to Admin adding the bios, you learn about new authors, political thinkers, and cultures. And you meet interesting people in the chat box and forum.

If the competitions did not exist, I probably wouldn't play every single day, but I would definitely play a lot. Do these puzzles because you enjoy them, and go easy on yourself for the first six months or so.

[Humphtriptz]

You are absolutely right !!!!!

True to that the reason for doing these puzzles is for shear enjoyment which is what I do receive from doing them. I have loved solving these puzzles since I was a young child, I am just blown away since I always believed that I ruled supreme at solving them fast, I had no competition never even met anyone in person who knew what a cryptogram is. LOL anyhow yes I do enjoy them and yes will keep playing and yes I will rule the cryptogram world so watch out yall here I come keep look out for Humphtriptz thanks for replies Luv ya's

[afulton]

Lol. We await your storm to the top of the leader boards. Good luck!

[Humphtriptz]

lol

Thanks for all the support I truly appreciate any advice. I am just so thrilled to finally find other crypto freaks such as myself. See you on the podiums lol

[Barnabas]

Earlier, I had asked Pootie (and Bansai) to chime in, and haven't had an opportunity to say thanks to Pootie for responding until now. I did check the top 100, and was amazed at the point totals I was seeing. I have a long way to go if I am to ever crack the top 100. My solve rate is currently a humble 78.1%, although the past few months I have been a little over 80%, which is slowly bringing my total solve rate up. And, I began watching where I was ranked at some point when I was somewhere in the 800's. I believe I'm currently ranked 483rd. So I've cracked the top 500. It is a fun site, and it seems to be filled with generally positive, kindhearted, and helpful people. Thanks again, Pootie... and to all the others here who have added their tips for solving.

[mikehallbackhoe]

i would like to add that the first word is often followed with the term "is the " or "is not" . I would also have to agree that the more you play , the faster you will get. I am not fast compared to most of these folks, but I notice my solve times getting faster each month. what gets me is when I solve a difficult puzzle , with an average solve time of say, 150 seconds, in 27 or 28 seconds, and then discover that bansai solved it in 7 seconds!!! I think to level the playing field , as far as solving times go, bansai should have to play blindfolded

[bansaisequoia]

mikehall, I promise I'm not looking at the keyboard when I type. Somehow, everyone still thinks I still have an unfair advantage. I just can't figure it out(???)


(aerial view of same image)

[mikehallbackhoe]

you actually bring up a good tip for faster solving times, knowing how to type. I don't know how to type, and having to look at the keyboard as well as the screen is definitely a disadvantage. regardless, your solve times are pnenomenal.

[pootie49]

Another tip to look for since many of these quotes are from
ages past...
If you see a ' before a three letter word its usually 'tis.

[kimmie]

If I suspect I have "the," I look through the puzzle for the "th" combination, since it's the most common 2-letter sequence in the language. If I find some, I am more sure I have it right.

A 4 letter word with the middle two letters the same usu. means that the middle letters are "e" or "o". I have never run across a word like this where that's not the case. If calling it 'e' gives you something like a two-letter gibberish word that starts with "e," for example, then you can be sure it's "o."

[bazinga]

I am not sure how helpful this really is, but if you have more than one 1 letter word on the board, 9 times out of 10 the one with the largest number under it is "a" and the one with the lowest number under it is "i".

[kimmie]

If you have 2 one letter words, it is probably also true that the first one is 'I" acting as the subject of the sentence. It would be difficult to start with "a" and then somehow follow it up with "i." "I think horses are a beautiful animal" hard to see it starting with the "a." I don't think this has evre failed me.