Admin, please help!

[universalmom]

Every time I complete a puzzle, an ad pops up the minute I hit send. It fills the whole screen, and the only way to make it go away is to hit the back button…upon which, I get a new puzzle. So - in addition to the annoyance of the ads - the only way for me to log out is to leave a puzzle undone! I'm hoping you can help.

[imported_Lurker]

You too! I just sent Admin an email with two of the very lengthy URLs. Hopefully, he can track the source of the redirect.

This is not only a cryptogram problem. I've had these redirects on other gaming sites for the past couple of days.

My temporary solution is to bookmark my Recent Games page, as the quickest way back to the puzzle.

[admin2]

Please let me know the browser and operating system you're using. I'm currently trying to replicate but so far no luck with either Chrome or Firefox.

[imported_Lurker]

I'm on Safari 6.2. OSX 10.8.5 (yes, I know I should upgrade)

[imported_Lurker]

Oh and unlike Unimom, I get mine on the puzzle load. I don't think I've had it on the solve page. Maybe once.

[admin2]

If anyone is up for doing this, it would be the best way for me to track down this problem, since it isn't happening at my location so far. There is a free software package called "Charles" which will record your internet traffic in a way that would let me trace back the cause of the redirect problem.

The software can be downloaded here:

http://www.charlesproxy.com/download/

How to use it...


1. Download and install the free software (Charles Web Debugging Proxy)

2. Close all your browser windows completely and run the Charles program once it is installed

3. Once Charles is running, open your normal browser and only go directly to www.cryptograms.org (don't go to any other websites) You should see Charles start logging all your web traffic at this point.
4. Do whatever you normally do on the site until you experience the redirect problem

5. At that point, immediately stop all activity - write down the final url that you are redirected to inappropriately - and go to the Charles application

6. Click FILE, then SAVE AS and save the Charles file as "debug.chls" anywhere on your system.

7. Email that file to me as an attachment (admin@puzzlebaron.com), and email me the final url you were redirected to inappropriately
8. Close the Charles application completely at this point.

If you are able to replicate the problem and catch it in a Charles log by following all 8 steps above, then email it to me, I will then use that information to track down the problem and eliminate it ASAP. (I'll also give a free 6-month premium subscription to whoever gets it to me first, as a thank you.)

Thanks!
Stephen

[imported_Lurker]

Quick question: for step #3, what about my homepage? It's going to open on my email unless I temporarily change the homepage to here.

[admin2]

It will still work if you reverse the steps a little. i.e.

1. open your browser, it will load your homepage
2. open Charles immediate after that stops loading
3. then load cryptograms.org and wait for the redirect issue to occur

[universalmom]

The problem has gone away - thank you for sorting it out!

[admin2]

Just an update -

I believe I've found the source of the problem (a Google ad) and I've sent through a removal request just a few moments ago. It should stop displaying within 1-2 hours. If anyone continues to see this behavior after around twelve noon eastern time today, however, please let me know.

Thanks!