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        riddles >> what happened >> An Unusual Case
        
(Message started by: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 22^nd, 2007, 8:53pm)

Title: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 22^nd, 2007, 8:53pm

I've been working on this one for some time. It is different from the type of riddles I usually post though still similar in some ways. I think you'll see what I mean.

You arrive at the scene of a reported break-in. Upon your arrival, you are informed by a local police officer that this seems a very unusual case. While there is definite evidence of a forced entry, it seems nothing was taken from the house. In fact, it seems nothing was disturbed at all. The officer reporting is obviously very confused so you decide to proceed inside and check things out for yourself. You enter into a quiet, scholarly-looking house and see a library on the left, a study on the right, and the kitchen and sole bedroom towards the back of the house. There are two other officers still searching the house for any sign of criminal activity. You decide to enter the library and immediately notice something is out of place. Or rather, something should be out of place but is not. You can't quite put your finger on it but continue to survey the room for clues. You feel you are getting closer when an officer suddenly calls for your attention in the study.

As you enter, you notice a younger officer standing over a large bureau that looks to fold out to a writing desk. He motions that the lock has been jimmied. You guess that they must have missed this while searching the house for more apparent signs of a break-in. The officer tests the locking mechanism and finds that it is still unlocked. He opens the bureau a crack and you confirm your suspicion that this is in fact a writing desk. As the officer opens the desk the rest of the way, a lone piece of paper flutters to the floor. You glance at the officers, then kneel to pick it up. You browse it quickly once, then again, and exclaim "Aha!" much to the startled officers' surprise. You hand it to the older officer who reads it aloud.

Dear Drawback:

Quakes a nerve, cone ton peaks
Keep a fro tub, odor a peon yam ti
Peeks ti austerer, aces sit indies
Peaks yam ti tills, snipe a baker

He looks to the two other officers, then back to you. "Don't you see?" you say. What is your next move?

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by BNC on Mar 23^rd, 2007, 11:25am

initial result:

[hide]
I suspect the poem translation is:

Speak not once, never a squeak
It may open a door, but for a peek
Inside its case, treasure it keeps
Break a spine, still it may speak

[/hide]

Some followup ideas:
[hide]
spine may be the spine of a book, or maybe the axis of the bureau [/hide]

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 23^rd, 2007, 3:15pm

Actually, I originally wrote it with your first line last, your second line third, etc. This works equally well, though. Since I couldn't be absolutely clear about the objective of the riddle, your idea is accepted as the next step. In the future you will need to be more descriptive, though the true path to the answer will not always be clear.

A quick glance back at the bureau confirms your suspicions, there is nothing out of order here. Assuredly, you stride towards the library. Again you note something seems out of place. While scanning the room, you spot a lone book sitting on a chair. While your feeling that something is wrong remains, you pick up the book and flip to the first page. The officers try to read over your shoulder as you examine the text.

Dear Drawback:

Nem yriad rof ylerus, doog semitemos hguoht
Uoy rof etanutrofnu tfo si driht eht esol ot
Eulc nwo sti ni, elddir siht ni ecno dnuof si ti
Tnih rehtona, tluciffid si dnoces eht sa
Tcepsa gniunitnoc eht ecitcarp yeht
Dnoces eht neht, evitinifni si eno fi
Sesserd 'slrig tfil lliw eh netfo erom
Denioj semitemos era wah dna tsrif hguoht

After reading the text, you flip through the rest of the pages, noting that they are all empty. You hand the notebook to the officers, think for a moment, then ask them if they have figured it out. What is your next move?

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by denis on Mar 23^rd, 2007, 5:06pm

When I decipher i get the following

[hide]
Tough sometimes good, as food is made
To lose the ~~right~~ third oft unfortunate for you
It is found once in this riddle, in its own clue
As the second is difficult, another hint
They practice the continuing aspect
If one infinitive, then the second
More often he will lift girls’ dresses
Though first and haw are sometimes joined
[/hide]

Not sure how to solve this one but a few ideas:

[hide] Though first and haw are sometimes joined
(hee-haw) -> hee or he is the first
If one infinitive then the second
(To lose) -> lose or to lose the right (left) is second

It is found once in this riddle, in its own clue
(Haw also means to veer left)

Tough sometimes good, as food is made
(Kitchen)
[/hide]

I would be tempted to reorder the lines as follows

[hide]
Though first and haw are sometimes joined
If one infinitive, then the second
As the second is difficult, another hint
To lose the right oft unfortunate for you
More often he will lift girls’ dresses
They practice the continuing aspect
It is found once in this riddle, in its own clue
Tough sometimes good, as food is made
[/hide]

a stab in the dark: [hide] go into the kitchen and veer left[/hide]

Maybe someone can build on this....

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 23^rd, 2007, 6:48pm

denis, you have a slight spelling error that may be causing some confusion. Also, your idea of reordering the words is a good one, but you have applied it incorrectly.

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by denis on Mar 23^rd, 2007, 7:16pm

OK fixing up the spell error I get this:

[hide]
Tough sometimes good, as food is made
To lose the third oft unfortunate for you
It is found once in this riddle, in its own clue
As the second is difficult, another hint
They practice the continuing aspect
If one infinitive, then the second
More often he will lift girls’ dresses
Though first and haw are sometimes joined [/hide]

Now rearranging we get (I think):

[hide]
Though first and haw are sometimes joined
More often he will lift girls’ dresses
If one infinitive, then the second
They practice the continuing aspect
To lose the third oft unfortunate for you
Tough sometimes good, as food is made
As the second is difficult, another hint
It is found once in this riddle, in its own clue
[/hide]

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 23^rd, 2007, 7:20pm

There is yet one more spelling error, your first hidden word. Also, as a warning of things to come, mind the clue from the first riddle about how you should arrange these lines. This one can be used quite easily in the manner you have posted, but other riddles may cause some trouble if you do not follow the scheme accurately.

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by BNC on Mar 25^th, 2007, 4:11am

[hide]
A few observations:

1. The coding is slightly altered between the first riddle and the second (anagram vs. letter-reversal). I don't suppose it has significance.

2. The lines are supposed to be arrange from last to first.

3. I think the first is wind. Sometimes go with (the sound of) haw to create window. But alone may lift dresses.

4. Words that appears one in the clue for the second: {They practice continuing aspect if one infinitive then}
If we limit ourselvs to one-silible words:
{they if one then}
But none seem to fit the actual clue (which, I must say, is totaly cryptic to me).

5. No idea WRT third...
[/hide]

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 25^th, 2007, 9:53pm

I would not say that the difference in coding is without significance, but you will likely not make use of this significance until later. Your remark about the line order is correct. "Wind" is incorrect for the first part. The second part is difficult, but the third was intended to be less so. I have modified the second part of the third clue to be more explicit. Also, denis' translation is missing a few words in addition to the spelling error. Since no one else has posted translations, I can only assume you are working off this one. Make sure you understand what the riddle is really asking for.

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Grimbal on Mar 25^th, 2007, 9:55pm

"[hide]Inside its case, treasure it keeps[/hide]" traditionally is [hide]an egg[/hide].

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 25^th, 2007, 9:59pm

If you only consider that one line, I would say that traditionally it would be a treasure chest. Only when we are told there are no hinges or lid do I leap to egg, or possibly brain. :-/

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by denis on Mar 25^th, 2007, 10:19pm

New version with updates and corrections and new ordering applied:

[hide]
Though first and haw are sometimes joined
More often he will lift girls’ dresses
If one is infinitive, then the second
They practice the continuing aspect
As the second is difficult, another hint
It is found once in this riddle, in its own clue
To lose the third oft unfortunate for you
Though sometimes good, surely for dairy men
[/hide]

First: [hide]hem as in "hem and haw"[/hide]

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 26^th, 2007, 5:42am

Correct, denis.

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by BNC on Mar 26^th, 2007, 6:02am

A somewhat WAG (though I could justify -somehow - it if necessary):

[hide]Look for a book by Hemingway (Hem + Ing + Way).[/hide]

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Mar 26^th, 2007, 6:15am

Correct, BNC. I suppose the riddle was not that great, but these first few are only the introduction. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for the next one as my fickle computer has crashed once again.

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by BNC on Jun 19^th, 2007, 8:20am

WTF,
Did you forget this? :'(

Title: Re: An Unusual Case
Post by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on Jun 20^th, 2007, 5:59pm

Thanks for bringing this back up. No, I hadn't forgotten. My computer failed once again (not the one which I am now using) and I've simply been caught up in so much else that I haven't had the necessary time to get it working correctly again. If I can get the other parts of the riddle off the hard drive, I'll start this up again.