E: 28/02 Win an iPad and 9 R/U Prizes (Effort)

r1c0l1

I am just checking to make sure I am on the right lines, on the website there is a clue "3600 characters" so I put those 3600 characters that on on the website into a grid of 60 x 60 which should give you something like this: -

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VYYXYLWYYYXQMJNYWGDDEEGEDDEEEGGGGEGHENYYYYYYYYWYUUPZPWZWPUUF
YVVVJQYYYYYXQYWYZZPKHEDDDDHIEHEEIHEGEKYYYYYXYYYWNYYZZYYZZZUI
YVVQGYYYYYYYYXNZYYYYWNHDEDEGJHIIIHEEHGMYYYYYXYNKYYYZZZZWZUZR
YVVIWYYYXYYZZZZZZZZZZZWJGEEEEEDEHJGEGIIPYYYYXKLPYYYZZWZZZUZS
YVPWYYYYYPZZZYZZZZZYZZZYXKLGDDEEHEEEIGEKYYYWKJPYYYYYZZZWZZZT
XYQYYYYYYWWPZZZZZYZYYYYZZXPNIEGEEIIIHGLKNYMIKPYYXYYZZZZZZZZP
YYMWYYYYXYWXZZYYYZZZZZZWZZZYLMNIHJGGGHHHJMGMYZZZZZYYWZWZZZZA
YYKPYYYYXXNXZYYZZYZZZZZYYXXYYYWLJIEGIEEHKGMYYYYYXZZYZZZZZZZR
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YYPGWXYYYYYWZZZZZYZZZZYYYYYYYYWWPNJGEEIIPZYZZZYYYXZZZZZZZZYO
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WYYWGJUUPYYYYZYZZZZZZYYYYYYYWEEGHHHELYZXYYYYYYYZZZYYYZYYYYYH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Then we have to use E.L.S. to find two words.

Adrian_Dawson

You're very much on the right lines but you have to move away at very slight (easy) tangents. Unfortunately, this is a competition aimed at people who have read "Codex" (Paperback, Kindle, iPad or indeed any format) and, if they have, they will see how one of the characters solves a similar puzzle. You just have to emulate his tangents.

It's not easy, but nor is it very hard, it's middling. Without reading "Codex", however, you're all but barking at the moon. Sorry.

I can tell you that quite a few correct answers have been emailed in already, so it's very do-able for those who think it's worth the effort (and I understand that it's not a competition that suits everyone). Besides, most people will solve it in a LOSS less time than it took me to create it.

If you do go ahead and give it a shot - as ever, the best of luck.

PS. Last Passage, as far as I am aware, are the first Publishing House to give you the digital file for eReaders FREE on proof of purchase of the Paperback. All other publishers that I know will charge you twice (yet you can still rip an audio CD to your iPod! Why not a book?). Now THERE'S a Money Saving tip!

Plus, Codex is on Special Offer in digital format until the end of this week. Blimey, Money Saving tips-a-plenty, but I'm honestly not here to pitch the book at you. I just happened to notice the discussion and thought I'd offer assistance or more detail where required.

The_Crunchy_Nutter

Amazon currently selling Codex in Kindle format for 99p. Bargain.

Aphorism

from grid: "first part of the answer derived from letters missing from rest of grid!"

...and I didn't read the book!

Also contained in the grid is a bundle of "2s"

gavrc

Hi Adrian.
Nice of you to drop by, we don't often get cometition promotors chatting on the thread here! I wanted to clarify something with you before this goes too far.
On this site we normally post the answer to a competition question. If you don't want us to do this in your case we are happy to refrain and can just discuss the problem you've set. It's entirely up to you and we will of course abide by your decision.

gav

gavrc

BTW.
The only letter missing is "c".
And I suspect there might be an image hidden in the grid in the style of ASCII Art.

Just bought the book and will get to reading ASAP.

gav

enderit

gavrc wrote: »

Hi Adrian.
Nice of you to drop by, we don't often get cometition promotors chatting on the thread here! I wanted to clarify something with you before this goes too far.
On this site we normally post the answer to a competition question. If you don't want us to do this in your case we are happy to refrain and can just discuss the problem you've set. It's entirely up to you and we will of course abide by your decision.

gav

Sorry to bump, but the author states in post #9 that he does not want the answer shared

gavrc

Adrian_Dawson wrote: »

Hi guys,

I stumbled across this post. I'm not running the competition, Last Passage are, but I am the author of the book - Codex - and yes, because I created the puzzle in the book, I also created the competition puzzle. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have, except for "what's the answer?" and "can I have clues?" as that would be unfair in the extreme.

Anyway, I'll keep checking back. Competition closes end of February and we have had quite a few entrants so far. Some correct, but quite a few which are not.

Good luck to anyone who enters.

Adrian

He says he won't give the answer, not that it can't be posted. It's only fair to him to have a clear answer before anyone here solves it!

gav

Aphorism

gavrc wrote: »

BTW.
The only letter missing is "c".

gav

Hi gav; the clue is in "....missing from REST of grid"

This will give you the first answer which is 5 letters!

cistolic

"Besides, most people will solve it in a LOSS less time than it took me to create it".

From the authors quote I believe LOSS less is a clue. Googled meaning and it looks probable but cant help more, maybe someone else can.

Also last night spent ages on this and spotted loads of 2s as gav said, cant remember what I was doing then, now, this morning I cant see them at all.