Thursday, September 11, 2008

Off-Day Puzzle #11: Diagram of Love

Good morning, 24-hour puzzle people. Get ready for something a bit different today. And I hope you still have those scissors from this puzzle. Here goes...

Are you familiar with Venn Diagrams? If not, I suggest you get up to speed posthaste if you want to solve today's rompicapo. The Venn Diagram concept is really quite simple: it's a diagram composed of enclosed shapes (usually circles) each of which represents a different group. The circles and other objects are arranged such that all objects that fall within a given circle belong to the corresponding group. Circles may overlap, as long as anything falling within the overlapping portion of those circles fits both groups.

So, for example, if we have three circles labeled "Professional Athletes," "French Things," and "Starts With 'P'", the Venn Diagram might look like this:

Let's take a look at this, starting with the four objects within the circle labelled "French Things". 'Crêpes' falls only into the "French Things" circle, and thus its only requirement is that it be French. It is. 'Paris' falls into both the "French Things" circle and the "Starts With P" circle, and sure enough it is both French and starts with P. Likewise, 'Zinedine Zidane' is both French and a professional athlete, and thus falls into the overlapping portion of those two circles. And finally 'Tony Parker' is French, a professional athlete, and starts with P, fitting the theme of all three circles in which he falls. All the other circles are similarly filled out.

Why am I telling you this? Well, some of you may have noticed we at SoSG have a seemingly disproportionate amount of affection for certain things. Your task today is to construct a Venn Diagram based on five of those things we love from its pieces. First, here are the pieces:

(click images to enlarge)


So let me explain: There are five circles, each representing one of SoSG's great loves. Below that are 16 thumbnail photos, randomly arranged, which represent objects that fit one or more of those five circles. Your task is to fill out the answer panel on the right by both figuring out what the theme of each of the 5 circles is, and by matching each of the 16 spaces that are scattered among the circles with the appropriate thumbnail photo (A through P).

I've started you off with the first match: thumbnail 'A' goes in space '1'. The rest is all you. Good luck!

Puzzle Rules: Comment freely, but if you have the solution, please don't give away the answer to everyone in the comments section. Instead, do the following:

  • Email us your completed Answer Panel, with all 16 spaces matched to the correct thumbnail, and with the five circle themes correctly identified (please include your screen name somewhere in the email), and
  • Post a comment simply saying you have emailed your solution attempt so I know to check our email.

FYI, there are 2 correct answers, depending on if you go clockwise or counter-clockwise around the diagram. Either is accepted. Deadline is midnight PT, and the solution will be posted sometime tomorrow. Thanks, and good luck to all!

Bonus! In addition to the prizes we're awarding to the Puzzle Championship Series, we're also giving away a participation prize for this individual puzzle. It works just like our previous puzzles: all solution attempts submitted via email before the deadline - correct or not - will be entered into a pool*. From this pool, one name will be randomly selected in a transparent lottery. As long as the person drawn is willing to send us his/her mailing address, they will receive a wonderful Dodger-related prize item.

*each name is entered only once, regardless of the number of solution attempts submitted

_______________________________________________

Hint #1 (9:25am PT): It's not necessary to know the names of the people in thumbnails B, F, or M. But if you know any of their phone numbers, email us and you will be awarded 1,000 bonus puzzle points.

Update (1:27pm PT): So far only nine people have submitted attempts and eight have thus been entered into the participation lottery (Quad, Steve, Neeebs, Erin, Fanerman, Karina, Berko, and Loney Fan...Sax/Karros isn't eligible)!

67 comments:

QuadSevens said...

My answer has been emailed in.

karina said...

Quad, you've really outdone yourself...

Eric Karros said...

Yes indeed Quad, well done! First correct answer is in. I see you are gunning to regain that top spot.

QuadSevens said...

I made sure to get up early today so that I would be ready for the puzzle at 7am this morning.

karina said...

I don't know who the blonde girl is (f), neither i know the Simpsons girl (b)...clue?

QuadSevens said...

Notice this wasn't a word puzzle. Those really are the death of me.

QuadSevens said...

Karina, I don't know their names either.

Eric Karros said...

Hey Karina - From your question, I know you already know all you need to know about them.

karina said...

I got it, Quad...when i started filling blanks, i realized i don't need to know the names of the girls.

Thanks for your kind help!

Steve Sax said...

...but now that you mention it, karina, I'd really like to know the names of those girls.

Steve Sax said...

Quad, the next one is a word puzzle (I think)...get your dictionary ready.

QuadSevens said...

Uh-oh. I'm gonna need to get up early for that word puzzle too. They take me longer to figure out.

Unknown said...

Just sent in an email. I got started later than I should have again...

Neeebs (The Original) said...

I just sent mine in.

Eric Karros said...

Steve you are correct and get 2nd place! Neeebs I will check yours as soon as I get a chance...

Neeebs (The Original) said...

By the way, the girl's name in "B" is Tabitha Vixx.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marge_and_Homer_Turn_a_Couple_Play

Neeebs (The Original) said...

The girls in "M" are the Dixie Chicks.

Eric Karros said...

Neeebs, your answer is correct also for 3rd place! But I'm pretty sure the girls in "M" aren't the Dixie Chicks.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

The Tabitha Vixx link was cut off.

Marge_and_Homer_Turn_a_Couple_Play

Erin said...

No access to a printer makes this a little more difficult.

I almost forgot today was an off day, so I just started this one. But I think having to carefully draw the diagram myself might make this take a little longer than necessary.

Eric Karros said...

Erin, are you also sketching by hand each of the thumbnails? If so, I think that's something I'd like to see.

berkowit28 said...

The trouble with this one, for me, is that [I'm sure] you need to be up on the usual amount of pop culture. I know next to nothing (no pop music, for starters), and with only images, not words, I can't even look them up in Wikipedia. Don't expect an answer from me this time.

Erin said...

Okay, I'm sending in my answer. It must be wrong, because I've never solved one of these that quickly.

karina said...

Sent in my answer, too.

Eric Karros said...

Erin, you are wrong about your solution being wrong, because it is correct. Congrats!

QuadSevens said...

The girls in M are Briefcase models from Deal or No Deal. A girl from my high school used to be one of the models on that show. She was smoking hot in high school too! (Mylinda, formerly case #19)

http://tinyurl.com/5wagfj

MR.F said...

I've submitted an answer... that was fast (and early) so I'm not sure how right it is.

MR.F said...

quadsevens might actually be able to get the phone numbers to the girls in M...

Steve Sax said...

is Juan Pierre really french? I thought he was born in Alabama

He may like French dressing, though.

Loney Fan said...

Emailed in but way too late. I am going to have to start getting up before work to beat Quad

Neeebs (The Original) said...

OK, I'm not getting any work done today. And I'm leaving town for the weekend. NOT GOOD.

Q7 is right on the Deal No Deal Girls. I stand corrected. See the photo on the URL

http://www.nbc.com/Deal_or_No_Deal/photos/#cat=923&sec=1898&mea=44592

Only one question, though...Why was the wookie cropped from the photo?

QuadSevens said...

Even though I did have a couple classes with Mylinda in high school, I don't think she knows who I am. On the other hand, my 10 year high school reunion is coming up next year, so it's possible I could see her again and say hi. =)

Steve Sax said...

That's no wookiee. That's Howie Mandel before shaving.

Eric Karros said...

Fanerman, you are correct! Loney Fan, would you mind re-submitting using the letters for thumbnails instead of descriptions? Thanks, as some of the descriptions are sort of ambiguous.

Quad, use your old high school network or facebook or something to track down that phone number. We're counting on you...

Steve Sax said...

Q7, Mylinda > Amanza

Eric Karros said...

Quad, if you see her at the reunion, hand her the url of this puzzle.

Eric Karros said...

Sax your solution is correct! But to address your other question - Juan Pierre is neither French nor in the "French Things" circle. He's only in the "Starts with P" and "Professional Athletes" circles (granted, the latter is questionable too)

Venn Diagrams can be tricky.

berkowit28 said...

I've got the general principle, but even when I (really) stretch a point to consider one of those items to supposedly fit all categories (circles), I'm really having trouble finding a 7th [something] and also finding an item that belongs to only one [other something]. So maybe I have my somethings (categories, circles) wrong, though those at least seem pretty clear. Or there must be some "hidden" background connections I don't know about - due to my lack of pop culture knowledge, maybe. Too bad, I like this sort of thing.

Eric Karros said...

Berko, figuring out what that last comment meant is gonna be Off-Day Puzzle #12.

Just razzing you of course.

Steve Sax said...

EK, you are right. My attentio to detai sucks toda.

Eric Karros said...

Loneyfan, I worked through your solution and it's not quite right. You duplicated a theme. Karina yours is also slightly wrong (you have the themes correct though).

berkowit28 said...

Well, I could make it a lot clearer by telling you which "somethings" I'm talking about - naming my categories (circles). But that might give a bit away - not that I have much to give away. If you say it's OK, I'll be more explicit.

Steve Sax said...

berk, this is a family-friendly website. don't be explicit, or my mom will be angry.

Eric Karros said...

Berko, I'm just messing with you.

Please don't give away the themes (though I think most people got them). But what confused me more than your use of the word 'something' was your reference to '7th'.

Loney Fan said...

resent, I was too hurried last time

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Now I know the reason why I like this site.

Notwithstanding the witty banter, but I too love all things in the Circles, except for that "P" thing.

"Monorail, Monorail, Monorail."

"These aren't the droids you're looking for."

Steve Sax said...

loneyfan, you resent us?

Loney Fan said...

I may have drank myself retarded last night. Excuse my horrible grammar.

Eric Karros said...

LF, you're still a bit off (that's a reference to your solution, not your hangover)

Steve Sax said...

Your grandma is fine with us.

Ben Pratt said...

Answer sent

Eric Karros said...

We have received one more correct answer from a screenname-less mystery person.

Gil, you are as close to being completely correct as you can be without being completely correct.

Ben Pratt said...

Ok, I think I got it right now. I zoommed into the pics and noticed a detail I missed the first time around.

karina said...

Sent a second answer.

karina said...

Eric, Juan Pierre is a professional athlete, i mean he gets paid to play baseball, however the question is if any of us would pay him to play for the Dodgers.

karina said...

Steve, i love your puns in the off day.

jose said...

Ok, sent mine in.

Mike Scioscia's tragic illness said...

Emailed! This was a particularly fun one, guys.

Eric Karros said...

Hey folks, sorry I was M.I.A., I was having drinks with a certain someone pictured in photo "M".

Alas, unfortunately it was R2, but still a good time. Anyways, Gil, Karina, Jose, and MSTI, you guys are all correct. Congrats! We may break last week's record for most correct answers.

Unknown said...

I was busy all day, but just now saw it and sent you my answer.

Eric Karros said...

Well done daniel!

Well folks I'm off to get some sleep. I'll check emails tomorrow morning. Good night!

berkowit28 said...

Is L a character in a movie, or a real person? You all probably know, but to someone who doesn't, it looks strange, and the face is too small and blurry to identify (for me, that is).

berkowit28 said...

Oh well, I sent in an answer anyway, though one bit feels wrong (missing a theme that looks like it should be in there), but since I have no idea who the picture is, I suppose it might be right since it's the only missing item. Either that, or almost everything is wrong.

karina said...

Berko, she's a girl plus a couple of things...

karina said...

YAY! i solved a puzzle!

berkowit28 said...

Thanks, Karina. Yeah, I had "it" down as a woman, too, but mostly just by a process of elimination: it had to be for everything else to work out, not because I can tell it looks like one (could be a man in a quasi-religious outfit). And a movie character (though I have no idea which one). And something else too - something which makes not much sense to me. It looks like two of those line up with yours, so maybe it's right after all. The third one thing sure is a mystery to me, though, a real p..... oops,shouldn't say.

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