Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Off-Day Puzzle #1: The End Is Near...

Welcome Puzzlers new and old! The sun is out, the skies are clear, the pencils are sharpened; it's the perfect setting for PCS Opening Day! But then we come with a somber puzzle that's already talking about the end!?*

Nonetheless, here it is:

______________________________________________________

Whenever it's the end, look up
And if something you see
Reach on up and pull it down
Then place it next to thee

And when each one is taken down
And put in a straight line
View the outcome carefully
And answers you'll divine!

Please note: I have a marathon and almost certainly painful meeting scheduled from 7:30am - 1pm. I will try to check in if/when I can, but it may be sporadic.

Solution here.

______________________________________________________

Puzzle Rules: The answer to the puzzle is a Dodger. Here's how the puzzle series works. Comment freely in the thread, but if you have the solution, please don't give it away to everyone in the comments section. Instead, do the following:

  • Email us with the first and last name of the Dodger player who is the answer, along with your reasoning (answers arrived at via luck or the wrong reasoning, even if correct, count for participation credit only). And please include your screen name somewhere in the email; and
  • Post a comment simply saying you have emailed your solution attempt. I may not be able to reply to your original email promptly, so please be patient and check back on the comment thread for the latest news; I may confirm correct answers there.

You have until midnight PT tonight to submit your answer. Solution will be posted tomorrow. Good luck!

Solution

*this decision may or may not be related to yesterday's game.

68 comments:

Nostradamus said...

Answer Sent.

Nostradamus said...

I've been waiting months to do that.

Eric Karros said...

Ah, my marathon meeting was moved to 7:30am! I think the guy running the meeting might have moved it so he could work on the puzzle. Hmmm, come to think of it, maybe he's Mr Customer...

Speaking of which, Mr C wsolves the opening puzzle almost as quickly as it takes Jason/Josh S to comment in SoSG March Madness:

1. Mr C

Nostradamus said...

w00t!

Jason said...

Answer sent

BWrightson said...

Sent!!

Eric Karros said...

Well done Jason!

1. Mr C
2. Jason

Eric Karros said...

..and BWrightson!

1. Mr C
2. Jason
3. BWrightson

Will UBragg show? Or has he hung up his puzzle cleats?

Eric Karros said...

Ok folks, I'm off to my marathon meeting. I will check all submitted answers as soon as I can...

drewdez said...

Answer sent.

Steve K said...

In!

QuadSevens said...

Answer sent!

Eric Karros said...

More correct answers, all from puzzle veterans:

1. Mr C
2. Jason
3. BWrightso
4. Drewdez
5. J steve
6. Quad

Loney Fan said...

Stupid alarm clock!

Loney Fan said...

answer sent

QuadSevens said...

Damn my drive to work! Should have been "in" sooner.

Keven C said...

Answer sent.

I could have had a better result, but I chose Padilla to complete the first puzzle for me.

Steve Dittmore said...

Help a puzzle rookie out (I feel like a Rule V pick who is overmatched by veterans). Last year's rules indicated current or former Dodger players but this year's rules make no such distinction. I have a guess, but not sure if I am missing something obvious to veterans.

Thanks (trying to get at least participation points).

Unknown said...

Answer sent! SOSG rocks!

Eric Karros said...

Dr Dittmore, set of possible dodgers who are the solution changes with each puzzle and in fact often solution is not dodger-related. In this case I'll say it's a current Dodger.

PS if you have the correct solution, this point won't make a difference.

Pss you already earned participation points w your comment!

Josh S. said...

This one, at first blush, appeared easy. Now, all I'm getting when I try to solve it is gibberish.

I don't care where I rank, I just want to solve it!

Eric Karros said...

LF, Keven C, Nicholas, will check your solutions as soon as I can -

MR.F said...

Answer sent?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

answer sent

LLCoolL said...

Ah, a nice slow pitch to start the season. Answer sent.

Eric Karros said...

More solutions:

1. Mr C
2. Jason
3. BWrightson
4. Drewdez
5. J steve
6. Quad
7. Loney Fan
8. Keven C
9. Nicholas
10. Mr F
11. Neeebs

LLCoolL said...

Better fix that photo. Still shaking off the rust.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

BTW, was there a game yesterday? If so, I must have missed it. I'm really looking forward to the season opener tomorrow in Pitt.

Eric Karros said...

For Prof Dittmore and other newcomers, I'd suggest looking at previous puzzles, as this one pretty much runs down the middle of my standard puzzle-creation tendencies.

LL, I'll take a look at your solution soon -

Eric Karros said...

Well done LL:

1. Mr C
2. Jason
3. BWrightson
4. Drewdez
5. J steve
6. Quad
7. Loney Fan
8. Keven C
9. Nicholas
10. Mr F
11. Neeebs
12. LLCoolL

MR.F said...

Cool beans. I thought puzzles were only going to be on Mondays this year?

ubragg said...

I'm not done yet EK, just still trying to decide if I really want to wake up at 7am on a semi-regular basis again. Today I took a cue from the Dodgers yesterday, and hit the snooze for the first few hours. In retrospect, I wish I would have known I could have gone back to bed at 7:01am if I had drug myself out of bed. :)

Anyway, answer sent!

Josh S. said...

It's always the "easy" ones that make me feel stupid.

Matt said...

Answer sent!

Eric Karros said...

Mr F - yes only mondays, but starting after today. Exception for PCS opening day.

Matt ill check your solution shoertly...

DunkHawk said...

Answer sent

jose said...

Ok, answer sent

Eric Karros said...

16 solvers so far, including all 4 former PCS champions (Quad, Jose, Mr C, and UBragg)!

1. Mr C
2. Jason
3. BWrightson
4. Drewdez
5. J Steve
6. Quad
7. Loney Fan
8. Keven C
9. Nicholas
10. Mr F
11. Neeebs
12. LLCoolL
13. UBragg
14. Matt
15. DunkHawk
16. Jose

Steve Dittmore said...

Answer sent.

@Josh S. - I'm with you. Seems easy, but can't crack the code.

Damn qualitative puzzles. Who's up for some linear regression?

Dusto_Magnifico said...

How come these are soooo hard for me?

(Thats what she said.)

Kyle Baker said...

You are a dreadful human being, EK.

Unknown said...

Answer sent, though I now realize I didn't actually include my name in the message. But my name here and my email address are eerily similar...

Nostradamus said...

Would you say that they're curiously similar?

Dusto_Magnifico said...

answer sent.

Unknown said...

Well, I would have said that if I had thought of it. Which is why my name is "Curious Gene" instead of "Perspicacious Gene".

midnightdrive said...

Answer sent!(It's good to be back, btw)

Josh S. said...

I...

why...

*headdesk*

Eric Karros said...

Cg is in, the others I haven't checked yet, will try to soon...

Eric Karros said...

Dittmore, CG, and midnight in; sorry Dusto...

Wicks said...

guess sent!

Nostradamus said...

Holy crap! It's Wicks!

Hibernating puzzlers coming out of the woodwork everywhere.

Wicks said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wicks said...

Yes, it's me. My place of work has blocked SOSG so I've been off the grid. It's a crime!!!!!

rbnlaw said...

karina's going to get this one before me, but I should be before Dusty.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

One thing that you won't hear on a puzzle comment thread:

"Wow, I really fear DB, RBN, and Neeebs in these competitions."

I got lucky on this one. It just sorta hit me.

Now, no bears, owls, etc.

Kyle Baker said...

Everyone will get it before me. Mental block on this one. Duh. If the friggin' windows open in my building, I would jump.

Matt said...

Hearing people's struggles with this puzzle remind me of my past puzzles...and likely the other puzzles this season.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I hate these puzzles. Always make me feel dumb.

Kyle Baker said...

I did some math yesterday for RB's puzzle - does that count?

Snarktwain said...

I didn't get to look at this until now, but nevertheless, answer sent!

Danielle said...

Answer sent.

I love that the puzzles (and the season) start right when I should be worrying about finals...

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Answer sent?

Eric Karros said...

Record number of solvers. Please let me know if I missed one of you:

1. Mr C
2. Jason
3. BWrightson
4. Drewdez
5. J Steve
6. Quad
7. Loney Fan
8. Keven C
9. Nicholas
10. Mr F
11. Neeebs
12. LLCoolL
13. UBragg
14. Matt
15. DunkHawk
16. Jose
17. Steve Dittmore
18. Curious Gene
19. midnight Drive
20. wicks
21. the trite fantastic
22. Danielle

Eric Karros said...

not quite MLASF, though you seem to be sort of close...

-EK

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Answer resent.

Eric Karros said...

MLASF is in. Ok, folks, I'm signing off for the day but will check answers tomorrow morn!

1. Mr C
2. Jason
3. BWrightson
4. Drewdez
5. J Steve
6. Quad
7. Loney Fan
8. Keven C
9. Nicholas
10. Mr F
11. Neeebs
12. LLCoolL
13. UBragg
14. Matt
15. DunkHawk
16. Jose
17. Steve Dittmore
18. Curious Gene
19. midnight Drive
20. wicks
21. the trite fantastic
22. Danielle
23. MLASF

berkowit28 said...

Darn. I forgot all about this. I had some time this morning and was up a little after 7:00 and could have done it then. I think I've got it now, and it took me 30 seconds. Oh well.

Sending answer, FWIW.

Josh S. said...

I'm officially the Dodgers against the Pirates with this one: A supposed pushover opponent making me look foolish. I'm out.