| General Riddling Advice |
The most common question that pops up when someone begins the riddle is "What do you do?"
Well, what you do is try to advance to the next level. There are many ways to do this, which cannot all be discussed for obvious reasons,
but the following are the most common ways to advance to the next level:
- By solving a riddle, then applying the solution to the address - for example, if the obvious solution to the riddle is "albatross", you would change level5.htm to albatross.htm. Alternatively, if the riddle hints at an alternative extension, it should be applied.
- The solution might also be used as the username and password for the levels that support this, and typing in the correct set will bring you to the next level.
- Sometimes you can advance to the next level simply by changing a part of the address (ex: bluediamond.htm to greendiamond.htm or 7/threeplusfive.htm to 8/threeplusfive.htm).
Some levels can be passed just by clicking on something.
On the other hand, how do you solve riddles in the first place? The most common methods are presented below:
- Sometimes instructions and hints will be provided within the source code (viewable by right-clicking on the page and selecting View Source, or choosing View > Source in the Toolbar in IE), and by following these instructions you will obtain the answer to the riddle (for example the source code might mention
"<--us declared independent-->", the picture name might be "mp3.jpg", and the title might be "when". The answer would be to access 1776.mp3, as the US Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, and the picture name hints at an .mp3 file. That mp3 file is likely to contain the answer).
- If a Google Search Box is present you will likely have to search for the answer. For example, if a question is hinted at, searching for certain variables in the question might lead you to the answer, or if there is no question but rather something to be decoded or solved, searching might point you in the right direction as well.
- Some riddles can only be solved by using various tools around this website. The Level Guide is very useful, as is the Forum's Level Discussion forum. The forum and level guide are useful for other things too.
- Some levels will require common knowledge, or knowledge of history, of language, or of mathematics, among others. Those levels may provide a search box for those who lack the knowledge, or are unsure.
- Quite a few will require outside software. Among image software, Irfanview is highly recommended - not only will it help with solving some puzzles in the riddle, it's also a very simple yet useful tool for converting, editing, and touching up on images. A more advanced image manipulation program may be necessary for some levels, but sites such as picnik and GIFWorks are very effective as well. Other recommended software include Window's Sound Recorder (or the equivalent) and a word processing program (Microsoft Word would be the most appropriate).
Finally, you'll need some common sense and the ability to think outside the box or, in this, inside your computer. We also recommend developing an obsessive habit of trying everything you can on a level before giving up. Setting a time frame for yourself (say 1 minute to find the solution) will also be very useful in either causing yourself to become annoyed at yourself for setting a limit in the first place or in causing you to panic and thus accidentally stumble upon the answer.
Good luck!
If you have other questions please see the FAQ.
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