Just a quick idea for a revised point scoring system for long-term puzzles that remain unsolved.
How about awarding one point to the puzzler that originally placed a puzzle if his/her puzzle has not been correctly solved after one year?, and how about awarding two points to the originating puzzler if the puzzle has remained unsolved for two years or more? The point could be added by Admin the day after the puzzle has reached its first or second 'birthday.'
With this system puzzlers will be rewarded for posting especially challenging puzzles that have kept all fellow puzzlers amused and confused for the past 12 months or more.
It may also encourage the rest of us to try and solve them before they reach their 12 month anniverdsary, thus keeping old puzzles in circulation, rather than just lying dormant as many sadly do today. This system may also help keep the point tally alive for the lonely Pros as well!
Just an idea. What does anyone think?
You want PJ to jump from 1000 to 2000 in a heartbeat? ;D
I still like that idea...
Think the board will bust anyway when PJ get the1.000th point.
Hey, for a guy like me that's forever stuck on a lonely 215 points, what's 1,000 or 2,000 between friends!
I agree that this system could make a few Puzzlers rich in points (e,g, PJ, Quiiler, et al) but that seems a fair and just reward for them stumping us with their oh-so cunning and mysterious puzzling.
I agree - great idea, Djetset.
Agreed too.
Hard to tell.
On one hand, long-lived puzzled are worth to be rewarded, and I quite like the idea.
On the other, honestly, I believe it won't be a stimul for solving the older puzzles - I bet no one here is against one or two more points to anyone.
At the same time it may lead to the appearance of so many unsolved puzzles that The Black Hole will be the biggest section of the forum... For instance, I can put a decent number of Soviet sportscars which I don't know myself as puzzles, and I'll be almost sure that it would be very hard for anyone to solve them.
Also, I think, it will be not too easy for administration to check for the 'year old' puzzles every day, or can this be done automatically?
Sounds fun.
Great to see that this idea has generated such a lively response in just 30 minutes or so.
I've just totalled up my unsolved puzzles that are over one year old, for example, and they only amount to three, so I would stand to gain just three extra points. I've been on AutoPuzzles for less than 18 months, so I don't have any longer-term unresolved puzzles as yet toi gain from.
For the more established guys though, like PJ, Quiller and yourselves, you may stand to gain a few more points (especially Quiller, who seems to be King of the long-term mystery car!) but even then the point tally would not be huge, so PJ may still take some time to get to 2,000 points (on second thoughts, with his amazing knowledge he'll probably be there by the end of next week!). :D
I like it...
Alternatively there could be some kind of a time-limit on puzzles, so that the Poster only gets his point when it proves unsolvable within that time then he has to declare the answer himself (or herself? Are there any ladies out there?!).
I'd love to know the answers to some of those geriatric puzzles, and I don't know if I'm ever going to get them?
That would at least stop any rewards for posting dozens of unsolvable Russian sports cars that even the Poster can't answer!
Good idea, I just can't remember if I have offered something similar or not. Whatever, it should be considered seriously, imho.
Quote from: faksta on May 26, 2010, 04:45:25 PM
I can put a decent number of Soviet sportscars which I don't know myself as puzzles, and I'll be almost sure that it would be very hard for anyone to solve them.
You could put them up as a thread in General Automotive. They would be interesting to many of us here.
Just a little patience ;D I'm working on structurizing them for my own purpose ;)
Quote from: Carnut on June 03, 2010, 11:18:37 AM
Alternatively there could be some kind of a time-limit on puzzles, so that the Poster only gets his point when it proves unsolvable within that time then he has to declare the answer himself (or herself? Are there any ladies out there?!).
I'd love to know the answers to some of those geriatric puzzles, and I don't know if I'm ever going to get them?
That would at least stop any rewards for posting dozens of unsolvable Russian sports cars that even the Poster can't answer!
I like the idea of a time limit. I too would like to know the identity of some of th unsolved ones.
I think one point for an unsolved one is reasonable. I don't think many people are fixated on points and I don't see anybody deliberately posting unsolvable ones just to get a point.
Another riflession:
woodinsight noticed that some guesses went unnoticed for long time.
I think we can fix this problem of "dormant puzzles" (or puzzlers?)
The matter is even more unpleasant when you have to wait for a puzzle that reaches the Pro section and is still blocked in the Rookie section after 1 year!
I think we can estabilish a new rule, where we can follow these steps:
1- we have to bump the old ones and see what happens.
2- we can contact the puzzler via PM or email asking for a reply (or a reason for such a long time)
3- we can take it over: if someone knows the answer, he can reply as if it was one of his own.
If the dormant puzzle reaches the Pro board and no-one knows the answer, we'll have only step 1 and 2 to follow.
Suggestions?
Do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFu34HEdbuU
Do I make you nervous?
You were about to call me an asshole weren't you?
Lol!
Great idea.
Quote from: Paul Jaray on September 09, 2010, 08:24:01 AM
3- we can take it over: if someone knows the answer, he can reply as if it was one of his own.
As long as it did not arrive the pro section, that can only be done by admins and feature writers, isn't it?
When there is no activity by the poster and there is no reply to guesses and PMs, if an admin knows the answer, he can take care of it as one of his own. If no admin knows the answer of a Rookie puzzle, it can be moved to the expert board and hope someone has the answer...if it will go unsolved even there, the Pros will have their chance, then the Black Hole will be its final destination.
..but we are dealing only with the few puzzles with no activity by the puzzler.
If someone wants to keep a puzzle stuck in a section for 6\8 months but he answers to every guesses... we can only accept his decision.
(BTW: this is just my idea, not a written rule so far...the discussion is open)
Since anyone can answer Pro or Black Hole puzzles, why not move them to one of those boards first?
Quote from: Otto Puzzell on September 10, 2010, 05:19:06 AM
Since anyone can answer Pro or Black Hole puzzles, why not move them to one of those boards first?
I think if a puzzle is being taken over by an admin that this should be automatic Black Hole material.
OK, then...can I guess them right after I move them? ;D
I mean, if I know the answer, I can reply to the guesses and let the fun continue.
If I move it to the Pro or Black Hole section, I can play and put the puzzle out of misery.
Once again I'm referring to the puzzles with no activity and not to the puzzles stuck in the same section for a long time.
For example, Joao (sorry can't find the right 'o') is quite active, but some of his puzzles are back in the rookie section since january...but it's his choice...if a rookie wants, he can try to solve them with some guesses or just bump it.
The real dormient ones are quite few....like these, and I'm not the only admin who know them both, I think.
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=9298.0
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=9301.0
If you move them you take them over as creator and cannot guess them. You must move them with a message so that it become known who is taking responsibility for the puzzle.
:P
Alright.
I'll send a PM to Jimjarron and if there is no reply, I'll make them mine and move it to the Expert section.
...or I can move them right away and send a PM. ;)
Quote from: Paul Jaray on September 10, 2010, 06:13:28 AM
Alright.
I'll send a PM to Jimjarron and if there is no reply, I'll make them mine and move it to the Expert section.
...or I can move them right away and send a PM. ;)
Move them to the Black Hole and then send the PM. They are yours.
Quote from: Paul Jaray on September 10, 2010, 06:13:28 AM
..
...or I can move them right away and send a PM. ;)
Yes, I would PM afterwards. If somebody isn't active for such a long time, he can't complain about it.
To revisit a previous discussion:
There are quite a few puzzles that never got solved and they don't really have a home apart from The Dreaded Black Hole.
I suggest (and this has probably been suggested before!) that if a puzzle or part of a group puzzle is still unsolved after 1 year the answer is declared by the puzzler, it is moved to Solved (perhaps with the heading 'Unsolved'?) and the puzzler is awarded a point.
I'm particularly thinking about this now because there are group puzzles where the points are only awarded when all answers are complete, so if there is maybe one last question that no-one can get then the points are never awarded. This would give us a mechanism to do so, although personally I prefer to award points as they are earned rather than waiting until the puzzle is complete otherwise it distorts the number of points a puzzler might have, even to the point where he is still answering questions in a section where he shouldn't be because he has actually won more points than he has been credited with!
Anyone agree with this?
Quote from: Carnut on March 30, 2011, 11:00:11 AM
To revisit a previous discussion:
There are quite a few puzzles that never got solved and they don't really have a home apart from The Dreaded Black Hole.
I suggest (and this has probably been suggested before!) that if a puzzle or part of a group puzzle is still unsolved after 1 year the answer is declared by the puzzler, it is moved to Solved (perhaps with the heading 'Unsolved'?) and the puzzler is awarded a point.
I'm particularly thinking about this now because there are group puzzles where the points are only awarded when all answers are complete, so if there is maybe one last question that no-one can get then the points are never awarded. This would give us a mechanism to do so, although personally I prefer to award points as they are earned rather than waiting until the puzzle is complete otherwise it distorts the number of points a puzzler might have, even to the point where he is still answering questions in a section where he shouldn't be because he has actually won more points than he has been credited with!
Anyone agree with this?
I do agree. But there's one problematic case about the long forgotten group puzzles the author(s) of which are no longer active members of the foum...
I'm going to cobble together an unrecongnizable car of some sort, never take it out of my garage, post a photo of it, and then take it apart. I guarantee no one will ever guess what it is. Is the effort worth 1000 points?
Nah.
Seriously though, I think the proposed system does have merit. Our resident "Grand Masters" probably don't really want or need the extra points, but it is a way of recognizing their excellence. I say go for it.
I agree in general with what has been said so far.
Many of my puzzles are still awaiting a solution and I have made a move to solve some of them by dropping several (often inane) clues.
I'm not interested in gaining points on a personal level but I do feel strongly about puzzles sitting in the BH for months. I would much rather see the unsolved puzzles revealed in due course to add information and knowledge for other AutoPuzzles members.
Numerous solved puzzles lack additional information & photos. Perhaps there could be an incentive (points or whatever) for adding more data and images...... possibly difficult to manage but just a thought on future development.......
Quote from: Carnut on March 30, 2011, 11:00:11 AM
To revisit a previous discussion:
There are quite a few puzzles that never got solved and they don't really have a home apart from The Dreaded Black Hole.
I suggest (and this has probably been suggested before!) that if a puzzle or part of a group puzzle is still unsolved after 1 year the answer is declared by the puzzler, it is moved to Solved (perhaps with the heading 'Unsolved'?) and the puzzler is awarded a point.
Anyone agree with this?
I like this idea, but I think even a year is too long...maybe a matter of months would be better. If something's been sitting around for 3 or 4 months, then the poster has done a good job stumping everybody and deserves that point...just an opinion from a guy who's only been here 6 months anyway!
6 months would work just as well; perhaps 1 year is a bit too long.
As far as inactive members are concerned, it's already been agreed that their puzzles can be moved by Administrators after some time has elapsed; they can also post the answer (if they know it, then they'll get a point!) and move it to Solved. If no-one knows the answer and the poster is inactive then there's not much we can do, but I think there really are not many members who've posted puzzles that are still unsolved but who are now inactive.
So what do you think, Ultra, Otto, Allemano, PJ, Porridgehead / other Admins if there are any...?
Shall a rule be introduced to cater for it?
We can deal with inactive puzzlers like we estabilished before.
1st anyone can bump the puzzle and wait for a reply, then we can contact him via PM or email requiring his presence and finally take over his puzzle and rule it as our own. I already did it for DHoffmann huge puzzle.
Quote from: Paul Jaray on April 01, 2011, 05:22:45 AM
We can deal with inactive puzzlers like we estabilished before.
1st anyone can bump the puzzle and wait for a reply, then we can contact him via PM or email requiring his presence and finally take over his puzzle and rule it as our own. I already did it for DHoffmann huge puzzle.
Yes, it works fine.
The only problem is if we can't get an answer out of the inactive member and no-one else knows it.. If it's a group puzzle it could still be moved to Solved (as you did) but if not then it could be moved as Unsolved or left where it is.
I think the main thing is, as woodinsight says, that we do all learn what a car is when no-one has been able to solve it; this would allow the puzzler to declare the answer (and some Pro's could get some rare points!) rather than it languishing in the Black Hole for ever.
And whilst writing, I find it a bit strange how some fairly prominent AutoPuzzlers fall by the wayside. There are one or two particular ones, but one who springs to mind is @re, whose puzzles frequently pop up when I'm searching. They are without exception great puzzles of very interesting cars, and just my style. It seems he stopped coming when I upset him with a remark once, but it seems a bit silly to do that (cutting one's own nose off springs to mind), although his visits had already become increasingly rare before then.
I find it frustrating when puzzles sit totally inactive. Should we introduce a rule on the lines of "1 month without any further replies - move from Rookies to Experts and the same for Experts to Pros.
And on a separate note, can I suggest that the "Pros and Feature writers" board be closed and the puzzles moved to the Pros. The idea just hasn't caught on.
Quote from: D-type on April 01, 2011, 04:10:26 PM
I find it frustrating when puzzles sit totally inactive. Should we introduce a rule on the lines of "1 month without any further replies - move from Rookies to Experts and the same for Experts to Pros.
And on a separate note, can I suggest that the "Pros and Feature writers" board be closed and the puzzles moved to the Pros. The idea just hasn't caught on.
I'd agree with you there D-type, there are many puzzles that remain dormant for a long time.
To respond to your second point, I've posted several puzzles in the PAFW section only to have to move them back to the Pros for all to guess. There has to be another way to tempt puzzlers to submit features (I personally haven't yet done so but I have a few in the pipeline).
Without wishing to upset the momentum of this very successful site I do believe that some thought should be given to several issues that will no doubt arise in the future development of maintaining the leading position of this site.
Yes, I'd agree generally, particularly with regard to the compulsory moving of apparently dormant puzzles.
I do think it's essential for the Pro's to be able to involve themselves actively - more actively than they are able to do at the moment. Anything that could promote that would get my vote.
The Powers-That-Be not really in favour of a change then?
I leave it up to Otto, PJ, Ray and Allemano.
As usual I like to isolate the issues to deal with.
Dormant Puzzler? We bump his puzzles, contact him and rule his puzzles as our own from the Black Hole section. We can estabilish a 2 month maximum for a reply.
Puzzle without a solution after a long period but active puzzler? Questions,questions and questions! If the puzzler wants, he can lead you to the solution. I'm not the only one who gave some quite easy clues just to have a solution.
Group Puzzles? see above, let's focus on the one you want to be solved and ask for clues.
Puzzles without a solution (unknown by the puzzler or absent puzzler)?Black Hole ad libitum.
My idea ;)
My suggestions:
Move a Rookie puzzle after ~ one week
Move a Expert puzzle after ~ one month
Move it finally to the Black Hole after ~ another month.
(solved Black Hole puzzles should generally earn two points)
Comment unanswered replies by admins or members after ~ 1-2 weeks with a 'bump' icon. (please not earlier than 3 days, though)
After ~ one month with no reaction admins should be allowed to 'hi-jack' this puzzle and moderate it in place for the missed author till it's solved – if possible. (in case the original author steps in again it's his puzzle again of course)
Puzzle solver should offer proof via PM to admins if it ain't that obvious.
Authors who will be absent for a longer period should post a short note in the 'Slow Answers' topic
In case of long lasting and partly unsolved group puzzles I'm a little more conservative. I'd like to leave them like that.
Instant point awarding might be chaotic and is difficult to recall sometimes ("... did I already give you one point?")
Maybe the 'bump' icon works here as well!
I have a suggestion or an idea that probably has been here before.
Rookie Puzzles - 1 point
Expert Puzzles - 2 points
Pro Puzzles - 3 points
BH - 4 points
With this system you encourage difficult puzzles but on the other had it might lead to waiting puzzles to be moved to a higher level so more points will get scored...
The admin 'Entthing' will hold a meeting, soon. ;D
Quote from: Allemano on April 05, 2011, 08:59:29 AM
My suggestions:
Move a Rookie puzzle after ~ one week
Move a Expert puzzle after ~ one month
Move it finally to the Black Hole after ~ another month.
(solved Black Hole puzzles should generally earn two points)
Comment unanswered replies by admins or members after ~ 1-2 weeks with a 'bump' icon. (please not earlier than 3 days, though)
After ~ one month with no reaction admins should be allowed to 'hi-jack' this puzzle and moderate it in place for the missed author till it's solved – if possible. (in case the original author steps in again it's his puzzle again of course)
Puzzle solver should offer proof via PM to admins if it ain't that obvious.
Authors who will be absent for a longer period should post a short note in the 'Slow Answers' topic
In case of long lasting and partly unsolved group puzzles I'm a little more conservative. I'd like to leave them like that.
Instant point awarding might be chaotic and is difficult to recall sometimes ("... did I already give you one point?")
Maybe the 'bump' icon works here as well!
I agree with that. It would keep things moving along nicely.
There has recently been a log jam of puzzles in the Rookies section (often 8 pages) with a dearth in the Experts (sometimes 4 pages) and this would help the problem.
Regarding PJ's suggestions - I have also resorted to providing some easy clues to help solve a puzzle.
As I said earlier I would rather have the puzzle solved than it be lost in the BH.
Quote from: Allemano on April 05, 2011, 08:59:29 AM
My suggestions:
Move a Rookie puzzle after ~ one week
Move a Expert puzzle after ~ one month
Move it finally to the Black Hole after ~ another month.
(solved Black Hole puzzles should generally earn two points)
I agree to the week for a Rookie puzzle to be promoted. But a month is a long time waiting for a starving pro ;)
I move my Expert puzzles one week after the last reply. This can turn out to be quite a while for a puzzle that is interesting enough to raise questions once in a while, but will move very special ones quite fast to the upmost level.
Everything that is done here is done by mutual agreement of the people doing it. Let me remind everyone, any "rule" means subsequent enforcement. I am not a cop and neither are any of the admins here at AP. That is why I make a distinction between the term "rule" and the term "guideline." Whatever guidelines you guys come up with you need to communicate clearly and concisely amongst yourselves and constantly be at your best to work together and remind people to follow them. Pros help the experts help the rookies, etc. PM's are here for a reason. Most of what you have here you guys can start doing now. Use the personal messages and politely encourage people to move puzzles along, etc. It is that type of teamwork that will make the site flow better and subsequently grow into a more user friendly place.
I've had a quick look
The Rookies are currently 6 pages. Promoting puzzles that have been without an answer since 28th March, a week ago, would reduce it to 3 pages. That includes about 40 puzzles that haven't attracted a single guess.
The experts are currently 5 pages including a last page of dross. Promoting those older than 28th March would again reduce it to 3 pages while promoting those older than 5th April would reduce it to 4 pages and relese very few genuine puzzles.
So a rule sorry guideline of "Promote after a week or so" would work for both.
Personally, I'm not fussed about points - but it would be a drag to be promoted to Pro with no puzzles to tackle. A progression of 1 point for a Rookie puzzle up to 4 for a Black Hole would work. It would have the effect of promoting rookies to experts and experts to pros more rapidly. Would swelling the ranks of the pros matter? I don't think so provided there was a steady flow of puzzles promoted up to pro level for them to solve.
I don't have a strong opinion, one way or the other, but am mindful of this:
Pro's like Allemano Ray B. and Paul Jaray earned the majority of their points the old fashioned way - one point at a time. Are not their amazing point totals stripped of their significance if we start awarding four points for what previously paid one, or occasionally two? While there is no tangible value to points awarded here, I think there is merit to maintaining some continuity with history.
As to when to move puzzles? I tend to move my own if there is a surplus in the lower ranks, or when one week has passed since it was posted. A one-month stay in the Expert section for all puzzles will result in even fewer puzzles for the Pros to engage in solving.
As long as they keep solving puzzles the way they do, they will get 3 to 4 points per puzzle, therefore gaining significantly more per puzzle.
Quote from: Otto Puzzell on April 06, 2011, 04:46:01 AM
I don't have a strong opinion, one way or the other, but am mindful of this:
Pro's like Allemano Ray B. and Paul Jaray earned the majority of their points the old fashioned way - one point at a time. Are not their amazing point totals stripped of their significance if we start awarding four points for what previously paid one, or occasionally two? While there is no tangible value to points awarded here, I think there is merit to maintaining some continuity with history.
As to when to move puzzles? I tend to move my own if there is a surplus in the lower ranks, or when one week has passed since it was posted. A one-month stay in the Expert section for all puzzles will result in even fewer puzzles for the Pros to engage in solving*.
*I think you may right at this point.
I'll shorten the time lapse my puzzles stay in the Expert section to 14 days.
On one hand I'm with Ultra. Things discussed here should only be guidelines rather than strict rules.
On the other we should find a way to restrict lingering puzzlers. (as described in my previous post)
About a reform of a point scoring system I'm with Otto as well.
I think a new system would distort the statistics. (points before and after score reform)
well there is a solution to that. The problem is that I don't know if we can find out retrospectively who solved BH-puzzles, but assuming they are either Expert or Pro-puzzles, then it is a simple matter of maths.
180 extra expert points
(Total points-200) X 2 Pro-points.
Or, we could leave it as-is. ;)
It seems I don't know what I'm doing. :bag:
Of course moved Rookie puzzles do NOT rest for a whole month in the Expert section!
I use to move it to the Pros after one month total time.
So, three weeks in the Expert section would have been correct. :D
However, I will change it to two weeks from now on!
Quote from: DeAutogids on April 05, 2011, 09:05:19 AM
I have a suggestion or an idea that probably has been here before.
Rookie Puzzles - 1 point
Expert Puzzles - 2 points
Pro Puzzles - 3 points
BH - 4 points
With this system you encourage difficult puzzles but on the other had it might lead to waiting puzzles to be moved to a higher level so more points will get scored...
I don't fully agree with this.
My suggestion would to have a one/two point per puzzle like now, but to have several different groups of points:
let's say rookie points, expert points, pro points, BH points.
Provided a rookie solves a long forgotten BH puzzle - he gets one BH point. An expert solving one pro puzzle gets one pro point and so on.
The points (1-2) per correct answer would be just like they are now, buf the diversification would better represent the skills of solving puzzles of different levels, imho.
The board software doesn't accommodate awarding different categories of points.
Quote from: Otto Puzzell on April 06, 2011, 05:39:40 AM
Or, we could leave it as-is. ;)
Never heard of the chap. Could you enlighten me as how this would be relevant?
Points are to be determined by the person who posts the puzzle. Full stop.
Glad to hear we have an open discussion.
Quote from: DeAutogids on April 06, 2011, 08:24:34 AM
Quote from: Otto Puzzell on April 06, 2011, 05:39:40 AM
Or, we could leave it as-is. ;)
Never heard of the chap. Could you enlighten me as how this would be relevant?
William of Ockham - the root source of the term "Occam's Razor"
Quote from: DeAutogids on April 06, 2011, 11:26:57 AM
Glad to hear we have an open discussion.
Your sarcasm here is unwarranted, unappreciated and ill thought through. The discussion is open. The idea of "rules" about points, isn't gonna fly because it cannot be enforced without turning editors into cops. As far as I am concerned it doesn't take much forethought to figure that out.
Quote from: Otto Puzzell on April 06, 2011, 11:37:37 AM
Quote from: DeAutogids on April 06, 2011, 08:24:34 AM
Quote from: Otto Puzzell on April 06, 2011, 05:39:40 AM
Or, we could leave it as-is. ;)
Never heard of the chap. Could you enlighten me as how this would be relevant?
William of Ockham - the root source of the term "Occam's Razor"
That makes sense. Learned something new. You could argue that this is KISS?
Quote from: Ultra on April 06, 2011, 11:44:26 AM
Your sarcasm here is unwarranted, unappreciated and ill thought through.
Explain. You say "Full Stop", which implies that there is no discussion possible.
- Just as a note, somebody that starts an idea will try to defend it. It does not mean that that somebody doesn't think another idea or the present idea does not work, is bad, but could even think the opposite. To question a long standing rule is not neccessarily a quest to change this.
Quote from: DeAutogids on April 06, 2011, 12:06:58 PM
Explain. You say "Full Stop", which implies that there is no discussion possible.
- Just as a note, somebody that starts an idea will try to defend it. It does not mean that that somebody doesn't think another idea or the present idea does not work, is bad, but could even think the opposite. To question a long standing rule is not neccessarily a quest to change this.
I have got the feeling that
this isn't the right place for chatting. ::) (Sorry, but I feel I have to roll eyes a bit)
Let's get back to the important things..
So, what's the consensus?
(a) Keep the points as they are, ie its up to the poster to decide on one or two points
(b) Move puzzles up sooner than at present
Can I suggest a guideline of "about a week without any more guesses - move it up"
and how about:
(c) After it's reached the black hole start giving hints
Well I only re-opened this to have a discussion. Personally I don't agree that I would only stick to my own ideas - there have been some very good points thrown into the ring and I'm always open to better ideas than my own.
I too think that changing the points system would be unnecessary and over-complicated.
I was only trying to avoid puzzles hanging around forever in whatever section they are in (generally Pro's or the Black Hole, because even though they might take an eternity most puzzles do end up there!)
There are unsolved puzzles that I want to know the answer to!
So I still think it a good idea for the Puzzler to declare the answer finally and move it - after having tried to get it solved with clues etc. Frankly it's only a tiny proportion of puzzles posted: most do get solved as there are some awesomely knowledgeable people on this forum!
I agree that the scoring system should be left as it is.
More activity appears to be happening in the last couple of weeks with many puzzles being solved and others moving up through the ranks.
It's even much busier here up in the Pros!
Quote from: Carnut on April 08, 2011, 05:31:54 AM
...
I was only trying to avoid puzzles hanging around forever in whatever section they are in (generally Pro's or the Black Hole, because even though they might take an eternity most puzzles do end up there!)
There are unsolved puzzles that I want to know the answer to!
...
My opinion is that you should ask for clues, then.
Personally I will let you find the solution with any sort of clue but I will never solved my own puzzle.
There is always a way to lead someone to the solution and these days I saw that I'm not the only one giving strong clues....
If there is no interest in the puzzle, why should the puzzler solve it? If there is much interest, then let's play!
Quote from: Paul Jaray on April 08, 2011, 08:56:33 AM
My opinion is that you should ask for clues, then.
I'll have to see what I can think of.
With most of them I don't have much idea where to start, or the most obvious questions have already been asked. However, there are always more so I'll have to dig my thinking cap out..
Quote from: Allemano on April 05, 2011, 08:59:29 AM
Instant point awarding might be chaotic and is difficult to recall sometimes ("... did I already give you one point?")
I'm still really in favour of points being awarded as they are earned rather than when the puzzle is moved to Solved.
I have a number of points earned some time ago but not allocated; it may well be that the puzzles end up in The Black Hole and never really get allocated at all.
I've allocated the points in my Bus Puzzles as they are earned and as long as you keep track of what's been done (I still find a pen and paper quite useful in these days of the computer!) then it shouldn't be difficult to be accurate.