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I wrotethese notes to remind myself how to solve puzzles. The ideas recited here wereactually tested in battle — at least by me — and what’s perhaps even more important, is that there were times when Iforgot them, and later regretted it.
我写下这些文字的目的是为了提醒我自己如何解开puzzles。这些介绍的想法都是在真枪实弹中检验过的——至少是我亲身实践过的——更重要的是，曾经我忘了用这些方法，到后来追悔莫及。
我写下这些文字的目的是为了提醒我自己如何解开puzzles。这些介绍的想法都是在真枪实弹中检验过的——至少是我亲身实践过的——更重要的是，曾经我忘了用这些方法，到后来追悔莫及。
Forstarters, what is a puzzle?
对于初学者来说，首先，puzzle是什么？
A puzzle, in essence, is a problem. A problem starts with given conditions andasks you to derive a particular result. Finding the path from what’s given to what you are being asked for is problem solving, anability driven by the highest functions of the human brain. (side note: did youknow that “solve” means almostthe same thing as “dissolve”?Both derive from Latin solvere, which stands for “tounfasten”). What’s even cooleris that problem solving is also a problem (“Given aproblem, how do you solve it?”)—and that’s the one we want to look at here.
puzzle从本质上来说是一个问题。它以提供的条件开始，要求你得到特定的结果。从所给条件来找到答案的过程就是解谜，这是一种人类大脑最高端功能中的能力。旁注：你知道“solve”和“dissolve”的意思是差不多的吗？都是从拉丁文演化而来，意思就是解开【solvere:to solve】。更酷的是解谜本身也是一个问题（“有那么个问题，你会怎么解决？”）。这就是我们在这里要探索的东西。
对于初学者来说，首先，puzzle是什么？
A puzzle, in essence, is a problem. A problem starts with given conditions andasks you to derive a particular result. Finding the path from what’s given to what you are being asked for is problem solving, anability driven by the highest functions of the human brain. (side note: did youknow that “solve” means almostthe same thing as “dissolve”?Both derive from Latin solvere, which stands for “tounfasten”). What’s even cooleris that problem solving is also a problem (“Given aproblem, how do you solve it?”)—and that’s the one we want to look at here.
puzzle从本质上来说是一个问题。它以提供的条件开始，要求你得到特定的结果。从所给条件来找到答案的过程就是解谜，这是一种人类大脑最高端功能中的能力。旁注：你知道“solve”和“dissolve”的意思是差不多的吗？都是从拉丁文演化而来，意思就是解开【solvere:to solve】。更酷的是解谜本身也是一个问题（“有那么个问题，你会怎么解决？”）。这就是我们在这里要探索的东西。
3. Humandesign. A puzzle creator is a human: just like you. They have similar notionsof beauty and elegance, appreciation of rhymes in puzzle structure, culturalbackgrounds, and, very importantly, similar constraints. Remembering that everypuzzle has an author is crucial — I’ll talk about this further down.
3.人工设计。出题者和你一样，都是个人，他们在puzzle的结构安排，文化背景，审美观和韵文鉴赏都很相似。当然还有很重要的，相似的限制。记住每个puzzle都有一位作者，这是非常重要的。下文我会进一步探讨这一点。
3.人工设计。出题者和你一样，都是个人，他们在puzzle的结构安排，文化背景，审美观和韵文鉴赏都很相似。当然还有很重要的，相似的限制。记住每个puzzle都有一位作者，这是非常重要的。下文我会进一步探讨这一点。
Sowhere do I start?
所以从哪里开始好呢？
Before you can solve the problem that is your puzzle, you need to establishwhat’s given to you. As we just explained, what’s given is not likely to begiven for free — you have to extract it. Here are some thoughts on dataextraction:
在你能解决puzzle之前，你需要整理好你所得到的信息。正如我们刚刚解释的一样，puzzle所提供的条件不可能是没有用处的——你需要筛选出有用的信息。接下来就是一些获取信息的思路：
所以从哪里开始好呢？
Before you can solve the problem that is your puzzle, you need to establishwhat’s given to you. As we just explained, what’s given is not likely to begiven for free — you have to extract it. Here are some thoughts on dataextraction:
在你能解决puzzle之前，你需要整理好你所得到的信息。正如我们刚刚解释的一样，puzzle所提供的条件不可能是没有用处的——你需要筛选出有用的信息。接下来就是一些获取信息的思路：
1.A puzzle always comes to you on a medium. Look carefully and start byconcentrating on the medium that carries the puzzle data. Is it a web page? Apiece of paper? A disk? A plaster skull? A mysterious black box? Every mediumhas interesting properties that need to be explored. A web page has a sourcefile. An image, in addition to its content, has multiple ways of representingits pixels. A sound may have some meta-information associated with it; it alsohas a graphical representation.
1.puzzle通常以各种方式呈现在眼前。从开始观察puzzle的时候开始，你就需要集中注意力，仔细。这是一个网页？一张纸？一张碟片？一个石膏头骨？又或者是一个神秘的黑盒子？每种方式都有很有趣的特点可待探索。比如说，网页有资源文档，图像除了它的内容还有多种传递信息的方法，声音也许包含了一些相关的与meta有关的信息。它还含有一些图像表示。
1.puzzle通常以各种方式呈现在眼前。从开始观察puzzle的时候开始，你就需要集中注意力，仔细。这是一个网页？一张纸？一张碟片？一个石膏头骨？又或者是一个神秘的黑盒子？每种方式都有很有趣的特点可待探索。比如说，网页有资源文档，图像除了它的内容还有多种传递信息的方法，声音也许包含了一些相关的与meta有关的信息。它还含有一些图像表示。
2.The data presented to you has a structure. Mindfully establish whatit is. Do you have three columns of numbers? Do you have a 19x19 grid? Do youhave pairs of something? Start thinking about what’s commonly associated with aparticular structure. A 19x19 grid may be a game of Go. A set of binary datacould be ASCII, or Morse, or a picture if you squint at it. The initialstructure may not mean much, or it may mean everything. As you get “firsthunch” ideas, write them down. “First glance” ideas are often good — you maywant to give them a chance later. I’ll discuss structure some more, when we getto analyzing the data.
2.呈现给你的数据是有一定结构的。留心地确定它们是什么。有三行数字么？有19*19的格子么？有成对的东西么？想一想，一般来说，与特定结构相关的会有什么?19*19的格子可能是围棋，一串二进制数可能是ASCII，或者是摩斯电码，或者你斜着看的话会是一张图。最初的结构可能意义不大，但也有可能它包含了很多信息。一旦有了“第一印象”这样的想法，或许你想等会儿再试，但“第一印象”的思路一般来说都是很赞的，所以赶紧把它们写下来。“在下文我们分析数据的时候，我会再说一点关于结构的内容。
2.呈现给你的数据是有一定结构的。留心地确定它们是什么。有三行数字么？有19*19的格子么？有成对的东西么？想一想，一般来说，与特定结构相关的会有什么?19*19的格子可能是围棋，一串二进制数可能是ASCII，或者是摩斯电码，或者你斜着看的话会是一张图。最初的结构可能意义不大，但也有可能它包含了很多信息。一旦有了“第一印象”这样的想法，或许你想等会儿再试，但“第一印象”的思路一般来说都是很赞的，所以赶紧把它们写下来。“在下文我们分析数据的时候，我会再说一点关于结构的内容。
5.In the same vein, take clues from strangeness. Strange things are usuallya good sign that there’s treachery afoot. Are there strange words in otherwiseregular sentences? Is the grammar awkward? Are there strange line breaks? Ourminds are very good about detecting strangeness, so be vigilant and don’t throwaway any suspicions.
5.同样的道理，从特殊的地方来寻找线索。特殊的东西通常都表明着有不对劲的地方。很正常的句子中有特殊的用词吗？句子的语法奇怪吗？有奇怪的分割吗？我们的大脑非常善于发现怪异的地方，所以保持警惕，不要错过任何线索。
5.同样的道理，从特殊的地方来寻找线索。特殊的东西通常都表明着有不对劲的地方。很正常的句子中有特殊的用词吗？句子的语法奇怪吗？有奇怪的分割吗？我们的大脑非常善于发现怪异的地方，所以保持警惕，不要错过任何线索。
6.Treat everything as data. The title of the puzzle is important. Theflavor text—evenmore so. The fact that there are thumbnails leading to full images is also apotentially valuable piece of information. Even things that seem like errorscould be important (unless they are actual errors, which are possible, buthopefully rare.)
把任何内容都当作是数据来对待。 puzzle的标题非常重要。它体现了所有内容——甚至比这作用还要更大。事实上，一幅图片的缩略图同样很有潜在价值。即使看起来像错误的地方也很可能非常重要（除非这的确是错误，这种情况的确有可能但非常罕见）。
7.Carefully organize all the data you find. Use spreadsheets, graphpaper, magnets on a fridge, whatever it takes. If you have a sloppyhandwriting, type it up, or let someone else write it down. This is so seriousyou cannot afford to forget it. Often just carefully organizing the data willmake the path to the solution absolutely transparent.
7.仔细组织所有你找到的数据。使用电子数据表，图表，把想法都写成便利贴贴在冰箱上{青神}，尽你所能。如果你的字很坑爹，就换用打字，或者让别人来写。这非常重要，如果你忘了，之后一定会“卧槽"的。通常情况，仔细组织数据会让得到结果的方法更加清晰。
把任何内容都当作是数据来对待。 puzzle的标题非常重要。它体现了所有内容——甚至比这作用还要更大。事实上，一幅图片的缩略图同样很有潜在价值。即使看起来像错误的地方也很可能非常重要（除非这的确是错误，这种情况的确有可能但非常罕见）。
7.Carefully organize all the data you find. Use spreadsheets, graphpaper, magnets on a fridge, whatever it takes. If you have a sloppyhandwriting, type it up, or let someone else write it down. This is so seriousyou cannot afford to forget it. Often just carefully organizing the data willmake the path to the solution absolutely transparent.
7.仔细组织所有你找到的数据。使用电子数据表，图表，把想法都写成便利贴贴在冰箱上{青神}，尽你所能。如果你的字很坑爹，就换用打字，或者让别人来写。这非常重要，如果你忘了，之后一定会“卧槽"的。通常情况，仔细组织数据会让得到结果的方法更加清晰。
8. Obscurityis a possibility. If you look at a piece of data, and have no idea what todo with it, it may just be you. If 5, 10, 15 people looked at it and had thesame response, you may be dealing with something very obscure. Don’t just Google it. Yahooit, Bing it, Ask.com it. Look for it in books that are very old. Ask yourparents. Ask people who watch a lot of TV, and those who don’t watch it at all. Ask people of a different nationality, gender,age, ethnicity, and even sexual orientation (I once drafted a puzzle based onstyles of Cher’s wigs; the poor souls who had to solveit took hours mining for data; I know at least 10 very gay people who couldhave cracked the whole thing in under a minute. She wears the shiny red oneonly for “Take Me Home”. Duh.)Ask John Smith or Jane Doe or Ben Bitdiddle. If they don’t know, you are fucked, but it’ll just makeyou feel better about your not knowing.
8.问题可能是不明显的。如果你看了题目后一无所获，没有一点思路，这可能是你太菜的缘故。但如果5 10 15个人看过后都和你一样毫无突破，那你很有可能正在解决一道异常艰难的题。不要只是用google、雅虎、必应去搜索它，试着去一些年代久远的书中找找，试着问问你的父母，经常看电视亦或是完全不看的人。问问不同国家、性别、年龄、种族，甚至性取向的人。（我曾经解过一道基于cher假发样式的题 ，我不得不蛋疼的花了10个小时来找资料；但其实我至少知道不止十个能用不到1分钟就秒了这题的基佬。她带的亮红色的假发只有“带我回家”四个字）。问问张三李四王五或者是王小明，如果他们也不知道，你会觉得很蛋疼，但这总比你什么都不知道要强。
8.问题可能是不明显的。如果你看了题目后一无所获，没有一点思路，这可能是你太菜的缘故。但如果5 10 15个人看过后都和你一样毫无突破，那你很有可能正在解决一道异常艰难的题。不要只是用google、雅虎、必应去搜索它，试着去一些年代久远的书中找找，试着问问你的父母，经常看电视亦或是完全不看的人。问问不同国家、性别、年龄、种族，甚至性取向的人。（我曾经解过一道基于cher假发样式的题 ，我不得不蛋疼的花了10个小时来找资料；但其实我至少知道不止十个能用不到1分钟就秒了这题的基佬。她带的亮红色的假发只有“带我回家”四个字）。问问张三李四王五或者是王小明，如果他们也不知道，你会觉得很蛋疼，但这总比你什么都不知道要强。
Ithink I have all the data I can possibly get out of this thing, neatly arrangedand prepared. What do I do next?
我想我已经挖掘出了所给信息中所有的内容，进行了分类汇总了，做好了准备。接下来我应该干什么呢？
You analyze what youhave and look for paths to the solution. Herein lies the heart of the dragon:the most interesting and groovy part of the puzzle. There isn’t a single strategy toapproach this step, but here are some ideas and common points to keep in mind:
分析你拥有的信息，寻找得到答案的方法。这就是蛇的七寸，是puzzle中最有趣最精彩的地方了。要到这一步，没有什么特别的方法，但还是有一些想法和一些普遍的地方需要注意：
我想我已经挖掘出了所给信息中所有的内容，进行了分类汇总了，做好了准备。接下来我应该干什么呢？
You analyze what youhave and look for paths to the solution. Herein lies the heart of the dragon:the most interesting and groovy part of the puzzle. There isn’t a single strategy toapproach this step, but here are some ideas and common points to keep in mind:
分析你拥有的信息，寻找得到答案的方法。这就是蛇的七寸，是puzzle中最有趣最精彩的地方了。要到这一步，没有什么特别的方法，但还是有一些想法和一些普遍的地方需要注意：
2.Always ask: “Whatdata hasn’t been used yet?” Inmore than one case, this question helped me when I was pretty stuck.At thepoint when you are asking that question, some piece of data that wasn’t useful at the start could have easily been slightly forgotten—this will help you shake up the sand box and bring what you need tothe surface.
2.多问问自己：“有哪些线索我还没有用到？“这个问题在我卡题的时候曾经多次给我带来灵感。你问自己这个问题的时候，从一开始就没用到的数据可能已经不经意地被遗忘了——这会帮助你拨开谜雾，找到对你有用的东西。
2.多问问自己：“有哪些线索我还没有用到？“这个问题在我卡题的时候曾经多次给我带来灵感。你问自己这个问题的时候，从一开始就没用到的数据可能已经不经意地被遗忘了——这会帮助你拨开谜雾，找到对你有用的东西。
3. Understand constraints. Data can be constrained by many differentparameters, and it’simportant to understand what those parameters are. Try to think about the datain terms of how it can conceivably be used. Do you have imagesof items? The names of those items, as well as their positions in the imagescould matter. Did you have seven snippets of song lyrics that mentioned colors?You can probably use these to arrange something else — but that’s about it. Also consider which constraints are important. Ifsomething is alphabetized, then the current order probably doesn’t matter; however, there may be an ordering based on some otheraspect of your data. There exist other constraints: impossibility, for example. If you have a bigbatch of Morse data without delimiters, it’s practically impossible to decode it. Either you are missingdelimiters, or you are not looking at Morse.
3.理解限制。数据也许会被很多因素限制，因此了解限制是什么就非常重要。想想你的线索可能可以在哪方面使用。你想过它们对应的图像吗？甚至它们在图像中的位置也可能是线索。歌词中是否有七个片段提及了颜色？你或许可以用这些来安排其他东西——但也仅限于此。同时，考虑那些限制是重要的。如果有些东西是按字母排序的，那么原来的顺序也许无关紧要；然而也许它还按照了其他什么方面的特征来排序了。当然，还有其他的限制，比如说，不可能性。如果你有一大段没有分割的莫尔斯电码，这是不可能解开的。所以要么你是没找到分隔符，要么这根本就不是Morse。
3.理解限制。数据也许会被很多因素限制，因此了解限制是什么就非常重要。想想你的线索可能可以在哪方面使用。你想过它们对应的图像吗？甚至它们在图像中的位置也可能是线索。歌词中是否有七个片段提及了颜色？你或许可以用这些来安排其他东西——但也仅限于此。同时，考虑那些限制是重要的。如果有些东西是按字母排序的，那么原来的顺序也许无关紧要；然而也许它还按照了其他什么方面的特征来排序了。当然，还有其他的限制，比如说，不可能性。如果你有一大段没有分割的莫尔斯电码，这是不可能解开的。所以要么你是没找到分隔符，要么这根本就不是Morse。
