Puzzle In xkcd Book Finally Cracked

An anonymous reader writes "After a little over five months of pondering, xkcd fans have cracked a puzzle hidden inside Randall Munroe's recent book xkcd: volume 0. Here is the start of the thread on the xkcd forums; and here is the post revealing the final message (a latitude and longitude plus a date and time)."

On Topic

[Anonymous Coward]

First Post [isxkcdshittytoday.com]

Re:

[ipquickly]

That website has been known to be wrong on a regular basis.

(or someone fount /usr/bin/yes)

Re:

[Shikaku]

I don't know what's worse: that someone made it for almost every comic, or that there's a sfw version.

Re:

[de_smudger]

hehe they have an rss feed :)

http://www.isxkcdshittytoday.com/rss.xml [isxkcdshittytoday.com]

Uh

[Threni]

The start of the thread, containing spoilers, isn't much use if you want to attempt the puzzle and haven't got the book. Do I need the book? If so, this is something of a non-story, isn't it?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

I think you may need to brush up on the definition of "nerd". (Hint: It doesn't mean "people who like the same stuff as me")

Re:Uh

[kestasjk]

These are comics with computer science / math / physics jokes..

Re:

[bloodninja]

These are comics with computer science / math / physics jokes..

Furhtermore, and TFS should have stated this, there already was an XKCD incident when a latitude and longitude plus a date and time were posted in a comic. A party "spontaniously" broke out at that day and location, with Randall there. So, this is obviously an invitation to another party.

Re:Uh

[j00r0m4nc3r]

So, this is obviously an invitation to another party.

Or a trap.

Re:Uh

[Zarf]

So, this is obviously an invitation to another party.

Or a trap.

You've been listening to Admiral Ackbar too much.

Re:

[IsoRashi]

Or a trap.

You've been listening to Admiral Ackbar too much.

or 4chan.

Re:

[nitehawk214]

Or a trap.

You've been listening to Admiral Ackbar too much.

or 4chan.

Or republicans. [thedailyshow.com]

Re:Uh

[dotancohen]

You mean this:
http://xkcd.com/240/ [xkcd.com]

Re:

[gmuslera]

Oh, wait... so we must blame xkcd for this [imdb.com]?

LOST spoiler

[Tei]

I think you have spoiled me the end of LOST, thanks :-P

The problem is that there's no article.

[Jesus_666]

The gripe is not that it's a story about a solved problem, the gripe is about the story being about a solved problem inside a dead-tree version of xkcd - and we can't even be certain we were told the actual problem so the informational content of this story boils down to: "Randall Munroe has apparently put some tricky puzzles into an xkcd book of his and someone solved a really hard one and got a set of coordinates. You'll have to trust us on this one, we don't have further data." As far as news go that's r

Re:The problem is that there's no article.

[Angostura]

Indeed. Having read the thread, I suspect I've just witnessed a mathematical game of Mornington Crescent. [wikipedia.org]

Re:

[pz]

As far as news go [this story is] really weak.

One more example of how kdawson's postings are not up to the editorial standards, such as they are, at Slashdot.

Note to self: stop reading Slashdot when kdawson is editing, as the quality goes down and the silliness goes up.

Re:

[cbiltcliffe]

Right... But if the story had been some unfounded rumor about how/why Microsoft is evil...

What? You contradict yourself. EVERY rumour (Canadian...sorry) about how Microsoft is evil is founded. In fact, the very stability of the universe itself is based on the fact that Microsoft is evil. Were Microsoft to not be evil, even for a single second, of a single minute, of a single hour, of a single day, the entire universe would implode.

Re:The problem is that there's no article.

[geekoid]

What a whiner.

XKCD is a popular nerd site. The owner of the sight did an interesting puzzle. Here is a link to the relevant information.

Slashdot has done that sort of thing for it's entire existence. It's like getting on an aircraft and complaining that they fly through the air.

Re:

[Ifni]

Anonymous Coward is jealous of someone 10+ years his junior being more talented and successful. Oh, and the humor is over his head, so it must be juvenile. He was also heard to exclaim "get off my lawn!"

Re:

[ustolemyname]

Yes, whereas your grammar and diction are eloquent demonstrations of your maturity.

Re:

[DriedClexler]

Here is a link to the relevant information.

Where is the link? Forget the a href? Or did you mean the link in the summary? No, that's a link to a forum discussion with everything about the problem labeled as spoilers.

This story shouldn't have been posted, at least not without a (non spoiler) restatement of the problem.

Re:

[Jesus_666]

The issue is that we were never given the problem (we can only guess that the presentation of the answer includes part of all of it) and, even more importantly, we were never told how the answer was found. In short, they left out all the interesting parts. The answer to a problem posted by the author of a nerd webcomic is no more exciting to nerds than any random string. Randall Munroe's proximity doesn't magically make things cool.

The cool bit would be the solution (ie. a documentation of the cognitive p

Re:

[Lars T.]

Are you saying that Slashdot shouldn't argue about anything that is only available as a book not made into a movie yet? Including things like The Art of Computer Programming?

At least it would save us from "They didn't put that part of the book into the movie" arguments.

Re:

[Jesus_666]

No, I'm arguing that stories in the format of "the answer to question 3 on page 179 of book X" are pointless: They don't mean anything to anyone who doesn't own the book and convey a bare minimum of information to those who do.

If the problem is interesting then why not write up a blurb about what the problem is and, most importantly, how it was solved? Giving us two strings and telling us that one can be turned into the other is fairly pointless; the interesting part are how and why, the first of which wa

Re:

[FoolishOwl]

I can understand the disappointment at not seeing any discussion of the problem, and the means of the solution. However, the meaning of the solution is very clear, and interesting to XKCD fans.

Re:

[Jesus_666]

The problem is that the meaning of the solution is not part of the story. I've looked at the linked posts and a few posts following the second one and I can tell that it's exciting for xkcd fans - but kdawson failed to point out what the problem is, how it was solved and what the solution means. In essence, he reported on exactly the most boring parts of the story while omitting all the interesting ones.

I am ready to say that this story was presented in the worst possible way.

Re:

[Cytotoxic]

Actually, the linked thread details the riddle and the route to its solution fairly nicely. There are many layers to the riddle, requiring the collection of 8 clues (pieces of the cipher) from other puzzles inside the text.

Here is one of the more accessible puzzles:

*18. (page 110120) The start of the tenth favorite word used by Bender

The toon that went south while commanded by Ender

The number of lights that Picard said were on

And the class of the planet where Kirk shouted "Khaaan!"

The rings for the men minus rings for the elves

And the product mod ten of a fivesome of twelves

The end of a code NES gamers know

And the base used to model how quickly things grow

When they're XOR'd together the checksum is "E"

Which will tell you you've got the penultimate key

I'd say that qualifies as nerdy enough for slashdot. Not to mention the fact that you have to solve multiple riddles just to figure out where the puzzle is. It sounds like it was pretty fun.

Re:

[Jesus_666]

The story links to two specific posts. There is no indication that more relevant content is found in further posts. Do you really expect me to do a news site's work and research their story for them? This is extremely lazy editing however you look at it.

Re:Uh

[war4peace]

Wait, there is a puzzle? Where? xkcd? What's that? Who? What year is it?
Oh, it's /. - nevermind then, all makes sense now.

Re:

[Hurricane78]

xkcd? What’s that?

Please hand in you geek card. You have 30 seconds to leave the site.
Starting... *loads shotgun* ...NOW!!

Re:Uh

[IorDMUX]

Do I need the book? If so, this is something of a non-story, isn't it?

No, because of the real-world relevance of the result [xkcd.com].

I can't wait.

Re:

[IMoriarty]

I wonder if the Lunar Eclipse will be visible from that point at that time. ~I

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

There's going to be a wedding at that location on that date. What else would the 3's mean?

Re:

[FoolishOwl]

The answer is, in itself, useful, if you're an XKCD fan, and if you're in a position to make use of the information, which a significant number of XKCD fans and Slashdot readers would be.

Step one: use Google Maps.
Step two: use Google Calendar.

Bring in the mice!

[Errol backfiring]

So we now need to build a computer to know what the actual question was...

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

I believe the question was: 'How many references to this joke can be made before it starts to gall?'

Re:

[RuBLed]

I almost got it guys, 5 more minutes...

The puzzle of xkcd

[Anonymous Coward]

has been explained for a while [xkcdexplained.com]. This is humor as it should be writ.

Prediction:

[Anonymous Coward]

Prediction:

XKCD used all profits to rent out a C-130 Herc [wikimedia.org] to drop a metric ton of Ball-Pit Balls [xkcd.com] on that location.

Google maps link

[shird]

FYI, a google maps link to the location:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.769573+-122.483123&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16 [google.com.au]

time and date: 2010-06-26 14:28:57

Re:

[Mostly a lurker]

Well, the United Nations charter was signed on June 26, 1945 in San Francisco, but not in the Golden Gate Park (no idea of the exact time it was signed). I guess this is the 65th anniversary of a significant event. Good excuse for a celebration. What are the laws surrounding drinking alcohol in the Golden Gate Park?

Re:Google maps link

[Farmer Tim]

What are the laws surrounding drinking alcohol in the Golden Gate Park?

BYO.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

If you look at the corresponding satellite image [google.com] it's a specific tree in Golden Gate Park [sfgov.org] in an area called "Speedway Meadow". It is right beside half a dozen picnic tables and it is about 100m from an outdoor stage. According to other information about the park, this area has barbeque pits.

I used the San Francisco Parks Portal [parksportal.com] to search for events scheduled on that day in Speedway Meadow. Nothing specific shows up.

Re:

[camperdave]

Did you remember to geohash [xkcd.com] it?

Re:

[monkeySauce]

Holy shit, that's my birthday! Thank you Randall, I'm honored... ::sobs:: I've been reading your comic a long time, but this was really unexpected. It's going to be the best birthday party ever!

Re:

[j h woodyatt]

Somebody better book that site with SF Park and Rec right the fsck now.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

uhh.. lets think, maybe San Francisco, CA time?

Re:

[Dishevel]

Pacific Time Zone. San Fransisco time has no bearing on reality. Much like San Fransisco itself.

How does it feel like to feed a troll?

[freaker_TuC]

I've always wanted to feed a real troll, can I ? Please? They look quiete adorable mumbling "my precious". Hospitable little creatures as long as you don't smell 'm!

Oh f*CK! NO ! Oh NO! HE BIT OFF A FINGER !!!

Shoot it! Put it too sleep ! Put it to sleep!!! Someone shoot it!!!

Before this becomes a real plague on slashdot; we slashdotians wouldn't be satisfied typing with 9 fingers!

Re:

[bmo]

This made me laugh. Thanks. I needed it. :-D

--
BMO

Not a meeting!

[TheBoll]

Obviously, this isn't the next XKCD meeting. This is the date, time and epicenter of the Big One! Runaway! :)

The IV was 00000000?

[zill]

Using all zeros as the IV to AES? I'm very disappointed in you, Randall.

Misapplication of cryptographic tools should be a capital offense, even in the context of making puzzles.

Re:

[Obsi]

Saying "$FOO should be a capital offense" should be a capital offense. Now, where's my axe?

Re:

[zill]

I don't see how you can suicide with an axe.

Re:

[Obsi]

Chop off an arm, or a leg. Death by exsanguination. :)

Solving the XKCD puzzle...

[AdamTrace]

As I suggested in the linked XKCD forum, now that the puzzle is solved, it would be really nice to have a full write-up of the entire thing, including the unsolved puzzles themselves and a little more detail and background about the whole thing. That would have made for a much more interesting story to the general public.

Direct linking to an unorganized web-forum thread isn't really much of a story. Oh well.

For what it's worth, the puzzles in the XKCD book were really fun. They ranged from pretty simple (ROT-13, etc) to fiendishly clever. Even though every comic is available online for free, I'm glad I spent the money on the book.

I was lucky enough to solve the final puzzle myself, and therefore happened to be the first person to have all eight keys and decrypt the message. As lame as this might sound, it was pretty thrilling.

Re:

[Kagura]

I was lucky enough to solve the final puzzle myself, and therefore happened to be the first person to have all eight keys and decrypt the message. As lame as this might sound, it was pretty thrilling.

That's really not worth a lot. And I bet Randall solved it before you did. ;)

Re:

[AdamTrace]

Yes... I use the word "first" in a very loose sense. :)

Re:

[BenFenner]

Congratulations.

No bullshit.
That sounds like a lot of fun and I'd be thrilled to have been a part of it.
Well done.

Interesting... on a cycleway?

[Baloo Uriza]

Looks like it's pointing to the shoulder of a cycleway. http://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=37.769573&mlon=-122.483123&zoom=16&layers=00B0FTF [openstreetmap.org]

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[BillMike]

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