89 replies to this topic

[redrooster]

A master criminal has broken into a jeweller`s strong room which has the walls lined with several thousand storage boxes protected by individual four digit combination lock codes.. Each storage box contains small bags of precious stones (diamonds etc.) so the total value of all the contents of the locked boxes in this room will be several million of ??s .
Each box is labelled with a letter and four digits and the thief has inside information and knows that the combination lock code for each individual box can be mathematically calculated using the Box Number .He also knows that the only digits used for the code will be 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5.

Eg ...........Box No J 0023 has a Combination Lock Code of 1215

However , each box has its Combination Lock Code engraved on the INSIDE and fortunately several of these boxes are empty and have been left OPEN . This means that the criminal can now list each open Box Number with its own Security Code , and , using this information will attempt to work out the method of calculating any Security Code from its Box Number.

His inside information has told him that there is one particular box containing the master list of what is contained in each box in the strong room...Box J 6383 ... so this is the box to open first.

Here is the list of open BOX numbers with their security CODES engraved on the inside.

Can you work out how the codes can be calculated and explain the method used to determine the combination lock code of Box J 6383 ?

.BOX = CODE..... BOX = CODE..... BOX = CODE

J 0023 = 1215.... E 2182 = 5225.... Z 6163 = 1445
H 0124 = 4441.... Z 2271 = 1552 .... J 6242 = 3545
C 0138 = 4513.... K 2380 = 5322 .... A 6322 = 4525
Y 0209 = 5554.... A 2408 = 4124 .... K 6481 = 3513
E 0215 = 3235.... Z 2494 = 4221 .... J 6519 = 1525
H 0262 = 1234.... Z 2812 = 5332 .... K 6620 = 3341
R 0448 = 5132.... A 2994 = 4425 .... J 6709 = 5355
R 0464 = 2135.... C 3010 = 5414 .... E 6999 = 4515
W 0496 = 2125 .... Z 3229 = 3321 .... A 7238 = 3222
R 0545 = 2545 .... D 3631 = 1152 .... E 7402 = 5454
A 0704 = 5122 .... L 3865 = 2545 .... A 7535 = 3555
A 0859 = 4453.... A 4089 = 4455 .... A 7713 = 5542
R 0871 = 5545 .... Z 4108 = 2414 .... A 7962 = 4431
Y 0926 = 4254 .... E 4111 = 3222 .... U 8056 = 5543
Z 1043 = 4455 .... A 4166 = 3325 .... E 8108 = 2332
V 1044 = 3442 .... K 4431 = 3552 .... E 8121 = 2522
U 1095 = 2245 .... A 4476 = 4343 .... E 8250 = 4531
U 1096 = 1142 .... S 4705 = 4133 .... Z 8596 = 1335
V 1192 = 4521 .... A 4707 = 2455 .... E 8391 = 3232
R 1244 = 1355 .... Z 4725 = 2325 .... A 8844 = 5432
H 1381 = 4255 .... J 5264 = 4524 .... A 8930 = 4545
E 1390 = 4251 .... Z 5271 = 1225 .... A 9024 = 5153
R 1479 = 1523 .... J 5362 = 5535 .... K 9139 = 3443
K 1533 = 5244 .... E 5567 = 3123 .... K 9356 = 2424
J 1853 = 5322 .... Z 5970 = 5452 .... A 9751 = 3242
A 6053 = 3245 .... Z 9800 = 3134


Good luck !

[redrooster]

This puzzle is similar to the one I posted in August 2008.It was set by a Maths Lecturer as a holiday brain teaser for a group of University engineering students in order to keep their brains active over last Christmas (2008 ) holiday period !! (In theory at least)
I have spent time on this and can only solve part of it ....so I invite you to help out.

Spoiler for Timesaver......Beware of Rad Herrings ..........

I am not certain but I believe that the LETTERS used are not involved in the final answer. This was a hint that I was given in order to save me wasting too much time and becoming disheartened with trying to solve the full puzzle. The trouble is that I do not know whether this hint is a "double bluff" and the letters are used... !!All I can say is that my progress so far has not used any of the letters

[nutso42]

It's certainly difficult to calculate while The Ramones are pounding into your head....


Still working on it....

[redrooster]

A master criminal has broken into a jeweller`s strong room which has the walls lined with several thousand storage boxes protected by individual four digit combination lock codes.. Each storage box contains small bags of precious stones (diamonds etc.) so the total value of all the contents of the locked boxes in this room will be several million of ??s .
Each box is labelled with a letter and four digits and the thief has inside information and knows that the combination lock code for each individual box can be mathematically calculated using the Box Number .He also knows that the only digits used for the code will be 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5.

Eg ...........Box No J 0023 has a Combination Lock Code of 1215

However , each box has its Combination Lock Code engraved on the INSIDE and fortunately several of these boxes are empty and have been left OPEN . This means that the criminal can now list each open Box Number with its own Security Code , and , using this information will attempt to work out the method of calculating any Security Code from its Box Number.

His inside information has told him that there is one particular box containing the master list of what is contained in each box in the strong room...Box J 6383 ... so this is the box to open first.

Here is the list of open BOX numbers with their security CODES engraved on the inside.

Can you work out how the codes can be calculated and explain the method used to determine the combination lock code of Box J 6383 ?

.BOX = CODE..... BOX = CODE..... BOX = CODE

J 0023 = 1215.... E 2182 = 5225.... Z 6163 = 1445
H 0124 = 4441.... Z 2271 = 1552 .... J 6242 = 3545
C 0138 = 4513.... K 2380 = 5322 .... A 6322 = 4525
Y 0209 = 5554.... A 2408 = 4124 .... K 6481 = 3513
E 0215 = 3235.... Z 2494 = 4221 .... J 6519 = 1525
H 0262 = 1234.... Z 2812 = 5332 .... K 6620 = 3341
R 0448 = 5132.... A 2994 = 4425 .... J 6709 = 5355
R 0464 = 2135.... C 3010 = 5414 .... E 6999 = 4515
W 0496 = 2125 .... Z 3229 = 3321 .... A 7238 = 3222
R 0545 = 2545 .... D 3631 = 1152 .... E 7402 = 5454
A 0704 = 5122 .... L 3865 = 2545 .... A 7535 = 3555
A 0859 = 4453.... A 4089 = 4455 .... A 7713 = 5542
R 0871 = 5545 .... Z 4108 = 2414 .... A 7962 = 4431
Y 0926 = 4254 .... E 4111 = 3222 .... U 8056 = 5543
Z 1043 = 4455 .... A 4166 = 3325 .... E 8108 = 2332
V 1044 = 3442 .... K 4431 = 3552 .... E 8121 = 2522
U 1095 = 2245 .... A 4476 = 4343 .... E 8250 = 4531
U 1096 = 1142 .... S 4705 = 4133 .... Z 8596 = 1335
V 1192 = 4521 .... A 4707 = 2455 .... E 8391 = 3232
R 1244 = 1355 .... Z 4725 = 2325 .... A 8844 = 5432
H 1381 = 4255 .... J 5264 = 4524 .... A 8930 = 4545
E 1390 = 4251 .... Z 5271 = 1225 .... A 9024 = 5153
R 1479 = 1523 .... J 5362 = 5535 .... K 9139 = 3443
K 1533 = 5244 .... E 5567 = 3123 .... K 9356 = 2424
J 1853 = 5322 .... Z 5970 = 5452 .... A 9751 = 3242
A 6053 = 3245 .... Z 9800 = 3134


Good luck !

Is there no-one taking up the challenge?

[ljb]

I have spent time on this and can only solve part of it ....so I invite you to help out.

Can you share what you've found?

[redrooster]

Can you share what you've found?

I have only managed to work out how to calculate the first code digit.

See spoiler for clues

Spoiler for Hints for first Code Digit

From the list of boxes/codes , if you compile a list of boxes all with the same FIRST CODE DIGIT , what can you deduce?

eg...using a first code digit of 4

H 0 124 = 4 513
A 0 859 = 4 453
Z 1 043 = 4 442
Y 0 926 = 4 254
A 8 930 = 4 545

What combination of digits in the Box number look the same. (or at least similar ) ..to give the first code digit of 4?

Compare this with other first code digits ( of 1 2 3 4 5 )

The hint above is in the spacing of the numbers

Bear in mind that the code can only be a maximum digit of 5 .....so what do you do when any combination or calculation of numbers gives a number HIGHER than 5 ?

If you want the answer to this hint then I`ll post it later today under a Spoiler

Edited by redrooster, 01 December 2009 - 01:10 PM.

[redrooster]

This puzzle is similar to the one I posted in August 2008.

If anyone is interested here is the link to this first Codebreaker puzzle from last year....complete with solution.

Spoiler for Original Codebreaker Wanted Puzzle AUG 2008

http://brainden.com/...__fromsearch__1

Click on the above link

If you wish to read through this first puzzle it will give an idea of the explanation of how that particular code was cracked.

Parts of it were rather difficult (for me at least! ) but the solution was eventually worked out by fellow BrainDen members.

The "multiply by 7 " idea ( where the resulting " units" digits were used as the code answer for part of the calculation ( ie ..the series 7 4 1 8 5 2 9 6 3 0 ) was interesting

(Also considered were the "multiply by 3 " idea in a similar manner ( ie :the series ...3 6 9 2 5 8 1 4 7 0)

Both of these "multiply by ..." ideas are useful because the first ten multiples(of both 3 and 7 ) cover the full range of numbers from 1 to 0 ...so they are an easy substitute when creating any simple code

So you can see some of the methods possible that can be used to break a code of this type.

However I would suspect that this current puzzle will , more than likely, be completely different !

Edited by redrooster, 01 December 2009 - 06:01 PM.

[redrooster]

Is there anyone out there taking up this challenge?

[redrooster]

Hint /Explanation / Part answer for the first Code Digit

Spoiler for First Code Digit

Using these samples from the list

H 0 124 = 4 513
A 0 859 = 4 453
Z 1 043 = 4 442
Y 0 926 = 4 254
A 8 930 = 4 545

If you add the second+third+fourth digits of the Box Number ...what is common ?

From the above

1 + 2 + 4 = 7
8 + 5 + 9 = 22
0 + 4 + 3 = 7 ( or 17 if you count 0 as 10 )
9 + 2 + 6 = 17
9 + 3 + 0 = 12 ( or 22 )

Bearing in mind that the Code digits go no higher than 5 ,
then all the above totals are 2 more than 5 (or multiple of 5 )
(ie 7 or 12 or 17 or 22 )

So the common point on the left (the Box Numbers ) is 2

The common point on the right (Code number ) is the first code digit of 4

Therefore if adding the second + third + fourth digits of the Box number produces a 2 ( or a 7 or 12 or 17 or 22 etc. ) then the first Code Digit will be a 4

Try it for other Box Numbers + Code Numbers to confirm that this statement is true......then deduce the rest of the total values

ie...What is the first Code Digit if they total 1 or 3 or 4 or 5 ?

Edited by redrooster, 09 December 2009 - 02:39 PM.

[redrooster]

$50 (USD ) PRIZE OFFERED


I have been trying to solve this problem for the past couple of months and naturally I am really keen to find a working solution. I have also made enquiries but cannot find any hints or answers from the original source

So I in order to provide an incentive for an answer , I am willing to offer a prize for the first person to fully solve this problem providing there is a full explanation of how the calculations are made and this will work on all the Box Number / Code Numbers listed above and I can fully understand how it is calculated .....so no guessing !

I have already solved Code Digit ONE so will pay $10 (USD or equivalent) for each of the solutions for Code Digits TWO and THREE and $20 (USD or equivalent ) for Code Digit FOUR.

I will also add an extra $10 to Code Digit FOUR if the final solution is found before the New Year (Jan 1 2010)

The decisions for awarding each prize will be mine...but I will be fair + honest and could share it between successful members working on each answer.

Please let me know if you are interested in helping me with this challenge

All payments will be made using PayPal.