[itachi-san]

OK, I'm not even sure if I'm sold on this idea, but I do find it interesting. It would be an icon (like a check mark) that the Original Topic Posters could use at any time when they are either satisfied with a response being the intended answer to their puzzle or if they have posted the solution themselves. The column for Post Icons would be ideal for this, but it would obviously have to have the ability to be added after the Topic was posted. The Topic would still be open for discussion of course, but everyone would be aware that the OP was satisfied.

I can think of 2 great purposes for this option. One would be for people scanning the archives. I've noticed that the users are growing rapidly for this site (which is great) and therefore so are the number of Topics. Having this option would make it easy to find old Topics that have yet to be satisfactorily solved according to the OP. Secondly, the check mark would let people know that a puzzle that had them stumped is finally solved. I feel that this option would greatly reduce the amount of spoilers posted and the incentive to post spoilers because everyone would know without even opening a puzzle if it has been solved or not. This way a puzzle could hang around unsolved for a very long time and not get lost in the distant pages of the archives without people knowing it has yet to be solved.

Just a long drawn out thought

[Guest]

I like it, helpful for sure. *two thumbs up*

[Guest]

Yep! Sounds good to me - I prefer to only look at ones that haven't been solved, so if this system were in place, then I wouldn't have to sift through posts to find out if a puzzle was answered.

[grey cells]

Yeah . I fourth it.

Seriously I like the idea.

[rookie1ja]

that's definitely a good idea - clearly distinguish unsolved topics ... however, the technical side is a bit more complicated ... the manual solution would require the OP to be able to edit his topic days after posting it and the current edit limit is set to 10 minutes ... manual editing by moderators would be a lot of work

the OP could pm one of moderators (or me) to add an icon to his/her topic to identify it as solved ... that is my first idea (a bit time consuming)

this is a good idea, I will give it a second thought later

[EventHorizon]

Maybe also have a textbox that the OP can edit (originally says "Unsolved"). It would be nice to not only know that a problem has been solved.....but have the topic also say who solved it first. Or instead of a text box, just have a checkbox to click on the post with the correct answer...and let the back end get the name of the member who posted the solution.

Might get some extra competition going. It could even be tracked....so there could be a leaderboard on the number of solved puzzles

Edited April 4, 2008 by EventHorizon

[rookie1ja]

Just following up on all comments/suggestions.

There is a way how OP can mark his/her threads as "Solved".

NEW:

Topic starters can mark their new threads as solved if solution is posted. Follow these guidelines.

Riddle/Puzzle authors (or generally topic starters) may choose to show that their riddle/puzzle has been solved by changing it from a regular thread into a poll.

1. After an acceptable solution has been posted, the topic starter posts a reply to confirm that the answer is correct (giving credits to solver/solvers, pointing to their posts and providing further explanation if needed). Before adding reply, the topic starter can first copy the hyperlink address - URL - to the post with the correct answer by clicking its number in the upper right corner of the post (eg. clicking on "#2" if that post includes the solution).

2. When topic starter is writing reply ("Add reply"), he/she can click the option at the top of the editor: "Click here to manage this topic’s poll".

3. The poll does not need to have a title, but the topic starter will need to click "Add Poll Question" and type something in the box "Poll Content" (eg. "Solved").

4. Topic starter then needs to click "Add Poll Choice" and type something in the box that appears (like "Solved by plasmid in post #23" - tags can be used to point directly to the post with solution.) You can get a hyperlink address - URL - to the post with the correct answer by clicking its number in the upper right corner. You might want to copy the URL before you "Add Reply" so that you just paste it in this step. Then use that hyperlink in url tags like so:

{url=http://brainden.com/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=9215&view=findpost&p=178754}this post{/url} ... replace {} for []

5. Topic starter needs to enter the regular text for a reply posting as well.

6. Click the button "Add Reply" in the full editor and that's it

After the reply is posted, the riddle’s folder will be purple and the poll’s text ("Solved:") will appear at the top of the window when people view the thread. Be aware that after the poll has been made it cannot be edited, and people may still post to the thread after it is converted to a poll.

This is also mentioned as a TIP when you start new thread and, of course, in the Board Guidelines as well.

Enjoy