39 replies to this topic

[Yoruichi-san]

One brisk day in March, Y-san was inside a gas station belonging to the PumpItUp chain, refueling on some much needed caffeine. The sound of the bell on the door drew her attention to a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses walking up to the counter. The man asked the gas station attendant, "Excuse me, sir, could you give me directions to I-70? I'm taking a trip with my son, and our car doesn't have GPS." The man gestured to the run-down, old car parked outside. A young boy sat looking at them from the window. Seeing he had their attention, the boy looked down at something in his hands. A moment later, he raised a hand holding some playing cards. They were, in order: KJJKA.

The man at the counter let out a laugh that Y-san thought was just a little too high-pitched. "Two pair, very good!" the man said, waving his hand dismissively. "Yeah, it's going to be a long trip so I gave him some cards and some dice to play with. Looks like he's taken an interest in poker." The gas station attention smiled and nodded and continued giving directions. Y-san's attention remained on the boy. The boy then held up: JJQAJ, then: Q6Q6JA, then: JJJKA. Then the boy pointed to his eyes and formed his mouth as if hissing.

Keeping the corner of his eye on the boy, the man shook his head and laughed again. "Seems like he likes his three-of-a-kind jacks. And one of those hands wasn't quite legal. I guess I still have some teaching to do." He shrugged in a nonchalant manner and turned to the attendant, thanked him, and walked out of the gas station.

As soon as the door swung closed behind him, Y-san spun around and ordered the attendant to call the police. The attendant, bewildered, asked her why. She replied in a confident, commanding tone, "That boy is definitely not that man's son." As the attendant obliged her instructions, Y-san smiled and mused, "That kid is way too smart to be the son of that guy..."


The car had driven off, but Y-san had memorized the license plate and gave the information to the police over the phone. Having that information, and knowing that the man was headed to I-70, the police managed to apprehend the criminal quickly. The man was a gambler with major debts who had kidnapped the son of a wealthy family in order to hold him for ransom. When the police asked Y-san how she knew, she smiled enigmatically and answered "Never underestimate the patterns a kid will notice when playing with toys."

[The monkey of the jungle]

I don't get it

[colorclown26]

I have absolutely no poker knowledge. Is that going to effect my ability to solve this?

[CuteSparklezGirl]

I have absolutely no poker knowledge. Is that going to effect my ability to solve this?

same...

[Dawg]

Based on the following.

When the police asked Y-san how she knew, she smiled enigmatically and answered "Never underestimate the patterns a kid will notice when playing with toys."

I think it has nothing to do with poker, more to do with either how the kid sees the cards? or a pattern from a kids game.

[Dawg]

Spoiler for I'm thinking.

That you need to convert the patterns that the kid sees on the dice to the cards. and that will reveal the message.

[Yoruichi-san]

I have absolutely no poker knowledge. Is that going to effect my ability to solve this?

Nope, just the very basics about cards...;P

[The monkey of the jungle]

Was it the dice or cards he was holding up about the "6"

[Yoruichi-san]

Was it the dice or cards he was holding up about the "6"

Playing cards. Y-san's eyes aren't super-human enough to see the number on a die from 10-20 feet away...;P

[The monkey of the jungle]

Nope, just the very basics about cards...;P

Does it have to do anything with binary?