[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."

[Yoruichi-san]

So basically, all we really need to know is....

(K,J,J,K,A)

(J,J,Q,A,J)

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A)

(J,J,J,K,A)

Snake Eyes (1,1?)

From this, Y-san interprets that the kid is not the man’s son, is in trouble, and is very intelligent. She also mentions that there is a pattern.

Can we solve the problem using only this info?

EDIT: just typing this out to see what it looks like. KJJKAJJQAJQ6Q6JAJJJKA

The four hands should be treated separately, and, as I've been hinting...at first glance they aren't equal (in length)...but perhaps they should be...how can you make them so?

[DudleyDude]

Here's my initial thoughts based on Y-San's hints.

If we think of the face cards as numbers past 10 (i.e., jack=11, queen=12 and king=13) and the ace=1, then the hands could be written out as 4 9-digit numbers as so:

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

Y-San made a reference to a glass "half full" as opposed to "half empty". Perhaps that could be an indicator to look at the bottom of the cards, as opposed to the top? If so, the 3rd hand would translate to 129129111 since the bottom of the "6" card would be printed upside-down and would look like a "9".

I'm not sure what to make of this, but it would be a logical way to translate the non-equal length "hands" to equal length messages.

[Guest]

Was the deck short of Q's?

2 x 6 = 12 = Q.

That gives us Q,Q,Q,J,A

Does that help anybody?

[Yoruichi-san]

Here's my initial thoughts based on Y-San's hints.

If we think of the face cards as numbers past 10 (i.e., jack=11, queen=12 and king=13) and the ace=1, then the hands could be written out as 4 9-digit numbers as so:

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

Y-San made a reference to a glass "half full" as opposed to "half empty". Perhaps that could be an indicator to look at the bottom of the cards, as opposed to the top? If so, the 3rd hand would translate to 129129111 since the bottom of the "6" card would be printed upside-down and would look like a "9".

I'm not sure what to make of this, but it would be a logical way to translate the non-equal length "hands" to equal length messages.

Good first step ;P. There is a significance to the number 9...but not the one you're thinking of.

[Magic_luver101]

Here's my initial thoughts based on Y-San's hints.

If we think of the face cards as numbers past 10 (i.e., jack=11, queen=12 and king=13) and the ace=1, then the hands could be written out as 4 9-digit numbers as so:

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

Y-San made a reference to a glass "half full" as opposed to "half empty". Perhaps that could be an indicator to look at the bottom of the cards, as opposed to the top? If so, the 3rd hand would translate to 129129111 since the bottom of the "6" card would be printed upside-down and would look like a "9".

I'm not sure what to make of this, but it would be a logical way to translate the non-equal length "hands" to equal length messages.

i have been thingin along thoses lines to here is what i got

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

13+11+11+13+1=49 not a letter card to big so 49/5=9.8 not whole wnw

1+3+1+1+1+1+1+3+1=13 13=K

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

11+11+12+1+11=46not a letter card to big so 46/5=9.2 not whole wnw

1+1+1+1+1+2+1+1+1=10 not a letter card

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

12+6+12+6+11+1=48 not a letter card to big so 48/6=8 not letter card

1+2+6+1+2+6+1+1+1=21 this equals a perfict blackjack hand but not a letter card to big

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

11+11+11+13+1=47 not a letter card to big so 47/5=9.4 not whole wnw

1+1+1+1+1+1+1+3+1=11 11=J

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A)=129129111 with fliping the 6's

12+9+12+9+11+1=54 not a letter card to big so 54/6=9 not a letter card

1+2+9+1+2+9+1+1+1=27 not a letter card to big

[Guest]

i have been thingin along thoses lines to here is what i got

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

13+11+11+13+1=49 not a letter card to big so 49/5=9.8 not whole wnw

1+3+1+1+1+1+1+3+1=13 13=K

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

11+11+12+1+11=46not a letter card to big so 46/5=9.2 not whole wnw

1+1+1+1+1+2+1+1+1=10 not a letter card

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

12+6+12+6+11+1=48 not a letter card to big so 48/6=8 not letter card

1+2+6+1+2+6+1+1+1=21 this equals a perfict blackjack hand but not a letter card to big

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

11+11+11+13+1=47 not a letter card to big so 47/5=9.4 not whole wnw

1+1+1+1+1+1+1+3+1=11 11=J

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A)=129129111 with fliping the 6's

12+9+12+9+11+1=54 not a letter card to big so 54/6=9 not a letter card

1+2+9+1+2+9+1+1+1=27 not a letter card to big

This makes the 3rd hand (Q,Q,Q,J,A)

1+2+1+2+1+2+1+1+1 = 12 = Q

We know have K,10,Q,J

A or 9 will give us a straight.

We know we are trying to make 9 to go with the 11 (snake eyes).

[Yoruichi-san]

This makes the 3rd hand (Q,Q,Q,J,A)

1+2+1+2+1+2+1+1+1 = 12 = Q

We know have K,10,Q,J

A or 9 will give us a straight.

We know we are trying to make 9 to go with the 11 (snake eyes).

Err...no swapping, order matters...but there is a significance to having 9 numbers...it wouldn't work with 8 or 10...;P

[Magic_luver101]

so im off track too

[Guest]

you are y-san and u created the riddle and ur a genius so u just knew what the answer was lol?

[Yoruichi-san]

you are y-san and u created the riddle and ur a genius so u just knew what the answer was lol?

Lol...actually...I must confess...I didn't come up with this one all on my one...it's based off a method I saw in a episode of Detective Conan...

But anyways...don't forget the kid had been looking at dice...and kids have a thing with shapes...

[Guest]

New to the forum, but this puzzle seemed familiar so I thought I'd drop a line.

I believe I saw a similar puzzle in an episode of Detective Conan where Hattori Heizo and Tomoya Kazuha were kidnapped (may be it's a different episode).

I can't remember what it was off the top of my head, so I'll work on it some more with what I remember.

[Guest]

Okay, I got how to decipher the cards, sort of.

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

Each row has 9 digits. You notice that there is no number bigger than 6. So each digit has a corresponding face of a dice. Also in a dice, usually 1 has a bigger circle than the other numbers, so the location of the 1's are critical (I think this is what the kid was referring to when he pointed his eyes).

Now, instead of arranging them as a 9 digit number, you arrange them in a 3x3 grid (if you look at a dice, each number is represented by placing dot(s) on a 3x3 grid).

Take the first one.

1 3 1

1 1 1

1 3 1

Notice where the 1's are. It spells out H.

1 1 1

1 1 2 = E

1 1 1

1 2 6

1 2 6 = L

1 1 1

Now unfortunately, the last one doesn't actually spell P.

So I'm not sure what to make of it.

Also I don't know what the hissing is.

If I remember correctly, in the Detective Conan, instead of spelling out the letters, they give a face of a dice to give a numeric password. Something like

1 3 1

2 1 5

1 6 1

would represent 5, since if you look at where 1's are, that's what a 5 would look like on a dice.

Edited March 23, 2009 by sihyunie

[DudleyDude]

I think sihyunie must have gotten it right.

[spoiler='extra thoughts

']Great job. I think the first 3 translating to HEL must be more than a coincidence. Since the last one would be:

1 1 1

1 1 1

1 3 1

and I think I P would look like:

1 1 1

1 1 1

1 3 X

I'm willing to believe that the last one is actually a "P." (with a period) That would make the completed message "HELP."

As far as the hissing like a snake, when combined with pointing at the eyes it would certainly be a reference to "snake eye" which is a term for rolling two 1s. This could be a way of telling us to focus on the 1s in the message. It also doubles as a message to use the dice when deciphering the message.

Okay, I got how to decipher the cards, sort of.

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

Each row has 9 digits. You notice that there is no number bigger than 6. So each digit has a corresponding face of a dice. Also in a dice, usually 1 has a bigger circle than the other numbers, so the location of the 1's are critical (I think this is what the kid was referring to when he pointed his eyes).

Now, instead of arranging them as a 9 digit number, you arrange them in a 3x3 grid (if you look at a dice, each number is represented by placing dot(s) on a 3x3 grid).

Take the first one.

1 3 1

1 1 1

1 3 1

Notice where the 1's are. It spells out H.

1 1 1

1 1 2 = E

1 1 1

1 2 6

1 2 6 = L

1 1 1

Now unfortunately, the last one doesn't actually spell P.

So I'm not sure what to make of it.

Also I don't know what the hissing is.

If I remember correctly, in the Detective Conan, instead of spelling out the letters, they give a face of a dice to give a numeric password. Something like

1 3 1

2 1 5

1 6 1

would represent 5, since if you look at where 1's are, that's what a 5 would look like on a dice.

[Yoruichi-san]

New to the forum, but this puzzle seemed familiar so I thought I'd drop a line.

I believe I saw a similar puzzle in an episode of Detective Conan where Hattori Heizo and Tomoya Kazuha were kidnapped (may be it's a different episode).

I can't remember what it was off the top of my head, so I'll work on it some more with what I remember.

Yeah...that was the episode alright...except Hattori Heiji used kanji to send the SOS to Shinichi...;P

Okay, I got how to decipher the cards, sort of.

(K,J,J,K,A) = 131111131

(J,J,Q,A,J) = 111112111

(Q,6,Q,6,J,A) = 126126111

(J,J,J,K,A) = 111111131

Each row has 9 digits. You notice that there is no number bigger than 6. So each digit has a corresponding face of a dice. Also in a dice, usually 1 has a bigger circle than the other numbers, so the location of the 1's are critical (I think this is what the kid was referring to when he pointed his eyes).

Now, instead of arranging them as a 9 digit number, you arrange them in a 3x3 grid (if you look at a dice, each number is represented by placing dot(s) on a 3x3 grid).

Take the first one.

1 3 1

1 1 1

1 3 1

Notice where the 1's are. It spells out H.

1 1 1

1 1 2 = E

1 1 1

1 2 6

1 2 6 = L

1 1 1

Now unfortunately, the last one doesn't actually spell P.

So I'm not sure what to make of it.

Also I don't know what the hissing is.

If I remember correctly, in the Detective Conan, instead of spelling out the letters, they give a face of a dice to give a numeric password. Something like

1 3 1

2 1 5

1 6 1

would represent 5, since if you look at where 1's are, that's what a 5 would look like on a dice.

I think sihyunie must have gotten it right.

[spoiler='extra thoughts

']Great job. I think the first 3 translating to HEL must be more than a coincidence. Since the last one would be:

1 1 1

1 1 1

1 3 1

and I think I P would look like:

1 1 1

1 1 1

1 3 X

I'm willing to believe that the last one is actually a "P." (with a period) That would make the completed message "HELP."

As far as the hissing like a snake, when combined with pointing at the eyes it would certainly be a reference to "snake eye" which is a term for rolling two 1s. This could be a way of telling us to focus on the 1s in the message. It also doubles as a message to use the dice when deciphering the message.

Good job, Dd...that's the completed message. Actually Heiji figured it out without the 'snake eyes' hint b/c on a die, the 1 is the only face that's in red...so it sticks out. I decided to give an extra hint.

Now if only someone could solve the two puzzles I posted after this...