[Guest]

A dead body was found in a camp the middle of an african desert.

He aparently was sleeping in a tent alone. There were no visibile hurts or bites in the body. No blood at all.

With the body was found a compass (a very simple one, made in canada), a not working gps (maybe low batteries), a map (with handwriten numbered points 1-4 in black and one point wiht the number 1700 in red. Not many details, the one intersting detail is a small river that crosses de map and passes between the 2 and 3 points), an empty bottle, a broken hammer (very bad quality one) and a lot of animal s*** (lots!). The guy was using some s*** as a pillow and had some over his head too.

Questions:

1) What was the guy doing there? (details using the things found with it)

2) What is the cause of death?

Thats my first riddle, so you can make me questions and Ill answer as I can. I dont know if its good or not, let see what you think of it

[Guest]

thats it, good job Solomon! Only please use spoilers, so taht olny who really want to see an anwser will see it.

oOo

[Guest]

he is headed in the wrong direction because the compass is for the north not the sout so he can not find his way back to the river to get more water. So he covers him self in dung to absorb the moisture. But he froze to death after the sun went down.

Thats really a good answer.I just couldnt say it does not fit but, like I said before, this history is based in a real case, and wasnt exactly like that. But you discover lots of things.

Ill make some new hints:

The compass is working. The guy knows how to use it (thats relative to what he was doing there). Maybe its just not enought knowing how to use a compass and having one... You are right: he lost the direction for something.

Froze to the death..thats a good answer and its possible... but he was in a tent and lets say that it was closed and he was in a sleeping bag. The poo was just in his head, not all body. He didnt freeze to death, but it is water related, ok? Youre almos there...

[Guest]

Hum <_< ... Try an interesting caracteristic of a fresh elephants poo. When you find it you will know, and some ohter things in this history will make sense.

I'll know what?

What to do or what not to do with it

or are you telling me too look out for some

oh I get it a fresh elephants that poo???

[Guest]

I'll know what?

What to do or what not to do with it

or are you telling me too look out for some

oh I get it a fresh elephants that poo???

Look at Solomon answer for the poo, read all the history again and the new hints, look at the map... I think that now almost all thee information needed to solve is here. Time to answer the questions, youre Baindeners, you can do it

[Guest]

I'll know what?

What to do or what not to do with it

or are you telling me too look out for some

oh I get it a fresh elephants that poo???

The poo is fresh, not the elephant. Sometimes I change the order in sentences because it's just the opposite in portuguese. My English is not very well, but Im doing conversation classes

[Guest]

I think he died from dehidration

[Guest]

the poo was to ward off insects but the hole that he was to breath out of was filled with leaching water from the dung. So he drowned.

[Guest]

the poo was to ward off insects but the hole that he was to breath out of was filled with leaching water from the dung. So he drowned.

either he drowned because of the water in the hole or it attracted dung bettles that covered the hole and suffocated him.

[Guest]

he was supposed to catch a ferrie at 9 or 1700 but since he as not from there his watch was wrong and or the compass was pointing to the north instead of the south.

[Guest]

Answers in red (some tips too)

the poo was to ward off insects but the hole that he was to breath out of was filled with leaching water from the dung. So he drowned.

No insects. He does not had a single bite, and the tent was closed.

he was supposed to catch a ferrie at 9 or 1700 but since he as not from there his watch was wrong and or the compass was pointing to the north instead of the south.

Its easy to see what is the first and the last time (the numbers). I did not say he had a watch but... look better on the things that was found with the body (hint!). He did miss the time for something, thats right .The compass problem is a little more complicated but you can be sure: any working compass always points to the north. If you doubt, search for it (you should, thats a hint!)

You are all doing a good job...

[Guest]

I think he died from dehidration.

In these circunstances that you already know, would you die from dehidration?

[Guest]

Canada is very close to magnetic north were compass spins freely

Edited January 16, 2009 by Solomon

[Guest]

Flying over desert on way to Canada, plane fault so jumped -used parachute

Hammer broke on landing with water bottle

Parachute used as tent

dip compass was for locating exact SOUTH pole in Canada

Elephant poo ?????

SomeONE left it there as an elephant is not likely to have left it

Fresh = new dung = faeces pron faces = thought he would wake up with a new face

died of exposure, dehydration - awaitng autopsey

[Guest]

This is what I think.

So going on a trip the man left at 0900, and planned to be at the destination at 1700 (time)3 days later. Knowing this the man mapped out where he would stop for the night (or known landmarks one day apart (spots 1,2, and 3). Knowing this he brought enough water for the trip. However along the way his GPS ran out of batteries and he had to rely on the old compass he had. Therefore he followed the compass north towards the magnetic north pole, and not the geographical north pole. The resulted in the man loosing his way, and running out of water. Therefore coming across fresh elephant poo he tried to manipulate water out by putting it on his head. Oh, he broke the hammer putting up the tent, as he got lost and did not expect to be putting up the tent on such hard ground.

-tiggon

[Guest]

couple of questions:

1. Does the poop cover his whole face, including mouth? (I don't know why he would cover his mouth just curious.)

2. did he start at one of the points or did he start some where off the map or at the 900?

3. when tiggon mentions days. Is it more than one day?

4. is there more qualities of the elephants poop for a reason to put it on his face?

5.(you don't have to answer this one as it reveals quite a bit but) does the poop have anything to do with his death or is it there to throw us off?

[Guest]

This is what I think. And this is what I know

So going on a trip the man left at 0900, and planned to be at the destination at 1700 (time)3 days later. Knowing this the man mapped out where he would stop for the night (or known landmarks one day apart (spots 1,2, and 3). Knowing this he brought enough water for the trip. However along the way his GPS ran out of batteries and he had to rely on the old compass he had. Therefore he followed the compass north towards the magnetic north pole, and not the geographical north pole. The resulted in the man loosing his way, and running out of water. Therefore coming across fresh elephant poo he tried to manipulate water out by putting it on his head. Oh, he broke the hammer putting up the tent, as he got lost and did not expect to be putting up the tent on such hard ground.

WOW! Thats almost everything you did a very good job!! lets see:

1- The points were not pre-made.

2 - Not 3 days, Ill say this answer: the hours are for the same day. And he did not have a watch (how did he knew the hours?)

3 - The hammer helps understanding what he is (his profession, and thats mine too ) and the and the ideas i just said. It broke in other situation...

4 - The compass ideia is perfect. A cheap compass does not have declination, so that isnt possible to know where is the geographic north if you do not know the diference in degrees from were you are (this diference changes around the globe)

5 - Yes, he runned out of water. You didnt say how he died, but it wasnt for dehidration. He puts the poo in his head because it has water, but for what reason? Thats related to the cause of death.

-tiggon

Now its just some details...

[Guest]

couple of questions:

1. Does the poop cover his whole face, including mouth? (I don't know why he would cover his mouth just curious.)

2. did he start at one of the points or did he start some where off the map or at the 900?

3. when tiggon mentions days. Is it more than one day?

4. is there more qualities of the elephants poop for a reason to put it on his face?

5.(you don't have to answer this one as it reveals quite a bit but) does the poop have anything to do with his death or is it there to throw us off?

I just answered almost everything in my previous post

1 - no mouth covered

2 - at the 0900

3 - no

4 - read the tiggon reply =b. It reveals a lot but I'm very satisfied with the ideas presented here.

[Guest]

as the compasses north points to the magnetic south so instead of going down to the river he would have walked upwards.he went to the river cause his water had finished but lost direction due to no gps and hence covered his face with poo.when the night fell it would get cold so the water in the s*** would provide him the warmth required but could not give enough so he died due to hypothermia which explains no blood.the hammer would have been broken in i guess setting up the tent.after he went to sleep he had no feeling of the temperature and died.

this is what i think

[Guest]

The man was in the desert to measure the water level of the river during the rainy season. He measured the water at 0900 and put it on the map as point 3 and using a compass put point 2 on the map. Then at 1700 he measured the level again and it was a point 4 and with the compass he mapped point 1. he also marked the ground with stakes but broke his hammer and could not drive a stake for point 4. His GPS quit and he was not sure where point 4 was anymore after the water receeded. He guessed and pitched his tent. That night the water rose again and he was too close to the river and he drown in the rising water. As far as the Elephant poop he was using it as pillow and whne the water got to it it got soft again and his head sank into it. As far as the bottle it was whiskey and he drank all of and that is why he did not feel the water.

Edited January 18, 2009 by kennyfarm

[Guest]

The man was in the desert to measure the water level of the river during the rainy season. He measured the water at 0900 and put it on the map as point 3 and using a compass put point 2 on the map. Then at 1700 he measured the level again and it was a point 4 and with the compass he mapped point 1. he also marked the ground with stakes but broke his hammer and could not drive a stake for point 4. His GPS quit and he was not sure where point 4 was anymore after the water receeded. He guessed and pitched his tent. That night the water rose again and he was too close to the river and he drown in the rising water. As far as the Elephant poop he was using it as pillow and whne the water got to it it got soft again and his head sank into it. As far as the bottle it was whiskey and he drank all of and that is why he did not feel the water.

hmmm but that would not explain why he was at point 4.

[Guest]

nile flood - Elephants that far ??

[Guest]

hmmm but that would not explain why he was at point 4.

because he did not remember where it was. He needed to sleep higher thatn point 4 but could not find it becasue the GPS was not working and the hammer was broken so he could not mark point 4 with a stake

[Guest]

Here is a big resume. of all the topic. It will help you people think .

First, reposting the original history:

A dead body was found in a camp the middle of an african desert.

He aparently was sleeping in a tent alone. There were no visibile hurts or bites in the body. No blood at all.

With the body was found a compass (a very simple one, made in canada), a not working gps (maybe low batteries), a map (with handwriten numbered points 1-4 in black and one point wiht the number 1700* in red. Not many details, the one intersting detail is a small river that crosses de map and passes between the 2 and 3 points), an empty bottle, a broken hammer (very bad quality one) and a lot of animal s*** (lots!). The guy was using some s*** as a pillow and had some over his head too.

Questions:

1) What was the guy doing there? (details using the things found with it)

2) What is the cause of death?

* That was corrected by the map above:

2 important things: first, the map has a coordinate grid (so that could be used with the gps). Second, the body was found in the point number 4.

Hints and aswers previusly given:

a) s*** means "poo"

b) Its elephant´s poo

c) He himself put the poo over his head.

d) 1700 isnt a coordinate and points aren't related with cities or animals. The gps runs out battery (thats right), and the compass really works, but theres some problem related to where its was made

e) He isnt imitating Man Vs Wild, but there is something related with it

f) 1700, & 0900, are times

g) there is a good motive for the poo. The guy whasnt crazy. Think like this: What could make you put elephants poo over your head?

h) This history really happend to a friend of mine, of course he didnt die and I changed it a litte.

i) points on the map are probably his stop points or something related.

j) elephants fresh poo contains water

k) The compass is working. The guy knows how to use it (thats relative to what he was doing there). Maybe its just not enought knowing how to use a compass and having one... You are right: he lost the direction for something.

l) but he was in a tent and lets say that it was closed and he was in a sleeping bag. The poo was just in his head, not all body. He didnt freeze to death, but it is water related

m) No insects. He does not had a single bite, and the tent was closed.

n) Its easy to see what is the first and the last time (the numbers). I did not say he had a watch but... look better on the things that was found with the body. He did miss the time for something.

o) In these circunstances that you already know, would you die from dehidration?

p) The points were not pre-made.

q) the hours are for the same day. And he did not have a watch (how did he knew the hours?)

r) The hammer helps understanding what he is (his profession, and thats mine too ) and the and the ideas i just said. It broke in other situation...

s) A cheap compass does not have declination, so that isnt possible to know where is the geographic north if you do not know the diference in degrees from were you are (this diference changes around the globe)

t) he runned out of water but he didnt died for dehidration. He puts the poo in his head because it has water, but for what reason? Thats related to the cause of death.

u) mouth not covered by the poo.

[Guest]

could it be

he guessed the time from the direction of the sun he got lost due to not being able to calculate wheere the river was as he had run out of water but then elephant poo has water so he put it on his head but it also has various other germs that can cause diseases like diarrhea or something like that cause poo is something u dont need.the broken hammer can be explained by how he was trying to set up the tent or put a point to know for future reference on the ground as his gps was not working so he did not want to go round and round in circles.

am i right????

[Guest]

when i read the parts when you write 'what would make you put elephant's poo in your head' i cant help but think eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew nothinggggggggg.

i guess we should focus on the profession... i checked your profile, since you share that with the character... nothing, damn hmm... the only things he has on him that are for something other than orientation are the broken hammer and the empty bottle. not sure if the map and gps and compass are useful to find out the profession... i have no idea what is men vs wild but i can imagine! and i cant really think of professions envolving it, bottles and hammers. bah. i suck at this