Escape the Black Ship - Win a birdy!

Kharnor1

I've been planning an event to give away my birdy (again). It was going to be a big in-game affair with trivia and puzzles and plankings, but for several reasons that's not going to happen. (My computer died with all the plans on it. Plus I discovered Whirled and hardly play ypp anymore.)

So instead, I'm just going to be giving you one massive puzzle. The first person to PM me with the correct answer (showing all working, so that I know they actually understand it) wins.

You're bound by Pirate's Honour to not cheat, or enter at all if you've done a similar puzzle before. Also try not to spoil the fun for others.

I'm still writing it, so this is just some advance warning. Expect the puzzle up sometime around 24 hours from now. Maybe 48, I might want to add some last minute twists. Twisted Evil

Edit: Just realised what day it is, and no it's not a trick. If it was I'd say I was giving away Socko. Razz

maggiebones · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:34 am Post subject:

/holds breath in anticipation....
_________________
Yarg...

MaggieBones I be.
TLL - FO
Flag to Crew
Bearer of News

Kharnor1 · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:58 am Post subject:

Okay, here it is. It was going to include a couple of math puzzles as well to tell the story of exactly how the crew got so drunk, but I realized that I kinda have to work out the solution myself before I use it in a competition Razz

I might post those puzzles later, for "minor prizes" - basically anything I own in ypp besides Socko, or perhaps I could draw ye some artwork? I've been feeling rather creative lately.

Anyway, THIS is the puzzle you need to solve to win the birdy. Have at it.

Feel free to discuss it or ask me questions or whatever. Just don't spoil it for anyone else, k?

ESCAPE THE BLACK SHIP
You've all heard the tales of the Black Ship, which takes revenge upon those who prey on the weak. Crewed by immortal and undefeatable skeletons, it effortlessly tears up and plunders even the largest of frigates, leaving its victims with little more than a broken and empty hull on which to escape.

But the tales you have heard are false. The skeletons are not truly immortal, and their victims do not always make it home.

When skeletons fall in battle, their ranks must be replenished. The victims of the next raid are dragged aboard the Black Ship, where the ghost captain (whom you will also hear no tales about) places a curse upon them, making them doomed to spend the rest of their lives in his service as skeletons. But curses are never that simple, and this one, like all others, has a catch.

If ever a skeleton figures out what colour they are, they leave (returning to human form) the next time the ship puts into port, which it does every day at dawn. (The Black Ship needs supplies too, you know.) The skellies can see each other but not themselves. They cast no reflection. They cannot communicate with each other or with the outside world in any way. The skeletons are perfectly logical. They all know all these rules.

One night, a Lost Lot sloop with a ridiculously drunk crew attacked a harmless trader. The Black Ship immediately struck and skellies swarmed onto the sloop, carrying the entire crew off before they even knew what was happening. The ghost usually orders his prisoners to be bound and gagged to prevent them giving the skeletons any information, but he heard their drunken cries and knew they were no threat. (He was wrong - the captain wasn't drunk at all, he just had a thick Yorkshire accent. Razz

)

The captain watched in shock as, one by one, his crew was transformed into red skellies. He looked around and saw all the skeletons on the ship, including his former crew, watching and listening with great curiosity. As the ghost turned to curse him, he only had time to remark that he could see at least one red skeleton before he was zapped and turned rather more bony and blue than usual.

The ship now contains 50 red skellies (including all the former crew), 34 blue skellies (including the captain) and 26 white skellies.

Who escapes the black ship and when?

Spacehog · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:32 am Post subject:

Kharnor1 · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

Sorry puzzlers, but the puzzle has been solved, with the requisite amount of explanation. Congrats Kusje! (You sure you haven't done this before? That was pretty fast.)

I won't post the solution just yet, so you can all go on breaking your brains. Whoever solves it in the next few days wins a minor prize! Yays.

kusje · Solid Forum Tart Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 188

Nope, I hate such puzzles which is why I'm going to strangle you if I see you in real life.

However, seeing as I'm supposed to be semi-retired, I am willing to hand the parrot over to the 2nd person with the right answer!

I will require a ransom of 1 portait of me with the bird.

Kharnor1 · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:49 am Post subject:

Sounds like a good deal to me!

Keep those solutions coming, people! Very Happy

Kharnor1 · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 1:33 am Post subject:

C'mon, don't give up! /e wants to see this birdy on someone else's shoulder soon!

Some tasty hints/clarifications!

What if they communicate with signals of some kind?
They cannot communicate with each other or with the outside world in ANY way. No pointing, secret handshakes, meaningful gazes, whatever. Just imagine they're all shy geeks with secret crushes on each other and you'll get the idea. Razz

Can they guess their colour more than once?
They don't guess at all. If they know their colour for sure, they leave, and if they don't they stay. Therefore they can't guess, or try to communicate by attempting to leave without knowing. They can see when other people leave.

Are the numbers important?
Now you're thinking! Wink

But but but... the captain doesn't tell them anything they don't already know!
Are you sure? (No he's not speaking in code!)

kusje · Solid Forum Tart Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 188

I take bribes!

Spacehog · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:04 am Post subject:

maggiebones · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 7:12 am Post subject:

yea!!!!

I only just now have gotten to read the puzzle. I figured it would all be over by now. (which it almost was....)

/has to go now and work on puzzle....
/will not eat or sleep until solved...

(well at least won't eat without thinking about it, or sleep until bedtime....)
_________________
Yarg...

MaggieBones I be.
TLL - FO
Flag to Crew
Bearer of News

Carrol · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 7:36 am Post subject:

I'm at a loss.

Confused

_________________
Officer, Card Sharp, and Flag Liason of The Lost Lot.

kusje · Solid Forum Tart Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 188

Bobofarc · Apprentice Forum Tart Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 66

I have many ideas, but none really fit in too well...

So Kusje.....buddy....how much is that bribe going for again???

/me waits for the next round of hints....
_________________
I won't sleep until I have a BK trinket...............I won't sleep unt................I won't sl.............I................**passes out**

Bullseye Bud · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:55 am Post subject: