12.15.2008

Help wanted: solving a puzzle

So, a very evil librarian friend of mine posited a puzzle to me. Apparently, the title of a "classic" or "good" book (possibly modern?) is encoded in:

"2 (33-97)"

I have constructed a table of possible pieces of the solution, available here:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pWzUpNqryfmDEDZ1GYyG5Ww

It's messy, but it's a start. Go ahead and edit it, add something, make a suggestion (you should probably do that in the comments) and best (here comes the self-promotion) spread the puzzle around. It'd be fun to see how many people get in on solving it (and it means less work for me, ha-ha!)... if you're interested, and have time.

Update: Here is the whole list, to give one an idea of the sort of solution one might want to look for: (thanks to Janet Tillman)

Here’s something to stretch the imagination and keep the ole’ grey cells from becoming soft. Enjoy!


Benevolent Moves Real Fast

1. Bye bye three minus one two limbs
2. Chronological condition that belongs to purity
3. Butcher home half of ten
4. Young raisins associated with anger
5. Pumpernickel outside Johnny Bench
6. Double murder one heckling fowl
7. Fajita wrap not sharp
8. What you hang pictures on and where lions live
9. David’s son squared
10. Felony without impunity
11. Tossed yesterday da seeing tumbler
12. Blades
13. Hubris as well as bias
14. Recline feminine Mr. un Mr. Curfman
15. Hare Race
16. Astounded purchase mirth
17. Sob the dear land
18. Ass after terre a drink with jam and bread
19. The returning to consciousness
20. Red missive
21. Male child gets up too
22. The dissatisfaction that belongs to us owns the coldest season
23. 2(33-97)
24. Consumes Fires plus Foliage

P.S. Benevolent Moves Real Fast translates to Good Books (as in “He really books”). This will help you understand the spirit of the game. One of them is Leaves of Grass and another one is Walden. They are all classic books, some might even call great books. Please let me know if you solve 2(33-97).

9 comments:

Mike said...

Haha - the "wordy" ones seem easier than the one with numbers to me! 7 I assume is "tortilla flats" and 20 would seem to be "scarlet letter"?

But yeah, 2(33-97) makes no sense...

Anonymous said...

1 - Farewell to Arms
2
3
4 - Grapes of Wrath
5
6 - To Kill a Mockingbird
7
8 - Walden
9
10 - Crime and Punishment
11
12
13 - Pride and Prejudice
14 -
15 - Rabbit Run (???) or Heiress ??
16 - Surpised by Joy (CS Lewis)
17 - Cry the Beloved Country
18
19

okay, that's all i have so far.

Anonymous said...

3 - Slaughterhouse Five
21 - The Sun Also Rises

Wallis said...

15 is definitely Run, Rabbit, Run - I'm not sure if 10 can be Crime and Punishment as "without impunity" doesn't seem to translate well to "and punishment" to me.

Anonymous said...

im⋅pu⋅ni⋅ty   /ɪmˈpyunɪti/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [im-pyoo-ni-tee] Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun 1. exemption from punishment.
2. immunity from detrimental effects, as of an action.

"Without impunity" = double negative = not exempted from punishment = punishment

Anonymous said...

18 Terrace Tea
Does that even make sense? Wild guess.

Anonymous said...

3 Slaughter House Five

Anonymous said...

19 The Awakening
Haha, I'm slow...

Wallis said...

Kat, you make a convincing argument.

Damn.