# New Riddles/ Brain Teasers Needed! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 31, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546 "2015-08-31T21:31:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/201 "2015-09-25T18:08:26Z")
Can anyone make any sense out of this sentence:_Bayou out exits: Stite-nyet!_ (Warning: This may be difficult … but I doubt it’s as difficult than other recent offerings. 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/202 "2015-09-25T18:55:16Z")
I have one guess of a starting idea for **septimus** ’s puzzle, but I can’t make it go anywhere The opposite of “nyet” is “da”, and the last phrase may turn out to be correspondingly “Ta-da!”. But I have no idea what “Stite” is; it seems a rather rare word. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/203 "2015-09-26T11:01:54Z")
We have three puzzles pending, I think. - Coloring Indistinguishable’s hexagon by hand, I got a bigger profit than I expected, but any general principle has so far escaped me. - I’ve seen Dr Strangelove’s puzzle before, so it would be fubar for me to comment on it. - Sorry about “stite” in my puzzle. If it seems like gibberish, just treat it as gibberish. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/204 "2015-09-26T11:15:54Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > - Sorry about “stite” in my puzzle. If it seems like gibberish, just treat it as gibberish. This hint may itself seem like … gibberish. But too big a hint would spoil the satisfaction of the rare solver who might guess my sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/205 "2015-09-26T12:52:12Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > This hint may itself seem like … gibberish. But too big a hint would spoil the satisfaction of the rare solver who might guess my sentence. My family is gathering today. I will give my sister a shot at it. I got nothing but bad anagrams. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/206 "2015-09-26T14:10:24Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Can anyone make any sense out of this sentence:_Bayou out exits: Stite-nyet!_ > (Warning: This may be difficult … but I doubt it’s as difficult than other recent offerings. 😛 ) Noticing some repetitions of letters: Bayou out exits: Stite-nyet! Removing those repetitions, we get: Bay Tex NY! I’m thinking the sentence should really read: Galveston Manhasset! ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/207 "2015-09-26T14:56:47Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Noticing some repetitions of letters: > > Bayou out exits: Stite-nyet! Getting (very slightly) warm. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Removing those repetitions … Cold. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I don’t like to give big hints, so I’ll give one probably far too vague to be helpful: If you solve this puzzle, you’ll identify one of my favorite poems. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/208 "2015-09-26T15:07:52Z")
:smack: :eek: I didn’t think of it until just now, but my favorite poet is strongly connected to my puzzle in another way. Just saying this much may be _almost_ too big of a hint. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/209 "2015-09-26T15:48:00Z")
Given that some of the repetitions are reversed, I suppose it might be a fragment of a palindrome. At least, a mangled palindrome. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/210 "2015-09-26T15:51:07Z")
“Stite-nyet” anagrams to “teeny tits.” Am I warm? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/211 "2015-09-26T16:40:17Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > “Stite-nyet” anagrams to “teeny tits.” > > Am I warm? 🙂 I hope so… ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/212 "2015-09-26T16:56:57Z")
Anagram? No. Letter play? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/213 "2015-09-26T17:09:09Z")
Cryptic-wise, bayou could be “outlet” and if “out” exits you get “let…” ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/214 "2015-09-26T23:20:21Z")
Quoth the raven: Never-more! ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/215 "2015-09-26T23:35:49Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Quoth the raven: Never-more! Nice! This one stumped my family. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/216 "2015-09-27T00:19:49Z")
Very nice, **Indistinguishable**! ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/217 "2015-09-27T07:35:18Z")
Thanks! There are two outstanding puzzles left, then: **Dr. Strangelove** ’s from post [#200](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18714754&postcount=200) (which, alas, I spoiled for myself by Googling), and mine from post [#192](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18711991&postcount=192) (which, alas, I spoiled for myself by creating). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/218 "2015-09-27T07:48:06Z")
Still thinking about yours, **Indistinguishable**. Mainly, a way to at least prove an upper bound to myself. Haven’t come up with anything, though. I suspect that mine is a tad unfair without a few hints. I’ll spoiler them in case anyone is masochistic and wants to avoid them. None are a giveaway, but I’ll start vague and get more specific from there.The meaning of each word is irrelevant.Each word has another word associated with it.If you had the full list of words, the associates would appear on that list as well.The associate’s associate is the original word.Each associate is the same length as the original.This puzzle is just bad luck. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/219 "2015-09-27T15:00:50Z")
I’ve tried **Indistinguishable** ’s puzzle #192, but without coming up with any clear pattern. I’ll give my partial results. [SPOILER]On the 4-to-a-side (37-cell) hexagon grid **Indistinguishable** linked to, I can score $6 various ways. In effect there seems to be $1 profit to be had in each corner. On a smaller 3-to-a-side (19-cell) hexagon grid, I’m pretty sure the maximum profit is $4; and for a 2-to-a-side (7-cell) hexagon grid, just $2. How about a 5-to-a-side (61-cell) hexagon grid? I don’t know: I’m too lazy to try, too stupid to deduce, and too fearful to guess. 😉 [/SPOILER] ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546/220 "2015-09-27T16:13:19Z")
**septimus** , you are indeed achieving the maximum profit in each case you are examining. There is a simple pattern to the profits you are getting for 2-to-a-side, 3-to-a-side, and 4-to-a-side. You say you are too fearful to guess the corresponding value for 5-to-a-side; perhaps show your partial results to a stereotypical cheerleader and ask how they’d propose extending the sequence? (There is also a very simple exhaustive description of the ways to achieve the maximum profit on all sizes and shapes of boards (even weird, asymmetric ones), for what it’s worth. I will provide more hints on this front later.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-riddles-brain-teasers-needed/729546.md?page=12)