This puzzle is part of an elaborate screen-saver for
PC users, marketed by US Gold
Dan James, famous for his book "Treasure"
and creator of "The Armchair Treasure-hunt Club" was
commissioned to produce a section of a multi-page screen saver.
This section, named
"The Riddle-Master,"was allotted twenty four pages of
over one hundred that made the
complete program and was required to present a puzzle that could
be solved by individuals of all nationalities. In other words,
it could not be a language-based riddle and instructions to its
enigma must be simple and easily translated, giving no particular
clues in themselves.
The overall scenario was based on high quality fantasy
artwork already prepared and a most exciting animated introduction
programmed by a firm in Coventry.
Dan, thinking two heads are better than one, called
me in and we shut ourselves away for a few days and thrashed out
some ideas. The scheme must be visual and the solution not based
upon words. After much deliberation and some very full trash bins,
we came up with the gem of an idea. This was honed and when it
was time for us to return to our respective abodes, we knew how
we were going to make it work.
The result was a very neat four-part intrigue which,
when correctly completed, checked itself out to present a logic
of astounding integrity. The visual clues suddenly come together
in a module of comprehension.
Initially, US Gold placed a prize of £10,000
for the first person to come up with the
correct solution. This challenge was given a time factor of one
year.
I do not know if anyone did get the prize!
Differency --- Sequency --- Frequency --- Absensee
A future project