Listener 4088 - Digimix by Oyler

[Philoctetes]

Well, thank goodness we have a long weekend. I think I might need that to work out what the blazes the clues mean! I had one theory, but the rubric that all entries are different turned me towards a slight revision of that. I shall go along on that hypothesis for now - but not until I have had a nice, strong cup of tea!

[Zabadak]

Decided to start a fresh grid (and clue sheet) as the original was getting very messy. Slow start, fast finish (even those pesky stars in the bottom line - there's not that many possible combos). Set to wondering whether the Total number has any significance other than as a short cut for the judge eternal in Green Lanes? I'm going to add it up again tomorrow, just to make sure I've not made an idiot of myself. Thanks and blessings to all for encouragement, and especially to Mysterons for the codepad thingy. Lifesaver!

[JustinTime]

I do no like Number crosswords but attempt them for the annual statistics. This one was a doddle. To write a real studio (ex REAL Basic) programme to list the possibilities took just over an hour. (It takes 30 second to produce the 78 possible combinations) Slap that into excel. h appears frequently enough to define 3 clues exactly.
If this is cheating then so be it. It gets the job done.

[tweaker]

Justintime.

My first number puzzle. Excel - what's needed? I've only looked at excel once, so I don't know where 'what's needed' is?

my email is [email protected]

could you please help.

Thanks,

Jake.

[sinkingfast]

Done. My thanks also to Mysterons for the codepad thingy. I would have been a real slog without it. Maybe too much trial and error and not enough logic in this one?

[Mysterons]

You are most welcome guys - I admire those who can devise these programmes themselves though, as I possess no such skills myself. I was interested to learn how many possible combinations of P and Q there are, thanks Justin.

[catstail]

Have found this site for sum of squares for those who would like an alternative to the codepad site.

http://www.alpertron.com.ar/FSQUARES.HTM

(My Norton says this site is safe....)

I enjoy the numerical puzzles, but they do seem to often lack a pdm. Perhaps the listener editors could encourage numerical puzzles which need lateral thinking as well as logic?

[Clamzy]

A Sunday finish for me, but I'm sure it would have been next Sunday but for Mysterons excellent link so I add my thanks to those above.
I really must get on to this Excel thing. My copy of MS Office/Works was only a 30 day trial which came with the purchase of my computer.
I do have a copy of the free alternative and must look to see if there's a spreadsheet program. Then all I need is the knowledge to use it.
Any good tutorials out there?

[Zabadak]

Clamzy: There's a site called alison.com which carries tutorials on all Office products, 100% free: you can even work towards a qualification if you want to. Currently uses Office 2003, but I suspect they'll have 2007 before long. Nice people.

[tweaker]

Clamzy,

a 'how to book' is what I need. What are you running windows or mac. I might be able to help, the 'bible' book I've used for other apps, they are pretty OK.

[jacinth]

Just finished, and I'll join the others in thanking Mysterons for the link! It would have been difficult without it (or I'd have to remember how to write VB). I also found a prime factor generator useful in places.

In my distant past I was a user of Lotus 123 macros. I used to horrify real programmers at work by writing self-modifying macros which was very straightforward process in 123. Very much a programming no-no, but useful for just this sort of problem - I reckon something to do all the Ps and Qs would only be 3 or 4 lines of code. Eventually we were forced off 123 and on to Excel. But enough of that!

So, no PDMs, but there was a pleasing acceleration towards the end, and perhaps there's something more going on with these squares than meets the eye - I've looked around but haven't found anything yet. Thanks, Oyler.

[Clamzy]

Thanks zabadak and tweaker. I have Windows 7 on my laptop and XP on my desktop PC. I do remember having Lotus 123 on a CD which came free with my old Win 95 and my first PC, but never installed it. My interest in "office" stuff is zero, so I would need a tutorial for absolute beginners. If it were a book a "for dummies" type would be appropriate:-)

[daagg]

The main PDM this week was working out what the clues meant.

[tweaker]

Clamzy,

These cover beginners to experts I think they will help you the best. If not I'll reimburse you!!!

You should be able to find the one you need here:

http://www.amazon.co....t+excel+bible&x=0&y=0

[Clamzy]

Thanks again tweaker - I'll have a browse this evening.
I look forward to the LWO blogs on this puzzle to see if any of them solved it without recourse to spreadsheets or coding, and if so the "way-in".

[Ruthrobin]

Horrid, horrid, horrid numericals. The only good thing I can say about this thing is that it means it is three months till the next! I am astounded that turnerjmw, mysterons, midazolam et al could finish this so speedily. With programmes and spreadsheets, calculators, mounds of paper and aggro, it has made a miserable, wet weekend even more horrid. Sorry if I don't sound quite as cheerful as usual and undying amazement at you hares.

[u10]

This puzzle reminds me of the much lamented Listener numerical setter "Rhombus". He set a whole series of crossnumbers just like this one during the 1960s and 1970s. I remember at the time thinking that they were impossible - but of course there weren't the solving aids around at that time - you just had to rely on advanced maths theory!! I've finished this one but found it a slog even using the codepad thingy a few times.

[Clamzy]

u10 which ground is that?
Further to last week's footie posts Rotherham lost in today's league 2 play-offs final although you will need to look very hard to find it in the sports pages.

[123-and-ABC]

I have Excel 2003 on my portable - but my main computer uses Open Office (Open Office Calc = Excel), although I find it inferior for graphics, the spreadsheets I constructed for this puzzle are fine.
I found the codepad really useful.
Shame there was no amusing "ending" as with previous crossnumbers.

[123-and-ABC]

Sorry, meant to say that Open Office is free

[u10]

Clamzy - I'll give you a couple of clues. The ground is sadly no longer in use and we're not too far away from the Daggers! Does that locate it for you?