MyWikiBiz - User contributions [en]

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles/Sudoku

2008-02-13T22:32:42Z

Nanaimobar: Update Information.

'''[[Product Name:=Sudoku]], Poker Sudoku and Symbol Sudoku'''

The word Sudoku simply means "single number" in Japanese. A sudoku grid contains 9 large squares; each large square contains 9 squares for the placement of a single number.

The numbers used are between one and nine, including one and nine, and there is no mathematical relationship between the numbers.

In 1979 freelance puzzle constructor Howard Garnes introduced the game, which he called Number Place.

In 1986 in Japan two important changes were made that led the popular game as we know it today. First, no more than 30 numbers were given in any puzzle grid to help a solver. Second, the puzzles were symmetrical.

This is an example of a plain sudoku.

[[Image:Sudoku.jpg]]

'''Symbol Sudoku'''

Symbol sudoku puzzles was first created by Punzhu Puzzles and add an extra degree of challenge for solvers. Instead of the numbers 1-9, Punzhu uses various symbols. Many of our symbol sudoku puzzles have a common theme to their symbols.

Here is one example of the various symbols used by Punzhu Puzzles in creating our very challenging symbol sudoku puzzles using Unicode box drawing style of symbols:

[[Image:Symbol.jpg]]

Poker Sudoku, also created first by Punzhu Puzzles, contains all the characteristics of regular sudoku with the added increase in difficulty provided by poker pairs, poker trips or four-of-a-kind, and other aspects of poker.
----

'''Free Puzzle Magazines:'''

Punzhu publishes a variety of sudoku, alphasudoku, poker sudoku and symbol sudoku free puzzle magazines in Adobe PDF that you may download for free by clicking on the [http://www.magazine.punzhu.com/index.php "Free Magazines"] link on our main menu, or selecting the puzzle magazine of your choice from the puzzle titles displayed on the main page.

Registration is NOT required to access our magazines.

Puzzle magazines available for download include crosswords, word search, word find, Hitori, coded, cryptic, fill-in, scrambled, jigsaw, and other games that are in our free puzzle magazines. Many of Punzhu Puzzles puzzle magazines and games are available in a variety of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian and Arabic.
[[Product Of::Directory:Punzhu Puzzles|:Directory:Punzhu Puzzles]]

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles

2008-02-13T22:14:29Z

Nanaimobar: Update information

{{Infobox_Company
| company_name = [[Company_Name:=Punzhu Puzzles]]
| company_logo = [[Image:xwordhero.jpg|150px|Punzhu Puzzle logo]]
| company_slogan = ''The Puzzle People Place''
| company_type = [[Company_Type:=Private|[[Private Company|Private]]]]
| foundation = [[Year_Started:=1931|[[1931]]]]
| location = [[City: | ]] [[State_Name: | ]][[Country_Name:=Canada|[[Directory:Canada|Canada]]]]
| key_people = [[Key_Person1:=Ted Summerfield|Ted Summerfield]], [[Key_Person1_Title:=Editor|Publisher]]
| industry = [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=51 Information|Internet Publishing]] [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation|Magazine Publishing]] [[NAICS_Code3_Title:=Scientific and Technical Consulting Services|[[Consultant|Consulting]]]]
| products = Puzzles and games for use by companies, individuals, and non-profits. Custom puzzles for any business or non-profit. Advertising services for our online web site or our downloaded magazines.
| services = Punzhu Puzzles will create custom puzzles and games for businesses and non-profits. We provide advertising services for our printable puzzle magazines and offer businesses online advertising at reasonable rates on our web site.
| parent = Summerfield’s Limited
| contact = [[Legal_Name:=Summerfield’s Limited|Summerfield’s Limited]] [[Email:=publisher@punzhu.com|[mailto:publisher@punzhu.com Mail]]]
| reference = [[NAICS]]: [[NAICS_Code1:=516110]], [[NAICS_Code2:=511120]],[[NAICS_Code3:=454112]]
| [[NAICS]]: [[NAICS_Code1:=516110]]
}}
Kakuro - aka cross sums, poker sudoku, symbol sudoku, crosswords, logic puzzles, sudoku, Hitori, word search and many other puzzles and games are published by Punzhu Puzzles.

Punzhu Puzzles was the first publisher providing a variety of free puzzle magazines monthly. Punzhu Puzzles was also the first publisher to allow the copying and distributing of their free puzzle magazines. Registration is NOT required to download our free puzzle magazines.

Punzhu Puzzles was the first to create and publish two new versions of sudoku; Poker Sudoku and Symbol Sudoku.

Punzhu publishes kakuro (cross sums),Hitori, Poker Sudoku, Symbol Sudoku, pathway (slitherlink), cryptic, coded, jigsaw, scrambled, crosswords, logic puzzles, sudoku, symbol sudoku, alphasudoku, word searches in English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Italian, Arabic and other languages, as well as other popular and custom puzzles.

Please use our Product List below for additional information on some of our free puzzle magazines.

----
'''History'''

'''Why should I have to pay retail?'''

This was the question our founder, Ted Summerfield, asked himself in 2004 when he was about to purchase another puzzle magazine.

He replaced the magazine on the shelf, went home, and searched the Internet for free puzzle magazines. What he found was thousands and thousands of web sites selling puzzle magazines and some sites offering a single sample you could download and print out. But he could not find a single site that offered a variety of puzzle magazines for free.

In 2005 Ted Summerfield created Punzhu Puzzles and went live on the Internet with free crossword and word find puzzle magazines. Today we offer many other puzzle magazines and the list continues to grow. As does the number of people who have become members of our web site.

----
'''Company Information'''

Punzhu Puzzles is a tradename of Summerfield’s Limited, which was officially incorporated in [http://vancouver.ca/ Vancouver], BC, Canada in April of 1931. The privately held company now operates from [http://www.nanaimo.ca/ Nanaimo], BC, which is the largest city on Vancouver Island after [http://www.victoria.ca/common/index.shtml Victoria], the capital city of British Columbia.

Punzhu Puzzles is owned and operated by people with disabilities. It is a social enterprise that came to life through the assistance of the Province of [http://www.gov.bc.ca/bvprd/bc/home.do British Columbia] and its Self-employment Program for People with Disabilities.

For information on our services please [http://www.punzhu.com/forums/sendmessage.php Contact Us.]

===Product List===
<ASK Mainlabel="Location" Header="show" Link="all">
[[Product Name:=*|Puzzle Name]]
[[Product Of::<q>[[{{FULLPAGENAME}}]]</q>]]
</ASK>

===Service List===
<ASK Mainlabel="Directory" Header="show" Link="all">
[[Service Name:=*|Service]]
[[Service Of::<q>[[{{FULLPAGENAME}}]]</q>]]
</ASK>

==Internal Links==
*Interests: [[Subject Interest::Puzzles|:Puzzles]], [[Subject Interest::Sudoku|:Sudoku]], [[Subject Interest::Category:Games|:Category:Games]]
*Contributions: [[Contributor To::Puzzles|:Puzzles]]

Punzhu:Quote Falls

2007-07-02T18:12:18Z

Nanaimobar: New page: '''Product Name:=Quote Falls and Lumped Letters''' Lumped Letters, aka Quote Falls, are puzzles in which single letters are lumped together in columns above a crossword-like grid. You...

'''[[Product Name:=Quote Falls]] and Lumped Letters'''

Lumped Letters, aka Quote Falls, are puzzles in which single letters are lumped together in columns above a crossword-like grid. You solve the puzzle by placing a lumped letter in its proper place in the grid to form a quote or sentence.

This is an example of an easy Quote Falls, or Lumped Letters as they are known on the Punzhu Puzzles web site.

[[Image:Lumped.jpg]]

Lumped Letters created by Punzhu Puzzles are published in a various grid sizes; small grids for the beginner up to grids that fill one page and should challenge the most proficient puzzle solver.

Instructions on solving the puzzle and solutions to each puzzle are included in this free puzzle magazine.

----

'''Free Puzzle Magazines:'''

Punzhu publishes a variety of sudoku, alphasudoku, and symbol sudoku free puzzle magazines in Adobe PDF that you may download for free by clicking on the [http://www.magazine.punzhu.com/index.php "Free Magazines"] link on our main menu, or selecting the game of your choice from the puzzles displayed on the main page.

Registration is NOT required to access our magazines.

Also available for download are crosswords, poker sudoku, symbol sudoku, poker search, word search, word find, Hitori, coded, cryptic, fill-in, scrambled, jigsaw, and other games that are available for free download from Punzhu Puzzles.
[[Product Of::Directory:Punzhu Puzzles|:Directory:Punzhu Puzzles]]

2007-04-25T18:34:16Z

Nanaimobar:

'''[[Product Name:=Word Games]] puzzles.'''

Punzhu Puzzles publishes a variety of word games including “Roundabout” and Four Words”.

[[Image:roundabouts.jpg]]

A '''Roundabout''' is a circle divided into sections. Each section contains one letter. To solve a Roundabout you make as many words as you can using the letters in that Roundabout.

Each word you make must contain the minimum number of letters as defined on that page. For example: “Make words containing 3 or more letters using the letters in the Roundabout circle.” Some Roundabouts have a “Secret Word” you must find.

[[Image:fourwords.jpg]]

A "Four Words" puzzle is a large square with a smaller square inside it. The smaller square contains a number of letters. The larger square has one word on each side; each word comprised of letters and blank spaces.

To solve a Four Words puzzle you use the letters in the small square to complete the words around the large square. Use the letters in the small square only once.

----
'''Free Puzzle Magazines:'''

Punzhu publishes a variety of puzzle magazines in Adobe PDF that you may download for free by clicking on the [http://www.magazine.punzhu.com/index.php "Free Magazines"] link on our main menu, or selecting the magazine of your choice form the images on the main page.

Registration, which is also free, is required to access our free puzzle magazines.

Some of the free magazines available for download are crosswords, word search, word find, Hitori, sudoku, symbol sudoku, alphasudoku, coded, cryptic, fill-in, scrambled, and jigsaw.

[[Product Of::Directory:Punzhu Puzzles|:Directory:Punzhu Puzzles]]

Nanaimobar:

File:Hitori sol.jpg

2007-03-12T03:08:04Z

Nanaimobar:

File:Hitori jpg.jpg

2007-03-12T03:07:23Z

Nanaimobar:

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles

2007-02-18T03:23:39Z

Nanaimobar:

{{Infobox_Company
| company_name = [[Company_Name:=Punzhu Puzzles]]
| company_logo = [[Image:xwordhero.jpg|150px|Punzhu Puzzle logo]]
| company_slogan = ''The Puzzle People Place''
| company_type = [[Company_Type:=Private|[[Private Company|Private]]]]
| foundation = [[Year_Started:=1931|[[1931]]]]
| location = [[City: | ]] [[State_Name: | ]][[Country_Name:=Canada|[[Directory:Canada|Canada]]]]
| key_people = [[Key_Person1:=Ted Summerfield|Ted Summerfield]], [[Key_Person1_Title:=Editor|Publisher]]
| industry = [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=51 Information|Internet Publishing]] [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation|Magazine Publishing]] [[NAICS_Code3_Title:=Scientific and Technical Consulting Services|[[Consultant|Consulting]]]]
| products = Puzzles and games for use by companies, individuals, and non-profits. Custom puzzles for any business or non-profit. Advertising services for our online web site or our downloaded magazines.
| services = Punzhu Puzzles will create custom puzzles and games for businesses and non-profits. We provide advertising services for our printable puzzle magazines and offer businesses online advertising at reasonable rates on our web site.
| parent = Summerfield’s Limited
| contact = [[Legal_Name:=Summerfield’s Limited|Summerfield’s Limited]]][[Email:=publisher@punzhu.com|[mailto:publisher@punzhu.com 4) Mail]]]
| reference = [[NAICS]]: [[NAICS_Code1:=516110]], [[NAICS_Code2:=511120]],[[NAICS_Code3:=454112]]
| [[NAICS]]: [[NAICS_Code1:=516110]]
}}
Punzhu Puzzles was the first Internet-only publishing business to provide monthly a variety of free puzzle magazines in Adobe PDF format.

Punzhu Puzzles was also the first puzzle magazine publisher to include in their magazines the right to copy and distribute their magazines to others for one-year under a copyright licence grant having similar characteristics of a [http://creativecommons.ca/ Creative Commons Canada] licence.

Punzhu publishes kakuro (cross sums), crosswords, logic puzzles, sudoku, symbol sudoku, word searches in various languages including German, Italian, English, and Spanish and other puzzles.

Please use our Product List below for additional information on our free puzzle magazines.

----
'''History'''

'''Why should I have to pay retail?'''

This was the question our founder, Ted Summerfield, asked himself in 2004 when he was about to purchase another puzzle magazine.

He replaced the magazine on the shelf, went home, and searched the Internet for free puzzle magazines. What he found was thousands and thousands of web sites selling puzzle magazines and some sites offering a single sample you could download and print out. But he could not find a single site that offered a variety of puzzle magazines for free.

In 2005 Ted Summerfield created Punzhu Puzzles and went live on the Internet with free crossword and word find puzzle magazines. Today we offer many other puzzle magazines and the list continues to grow. As does the number of people who have become members of our web site.

----
'''Company Information'''

Punzhu Puzzles is a tradename of Summerfield’s Limited, which was officially incorporated in [http://vancouver.ca/ Vancouver], BC, Canada in April of 1931. The privately held company now operates from [http://www.nanaimo.ca/ Nanaimo], BC, which is the largest city on Vancouver Island after [http://www.victoria.ca/common/index.shtml Victoria], the capital city of British Columbia.

Punzhu Puzzles is owned and operated by people with disabilities. It is a social enterprise that came to life through the assistance of the Province of [http://www.gov.bc.ca/bvprd/bc/home.do British Columbia] and its Self-employment Program for People with Disabilities.

For information on our services please [http://www.punzhu.com/forums/sendmessage.php Contact Us.]

===Product List===
<ASK Mainlabel="Location" Header="show" Link="all">
[[Product Name:=*|Puzzle Name]]
[[Product Of::<q>[[{{FULLPAGENAME}}]]</q>]]
</ASK>

===Service List===
<ASK Mainlabel="Directory" Header="show" Link="all">
[[Service Name:=*|Service]]
[[Service Of::<q>[[{{FULLPAGENAME}}]]</q>]]
</ASK>

==Internal Links==
*Interests: [[Subject Interest::Puzzles|:Puzzles]], [[Subject Interest::Sudoku|:Sudoku]], [[Subject Interest::Category:Games|:Category:Games]]
*Contributions: [[Contributor To::Puzzles|:Puzzles]]

2007-02-17T21:00:14Z

Nanaimobar:

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles/Crosswords

2007-02-17T19:56:54Z

Nanaimobar:

'''[[Product Name:=Crosswords]]'''

An Englishman named Arthur Wynne invented crossword puzzles in 1913. The first crossword puzzles didn't have any black squares and the very first printed and published crossword was diamond shaped.

Crosswords are perfect puzzles for improving your vocabulary and knowledge of words. They are created using a grid, usually square or rectangular, containing black squares to indicate the end or beginning of a word or word sequence, and white squares for letters.

Words in a crossword grid may be written horizontally (Across) or vertically (Down). Numbers are assigned to the horizontal and vertical squares and correspond to the clue definitions provided for that puzzle grid.

To solve a crossword you first read a clue for a word going Across or going Down and then, using that clue, determine the correct word to place in the spaces provided in the grid for that clue.

Example:

[[Image:Crossword.jpg]]

Crossword clues may be a synonym, an antonym, a type of thing the solution is, a hint like in 4 Across in example, a partial definition, a cryptic clue, or an anagram to name just a few clue examples.

''Crossword variations''

Variations on the standard crossword include:

1) a diagramless puzzle in which some or all of the black squares are removed;

2) a diagramless puzzle with anagram clues;

3) a jigsaw style of crossword in which a puzzle is broken into pieces like a jigsaw and you place the pieces back in the correct order to match the solution;

4) a zigzag crossword where a word in the grid bends 90 degrees once or twice and continues onward to the next black square;

5) a pick-one crossword game where the puzzle has two letters in a square and you must pick one to form the correct word in the solution;

6) a code word crossword in which each blank square contains a number corresponding to a letter in the alphabet.

----
'''Free Puzzle Magazines'''

Punzhu publishes crossword magazines plus a variety of other puzzle magazines in Adobe PDF that you may download for free by clicking on the [http://www.magazine.punzhu.com/index.php "Free Magazines"] link on our main menu. Registration, which is also free, is required to access our magazines.

[[Product Of::Directory:Punzhu Puzzles|:Directory:Punzhu Puzzles]]

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles

2007-02-17T19:50:43Z

Nanaimobar:

{{Infobox_Company
| company_name = [[Company_Name:=Punzhu Puzzles]]
| company_logo = [[Image:xwordhero.jpg|150px|Punzhu Puzzle logo]]
| company_slogan = ''The Puzzle People Place''
| company_type = [[Company_Type:=Private|[[Private Company|Private]]]]
| foundation = [[Year_Started:=1931|[[1931]]]]
| location = [[City: | ]] [[State_Name: | ]][[Country_Name:=Canada|[[Directory:Canada|Canada]]]]
| key_people = [[Key_Person1:=Ted Summerfield|Ted Summerfield]], [[Key_Person1_Title:=Editor|Publisher]]
| industry = [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=51 Information|Internet Publishing]] [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation|Magazine Publishing]] [[NAICS_Code3_Title:=Scientific and Technical Consulting Services|[[Consultant|Consulting]]]]
| products = Puzzles and games for use by companies, individuals, and non-profits. Custom puzzles for any business or non-profit. Advertising services for our online web site or our downloaded magazines.
| services = Punzhu Puzzles will create custom puzzles and games for businesses and non-profits. We provide advertising services for our printable puzzle magazines and offer businesses online advertising at reasonable rates on our web site.
| parent = Summerfield’s Limited
| contact = [[Legal_Name:=Summerfield’s Limited|Summerfield’s Limited]]][[Email:=publisher@punzhu.com|[mailto:publisher@punzhu.com 4) Mail]]]
| reference = [[NAICS]]: [[NAICS_Code1:=516110]], [[NAICS_Code2:=511120]],[[NAICS_Code3:=454112]]
| [[NAICS]]: [[NAICS_Code1:=516110]]
}}
Punzhu Puzzles was the first Internet-only publishing business to provide monthly a variety of free puzzle magazines in Adobe PDF format.

Punzhu Puzzles was also the first puzzle magazine publisher to include in their magazines the right to copy and distribute their magazines to others for one-year under a copyright licence grant having similar characteristics of a [http://creativecommons.ca/ Creative Commons Canada] licence.

Punzhu publishes kakuro (cross sums), crosswords, logic puzzles, sudoku, symbol sudoku, word searches in various languages including German, Italian, English, and Spanish and other puzzles.

Please use our Product List below for additional information on our free puzzle magazines.

----
'''History'''

'''Why should I have to pay retail?'''

This was the question our founder, Ted Summerfield, asked himself in 2004 when he was about to purchase another puzzle magazine.

He replaced the magazine on the shelf, went home, and searched the Internet for free puzzle magazines. What he found was thousands and thousands of web sites selling puzzle magazines and some sites offering a single sample you could download and print out. But he could not find a single site that offered a variety of puzzle magazines for free.

In 2005 Ted Summerfield created Punzhu Puzzles and went live on the Internet with free crossword and word find puzzle magazines. Today we offer many other puzzle magazines and the list continues to grow. As does the number of people who have become members of our web site.

Punzhu Puzzles is a tradename of Summerfield’s Limited, which was officially incorporated in [http://vancouver.ca/ Vancouver], BC, Canada in April of 1931. The privately held company now operates from [http://www.nanaimo.ca/ Nanaimo], BC, which is the largest city on Vancouver Island after [http://www.victoria.ca/common/index.shtml Victoria], the capital city of British Columbia.

Punzhu Puzzles is owned and operated by people with disabilities. It is a social enterprise that came to life through the assistance of the Province of [http://www.gov.bc.ca/bvprd/bc/home.do British Columbia] and its Self-employment Program for People with Disabilities.

'''Services:'''

'''*''' Custom puzzles 
'''*''' Advertising 
'''*''' Copyright Licencing 
'''*''' Self-employment programs 

For information on our services please [http://www.punzhu.com/forums/sendmessage.php Contact Us.]

===Product List===
<ASK Mainlabel="Location" Header="show" Link="all">
[[Product Name:=*|Puzzle Name]]
[[Product Of::*|Provider]]
[[Product Of::<q>[[{{FULLPAGENAME}}]]</q>]]
</ASK>

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles/Pathway

2007-02-17T18:41:29Z

Nanaimobar:

'''[[Product Name:=Pathway]]''' aka '''Connect-The-Dot'''

Pathway puzzles, or connect-the-dot puzzles, are variations on a maze game. These puzzles are "simply connected" mazes, meaning these puzzles have no breaks or detached walls to disrupt the Pathway from completely connecting to itself.

Most mazes have parallel sides in which a solver travels until a block is met. The solver must retrace his steps at this point and try another trail until the solver ultimately reaches the end of the maze.

The first mazes, or labyrinths as the Greeks and Romans called them, were blind alleys and passageways that made exiting difficult. Later, mazes were integrated into gardens using high hedges as walls for the pathways. Modern mazes in Japan use movable wooden walls so that the configuration can be easily, and ever so often, changed.

A computer chip, motherboard, software, and other computer devices also work on a maze principle. An electron A travels along path B until it reaches end C or wall D. If it reaches wall D it is diverted to another path until it ultimately reaches end C.

Rush hour traffic and trying to find the quickest, or shortest, route to your destination is another style of maze.

Our Pathway puzzles don't use the typical "walled" maze but instead are based upon the wall-less connect-the-dot puzzle in which a shape is constructed when a solver connects the dots properly.

To direct a solver along the pathway we use the numbers 0 to 3 as guides along a square. Each Pathway puzzle contains a series of squares, like a diagramless crossword puzzle, and a solver chooses one of the four sides as the Pathway using the numbers as guides.

A zero means there are zero points along the square, one means one of the four sides is a pathway, two means two of the four sides are pathways, and three means three of the four sides are pathways.

No Pathway line may cross over another Pathway line, nor may a Pathway line cross back upon itself.

To design a Pathway puzzle we first set the number of squares we want across and down. Then we create the line that becomes the Pathway. Finally, the number guides are entered and the existing line removed so that only the numbers and the squares remain.

Here is an example of a completed Pathway puzzle with an easy level of difficulty:

[[Image:Pathway.jpg]]

Not all corners of the solution Pathway (the letter T in this example) have numbers. As you can see from the example above there is no number three for the left corner of the letter T. This is where your deductive abilities come into play and is a function of designing interesting (and challenging) Pathway puzzles.

----
'''Free Puzzle Magazines'''

Punzhu makes Pathway and other puzzle magazines available for free downloading when you click on the [http://www.magazine.punzhu.com/index.php "Free Puzzle Magazines"] link on our web site. Free registration is required to access our magazines.

[[Product Of::Directory:Punzhu Puzzles|:Directory:Punzhu Puzzles]]

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles/Free Puzzle Magazines

2007-02-17T18:36:09Z

Nanaimobar:

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles/Free Puzzle Magazines

2007-02-17T18:32:29Z

Nanaimobar:

'''This page is a work-in-process and is incomplete'''

Service of [[Service Of::Directory:Punzhu Puzzles|Punzhu Puzzles]]: [[Service Name:=Free Puzzle Magazines|Free Puzzle Magazines]]

Punzhu Puzzles publishes free downloadable Adobe PDF format puzzle magazines.

----
===Product List===
<ASK Mainlabel="Location" Header="show" Link="all">
[[Product Name:=*|Puzzle Name]]
[[Product Of::*|Provider]]
[[Product Of::<q>[[{{FULLPAGENAME}}]]</q>]]
</ASK>

Directory:Punzhu Puzzles/Cryptic

2007-02-17T18:26:37Z

Nanaimobar:

'''[[Product Name:=Cryptic]] puzzles.'''

Cryptic puzzles are code word puzzles. Code puzzles originally began as a form of messaging for the military and governments... the secret message or cipher.

Ancient Greeks reportedly employed the first cipher method around 400 BC as a message method between military leaders.

They employed a tapered wooden stick with a piece of parchment wrapped around it, making sure the ends of the parchment didn't overlap. A message was then inscribed on the parchment, which when unwrapped was just a bunch of meaningless letters; unless you knew which size stick was used to create the original message. To decode the message you simply placed the cipher parchment on the correct size of tapered rod. This was called a "scytale".

In the early 1400's the Arabs devised and used both substitution and transposition ciphers. About 1412 al-Kalka-shandY included in his encyclopaedia explicit instructions on how to cryptanalize cipher text and provided lengthy examples to illustrate this technique.

Around the late 1400's some European governments used two rotating concentric circles containing a sequence of 26 letters. One disk was used for the plain text and the other was for the corresponding coded letter. Punzhu Puzzles uses this form for its cryptic puzzles.

The Vatican houses a manual produced in 1379 by Gabriele de Lavinde, who served Pope Clement VII, which contains brief code called vocabularies, or nomenclators, that were then expanded and used by nearly all European governments.

All modern ciphers, password generators, encryption devices and other code systems are but advances based upon the basic letter substitution created in the thirteen and fourteen hundreds.

Example:

X D D I V M C P Z J T L B C P W, L X W W N V P M

K C Z C P X O V P W, C Z J P A L O T V Z M C F T J C W X Z M

V O B C P J V M C W A W O C I W X P C Q G O X M F X Z J C W

Q X W C M G L V Z O B C Q X W T J D C O O C P

W G Q W O T O G O T V Z J P C X O C M T Z O B C O B T P O C C Z

X Z M H V G P O C C Z B G Z M P C M W.

Plain: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Cipher: X Q J M C H K B T S U D I Z V L R P W O G F N E A Y

Solution is the sentence before this example.

Punzhu Puzzle cryptic puzzles usually contain three letters in both the Plain and Cipher hint section. Sometimes for a more challenging puzzle we include only one or two letters, or no hint letters. Some of our puzzles will have code hints for the letters A, B, or C in the solution. Sometimes our puzzles will have other combinations.

The irregular alignment of code and plain letters in hint section, as may appear here in your browser window, does not occur in our magazines.

To help solvers we provide an extra 2 or 3 blanks lines between the coded word sections in our cryptic puzzles, for the placement of possible solution letters under the cryptic letters.

----

'''Free Puzzle Magazines'''

Punzhu publishes a variety of puzzle magazines in Adobe PDF that you may download for free by clicking on the [http://www.magazine.punzhu.com/index.php "Free Magazines"] link on our main menu. Registration, which is also free, is required to access our magazines.

[[Product Of::Directory:Punzhu Puzzles|:Directory:Punzhu Puzzles]]