perplexus.info :: General : Component X

Component X (Posted on 2006-12-18)

Part 1: Crash Course

After breaking into a room at the Contraplexus Headquarters you notice on a big table in the middle of the room plans for some of their components. However, they are fairly simple and not what you are after.

There are also five locked boxes in this room which must contain the secret projects they are working on. Upon hacking into the computer in the room, you read the following memos:

December 3:
Due to recent regulations from Contra Security, we have locked away our secret projects in eight boxes. Components A and R are in the red box, and component K is in the orange box. Q is in the yellow box, P is in the green box, and H and I are in the blue box. The most recently tested component will be in the purple box when it finishes testing three weeks from today.

-- Security Patrol B

December 8:
The Testing Squads will soon begin the confirmatory testing of the experimental components. Next month when that is complete, they will begin basic testing on Component X. It has been secured in a different box for the time being, but it will be removed on December 21 along with the other 4 boxes where tested components have been secured.

PS: We are a quarter of the way to basic testing 100 components. There will be cake served tomorrow to commemorate this.

-- Testing Squad Expert Coordinator,
Dick Shun

December 10:
We have taken the two components in the white box in order to test them.

-- Testing Squad Alpha

December 10:
Testing has begun on the six components in the black box and as a result it has been removed.

-- Testing Squad Omega

The boxes are secure enough that you can't break into them here and big enough that you can only carry one back with you. Since according to current information, component X is the most dangerous, which one should you take back?

No Solution Yet Submitted by Gamer

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re: Mission assignment

| Comment 4 of 9 |

(In reply to Mission assignment by Gamer)

So to summarize the relevent information, taking away unneeded information:

set 1 contains (at minimum) A, R
set 2 contains (at minimum) K
set 3 contains (at minimum) Q
set 4 contains (at minimum) P
set 5 contains (at minimum) H, I

set 6 contains exactly one element
set 7 contains exactly two elements
set 8 contains exactly six elements

We are to determine which set, of 1-5, that X should belong in.

Is that correct, and a complete summary of the information given? Sorry to take away the nice story that goes along with it but I think with the lack of responses thus far I just want to clarify that this is correct at least.

Assuming all the components are letters, then the given information accounts for 16 of the 26 letters.

My only guess so far has been that the letters are grouped by topology, except that Q and P I think are topologically equivalent so I have been stumped. Otherwise though H and I are equivalent, A and R are, and the other boxes are not equivalent to each other with the exception of Q and P.

So if the Q and P thing is a mistake, then my answer would be the Orange Box, since X is equivalent to K.

Posted by Avin on 2007-01-23 12:40:57

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