Find the hidden 8-letter word related to this puzzle.
A = 14
B = 4
C = 5
D = 2
E = 6
F = 6
G = 6
H = 6
I = 4
J = 3
K = 5
L = 3
M = 3
N = 7
O = 4
P = 2
Q = 2
R = 4
S = 6
T = 8
U = 4
V = 4
W = 4
X = 4
Y = 4
Z = 3
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
5
asked Sep 11, 2024 at 17:44
-
$\begingroup$ The pattern of odd numbers is suspect. 2 even 1 odd, 6 even 5 odd, 11 even 1 odd. $\endgroup$– matt_ruleCommented Sep 11, 2024 at 20:00
-
$\begingroup$ @matt_rule Perhaps the numbers will make sense if I add another tag. Nothing to calculate btw. $\endgroup$– Prim3numbahCommented Sep 12, 2024 at 9:03
-
$\begingroup$ I should say most of the numbers... $\endgroup$– Prim3numbahCommented Sep 12, 2024 at 9:57
-
$\begingroup$ I have an idea, but I can't take it to completion - Rot13(Zvtug jnag gb pbafvqre gur BCf Hfreanzr) $\endgroup$– Chris CudmoreCommented Sep 12, 2024 at 13:16
-
$\begingroup$ @ChrisCudmore No, not related to that $\endgroup$– Prim3numbahCommented Sep 12, 2024 at 13:56
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
2
The missing word is, indeed, as @cjcyril found:
ADJACENT
But it takes a particular insight to understand why... That insight is available to almost everybody viewing this page, because you need to look at...
...your computer's keyboard! Take a look at each key on a standard QWERTY keyboard:
Now count the number of other letter keys that each letter key neighbours:
A=4, B=4, C=4, D=6, E=4, F=6, G=6, H=6, I=4, J=6, K=5, L=3, M=3, N=4, O=4, P=2, Q=2, R=4, S=6, T=4, U=4, V=4, W=4, X=4, Y=4, Z=3.
Compare this to the given list and you will spot some discrepancies:
A=14, B=4, C=5, D=2, E=6, F=6, G=6, H=6, I=4, J=3, K=5, L=3, M=3, N=7, O=4, P=2, Q=2, R=4, S=6, T=8, U=4, V=4, W=4, X=4, Y=4, Z=3.
Note that among the numbers that have been incorrectly used here, we have the digits 1-8 exactly once each. If we treat the 'A' as being in both 1st and 4th position in the target 8-letter word, then listing all these letters in their associated numerical order spells out the word 'ADJACENT', which is a very appropriate word for a puzzle focussing on neighbours!
The title...
...is imploring you to look somewhere nearby you to see what common phenomenon might nearly correspond to this letter distribution. The answer is right front of you - the keyboard!
My break-in:
My first thoughts sent me down the route of thinking about the NATO phonetic alphabet (Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, etc.), and then Scrabble tile distributions, neither of which led me anywhere. I stared at the numbers again and then realised that both Q and P had the value 2. There were also a lot of 4's and 6's. Staring at my keyboard in puzzlement, it suddenly hit me that Q and P shared a property on it - both had exactly 2 neighbours among their fellow letter keys! Suddenly, the 4's and 6's made perfect sense, as every other letter on the top row (and all the ones on the bottom row but not on the end) should have value 4, whilst those fully surrounded in the middle row should all be 6. It was finally dropping out for me; then it just became a case of working out which letters spoiled the expected pattern - and then the same answer as @cjcyril dropped straight out for me!
-
$\begingroup$ Explained everything great. Well done! $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 13, 2024 at 8:25
-
$\begingroup$ Pretty hard for people who don't have a QWERTY layout though. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 13, 2024 at 11:17
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
2
The 8 letter word is
Adjacent
Explanation:
The numbers used are 2-8 and 14. If we treat 14 as 1 and 4, then the first letter alphabetically with each of these numbers spells out adjacent!
-
6$\begingroup$ How does this explain the visual tag and the title? $\endgroup$– PDTCommented Sep 12, 2024 at 18:26
-
1$\begingroup$ This is indeed the correct answer but a full explanation has been giving by @Stiv. Nice job finding the answer anyways! $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 13, 2024 at 8:20