This is a Self-Referential Aptitude Test, developed by James Propp, at UMass-Lowell.
Each question refers to one or more answers on a different question. You should open a separate document to take notes on your process of elimination. Consider not starting the quiz until you have all of the answers.
Oh my god. An hour and a half (yes, I'm sorry, I cheated and wrote down what I had and refreshed the page to get full time again) and two pieces of paper later, I did it! I have never been more proud of finishing a JetPunk quiz, and this is without a doubt my favorite quiz on this website. Kudos to you, mightythor, that was awesome!
After many hours spread across two days and multiple excel sheets, I got all but two answers right (Q3 and Q5). I knew something was off, but I couldn't find the mistake until I looked at the answers. Now I'm angry at myself, because I had the wrong number of vowel-answers in mind due to an earlier draft and this confused me. Otherwise, I'd most probably would have gotten it. Still, it was very interesting and you have a nomination from me.
About an hour and 45 minutes later, I finally got it! Great Quiz! I always felt like I was making progress and then an answer wouldn't work and I'd be frustrated and have to essentially restart my thinking. Time well spent though lol.
Love it. Nominated. Technically got 19 out of 20 cause I accidentally clicked the wrong one on 16, but I did solve it. So happy that I didn't have to use the hints!
Same here! Q5, Q7, Q8 are far from trivial. Q7 says literally "I could be anything and Q8 could be X, Y, or Z". And Q5 was finally solved for me only because 4 options have been eliminated. On the other hand, it might be useful to mention that Q2 has the by far strongest impact on the solution --- this condition excludes in principle 2/5 of all possible options in this quiz!
In retro-perspective, I am convinced that the most economical start is the following: (0) Always apply the condition of Q2 whenever new information occurs. (1) Apply the condition of Q13. (2) Q20 is trivial. (3) Solve Q10+Q16. (4) Solve Q6+Q17. (5) Solve Q12 (check Q8 for support). (6) Q15 and then Q13 are now trivial. This start gives 8 solved questions without much thinking required. Afterwards the the step-by-step elimination process sets in.
Did you do some sort of fancy CSS? On desktop, the page width is greater (scroll all the way to the right), meaning that the navy blue at the bottom is cut off.
I figured out the answers before hitting "start" per the recommendations, and I wish I hadn't - I know I made it within an hour because I sent an email 45 minutes ago!
Then as I entered in the answers, I read them aloud and rolled my eyes! Lol.
Love this quiz. 20/20. Took me about 30 minutes with a Google Doc.
My favorite part was when the lightbulb went off for me on Question 12 and I realized it had to be A. Based on question 8, the total number of consonant answers had to be 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16.
If it was 13, it would be a prime number, but also an odd number. Can't be two valid answers.
If it was 15, it would be divisible by 5, but also an odd number.
If it was 16, it would be a perfect square, but also an even number.
So it had to be 12, or 14, meaning A (even) was the correct answer over B (odd).
So simple but so deceiving if you don't really examine it!
It took me several hours, to make all calculations on a file, realized I was wrong once almost every question was answered, than I had to start all over again.
Once I had all the answers I started the time, which is why technically it took me less than two minutes.
PS
The second hint (about question #8) is very tricky, I had to ignore it to end up giving all the right answers.
I did it in 40 mins on the second try. The first try gave me a paradox by the time I reached question 8 which I could later locate to be caused by question 5. That's probably the weakest point of the quiz since that question can be answered with the same argumentation on why the number 1 is not a prime. I excluded E on 5 cause they're not different questions. Maybe it's possible to improve the wording there?
Finished this in 27:28....the third time through the timer. Used Excel to keep track of correct answers, eliminated answers, etc. Awesome quiz! My brain hurts.
If you're saying the 'answer' to question 10 is actually 'D', that would make the 'answer' to question 13 '15', which isn't the same as the answer to question 9.
The challenge I am trying to work out is how to give enough help to guide you in the right direction without just giving you the answer(s). I could do the latter, if you prefer, but I don't want to ruin it for you.
Maybe it would make more sense for you to help me understand your conclusions (which you are obviously attempting) and then I can move you toward or away from certain ideas. And on the questions you're mentioning, maybe say what you've eliminated. There is as much value sometimes in determining which answers can't be true as in which must be true. I will see what I can come up with based on what you said, so far.
WT2008: Shouldn't the answer to question 9 be "A", since the answer to question 10 is "A"?
damoz7: which isn't the same as the answer to question 9
Based on your questions so far, I am not clear on how you became certain of the answer to #9. What leads you (WT2008) to the conclusion that it should (or should not) match #10, or (damoz7) that it should (or should not) match #13? These are both rhetorical (encouraging to work these out) and actual (help me understand your logic).
The answer to question 10 is definitely A. Therefore, an answer of A for question 9 is true. The next question (after question 9) with the same answer as question 9 is question 10.
I would say that, at that point in the puzzle, an answer of A for question 9 still could be true, because #10 is A and you can't rule it out. Because #9 also has "D) 13" as a choice, and #13 is D, you can't rule that out either. Likewise, if B as not been eliminated from #11 on your board, or C from #12, or E from #14, those could be the next ones with the same answer.
The next question (after question 9) with the same answer as question 9 is question 10.
Or, to put it another way, the next question (after question 9) with the same potential answer as question 9 is question 10. But you don't yet know the answer to #9.
If this doesn't make a lightbulb go off, I would suggest looking at the relationship between #12, #13, and #15. And to get #12, #8 will help, if you have been able to eliminate things from there.
Brilliant quiz! Taking your advice at the top, I tackled it offline at a leisurely pace over a few hours using a spreadsheet grid with coloured cells to help visualise the answer options. So my actual "timed quiz time" was only a few minutes as I had already worked it through beforehand. Really enjoyed completing this - thanks for creating it.
Great, that was fun!! I would change the title to 'self-referential quiz' or something.
By the way I disagree with the first hint: how do you know for sure the answer to number 5?! I don't think you can assume it's E because for example question 19 has 5 correct answers (but of course only one fits with all other clues) so similarly question 5 has E as an obviously correct answer but it doesn't mean it's the one you have to select.
The following gives an explanation for #5. Select this comment if you want a spoiler.
E must always be true to question #5 because #5 has the same answer as #5. Each question only has one answer, so that renders A thru D untrue. Therefore, we gain the additional insight that questions #1 - #4 cannot be E (otherwise, again, there would be more than one answer to #5).
These are not comprehensive.
#5 and #20 can each be answered without looking at any other question
Looking at #10 and #16 will give you the answers to both.
Looking at #6 and #17 will allow you to eliminate answers from each. #2 will clarify them.
Reading #7 will eliminate answers from #8. I am not saying you will be able to answer #7.
Use #3, #4 and #8, together.
Those will also help you answer #12, #15, and #13.
Knowing #13, allows you to eliminate answers from several questions.
#2 is your friend. Consider its implications to will help you eliminate answers on many questions .
You know how many questions are on the quiz, and which ones are vowels or consonants.
I probably will put together a comprehensive solution and post it on reddit.
If I could set the time to a week, I would.
with the hints, shortening the time would be a good balance
I just read the hints, and I can't agree, in fact Q5 was one of the last ones I could answer, same qith Q7 & Q8
Sorry if it didn't help.
Solve the Questions that are opposites, or have an easy to determine answer first i.e, 20, 10,16,17,6,5.
Make Assumptions and eliminate that way.
KEEP TRACK OF THE NUMBER OF EACH ANSWER YOU HAVE!!!
Then as I entered in the answers, I read them aloud and rolled my eyes! Lol.
Well done!!
My favorite part was when the lightbulb went off for me on Question 12 and I realized it had to be A. Based on question 8, the total number of consonant answers had to be 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16.
If it was 13, it would be a prime number, but also an odd number. Can't be two valid answers.
If it was 15, it would be divisible by 5, but also an odd number.
If it was 16, it would be a perfect square, but also an even number.
So it had to be 12, or 14, meaning A (even) was the correct answer over B (odd).
So simple but so deceiving if you don't really examine it!
Once I had all the answers I started the time, which is why technically it took me less than two minutes.
PS
The second hint (about question #8) is very tricky, I had to ignore it to end up giving all the right answers.
Maybe it would make more sense for you to help me understand your conclusions (which you are obviously attempting) and then I can move you toward or away from certain ideas. And on the questions you're mentioning, maybe say what you've eliminated. There is as much value sometimes in determining which answers can't be true as in which must be true. I will see what I can come up with based on what you said, so far.
WT2008: Shouldn't the answer to question 9 be "A", since the answer to question 10 is "A"?
damoz7: which isn't the same as the answer to question 9
Based on your questions so far, I am not clear on how you became certain of the answer to #9. What leads you (WT2008) to the conclusion that it should (or should not) match #10, or (damoz7) that it should (or should not) match #13? These are both rhetorical (encouraging to work these out) and actual (help me understand your logic).
Is there something we're missing in that logic?
Now I'm with you.
Therefore, an answer of A for question 9 is true
I would say that, at that point in the puzzle, an answer of A for question 9 still could be true, because #10 is A and you can't rule it out. Because #9 also has "D) 13" as a choice, and #13 is D, you can't rule that out either. Likewise, if B as not been eliminated from #11 on your board, or C from #12, or E from #14, those could be the next ones with the same answer.
The next question (after question 9) with the same answer as question 9 is question 10.
Or, to put it another way, the next question (after question 9) with the same potential answer as question 9 is question 10. But you don't yet know the answer to #9.
If this doesn't make a lightbulb go off, I would suggest looking at the relationship between #12, #13, and #15. And to get #12, #8 will help, if you have been able to eliminate things from there.
By the way I disagree with the first hint: how do you know for sure the answer to number 5?! I don't think you can assume it's E because for example question 19 has 5 correct answers (but of course only one fits with all other clues) so similarly question 5 has E as an obviously correct answer but it doesn't mean it's the one you have to select.
E must always be true to question #5 because #5 has the same answer as #5. Each question only has one answer, so that renders A thru D untrue. Therefore, we gain the additional insight that questions #1 - #4 cannot be E (otherwise, again, there would be more than one answer to #5).