| Author | Message | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1100 Registered: 8-2001 |
Sid “undid” a crime using a very clever mix of 21st century methods and a very old practice, more common in Colonial America than now. How? | ||
| Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin)
New member Username: Kayleetonkslupin Post Number: 3836 Registered: 9-2010 |
Sid: H/A/M? Was the crime: Murder? Assault? Kidnapping? Extortion? Forgery? Counterfeiting? (insert LTPF list of crimes, if none of those...my brain's fuzzy and I can't think of more) Was it a cold case that he reopened? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1101 Registered: 8-2001 |
Sid: H/A/M? Yes Was the crime: Murder? No Assault? No Kidnapping? No Extortion? No Forgery? No Counterfeiting? No (insert LTPF list of crimes, if none of those...my brain's fuzzy and I can't think of more) I'm going to say No on this one, as determining the crime is part of the puzzle. Sorry... Was it a cold case that he reopened? No, but good Q | ||
| Markobr (Markobr)
New member Username: Markobr Post Number: 1078 Registered: 5-2009 |
A crime: Some action which is punishable by law? If so: By today's law of most countries? Most western countries? She: H? A? F? | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 742 Registered: 7-2010 |
Property damage? Arson? Trespassing? Housebreaking? Robbery? Theft? Bank hold-up? Rape? Sexual harassment? Cruelty to animals? Drug consumption? Drug dealing? Drug possession? Financial/tax fraud? Insurance fraud? Falsification of documents? Taking someone else's identity? Disorderly conduct? Civil disorder? Libel? | ||
| Redwine (Redwine)
New member Username: Redwine Post Number: 819 Registered: 1-2011 |
Was anybody physically hurt by the crime? Was any property damaged by the crime? Was any money lost as an effect of the crime? Sid undid the crime by: compensating damages? restoring the state from before the crime? concealing evidence of the crime? Was Sid a criminal? Was Sid someone of the law enforcement? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1106 Registered: 8-2001 |
Markobr A crime: Some action which is punishable by law? Yes If so: By today's law of most countries? Yes Most western countries? And thus, Yes She: H? A? F? She? She who? Sid is a HAM. Potato Theft? YES No to the rest. Redwine Was anybody physically hurt by the crime? No Was any property damaged by the crime? No Was any money lost as an effect of the crime? Not directly Sid undid the crime by: compensating damages? No restoring the state from before the crime? In a way concealing evidence of the crime? No Was Sid a criminal? No Was Sid someone of the law enforcement? No | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 30 Registered: 5-2011 |
Was Sid a private detective? A crime hobbyist? Did he know the perpetrator? In person? From books, newspapers, stories? Was the timespan between commiting the crime and when Sid undid it about... A year? Less? 10 years? More? Was the old practice used in Colonial America by criminals? Law enforcers? Was it common? Is it commonly known of today, or rather you must be a specialist to know it? Was it perhaps normally used in connection to something completely unrelated to crime? Was it used only in the Americas, (North?) or in other places too in the era of colonialism? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1109 Registered: 8-2001 |
Was Sid a private detective? No A crime hobbyist? No Did he know the perpetrator? In a way In person? No From books, newspapers, stories? No Was the timespan between commiting the crime and when Sid undid it about... A year? No Less? Much less, perhaps 2 weeks. 10 years? More? No to both Was the old practice used in Colonial America by criminals? No Law enforcers? No-ish Was it common? Yes Is it commonly known of today, Yes or rather you must be a specialist to know it? No Was it perhaps normally used in connection to something completely unrelated to crime? I'm not sure I understand this question, but I'm leaning towards No. Was it used only in the Americas, (North?) No or in other places too in the era of colonialism? Also No and a slight FA | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1110 Registered: 8-2001 |
AHEM,let's make that: or in other places too in the era of colonialism? Yes and a slight FA | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 32 Registered: 5-2011 |
I was sure I posted a message, but it kind of dissappeared, so I'm posting my questions again (hopefully it won't be a double post). Was something stolen from Sid? Or from someone he knew? Did he learn about the crime by personally experiencing its effects? Was the thing stolen of signifant value? (either market value or emotional?) Was it a car, a wallet, an ATM card? What I meant to ask about the old practice was: Was it primarily used to undo crimes? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1115 Registered: 8-2001 |
I was sure I posted a message, but it kind of dissappeared, so I'm posting my questions again (hopefully it won't be a double post). Eep! The forum does that sometimes. Rarely though. Was something stolen from Sid? YES Or from someone he knew? No Did he learn about the crime by personally experiencing its effects? Yes, see above Was the thing stolen of signifant value? (either market value or emotional?) For Sid, Yes. For me? I'd say of Moderate value. DOYD of "significant". Was it a car, a wallet, an ATM card? None of these. What I meant to ask about the old practice was: Was it primarily used to undo crimes? OH! Great Q! But No. | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 34 Registered: 5-2011 |
Did Sid undo the crime by reclaiming the stolen property? (Was it a material object in the first place?) By force? By negotiation? I understand that they never met in person, so maybe Sid used those techniques to locate the property? Did any of the techniques involve tracking down an object? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1118 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did Sid undo the crime by reclaiming the stolen property? YES (Was it a material object in the first place?) Yes By force? No By negotiation? YES! Very much so. I understand that they never met in person, so maybe Sid used those techniques to locate the property? In a way Did any of the techniques involve tracking down an object? But this is a better description. | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 37 Registered: 5-2011 |
Did any of the modern techniques involve GPS tracking, or pinpointing a location of one's phone? Any electronics involved at all? Did Sid and the thief talk on the phone? Or communicated through e-mail? Did he offer the thief something in exchange for returning his property? Did he threaten the thief? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1126 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did any of the modern techniques involve GPS tracking, or pinpointing a location of one's phone? No Any electronics involved at all? Yes Did Sid and the thief talk on the phone? No Or communicated through e-mail? Also no Did he offer the thief something in exchange for returning his property? No Did he threaten the thief? This one is giving me pause, but I have to go with No. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13861 Registered: 4-2010 |
Did Sid have leverage over the thief? Did Sid and the thief (H? A? M?) talk in person? Over Skype? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1129 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did Sid have leverage over the thief? Yes Did Sid and the thief (H? A? M? Yes) talk in person? No Over Skype? No | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13864 Registered: 4-2010 |
Did Sid talk directly to the thief (can we call him Jared?) ? Through a third party? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1132 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did Sid talk directly to the thief No (can we call him Jared?)? Sure Through a third party? No | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13867 Registered: 4-2010 |
Did Sid talk to the thief at all? Did they even communicate? If they did, through letters? E-mail? Social networking? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1136 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did Sid talk to the thief at all? No Did they even communicate? In a way If they did, through letters? No E-mail? No Social networking? No, but OTRT You do realize we've essentially turned the forum into a chatroom, since we keep posting on each other's puzzles while the other is answering Qs. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13869 Registered: 4-2010 |
Pretty much, yeah. It happens. Did Sid leave a message for the thief? Vice versa? | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 39 Registered: 5-2011 |
Did thief do something like posting an image of the stolen item on the Internet and Sid saw it there? Did they ever see each other? On a picture maybe, or on a screen? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1139 Registered: 8-2001 |
Balin Did Sid leave a message for the thief? Yes Vice versa? No Jacek Did thief do something like posting an image of the stolen item on the Internet and Sid saw it there? No, but OTRT Did they ever see each other? Not in person. On a picture maybe, or on a screen? Sid saw Jared. on a screen. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13874 Registered: 4-2010 |
Screen -- TV screen? Computer? Scoreboard? Did the message alert the thief that Sid knew who he was? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1140 Registered: 8-2001 |
een -- TV screen? Computer? This one. Scoreboard? Did the message alert the thief that Sid knew who he was? Yes-ish | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13876 Registered: 4-2010 |
Was Jared on the news? On Facebook? Did he post pictures of the crime online? I read a story about a guy who robbed the house of a Washington Post editor (or something) and posted the pictures on Facebook -- is that relevant at all? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1143 Registered: 8-2001 |
Was Jared on the news? No On Facebook? Irrelevant. Did he post pictures of the crime online? No I read a story about a guy who robbed the house of a Washington Post editor (or something) and posted the pictures on Facebook -- is that relevant at all? Nope | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 43 Registered: 5-2011 |
Did Sid used what he saw on the screen to blackmail Jared? Was the stolen object a piece of clothing? Maybe Jared was wearing it when Sid saw him? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1145 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did Sid used what he saw on the screen to blackmail Jared? No Was the stolen object a piece of clothing? No Maybe Jared was wearing it when Sid saw him? No | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 46 Registered: 5-2011 |
Did the picture on the screen come from a security camera? When Sid saw Jared, did he know at once that he is looking at the thief? Or maybe there were pictures of other people as well, and Sid picked the picture of Jared for some reason? Was Sid instrumental in obtaining the picture (e.g. planted a tiny camera in the stolen item), or saw it by chance? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1147 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did the picture on the screen come from a security camera? No When Sid saw Jared, did he know at once that he is looking at the thief? Not 100% sure but we'll go with Yes Or maybe there were pictures of other people as well, and Sid picked the picture of Jared for some reason? Nope Was Sid instrumental in obtaining the picture YES (e.g. planted a tiny camera in the stolen item) but not like this or saw it by chance? No | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13887 Registered: 4-2010 |
Was Jared the subject of the picture? Was he in the background? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1153 Registered: 8-2001 |
Was Jared the subject of the picture? Yes and slight FA. Was he in the background? No Also, fair warning...an FA has snuck in the last few rounds of questions. Might want to take care of that. | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 838 Registered: 2-2011 |
did Sid post the picture? was it a picture of the object? was Jared in the picture? was Sid? | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 839 Registered: 2-2011 |
ooh! is the practice shaming him? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1158 Registered: 8-2001 |
Shez Did Sid post the picture? Yes, slight FA Was it a picture of the object? No was Jared in the picture? Yes, slight FA was Sid? No ooh! is the practice shaming him? *ding*ding*ding* YES! Public shaming to be precise. | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 841 Registered: 2-2011 |
yay! | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1162 Registered: 8-2001 |
And now back to the entire rest of the puzzle...:D | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 13900 Registered: 4-2010 |
Did Sid have access to the picture? Or could he just see it? Did he send the picture to the newspaper? Post it online? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1167 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did Sid have access to the picture? Yes and FA Or could he just see it? No Did he send the picture to the newspaper? No Post it online? Yes and FA | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 846 Registered: 2-2011 |
did Sid only threaten to post a picture of Jared? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1171 Registered: 8-2001 |
did Sid only threaten to post a picture of Jared? No and the FA is still here. It started after my 7:50 responses on 05.18. | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 849 Registered: 2-2011 |
was it not a picture so much as a video clip? from a security camera? | ||
| Sundowner (Sundowner)
New member Username: Sundowner Post Number: 724 Registered: 6-2003 |
Did Sid post the picture in a way that only Jared can see it? and threathened to make it public? Did Jared post the picture himself? Was it posted automatically? because Jared started to use the stolen item? Was the stolen item a mobile phone? a computer? an ipad? Is the tool Sid used to obtain the picture standard functionality of the item? or did he install specific hardware?/software? Is there a specific web site for theft-tracking with this kind of tool? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1175 Registered: 8-2001 |
Shez Was it not a picture so much as a video clip? Yes! FA solved. from a security camera? No Sundowner Did Sid post the picture in a way that only Jared can see it? No and threathened to make it public? No Did Jared post the picture himself? No... Was it posted automatically? Yes-ish, but be careful. Because Jared started to use the stolen item? Yes Was the stolen item a mobile phone? No a computer? Yes an ipad? As this is a computer, see above. Is the tool Sid used to obtain the picture standard functionality of the item? No or did he install specific hardware?/software? Yes Is there a specific web site for theft-tracking with this kind of tool? Yes, there is, but Sid was not using it. | ||
| Jacek (Jacek)
New member Username: Jacek Post Number: 60 Registered: 5-2011 |
Was the video of Jared recorded by a web camera installed in the stolen computer? (a laptop, I assume?) Did it catch him doing something embarassing, o illegal? (apart from having stolen the device?) Had Sid installed something in his computer specifically in the event of it being stolen? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1180 Registered: 8-2001 |
Was the video of Jared recorded by a web camera installed in the stolen computer? Yes, but didn't HAVE to be. (a laptop, I assume?) Yes Did it catch him doing something embarassing, Yes o illegal? No (apart from having stolen the device?) No, it did not necc. do this. Had Sid installed something in his computer specifically in the event of it being stolen? No | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1214 Registered: 8-2001 |
*cough*cough* This puzzle is lonely. Anyone out there? RECAP: Sid “undid” a crime using a very clever mix of 21st century methods and a very old practice, more common in Colonial America than now. How? Sid is a HAM. Jared stole his laptop. Sid got his laptop back using a mix of very modern methods and a very old practice. * We have determined the practice is public shaming. * Sid never spoke to Jared or communicated with him directly but he did leave Jared a message of a sort. * The modern technique helped Sid “locate” the laptop (but be careful with that). * An embarassing video of Jared is relevant. * The video was recorded on the laptop web camera and uploaded automatically (but be careful). * Sid was instrumental in obtaining this video of Jared. * Sid uploaded the video. Hopefully this helps… | ||
| Sundowner (Sundowner)
New member Username: Sundowner Post Number: 751 Registered: 6-2003 |
"Locate" as in "find the physical location"? (like GPS coordinates? street address?) or as in "find out who has it"? Did Sid locate the laptop with the help of something he saw in the video? Something else related to the video? like filename? e-mail address? (was the file sent to Sid by e-mail?) Was the video taken while Jared was doing something embarassing? in front of the laptop? Did Jared take the video on purpose? if not: was he aware that the web camera was on? Was the way how Sid obtained the video legal? (thinking of capturing a video phone call between Jared and somebody else) | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1231 Registered: 8-2001 |
"Locate" as in "find the physical location"? No (like GPS coordinates? street address?) No or as in "find out who has it"? Yes Did Sid locate the laptop with the help of something he saw in the video? Yes... Something else related to the video? No like filename? No e-mail address? No (was the file sent to Sid by e-mail?) No! Was the video taken while Jared was doing something embarassing? Yes in front of the laptop? Yes Did Jared take the video on purpose? YES! if not: was he aware that the web camera was on? And thus yes, he knew it was on. Was the way how Sid obtained the video legal? Yes (thinking of capturing a video phone call between Jared and somebody else) Not this | ||
| Sundowner (Sundowner)
New member Username: Sundowner Post Number: 761 Registered: 6-2003 |
Was the video automatically uploaded to some online file server? Did Jared know that the video would be uploaded automatically? Did he want it to be uploaded? Was the laptop configured to save each day all new files to an online backup service? and Sid could access this service from some other computer and watch what files were added each day? Did Sid expect that Jared would take a video of himself and store on this laptop? Relevant what exactly Jared did on the video? Relevant why he took the video? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1234 Registered: 8-2001 |
Was the video automatically uploaded to some online file server? YES! (I think - it was an autobackup process.) Did Jared know that the video would be uploaded automatically? No Did he want it to be uploaded? No, probably not Was the laptop configured to save each day all new files to an online backup service? Yes! and Sid could access this service from some other computer and watch what files were added each day? Yes! Did Sid expect that Jared would take a video of himself and store on this laptop? No Relevant what exactly Jared did on the video? A little. Relevant why he took the video? Yes, in that it's related to the what. Awesome questions!! So, Jared stole Sid's laptop and was using it. But, unbeknownst to Jared, Sid's laptop automatically backed up all files. Sid accessed his files and found a video of Jared. All we need is what Sid did with the video to shame Jared and how that got his laptop back. | ||
| Gregoryuconn (Gregoryuconn)
New member Username: Gregoryuconn Post Number: 1340 Registered: 9-2010 |
Did Sid threaten Jared? The other way around? With physical violence? Or did he post the video on Youtube for all to see? Was it particularly embarassing. | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 799 Registered: 7-2010 |
Did the video contain any clear hints at Jared's identity? Such as his car plate? Or personal documents? Or a striking physical characteristic of Jared's body? Or of his apartment? Or the surroundings of his apartment? Did Sid post the video somewhere? Did he post a description of the crime? On a blog perhaps? Did Sid figure out Jared's identity? And he threatened to post Jared's personal information somewhere, too? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1275 Registered: 8-2001 |
Gregoryuconn Did Sid threaten Jared? No The other way around? No With physical violence? No Or did he post the video on Youtube for all to see? YES!! Was it particularly embarassing? Jared thought so. Potato Did the video contain any clear hints at Jared's identity? Well, yes - it was a video of him. Such as his car plate? No Or personal documents? No Or a striking physical characteristic of Jared's body? Beyond a clear view of him, no Or of his apartment? No Or the surroundings of his apartment? No Did Sid post the video somewhere? Yes, YouTube (thanks to Gregoryuconn) Did he post a description of the crime? Yes... On a blog perhaps? No Did Sid figure out Jared's identity? NO! And he threatened to post Jared's personal information somewhere, too? So no. | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1276 Registered: 8-2001 |
In the name of moving this one along...Sid posted the video, of Jared dancing (badly Sid thought) on YouTube with the notation "Don’t steal computers belonging to people who know how to use computers". So...how did this get Sid his laptop back? | ||
| Gregoryuconn (Gregoryuconn)
New member Username: Gregoryuconn Post Number: 1348 Registered: 9-2010 |
Did he blackmail Jared? Or did he post a comment on the Youtube video saying "I like your dancing. You should come to a dance-off at [specified location] at [specified time]" and when he did that, Sid showed up with the police. Or did he email Jared pretending to be from a dance show asking for his address and phone number then went to Jared's house and got back his laptop? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1295 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did he blackmail Jared? No or at least he did not intend to. Or did he post a comment on the Youtube video saying "I like your dancing. You should come to a dance-off at [specified location] at [specified time]" and when he did that, Sid showed up with the police. No, the only comment he made I posted above. Or did he email Jared pretending to be from a dance show asking for his address and phone number then went to Jared's house and got back his laptop? No, as previously determined Sid never contacted Jared. | ||
| Sundowner (Sundowner)
New member Username: Sundowner Post Number: 780 Registered: 6-2003 |
Did Jared see the video on youtube? Was he afraid people who know him could possibly see it? and thus see that he is a thief? Did Jared contact Sid? through Sid's youtube account? and offer him to return the laptop when Sid deletes the video? | ||
| Vesica (Vesica)
New member Username: Vesica Post Number: 1333 Registered: 8-2001 |
Did Jared see the video on youtube? Yes Was he afraid people who know him could possibly see it? Oh, they already had. and thus see that he is a thief? Yep Did Jared contact Sid? No through Sid's youtube account? No and offer him to return the laptop when Sid deletes the video? No but close enough for a… ****** SPOILER ****** Here’s a summary of the news story this puzzle was based on… When Mark Bao’s computer was stolen from a dorm lounge, he was surprised to find that the thief was using the machine and, unbeknownst to the thief, uploading files via Mark’s online file backup service. Mark found a video of the theif dancing (badly, Mark thought) to Tynga’s “Make it Rain” so he did what anyone would do. He uploaded it to YouTube with a note “Don’t steal computers belonging to people who know how to use computers.” 700,000 viewers watched and ragged on the thief, even going so far as to track down his e-mail and let him know about his new Internet “stardom”. Shortly afterward, Mark’s computer was turned in to the University Police with a note apologizing to Mark and asking him to please take down the video. None of the stories about this incident mention if Mark did. | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 969 Registered: 2-2011 |
brilliant! |
