c4countdown

Start here!

Yeah, come on all you new bugs, get reporting.

Mr Bug: there's a human annoying me on apterous. He keeps clicking my link and he keeps despatching me to destroy his computer. Now on to the weather today, it looks like we shall be getting a bit more snow, brilliant for all the larvae...

http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=24583

I correctly guessed the conundrum but was told I was wrong, only for it to reveal I wasn't! Cost me a game this. Could it be because I typoed and had to delete a letter before declaring my actual word?

Daniel O'Dowd wrote:http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=24583

I correctly guessed the conundrum but was told I was wrong, only for it to reveal I wasn't! Cost me a game this. Could it be because I typoed and had to delete a letter before declaring my actual word?

You entered " COPROLITE" rather than "COPROLITE". This could be more explicit in the interface but essentially you got it wrong.

I think the Apterous game is great, nothing wrong with the game play, just I can't see any of the speech/chat of others, not sure if others can see mine either, also cannot spectate. So hopefully anyone I have played won't think I am being rude by not answering if they chatted with me.

The error message I get is: "Thread-15[Initialise chat pane] : java.lang.NullPointerException"

I have no idea what this means, not up on computer jargon.

I am using the Java(TM) 6 update 11.

Jojo Apollo wrote:I think the Apterous game is great, nothing wrong with the game play, just I can't see any of the speech/chat of others, not sure if others can see mine either, also cannot spectate. So hopefully anyone I have played won't think I am being rude by not answering if they chatted with me.

The error message I get is: "Thread-15[Initialise chat pane] : java.lang.NullPointerException"

I have no idea what this means, not up on computer jargon.

I am using the Java(TM) 6 update 11.

For me as well (on Java update 7) the chat's been awfully unreliable lately.

I can't remember the last time the chat thing was available for me - it's been weeks I'm sure. I have the Java version Exclamation Mark.

Not a biggy, but I was only awarded 7 points for the conundrum in this game: http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=25193

Ben Hunter wrote:Not a biggy, but I was only awarded 7 points for the conundrum in this game: http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=25193

I could be wrong, but I think that you only get 10 points for a conundrum in goatdown if you get it before the final letter comes up, 7 if you get it after. Or are you saying you got it earlier?

Ben Hunter wrote:Not a biggy, but I was only awarded 7 points for the conundrum in this game: http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=25193

Well the clock's at 10.8s, so that looks right to me. Of course the clock doesn't necessarily make sense of course...

I keep getting "connection failed" problems when I try to load the game. Am I moron or is it a common problem?

Julie T wrote:

Ben Hunter wrote:Not a biggy, but I was only awarded 7 points for the conundrum in this game: http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=25193

I could be wrong, but I think that you only get 10 points for a conundrum in goatdown if you get it before the final letter comes up, 7 if you get it after. Or are you saying you got it earlier?

Ah, I never knew that.

Jeremy Miles wrote:I keep getting "connection failed" problems when I try to load the game. Am I moron or is it a common problem?

Common problem. It's a good idea to check 'today's games' though, to see if it's down for everybody, or just your end.

Ben Hunter wrote:

Julie T wrote:

Ben Hunter wrote:Not a biggy, but I was only awarded 7 points for the conundrum in this game: http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=25193

I could be wrong, but I think that you only get 10 points for a conundrum in goatdown if you get it before the final letter comes up, 7 if you get it after. Or are you saying you got it earlier?

Ah, I never knew that.

You're welcome!

Julie T wrote:

Jeremy Miles wrote:I keep getting "connection failed" problems when I try to load the game. Am I moron or is it a common problem?

Common problem. It's a good idea to check 'today's games' though, to see if it's down for everybody, or just your end.

If it appears to be affecting you and not other people, send me an email (charlie@apterous.org) or a PM.

Kai Laddiman wrote:PLURAL ALERT!

PENKNIVES is the plural of PENKNIFE -> irregular -> it's okay.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Kai Laddiman wrote:PLURAL ALERT!

PENKNIVES is the plural of PENKNIFE -> irregular -> it's okay.

Is that right? I never knew irregular plurals were allowed.

Ian Volante wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:

Kai Laddiman wrote:PLURAL ALERT!

PENKNIVES is the plural of PENKNIFE -> irregular -> it's okay.

Is that right? I never knew irregular plurals were allowed.

I can't think of one that's been used on the show that ends in an -S to be honest... (actually I can't think of one that's been used on the show that doesn't end in an -S, but I'm sure there is one because somebody told me once...)

Jon Corby wrote:

Is that right? I never knew irregular plurals were allowed.

I can't think of one that's been used on the show that ends in an -S to be honest... (actually I can't think of one that's been used on the show that doesn't end in an -S, but I'm sure there is one because somebody told me once...)

Me neither to be equally honest, but that might just be because not many irregular plurals end in S. After a totally inexhaustive search, I found FISHWIVES, CHRYSALES, PROBOSCES, PROGNOSES, SYMBIOSES, SYNTHESES and at a stretch OURSELVES, and most of those would be unreasonably difficult outside of a CoC anyway. I will check with The Man next time I see him.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:

Is that right? I never knew irregular plurals were allowed.

I can't think of one that's been used on the show that ends in an -S to be honest... (actually I can't think of one that's been used on the show that doesn't end in an -S, but I'm sure there is one because somebody told me once...)

Me neither to be equally honest, but that might just be because not many irregular plurals end in S. After a totally inexhaustive search, I found FISHWIVES, CHRYSALES, PROBOSCES, PROGNOSES, SYMBIOSES, SYNTHESES and at a stretch OURSELVES, and most of those would be unreasonably difficult outside of a CoC anyway. I will check with The Man next time I see him.

Please can give us an example of an irregular plural that doesn't end in an -S that's been used on the show?

Jon Corby wrote:Please can give us an example of an irregular plural that doesn't end in an -S that's been used on the show?

I can't actually think of one, but I'm sure something like PHENOMENA or REPAIRMEN has come up. Although of course if you dig back far enough they used to use plural conundrums like ABATTOIRS occasionally, so I'm not sure when the change was made.

I did however find this remark from the boss, deep in the bowels of the old mailing list:

Damian Eadie wrote:We don't use plurals ending in 'S' because it reduces the task to finding an 8-letter word and sticking the 'S' on the end. I take your
point about -ING, but sometimes the -ING is there as a red herring. With your example REPLAYING, it's probably fair to say that you just
have to find REPLAY and you've cracked it, but it's not always the case with -ING endings. Some words alter in the middle, like
RESHAPING. Obviously the end 'e' has gone from RESHAPE, so while you may suspect the -ING early on, the remaining letters AEHRSP don't
give you anything as obvious as the REPLAY example, if you get my drift - so there's more work needed than just finding the 8 and
plonking the 'S' on the end.

That said, if we DID use plurals then the contestant wouldn't know it was a plural until the answer was revealed, so it wouldn't be an
automatic case of them just finding an 8. Oh well.

So it would seem that irregular plurals should be fine, because there's no way you can just solve an 8 and stick the S on the end.

Charlie Reams wrote:So it would seem that irregular plurals should be fine, because there's no way you can just solve an 8 and stick the S on the end.

Makes sense really, my simple brain foolishly extended the rule to cover all plurals.

Ian Volante wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:So it would seem that irregular plurals should be fine, because there's no way you can just solve an 8 and stick the S on the end.

Makes sense really, my simple brain foolishly extended the rule to cover all plurals.

It's a common and not-at-all-costly mistake so I wouldn't worry. FTR plurals without a singular (like MONEYBAGS) are also okay, although again I can't actually think of one that's been on the show.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:So it would seem that irregular plurals should be fine, because there's no way you can just solve an 8 and stick the S on the end.

Makes sense really, my simple brain foolishly extended the rule to cover all plurals.

It's a common and not-at-all-costly mistake so I wouldn't worry. FTR plurals without a singular (like MONEYBAGS) are also okay, although again I can't actually think of one that's been on the show.

PARQUETRY!

Oops, I mean OUTSKIRTS!

The 'User Search' page seems to have gone walkabout.

I'm having quite serious problems atm. Can log in OK, and everything starts well but very quickly things grind to a halt (white screens, letters suddenly appearing all at once giving you two seconds to do the round, clock taking ages to go round, laggy chat etc) and eventually things freeze up completely.

Assumed it was just the server load from last night, but it was ultra-smooth when I logged on later that night only to have major problems again this evening. Anyone else experiencing anything like this? I'll try and get some console data next time, whenever this happens I have to kill the firefox process from task manager so everything gets lost.

Paul Howe wrote:I'm having quite serious problems atm. Can log in OK, and everything starts well but very quickly things grind to a halt (white screens, letters suddenly appearing all at once giving you two seconds to do the round, clock taking ages to go round, laggy chat etc) and eventually things freeze up completely.

Assumed it was just the server load from last night, but it was ultra-smooth when I logged on later that night only to have major problems again this evening. Anyone else experiencing anything like this? I'll try and get some console data next time, whenever this happens I have to kill the firefox process from task manager so everything gets lost.

It was quite slow for me earlier, but I restarted my browser and it sorted it.

For the past 48 hours, I can't get into apterous.org at all (not even the home page). I just get "Connecting..." and it sits there not connecting. I've inadvertently left it in this state for over an hour at a time and nothing happens, so I don't think it's just slow.

Curiouser and curiouser...

I'm now on a different PC in the same house, and from here I can get to the home page but not into the game (SocketException: ConnectionReset). This one is Firefox whereas the other is IE7. Might that be relevant? I can see from Today's Games that others are getting in all right.

Console:

SRC: Opening socket...
SRC: Opening socket ostream...
SRC: Opening socket istream...
{Thread-99} Connect failed
java.net.SocketException: Connection reset
at java.net.SocketInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$BlockDataInputStream.readShort(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readStreamHeader(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.<init>(Unknown Source)
at net.DirectNetworkLayer.<init>(DirectNetworkLayer.java:28)
at net.client.CXInfoClient.<init>(CXInfoClient.java:82)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel$AppletInfoClient.<init>(MainPanel.java:104)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel.<init>(MainPanel.java:270)
at applet.frontend.MainApplet$1.run(MainApplet.java:101)
SRC: Opening socket...
SRC: Opening socket ostream...
SRC: Opening socket istream...
{Thread-99} Connect failed
java.net.SocketException: Connection reset
at java.net.SocketInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$BlockDataInputStream.readShort(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readStreamHeader(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.<init>(Unknown Source)
at net.DirectNetworkLayer.<init>(DirectNetworkLayer.java:28)
at net.client.CXInfoClient.<init>(CXInfoClient.java:82)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel$AppletInfoClient.<init>(MainPanel.java:104)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel.<init>(MainPanel.java:270)
at applet.frontend.MainApplet$1.run(MainApplet.java:101)
SRC: Opening socket...
SRC: Opening socket ostream...
SRC: Opening socket istream...
{AWT-EventQueue-15} Login failure
java.net.SocketException: Connection reset
at java.net.SocketInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$BlockDataInputStream.readShort(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readStreamHeader(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.<init>(Unknown Source)
at net.DirectNetworkLayer.<init>(DirectNetworkLayer.java:28)
at net.client.CXInfoClient.<init>(CXInfoClient.java:82)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel$AppletInfoClient.<init>(MainPanel.java:104)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel.<init>(MainPanel.java:270)
at applet.frontend.MainApplet$1.run(MainApplet.java:101)

I think my log-in attempts have been reset to "loginblitz" status - goes 1/2/3 and out in about 2 secs

Yesterday it appeared to be wobbly, only allowing me to log in after a few attempts and giving the connection reset message otherwise.

This then changed to the simpler "could not log in" message later on when I assume the site was properly down. All very strange.

I can't get in, yet others can.

SRC: Opening socket...
SRC: Opening socket ostream...
SRC: Opening socket istream...
{Thread-30} Connect failed
java.io.EOFException
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$BlockDataInputStream.readShort(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readStreamHeader(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.<init>(Unknown Source)
at net.DirectNetworkLayer.<init>(DirectNetworkLayer.java:28)
at net.client.CXInfoClient.<init>(CXInfoClient.java:82)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel$AppletInfoClient.<init>(MainPanel.java:104)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel.<init>(MainPanel.java:270)
at applet.frontend.MainApplet$1.run(MainApplet.java:101)
SRC: Opening socket...
SRC: Opening socket ostream...
SRC: Opening socket istream...
{Thread-30} Connect failed
java.io.EOFException
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$BlockDataInputStream.readShort(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readStreamHeader(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.<init>(Unknown Source)
at net.DirectNetworkLayer.<init>(DirectNetworkLayer.java:28)
at net.client.CXInfoClient.<init>(CXInfoClient.java:82)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel$AppletInfoClient.<init>(MainPanel.java:104)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel.<init>(MainPanel.java:270)
at applet.frontend.MainApplet$1.run(MainApplet.java:101)
SRC: Opening socket...
SRC: Opening socket ostream...
SRC: Opening socket istream...
{AWT-EventQueue-5} Login failure
java.io.EOFException
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$PeekInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream$BlockDataInputStream.readShort(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readStreamHeader(Unknown Source)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.<init>(Unknown Source)
at net.DirectNetworkLayer.<init>(DirectNetworkLayer.java:28)
at net.client.CXInfoClient.<init>(CXInfoClient.java:82)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel$AppletInfoClient.<init>(MainPanel.java:104)
at applet.frontend.MainPanel.<init>(MainPanel.java:270)
at applet.frontend.MainApplet$1.run(MainApplet.java:101)

It sounds like you might all be triggering the new "female detection" component, designed to prevent the fairer sex practising and thus preserving our male dominance in all aspects of the game. Hurrah!

It perhaps needs a bit of fine tuning though - it's obvious why Clare can't get in; Kai, as a 12 year old, perhaps isn't registering high enough on the testosterone readings, but I'm baffled as to why Ross and Ian are having problems. Have you been to any musicals lately?


Charlie will have to confirm all this, of course.

If one of you having problems wants to add me on MSN (calr3@cam.ac.uk) we can try to resolve it. I can still log in fine.

Charlie Reams wrote:If one of you having problems wants to add me on MSN (calr3@cam.ac.uk) we can try to resolve it. I can still log in fine.

I can't log in either, and haven't been able to all day. Unfortunately I don't know what "add me on MSN" means - soz.

Jon Corby wrote:It sounds like you might all be triggering the new "female detection" component, designed to prevent the fairer sex practising and thus preserving our male dominance in all aspects of the game. Hurrah!

I'm obviously not a threat to your male dominance then, as I managed to log in for my practice - sometimes its good to be crap!

I just installed Firefox on the (IE7) PC which couldn't previously get at apterous.org, and now I can get there just fine. Intriguing.

Naomi Laddiman wrote:I'm obviously not a threat to your male dominance then, as I managed to log in for my practice - sometimes its good to be crap!

Nah it's not that, we need someone in to do teas and stuff.

Edit - Phil: add me on msn (jon.corby@ntlworld.com) and I'll explain what it means.

It's working for me now.

Jon Corby wrote:Phil: add me on msn (jon.corby@ntlworld.com) and I'll explain what it means.

That's just an email link, as was Charlie's. I'll email you if you like. But, as I said, Apterous login is working now.

Jon Corby wrote:

Naomi Laddiman wrote:I'm obviously not a threat to your male dominance then, as I managed to log in for my practice - sometimes its good to be crap!

Nah it's not that, we need someone in to do teas and stuff.

Ah, it's good to see I do have my uses! I can do teas, but what does the 'stuff' involve?!

I can't log on either. I think it may be due to a java update I had which somehow meant that I couldn't open Wordbiz (ISC) so I downloaded the java update from the ISC site, which presumably is out of date anyway. Either that, or it's just a big coincidence.

Have now updated java - ISC works (good) Apterous doesn't (not good).

It seems to have been playing up for me the last few days too. i.e. not letting me on, or not working properly once I'm in.
Despite others playing, if the 'today's games' list is anything to go by.

I've just noticed something: in Hypergoatdown if the metamax is 9 letters long the metamax score appears as 18.

In the mean time, try logging in every few minutes and it will probably work eventually.

This reminds me of an aside I read in Viz once.

"Save money on doorbell batteries by simply going to your door every five minutes to see if someone's there."

Ahhh Viz.

"Don't waste money on binoculars, if you'd like to see something larger, simply stand close to it."

The joy of Viz:

DRIVERS: Avoid getting prosecuted for using your phone while driving. Simply pop your mobile inside a large shell and the police will think you are listening to the sea.

Java.com

Congratulations!
You have the recommended Java installed (Version 6 Update 12).

So it looks like that's not the problem, so what is it, then?

Martin Gardner wrote:Java.com

Congratulations!
You have the recommended Java installed (Version 6 Update 12).

So it looks like that's not the problem, so what is it, then?

Only yesterday it was prompting me to get update 11. I might try 12 anyway to if it's more stable than 11, which I'm avoiding as much as I can.

This is a double conundrum. Mega-dodgy.

Kai Laddiman wrote:This is a double conundrum. Mega-dodgy.

What is its anagram then?

Kirk Bevins wrote:

Kai Laddiman wrote:This is a double conundrum. Mega-dodgy.

What is its anagram then?

I mean CONFEDERATES is also a valid word and it was Goatdown so the letters were CONFEDERATE.

Kai Laddiman wrote:

Kirk Bevins wrote:

Kai Laddiman wrote:This is a double conundrum. Mega-dodgy.

What is its anagram then?

I mean CONFEDERATES is also a valid word and it was Goatdown so the letters were CONFEDERATE.

As mentioned in the FAQ, the wordlist is extremely ropey for 10- to 12-letter words. Doesn't seem worth reporting a bug every one of these as they come up. Maybe put them in the CountMax errors thread if you really want to post them, but even that is pretty pointless unless you're actually volunteering to type out all the 10s, 11s and 12s.

Charlie Reams wrote:As mentioned in the FAQ, the wordlist is extremely ropey for 10- to 12-letter words. Doesn't seem worth reporting a bug every one of these as they come up. Maybe put them in the CountMax errors thread if you really want to post them, but even that is pretty pointless unless you're actually volunteering to type out all the 10s, 11s and 12s.

Yes Mr. Charlie. Sorry Mr. Charlie.

I'm getting "java.net.SocketException: software caused connection abort: recv failed" when I'm trying to log in tonight. Other games are playing at the mo

Jeremy Miles wrote:I'm getting "java.net.SocketException: software caused connection abort: recv failed" when I'm trying to log in tonight. Other games are playing at the mo

When it does that, keep trying. You'll get in eventually.

Ian Volante wrote:

Jeremy Miles wrote:I'm getting "java.net.SocketException: software caused connection abort: recv failed" when I'm trying to log in tonight. Other games are playing at the mo

When it does that, keep trying. You'll get in eventually.

Actually it's the people that keep trying that cause it to take so long to come back up. But I think this is fixed as of now anyway.