waelchatila.com - Games & Fun category

AJAX Remote Controlled Lego Robot

Thu, 13 Jul 2006 11:00:33 GMT

This article shows how to remote control a real world lego robot using AJAX technology.

The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google - Cryptex Day

Tue, 16 May 2006 01:19:08 GMT

Yeah! I got a cryptex in the mail today! No email yet from google or sony. The code to the cryptex was printed on the box and was "grail". Inside was a note saying

Congratulations, you have proven worth of the Da Vinci Code Quest on Google, visit www.Google.com/DaVinciCode to see if your journey continues.

Upon visiting the link in the note the page says the final challenge has not yet begun, I guess we'll all find out sooner or later when that happens.

The cryptex itself is not as the ones in the book. There is no vinegar and you can pull and twist and throw it without having to worry about the secret message being destroyed. Also the total amount of possible combinations is not 26⁵ ~ 12 millions, but 26² = 676 since only two teeth are present instead of five. See the encircled area in the image below.

...nevertheless, still pretty cool.

It's possible to change the password. Simply unscrew the two small screws on the side of the opening and take the top part out. The dials are movable on the ring. See images below.

The Eurostar Da Vinci Code Quest

Sat, 13 May 2006 07:59:58 GMT

Another Da Vinci Code quest, this time by Eurostar. Couldn't resist playing this one too, very addicting. Access the eurostar page here

The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google - Day 24 of 24

Wed, 10 May 2006 17:21:37 GMT

Last day! The 10,000 first submitters win a cryptex, so it was only natural things were stressful! I found and entered all the answers very quickly. Ironically, Google's ANTI-DOS system kicked in while registering and I had to verify I was human with a CAPTCHA (see image below) which perhaps took important time away. I was fast but surely not that fast! Anyhows, it was all fun and here are the questions I got, finishing them in about 2 min.

Questions:

"Knowledge is a source of power, and books are a fountainhead of knowledge that Sophie's grandfather shared with her. How many books are shown in the flashback where they are reading together?" 2 (Actually found by trial and error, faster that way)
"Langdon asks Sophie is she has heard certain words before. To what words is he referring?" SO DARK THE CON of MAN
"The answer to the last question is an anagram. Please rearrange the letters to reveal a famous work of art by Leonardo that is housed in the Louvre in Paris and in the National Gallery in London" Madonna of the Rocks (trivial if you've read the book)

The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google - Day 22 of 24

Mon, 08 May 2006 20:04:07 GMT

"The leading member of the Priory of Sion is called" The Nautionnier
"Which of these men was not rumored to be a Priory of Sion member?" Nicolas Poussin
"What is the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess of fertility?" Isis