Hint/logic sheet for Threediopolis, by Andrew Schultz

We say a word garbles if it has too many consonants. We say it slurs with too many vowels.

??clogs

?? If something sounds plural, it probably is.

??end, make sure shows

If told how the game works, you should be able to figure things out pretty quickly. Easier said than done.

Perhaps the easiest way to figure things is to notice three locations nearby at 355. Going there directly thus has a 1/2 chance of showing anything.

However, if you do find something, it's plausible to think you can see that you have

Also, you have two sort-of-free hints from early on which can be used to crack puzzles that may be unfair. I hope they are helpful.

====THREESIES====

355, 344, 344, 445, 355, 436, 434, 544, Place where Latin is spoken@435 ??!

DEN, 344, 344, 445, END, 436, 434, 544

The 436 then has to be EES, which can only be SEE. Even if you don't do anything there, you know that.

DEN, 344, 344, 445, END, SEE, 434, 544

Now the other words need to start with an S or W. The 434 in fact can only be SDU/SNS/SWE -- which give 15 possibilities to check. SEW seems to make the most sense.

DEN, 344, 344, 445, END, SEE, SEW, 544

That leaves 544, which must have a U in it, but UDU doesn't make anything, and neither does UWE/WEU/WUE. USN, however, gives SUN.

DEN, 344, 344, 445, END, SEE, SEW, SUN

The remaining words must start with D or E. However, some aren't fully words.

EDU is a bit tricky since DUE is a word, but hopefully people know the online abbreviation...plus DUE gives a persisting hint?? The possibilities otherwise for 445 are EEW, ENS (doesn't fit) or, more plausibly, EUD.

344 then must have a D and UD/EW/NS. EDW or anything after that is out, so D** is left. DEW should be pretty clear. DNS is the other one, which is a relatively common acronym...I hope.

EEW/EWW??/EEEW/EEEEW

====FRIENDSIES====

346, (English name) 335, (Scottish-Canadian name) 455, 355, (female) 535, near pal 444, far pal 356, pal 434

Dee is pretty clear as she must have those letters. Similarly for Des, with the English name clue. Ned coincides with a den and the end, so if you don't find him, you'll find something else. He's also forced/reduced to a few choices. Sue similarly has a fixed string for her coordinates.

DEE, DES, ????, NED, SUE, 444, 356, ?????? -- this may be a leap, but farther away means more steps.

The third must have an E and N. N is unlikely for a first letter. D means DUEN and there are words but no name. E (NNS) doesn't work. E (NUD) doesn't quite. E (NEW) gives Ewen.

The end guy is a bit trickier. He must be SNS, SUD, or SWE. He also must be further in the alphabet than Sue.

That leaves SWE or UDS/USD or WSE/WES.

DEE, DES, NED, SUE, 444, 356, WES

Your friend at the origin is a bit trickier still. He is a sector further away two of (UD)(NS)(EW). While Dudu Awat was Israel's national soccer/football team's goalie, I hope the name I have is less obscure. Plus he is in the wrong place in the alphabet. If you want, you can also eliminate UDNS and UDEW pretty quickly, and also WEWE or NSNS go nowhere. That leaves NSEW. He must start with S or W, so that cuts things down a bit, and if he starts with S, it must go W next. Swen.

The final one is tricky. Maybe revisit it once you know a bit more of the logic. There are two E's and two (UD)(NS)(EW). They must start with a S or W. If they start with S, then they need a W to be in back of Swen, and that means another E. They also need an S. So

SWEEEN and while Swenee is a possible last name, there's not much to do. Try a W to start and then an E needs to be next (WD won't work) and that leaves a forced EEND. Wendee.

====FOURSIES====

334, 435, 444, 554, 345, 444, 534, 424, 525, 514

SUSS seems to be the easiest since the letters are fixed. It doesn't tell us a lot, but it does tell us there are no starting W's. You may also be able to guess about a starting letter based on a place's position. The root beer and/or cream soda requires two S's at least and a NS (no consonants) or EW (SEWS/etc.) or UD. Those carbonated drinks both have SUDS. This puts Linux in a spot between SUDS and SUSS, but it can be figured--it must have SU** and has EUSS, making it SUSE.

334, 435, 444, 554, 345, 444, 534, SUDS, SUSE, SUSS

A 554 address is next. It has a U and N. Again, you have three possible combinations: UD, EW and NS. UD means it starts with D or N, which runs combinations out quickly. EW leaves E(NWU) or N(EWU) which is not much, and thus NS leaves NUNS. This allows you to figure out a bit more. NUS* leaves nothing as does NW**, so the other things start with S.

334, 435, 444, NUNS, 345, 444, 534, SUDS, SUSE, SUSS

Let's look at the first term. If it has an N, it must be NSSD. That doesn't work. If it has E-W, it is DEWD, promising but no dice. It can't start with E (consonant clog) or W, and D-W/D-D is clog again.

So, USDD but it starts with D. D(S/D) is clog, so DUSD/DUDS. Duds.

DUDS, 435, 444, NUNS, 345, 444, 534, SUDS, SUSE, SUSS

I think you should be able to guess the information, which is at the center. It must start with E or N, and E(WSN) clogs and E(WUD) leads nowhere as does EEWW. NSNS can't work so N(SUD)/NSEW are left, and it's NEWS.

DUDS, 435, NEWS, NUNS, 345, 444, 534, SUDS, SUSE, SUSS

If the final word at the beginning begins with N, it must be NESS. But there is not. So it begins with E. It also ends in S. Along with E/W N/S U/D. You can probably find a farm animal with one of these and since plurality is clued, E--S = E (NS/EW/UD) leaves few possibilities. EWES.

DUDS, EWES, NEWS, NUNS, 345, 444, 534, SUDS, SUSE, SUSS

This pretty much makes everything else start with S. The first item then has DNE in some order. SEND.

The smokeless tobacco is an odd one but must be S(U??) and again UD dies on inspection as does WE since we'd need SE to start. That leaves SUNS, which has already sort of been done, and SNUS. I wasn't sure about putting this one in, but I like Bogus Social Commentary.

DUDS, EWES, NEWS, NUNS, SEND, 444, SNUS, SUDS, SUSE, SUSS

Hmm. The last one--well, SE or SN, clearly. SE leaves necessary NW, while SN leaves UD--won't work--or EW--and while Snew could be a word, it isn't. SEWN is the word. Though you may also find it later.

DUDS, EWES, NEWS, NUNS, SEND, SEWN, SNUS, SUDS, SUSE, SUSS

====FIVESIES====

236, 335, 445, 445, 326, 335, 436, 335

236 is DDEES by force. It's probably too early to start with S, and you can also rule out EE***, ES*, and ED (EDS) quickly. That leaves D, E, and the only word is DEEDS.

326 is similar. DEESS. It's plural, so ****S. Again, you can be aggressive getting rid of vowels, and also noticing D***S leads to nothing. E***S doesn't go anywhere, either, so S---S becomes SEEDS.

DEEDS, 335, 445, 445, SEEDS, 335, 436, 335

You may notice that there are 2 incidences of handmade clothes--and you may figure where the other one is from the first word. SEWED is it, and so...

DEEDS, 335, 445, 445, SEEDS, SEWED, 436, 335

436 is a good one--if it starts with U, DSEE is remaining and that runs out of gas. If it starts with W, EENS is remaining and has no possibilities. So, S---- (2 e's and E/W or N/S or U/D) -- the 2 e's can go, and SENSE is a word but not tangible. So,

SEEDU and if you go through everything, SD can't work, SE has nothing, and SUEDE does.

DEEDS, 335, 445, 445, SEEDS, SEWED, SUEDE, 335

335-last must have D S E. If it has U to start, UDDES makes nothing. If it has W to start, WDSEE is possible. With S to start, it needs a U or W--SW forces SWEDE, which is a word, but we'll get that later. SUDDE gives nothing.

So WDSEE but it's also plural--W(DEE)S is weeds.

The middle is tricky. I will bail here and say that most people can figure the first 445--it is DUNES. This may or may not mnemonically tip off the second, but let's go to the first 335.

SED (UD) (NW) (DS) must start with D, so

D (ES) (UD) (NS) (EW) -- but we have a plural!

D (E, UD/NS/EW) S

The NS clogs, and (EEW) is nothing, su D (EDU) S = Dudes.

====SIXIES====

The first of these should not be a puzzle. That means nothing starts with D. However, the rest is potentially tricky. Again, I'll say I bet you can guess the second, too, since they're just a list of things you can lump together.

ED DUNN, SENSES, 345, 556, 545, 145, 514

The scandinavian vacation--well, it starts with S, and what is a scandinavian country? I think this is guessable.

ED DUNN, SENSES, SWEDEN, 556, 545, 145, 514

The new bride and groom stuff is a good place to look next, because if you go up, you need to go down. Thus the word is UDDDED or some equally improbable combination thereof. But the W gives a clue as well! It must be WDDDEE. You can't lump too many consonants together, so WE and then not WEEDDD but WED -- 3 choices. WEDDED.

ED DUNN, SENSES, SWEDEN, 556, 545, WEDDED, 514

The administrators of the anti-athletic club must have 3 S's and a U at least. The W forces an E.

W (ESSSU) becomes WUSSES.

ED DUNN, SENSES, SWEDEN, 556, 545, WEDDED, WUSSES

The last two are tricky. Invisible may provide a hint to the prefix, or it may not. If you managed to stumble across the Visible Institute, you will know what to do here. However, it's pretty clear each name starts with U.

U (EENNS/EENEW/EENUD) -- the too-many-e's can be disposed of first. You can also see that UE is a bad way to start--UNUDEE or UDENUE and such lead nowhere. This is a bit of hand-waving, but while Undue gets close, there are clues directing the player to

UEENNS...and the UE start is goofy, and US (EENN) gives nothing, too. That means UN is left. Nice prefix to EENS or SEEN.

ED DUNN, SENSES, SWEDEN, UNSEEN, 545, WEDDED, WUSSES

UE are the only two allowable characters in the last bit. But U (NSW) is how the last word starts, and UW is not a good way to start a word. That leaves US + NE + (UD or NS or EW). Searching through those jumbles is a mess, and the NOT may be a clue anyway. ??

UN---- (SE + NS/UD/EW) SENS is a mess, SEEW is too watery, but UNUSED--there we go.

====SEVENSIES====

You've seen clothes before--DUDS--and so you may be able to guess that NEW DUDS is all that is left. That leaves something easier for the hot dog hut. It must end with an S, giving it forced letters of NEEE as well. So what are the directions you re-traverse?

UDNEEES means NE- is not doable (alphabet) and NU(DEEE)S isn't practiceable. U (NDEEE)S doesn't quite make sense, or lead to anything remotely edible.

NSNEEES means the word starts with S or it's ahead of NEW DUDS. S (ENENE) S doesn't bring up anything.

WNEEEES leaves WEENEES.

====EIGHTSIES====

The final clothes shop also accepts DUDS. But you've seen the adjective before--USED. So, USED DUDS.