Maybe you've done online puzzles (or riddles) like this before, and maybe this is your first attempt. If this is new to you, here are the basic instructions on how to 'play'. (If you've done things like this before, feel free to skip to Specifics below.)
Basics
On each webpage is a puzzle that will somehow suggest a series of characters which will form one or more words. The way to advance to the next puzzle is by replacing part of the URL of the current page. Don't know what that means? Here, I'll show you.
Look at the top of your web browser window. There should be a rectangle up there somewhere that contains something like this:
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That's called a URL, which stands for 'Uniform Resource Locator'. (Don't worry about any of that stuff, it just indicates where your browser got the current page.) Different browsers can display this differently; for instance, the protocol, which is the part that says http:// may not be visible. Don't panic, that isn't the important part.
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So let's say you solved a puzzle on this page. To advance to the next puzzle, you would click on the URL, delete everything after the last slash character (/), type the solution to the puzzle followed by the characters .html, then press ENTER or click the Go button, or whatever tells your browser to go to a different page.
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Wow, that's a little complicated, isn't it? Maybe an example will help.
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Let's pretend the URL of your current page is , and that the solution to the puzzle on that page is . You would click on the URL at the top of the browser, delete and replace it with , so that it reads and then press ENTER (or whatever). Got it? I hope so, because I'm not going to explain it any more than that.
The solution to each puzzle should be entered in lower-case letters only with no spaces or punctuation. This may require a little bit of cleanup on your part: if the solution seems to be 'Three-Dog Night', the form you would use for the new URL is threedognight. (But don't forget to add the .html each time!)
If you need to take a break, you'll lose your place unless you set a bookmark to the current puzzle you're on, or write the URL down or something. There's no password or progress-save system in place.
Specifics
Unlike the prior batch of my riddles, these shouldn't require any special 'peeking' such as examining the webpage source. These will be based on more traditional kinds of puzzles, like cryptograms, anagrams, and... well, you'll see.
On that topic, these will probably prove much more difficult to non-native English speakers; for instance, if you find cryptograms unworkably difficult, you will have problems advancing through these puzzles.
Solving these will NOT require, for example, paying for an online membership or service for anything. Free resources like Google Search, Wikipedia, and so on are fair game and encouraged.
Many, not all, puzzles have a title or line of text above the puzzle proper. These are usually intended as oblique hints, but may also serve to confuse or misdirect. Be on your guard!
Overall, I think these puzzles are more difficult than my earlier ones. If you play both sets, let me know what you think.
I am American, and apologies to any non-American users, but I will probably use idioms or words that are unfamiliar, and I will definitely use American spelling.
These puzzles are not universally accessibile. Some puzzles rely on discernment between colors, for example, and I have no idea how screen readers will handle these.
You may need pencil and paper, and probably access to a printer as well.
I have tested these riddles with up-to-date (as of August 2020) versions of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows, and Safari and Chrome on iOS. While other browsers may work, no promises. But please don't even try it with Microsoft Internet Explorer. At minimum, your browser needs to be capable of handling HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript.
Helping others with the puzzles is a tricky topic. On one hand, it's fun to be part of a group working your way through challenges, but on the other hand, it tends to somewhat diminish the accomplishment of those who solved it on their own. Obviously, I don't have any authority or jurisdiction over anything of the sort, so use your own judgement.
Please don't contact me asking for help with any puzzles. I am treating these puzzles as fire-and-forget.
Best of luck, may inspiration strike you whenever it's needed, and have fun!
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