Level 20

Well, I'm still directionless trying to find what I want. May I ask if this is a very Python puzzle (__dict__ etc.), or an English puzzle (realestate, etc.)?

I suppose it's neither, really. It's a Python puzzle about as far as level 4 was a Python puzzle (both times -- and the same module is just as helpful for this level.)

[thesamet]

You just have to know how to ask for what you want.

Well, I'm still directionless trying to find what I want. May I ask if this is a very Python puzzle (__dict__ etc.), or an English puzzle (realestate, etc.)?

Somewhere in the middle. Hints are in English, but Python is not explicitly required.

When people talked about hitting it after a few hundred 'levels' of privateness, I thought I was onto something when I discovered the 404 artifact, but all I get is the same thing over and over again until I've added about 240 and then I get "Permission denied" errors.

What am I doing wrong? What did I miss?

When people talked about hitting it after a few hundred 'levels' of privateness, I thought I was onto something when I discovered the 404 artifact, but all I get is the same thing over and over again until I've added about 240 and then I get "Permission denied" errors.

What am I doing wrong? What did I miss?

"levels" of privateness was probably a bad term to use... there is data (spoiler removed) beyond what you can see in the browser; the trick is in getting to it.

Well, I've got myself inside, but can't seem to find any way in further. Can anybody offer any choice hints of where to look next? I'd rather not have to brute-force my way onwards; I might break something.

Well ... now it thinks I have a nickname. But what could that be?

I definitely haven't encountered hundreds of levels of "privateness" yet. More like three.

Oh, all right. I was just going about it all backwards.

Okay, this is more promising - I'm looking past the unreal rather than the idiot

I have no idea where to go now, though

Well, I'm still directionless trying to find what I want. May I ask if this is a very Python puzzle (__dict__ etc.), or an English puzzle (realestate, etc.)?

I suppose it's neither, really. It's a Python puzzle about as far as level 4 was a Python puzzle (both times -- and the same module is just as helpful for this level.)

cicadia: A clue in level 4 suggested a specific Python module, which I don't believe is strong enough to crack this one (caveat: I haven't solved level 20 yet, but I have been told I'm inside ). I believe that module's newer brother is needed to even approach this one.

dfsmith: How would you answer your question wrt level 17? I'd answer it "neither" -- the Python part was easy enough, provided that the name of a certain yummy snack meant something concrete to you. It didn't mean much to me at the time, but I could easily guess at the pun, and read up on it. This one has been much harder for me in that respect (I'm not a Web Guy at all) -- I never even heard of the relevant gimmick here before.

I eventually found what I needed in a large standard. I don't think it's a major spoiler to say section N.N, since Google returns useless hits for that on its own (UncleTimmy later replaced the section number with "N.N", because the only people it would help are people who know so much about this already they shouldn't need that hint). While Python supplies general machinery for dealing with this specific gimmick in an easy-enough way, the Python manuals never mention this gimmick per se. In that way too it's unlike the snack level.

How would you answer your question wrt level 17?

Actually I asked the question because:
1) it mentioned private property, on which the Python documentation has a lot to say.
2) I was searching URL space. (A long diversion on the apparent fact that the directory is a virtual one: evidenced by /any/ string containing "unreal.jpg" returned the jpeg; though only 255 chars allowed to the first "/" and 4kB max.)
3) I am still wary of the "tell the difference" puzzle; which was an English riddle.

(So far the only Python puzzle has been the banner one; though I also used Python for xmlrpc, which it's good at. Otherwise I'm using bash/curl.)

(BTW reader, none of the above are relevant to the first part of the puzzle, in case you were wondering. I'm figuring out where to put the password.)

[mjpieters]

I eventually found what I needed in a large standard. I don't think it's a major spoiler to say section 14.35, since Google returns useless hits for that on its own.

aHA! Aha, aha, ahA!

Since I wrote Zope's support for that section, as soon as I have the time on my hands, this challenge will have to lay bare it's secrets to me! Thanks Tim.

Martijn

cicadia: A clue in level 4 suggested a specific Python module, which I don't believe is strong enough to crack this one (caveat: I haven't solved level 20 yet, but I have been told I'm inside ). I believe that module's newer brother is needed to even approach this one.

I don't think I ever really used the module with the younger brother; I've always stuck with the lower-level module, but that's probably because I'm pretty familiar with the document that 14.35 comes from. That module is definitely flexible enough to get you through this level.

Looking beyond was frustrating but, in hindsight, not too difficult. I successfully applied 14.35 after a look behind the scenes revealed the true nature of unreal.jpg. I'm inside now, but that doesn't lead me anywhere.

I must be missing something, since I can't believe this is a dead end, yet going further the way I was going doesn't work.

[mjpieters]

A clue in level 4 suggested a specific Python module, which I don't believe is strong enough to crack this one (caveat: I haven't solved level 20 yet, but I have been told I'm inside ). I believe that module's newer brother is needed to even approach this one.

No, you should do this with the first version; the second one could be used, but requires more work to make it go, as it doesn't deal well with the response code the server gives once you start digging.

No, you should do this with the first version; the second one could be used, but requires more work to make it go, as it doesn't deal well with the response code the server gives once you start digging.

Aha, I was using the second version too. I'll give the first version a try. I must say that this level is not easy if you're not used to working with these modules, or related stuff in other languages.