King's Ransom Tumbler Puzzle Explained

There are two ways to do the tumbler, the easy way and the logical way.

The easy way: Leave all the numbers set at 0 and test the lock. Leave any that are green and move all the others to 1. Leave all the greens and move the rest to 2. Repeat this until you get all four tumblers green. All numbers are tumbler heights. Also note that the tumbler numbers have been changed to letters to avoid confusion between height and tumbler number.



The Easy Way
Tumbler W Tumbler X Tumbler Y Tumbler Z
Guess: 0 0 0 0
Outcome: Red Red Red Red
Guess: 1 1 1 1
Outcome: Red Red Red Red
Guess: 2 2 2 2
Outcome: Blue Green Blue Blue
Guess: 3 2 3 3
Outcome: Blue Green Blue Green
Guess: 4 2 4 3
Outcome: Red Green Red Green
Guess: 5 2 5 3
Outcome: Green Green Green Green


Tumbler Puzzle

The logical way: Set each tumbler to a different height. This will allow you to figure out which heights you have to use. The blue heights must be used on a different tumbler and the green heights are correct (good guessing). If you have reds, you shouldn't use those heights again at all. Test the extra two heights the next round (unless you got all four heights correct the first time). Once you have determined which four numbers are visable test each one on all four tumblers until they all turn green. If you are confused, see the example below. Once again, all numbers are tumbler heights. Also note that the tumbler numbers have been changed to letters to avoid confusion between height and tumbler number.


The Logical Way
Tumbler W Tumbler X Tumbler Y Tumbler Z
Guess: 0 1 2 3
Outcome: Red Red Blue Green
Logic: Using four different numbers allows me the greatest possibility of blues or greens and the fewest reds. Now I know that tumbler Z is 3 and that at least one of the other three tumblers must be 2.
Guess: 2 4 5 3
Outcome: Blue Red Green Green
Logic: I used the rest of the numbers (4 and 5) to see if they were in the puzzle by looking for a blue light. 5 is in the puzzle, but 4 is not. Tumblers Y and Z are now correct and I know that height 2 must belong to tumbler X because I know the heights of Y and Z, I know tumbler W isn't 2 and that 2 must be on at least one tumbler because of the blue light. The only choice left is tumbler X.
Guess: 3 2 5 3
Outcome: Blue Green Green Green
Logic: Now that I know tumblers X, Y, and Z it comes down to guessing tumbler W correctly. I know it can't be 0, 1, or 4 because I have previously gotten red lights for them. I know it can't be 2 because I have already tried it in tumbler W. This only leaves 3 or 5. Now I know it's not 3.
Guess: 5 2 5 3
Outcome: Green Green Green Green
Logic: It was 5. Now I am free.


Logic Method

Again, note that the tumbler numbers have been changed to letters to avoid confusion with height.

Credits

Original Guide by: abomb67

Last updated by: Jaffy1

Last updated on: 26-Nov-2011


RuneScape 2007
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