Time Tunnel: A Brief Overview

It has always been a goal of mine to score well enough in this game to get a trophy to display in my cabinet. Finally my goal has been reached and I have a nice little third place medal to showcase on my user lookup. *points*

So what is the secret in getting yourself a decent score in this game? I'm sure there are many techniques out there that work very well, but I'm here to share with you my personal favourite. But before that, here are some things you should keep in mind before even attempting to get a trophy:

1. Familiarise yourself with the way the game works

You need to "guess" the code first and input said code into the game. The game will then analyse your guess and tell you how close (or how far off!) your guess is. This is displayed on the side of your code in the form of coloured lights. Green means you have the correct colour in the correct position. Orange means you have the correct colour in the wrong position. White means the colour you guessed is not used in the actual code (and you should forget about using that colour in further guesses altogether!). Also keep in mind that you start of with a 120-second time bonus which ticks away every second - the faster you solve the code, the more points you earn!

2. Utilise your previous guesses to subsequently make more educated guesses

For example, if your first guess didn't yield any green or orange lights, don't use the colours you've used in your first guess because the code does not consist of those colours. Instead, try inputting an entirely different code.

3. Practice, practice, practice!!!

Don't give up on your first try. This is a logic game and requires a little bit of patience and perseverance. It is only a matter of time before you get comfortable enough with the game to actually score well.

Now for the more interesting part of this article - the technique I use for this game.

The method I use to solve the puzzle is fairly simple. It can be quite time-consuming at first if you're not familiar with the game, so make sure you read the three points listed above and understand the game. Once you've familiarised yourself with the concept of the game you should be able to solve each code within 10 seconds using my technique. So here it is:

1. Determine the colours used in the code

For the first code you have a choice between white, black, blue, and red to use in your guess. Instead of inputting a random code, submit a code which consists of all white (the default colour). Do this as fast as possible so you don't waste that time bonus! If for example the actual code consists of one white stone, you should get a green light on the side.

2. Utilise the information gathered from your first guess

Now in our example, the code white-white-white-white gives us one green light meaning there is one white in the actual code. For the second guess, submit the code white-black-black-black. If the actual code doesn't consist of any black, you should either get an orange light or a green light. If you get a green light, the white is in the first position. If you get an orange light, white is not in the first position.

3. Repeat the process until you get the correct code

If for example the code white-black-black-black gave us an orange light, the next thing you should (or could) do is to submit the code blue-white-blue-blue. If that gives us two green lights and two orange lights, we now know that the actual code consist of three blues and a white. Now it's a matter of rearranging the colours to arrive at the correct code. Since we found that white does not go in the first position, the first position must consist of a blue. Furthermore, the actual code only consists of two different colours so white must not belong in the second position either. The next logical thing to do would be to submit the guess blue-blue-white-blue. If this gives us again two orange lights and two green lights, the actual code MUST be blue-blue-blue-white.

4. Do each step as fast as possible

To make use of the time bonus you're given, do each step as fast as you can! Once you've figured out the code, quickly submit it and get ready for the next code to solve. Every code is different and by systematically going trough the steps in this brief guide, you should be able to solve each code with a steady momentum.

(Wow, that was a mouthful. It was even confusing for me to explain! Now aren't you glad you read the first three points on familiarising yourself with the game?)

Although what I have written above may sound like gibberish to some, if you've played Time Tunnel before, it shouldn't sound too foreign. Time Tunnel is after all a logic-based game and there is no sure fire way of getting a trophy-worthy high score. But if you follow the tips and techniques I've given above as a guideline, with enough practice it should garner you a decent score in the game and you may well be on your way to a shiny new trophy that will be the envy of all your neofriends!

So that was a rough overview of one of my favourite games on Neopets. I hope it is of some use to you. Granted, it was not enough to get me a first place medal, but it speaks volumes that my third place medal was achieved in the middle of the month. So start practising now and when reset day rolls by, get ready to earn that coveted trophy!