general questions
the kelly clarkson riddle? huh? what in the world is a kelly clarkson riddle?
the kelly clarkson riddle is merely an online game of sorts, a collection of puzzles, riddles, and other nonsense, all presented in the form of a loosely queued group of web pages called levels. each level must be completed before progression to the next level can occur, the object of the riddle being the completion of all levels.
uh, yeah. what's that got to do with kelly clarkson and why did this thing even get made?
i had the idea of creating some sort of online riddle after stumbling across another one called notpron, which was created by david münnich. however, i wanted to make one that was somewhat more focused on a theme, a running thread, if you will. being a fan, it just sort of happened.
i like puzzles and all, and i loved notpron, but i'm not a fan of kelly clarkson. why should i even bother with this thing?
obviously, not everybody is a fan, but in the grand scheme of it all, you don't really have to be a fan to enjoy what this riddle has to offer (although it might help on a level or two). solving the riddle is more dependent on one's ability to reason and utilize some creativity with the clues on a given level. the vast majority of the levels revolve around computer knowledge anyway, kel's just the general theme, again, the running thread.
ok, fine, i get it, it's like the notpron riddle on american pop culture pills.
perhaps. but don't let the name fool you; part of the intent here was to take notpron to the next level while simultaneously giving homage to it as the original great online riddle. the hope is that this will further inspire a neverending succession of enormous online riddles of all sorts, appealling (or appalling) to anyone and everyone.
alright, i'll give it a go. how do i play, what are the rules? how do i win? what happens at the end?
the only rule is that you don't give up. the only person who can defeat you in this riddle is yourself. david mamet wrote, "most people lost in the wilds, they die of shame. 'what did i do wrong? how could i have gotten myself into this?' and so they sit there and they die, because they didn't do the one thing which could have saved their lives: thinking." as for the ending... well, that's the riddle isn't it?
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getting started
look for clues. search the internet. be creative. do anything you can. move your mouse around the screen, view the source, alter the url, whatever actions and tools you have available to you. the solution could be almost anything.
source? url? huh?
to view the source of a webpage, rightclick on it and select "view source", or if you're using internet explorer, select "view" then "source". a url is a uniform resource locator, or a webpage address. it's the "http://www" bit that you type into your browser's window.
hey, this level has a google search on it. does google have something to do with the answer?
the google search boxes are there for your convenience, they will never have anything to do with the solutions short of providing potential access to them. this isn't a kelly clarkson trivia game; not every player is a fan, and the solutions won't necessarily relate to her specifically. in fact, you will find on more than a few levels that searching the internet is required in order to find an answer to a question.
wait, a password box just popped up on the screen, is that supposed to be there?
there are several methods by which you will progress from level to level, the username/password box is one of them. all necessary information for level progression can be derived from the clues in the currently displayed level.
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troubleshooting
the password protection applies to the directories, not the files (level pages, in this case) stored inside the directories. in some cases, several protected subdirectories are contained inside of a protected master directory, and therefore re-entering the subdirectory would require both passwords.
i swear i typed this answer a dozen times and it didn't work, and now it's working, what's that about?
there could be several reasons: urls, usernames and passwords are all case sensitive, sometimes the problem is caused by inadvertent shift keys. spelling errors also account for a lot of the so-called answer morphing. in other cases, client side or server issues could be the culprit. it happens.
this is beyond frustrating, i've been stuck on this level for days, can i get a hint?
you can always go to the official forum for a spoiler free hint. if you're so inclined, you can even help others with subtle hints for levels that you already solved. for a broad range of tips (some of which are extremely important), make sure to check out the general help section of this site as well.
i spent days figuring this level out, how come i came back to it and the answer doesn't work anymore?
unfortunately, the internet is rife with the lowest common denominators: people who shamelessly cheat, and people who recklessly post spoilers on public message boards. not only does this take away from the essence of the riddle, it ruins the fun for everybody else. ergo, periodically some of the levels will be altered. it's simply one of several security measures which were implemented before the launch date.
ugh i hate this stupid riddle!
that's not a question, but so do i.
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05/22/05
can i link to the riddle from my website? are there any gif links available somewhere?
they're in the works, there will be an update here and in the forum when they're finished. as there has already been some minor interest, there may also be kellyclarksonriddle merchandise in the future as well; it depends on the demand.
there's an mp3 clue in the source, is there supposed to be music playing on this level? why can't i hear it?
if you're referring to a background sound, some older browsers aren't completely up to date with their markup language cross-compatibility. try either updating to the most recent version of your browser or accessing the site from another browser and make sure you're letting the file download completely; background sounds are different from streaming sounds, which can begin before the download is complete.
are passwords and usernames case sensitive?
yes. as are urls.
the user/password boxes...can only one answer go in a box? is it ever possible to go to different locations from different answers?
a un/pw box is only protecting a directory, not the path to the directory; if you see a un/pw box, you're already at the directory's door. however, in some cases there are several locations that can be reached from within a given level, and, again, determining the correct one is just part of the riddle.
has kelly played the riddle? or does she know about it?
no clue.
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06/03/05
merchandising update:
for everyone asking, t-shirts, bumperstickers, etc emblazoned with "i solved kellyclarksonriddle.com" (or whatever) is a good idea, but it's not going to happen unless it is negotiated with kel's people first. after some consideration, this seemed only appropriate, since the riddle is currently blowing up, and there is a licensing issue that i'm not interested in screwing with right now. if word or demand gets to them and it's feasible and happens, great, but i didn't create this to make money off of kel.
Why aren't there any threads past like 60? Is anybody past level 70?
i don't know and yes.
So I just started on this, and I've already learned more about Kelly Clarkson than I ever wanted to know, but level 23 is IMPOSSIBLE can i get one small hint from you?
for this and all of the others like it that have been sent in (asking for hints via the faq): the faq section is not a hint forum, it is for general inquiries. ergo, all other requests for hints sent into the faq section will be ignored.
I'm not giving out spoilers, why do my posts keep getting deleted from the forum? I see other threads where the answer is all but given away from the hints, it seems unfair.
in the early levels, there is a lot of leeway granted in the threads. however, as people are reaching the later levels, there will be a diminished tolerance for less than subtle hinting. frankly i don't really have time to moderate that board the way it needs to be done, so any deletions are basically a judgment call of the moment, don't take it personally.
I thought you said one doesn't have to know all about her to solve this, some of these levels require pretty obscure little factoids to pass. I had to go the official forum (and some other boards) to figure some of these out.
fyi, just because the forum has the word "official" in its title doesn't necessarily indicate that everything in the level threads is gospel. the forum should function as a digital sherpa, a guide to be referenced as a last resort. i wouldn't recommend running to the forum (or the spoiler boards) everytime a new level is attained, as a few people are simply using their encyclopedic knowledge of kel and her fansites to solve levels which do not require it. that methodology won't work for the majority of the riddle, and every level can be solved without it, you just have to find the way.
Is it true that you have everyones internet address?That kind of worried me when I heard it lol
All servers keep an access log file somewhere in the system. Any site you have ever visited has a record of your visit.
How muchlonger til we get to the n00dz???????
sorry, this_is_not_porn.
I'm pretty sure I have the right answer for this level (it's a ways after 50), but I keep getting a 'Not Found' error, is this a temp end?
there are no temp ends.
I am on a level that apparently needs a username password, which i figured out by going tothe forum. The issue is I'm not getting a password username popup.
always try another browser first. if that doesn't work, check internet settings, pop up blockers, java enabling, etc. faulty or nondefault settings will wreak havoc in a riddle like this one.
answers to a bunch of nonriddle related questions so people will stop asking them:
no i haven't, yes it's my remix, no i don't, yes i wrote it, yes i wrote that too, yes she is, no we weren't. now go back to the riddle, this is a riddle faq, not a me faq.
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06/18/05
What's the purpose of having an faq page if it never gets updated, it's been over a month, you gonna answer any of my questions?
sounds like you may need to reload the page or clear your cache. not that you'll realize your question was answered in this update if you're looking at a page that's a month old.
You know, I'm starting to notice most of these levels have very little or nothing to do with Kelly. But then I'm not really much of a fan either, so whatever.
every level is related to kel in some way.
Hey, why are there so many deleted posts in here? Theres like almost entire threads full of "This message has been deleted by the manager or assistant manager." Not all of those posts were spoilers.
for clarification, spoilers come in many forms, and none of them will be sanctioned in the official forum. a walkthrough is considered a spoiler, and for our purposes, a walkthrough can be defined as the revelation of any information which destroys the integrity of the given level's solution method. i realize there are still posts fitting that description in some of the early threads, but i just flat don't have time to monitor the board 24/7. it's always a judgment call of the moment, and 99% of the deleted posts contained some incarnation of a walkthrough, albeit unintentional. pay attention to the hints from the people in the later levels, those are generally good examples of the art of subtle hinting.
Ummm I was already past a level with the ripple in it, mow it won't let me back to my level until I enter a password for that level, and the one I had doesn't work now. So now I have to do it again?
whatever is necessary for level progression is the proper course of action.
Ripples?
riddle speak for interactive security measures (isms). the ripple scripts were implemented prelaunch, and the word "security" isn't necessarily an indication that they were designed to derail cheaters. however, if i were playing the riddle, i'd be looking for a something that explains them....
Is the security measure (ripple)cuz someone cheated or hacked the server? or tried to cheat haha
the ripple scripts are activated at random, the prompts tell you everything you need to know about the nature of a given ripple.
THIS IS SO NOT FAIR! I'M SO MAD RIGHT NOW IVE SPENT WEEKS SOLVING THESE LEVELS AND COME TO FIND OUT SOMEBODY ELSE'S MISTAKES SCREWS UP ALL MY WORK?!?!?! WTF?!?!? I'M NO QUITTER, BUT THIS IS UTTERLY WRONG!!!
the ripple scripts are not activated by user errors.
I'm not asking for a hint here, but theres this certain level that I KNOW I have the correct answer for, and it's not letting me pass because of this ripple effect thing what should I do about this
if you have the correct solution to a level, you have the ability to proceed, regardless of the ripples.
You said this was like notpron, well notpron didn't penalize everyone playing because of the actions of one person
nobody is being penalized, this riddle simply goes beyond where notpron went. and to sum all the fanmail up, what you are all now discovering is that the kelly clarkson riddle is partially interactive. there are things coming that will make the ripples pale in comparison.
Yah here's a frequently asked question, Why are you so evil? ;)
...
Hmm, ok I just came across something on this site, ((which you obviously placed there intentionally), but I'm not sure whether it's supposed to be ok for me to "spread it around", because it involves a page not listed in the links. I won't give out the link, but if I were to take what I found and put it somewhere else....
....."i'll spread my wings and i'll learn how to fly"
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06/30/05
It's probably not a good idea for a link to a level to get posted in the forum ("Oh I forgot the url I was there I swear!"), since somebody could just walk in and skip 40 levels by clicking it. I don't really think it's fair for those of us doing all the work without cheating. A lot of these riddles have a 'no links' rule, you might consider that, just some friendly advice.
unless it was a un/pw level... but good call. the rules have been amended to include it.
Hi I've been very careful when I post hints, but you..I guess.. deleted one of my posts anyway. I'm not complaining, I'd just like to know why it was deleted.
just fyi, i don't know what post you're referring to, but here's the thing: sometimes a post can be composed of some brilliant subtle hinting that i couldn't have come up with any better than the author did... then in the last line, something too specific shows up, and the entire post has to be deleted. it's important to realize that it only takes one word to turn a great hint into a spoiler or a walkthrough. additionally, a lot of new players are either not bothering to read the rules or are simply ignoring them, apparently under the impression that the official forum is nothing more than another spoiler board. naturally, this only compounds an issue to which there is no real solution other than to start banning.
Is the SUBG remix on the Express the same 1 thats came from here
no.
I don't get it, how do I find this remix? Something about hidden pages but there are like NO clues to get there?? I wanna hear it hehe
there are clues.
OK This makes no sesne, I know someone who JUST STARTED the riddle TODAY and already found this invisible remix?!? I'm well into the 30s, I've checked and rechecked every detail of every level and it isn't there so WTF if it's for "all the hard work people are putting into it" like you said how can someone just start and they get to hear it and I CANT?
to clarify, the post you're paraphrasing wasn't intended to imply that the remix is solely for some kind of 'riddle elite', it was merely a slightly localized effort to respond to a sudden flood of faqs. i didn't know then and don't know now who all has found the remix, i just know it's been found. the point of that post is that anyone who found it can feel free to post it on a message board for everyone else to enjoy.
How many ripples are there total?
if you mean how many have been activated, i haven't really kept up, but there's only one way to find out at any given moment.
Who in the world is David Mamet?
i could easily provide a list of his accomplishments in the entertainment industry for you, but you could also just google his name...
HAAHHAHA tis thing iz a stupid peice a CRAO!! Many idiot can figur i t otu LMAO idioty creatopr tryin 2 show us how IDIOT he iz!! LO(LL
all faqs are presented as they were received, i did not edit this to make it look like that, but i felt this person's summation asserted a solid argument to which i have no rebuttal.
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08/02/05
this is a special edition, as it were, for the faq section, as there have been voluminous amounts of the same questions coming in, so it will simply be easier to post the responses en masse.
regarding the ripples: the activation of these scripts is completely based on the actions of the riddle's participants. the entire ripple concept was set up in a manner which precludes any control over their activation and maintenance. concordantly, i have no knowledge of which ripples will be activated and/or when they will be activated.
regarding all non-riddle-related items hidden on the site: there are no clues specifically referring to the locations of these items. the links to these items manifest themselves as users progress through levels and inadvertently trip certain ripple scripts, which in turn activate the links.
regarding any technical difficulties with java: this is strictly a user issue. sporadic reports of certain levels functioning improperly are usually the result of faulty or nondefault settings. unfortunately, i don't have access to everybody's computers, so there's not really anything i can do about it. however, the initial step should be to update browsers to the most current versions and/or check the computer's internet settings.
regarding any technical difficulties with macs: fortunately, there are a few well informed mac users in the forums. most levels exhibiting technical issues that revolve around platform incompatibility and/or troubleshooting have been addressed already, just check the level threads or ask around.
addendums: the misspelled username in level 26, which i was unaware of, has been rectified. to be fair, both the misspelling and the correct spelling will now function for the level, unless of course a ripple changes the level again. levels 65, 71 and 80 each contained a small mistake, those have been corrected as well. notification of any errors is always welcome, feel free to send them in to the faq.
eh, here's one repeatedly asked question answered specifically:
I noticed that spjk2k is all over the main pages of the website. Obviously that's you. I was just wondering what that means?
it's an acronym for "some pretentious jerk kissing up 2 kel".
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02/15/06
sorry for not getting to all of these any earlier. most of them are the same question anyway, so for the record, myspace.com/spjk2k is not necessary to solve any level. i realize it looks like a page from the riddle as opposed to a typical myspace page, but it is in fact not a part of the riddle. and yes, there is a kelly clarkson riddle group on myspace as well, but it is only a promotional tool, and it simply links back to this site.
Terrific riddle, but just so you know, the MTV site is different from when that level was made, so I had to get a spoiler to pass it .
the solution to the level is still there.
OMG is it tru theres another 100 levels??
yes.
can i get a hint for level 6 plz or im about 2 give up
bye.
I don't know if it was intentional or not, but Holland and the Netherlands is the same thing.
an oversight, it's been rectified, thanks.
WOW this was actually harder than Notpron!
i see...
notpr0n is better than this stupid riddle
i see...
Hello we finished almost a week ago and still haven't gotten any email. Did we do something wrong?
it has been reported that in isolated cases, confirmations sometimes get lost in cyberspace. as a precautionary measure, another method of confirmation has been established. if you happen to experience this issue, feel free to check the status of your confirmation, and the other method will be utilized (this particular inquiry has been resolved).
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