The Wheel of Mastery

The Wheel of Mastery: Encoded is a uniquely difficult problem. The ideas are developed based on some philosophical foundation whose precise configuration is likely not to be found elsewhere. It is not known how much of one’s success with the problem may be influenced by having the exact knowledge of this underlying theory, but it is not assumed that any of it must be known to the solver. It is impossible for the Wheel to contain everything one needs to know to decode it, but good problems are designed such that knowledge barriers can be bridged by reasoning. I suggest that this is a good problem.

At the end of your journey, you will likely have arrived at an understanding of the conceptual structure behind the Wheel of Mastery, beating the odds of inspiration. Hence, among the benefits of your adventure lie a promise of the joy of discovery. This is an experiment on novelty that may shed light on the question, “how much of this could be derived by someone else?” It is a perfect mystery orchestrated to appeal to unusual thinkers and creative problem-solvers and I hope to find as many as possible in Nigeria, Africa, and anywhere else in the world. Are you one of them?

One may resolve the Wheel by means of logical and verbal reasoning, although it is not against the rules to arrive at the solutions via unconventional processes such as extrasensory perception, spiritual insight, or divine revelation. While it is speculated that intelligence may be the most important factor in decoding the Wheel, it is not actually designed as a calibrated psychometric test. However, the nature of the problems is in the same league as that of high-range IQ tests, which are untimed, unsupervised, and allow for the use of reference materials; as such, they are “uncommonly difficult.” In any case, a member of a high-IQ society exclusive to 1-in-a-billion-people states, about the Wheel, that he has not seen “anything quite like it before,” noting that it may require “tens or hundreds” of hours in time investment, while a professional designer of such tests says he ‘really likes it.’

The Wheel has been criticized as appearing to be “subjective” and “idiosyncratic” and perhaps too vague to be approached via reasoning. However, it has been my experience that people see it differently with time. It is also unusual enough so that it may be aesthetically displeasing to some for the same reason it others may find it appealing. In any case, I am unable to explain precisely how the creation overcomes those challenges, as that would imply deconstructing the Wheel. I can only assure the solver that these things have been accounted for, and to allow the experiment run its course.

 Please find an introduction and the file (containing the problem and submission information) below.