Day 18: Cycle of Shadows
Previously
On the Island of Lost Memories, you pieced together fragments of a memory left by the Guardian, uncovering the location of the second fragment of the Veil of Wonder. With the fragment now in hand and the mist clearing around you, you set your sights on the next island.Narrative
As you step onto the Isle of Shifting Shadows, the blinding light and rapid movement of the sun immediately disorient you. The sky cycles from dawn to dusk in mere minutes, casting shadows that race across the landscape. In the center of the island stands a vast, ancient circular mechanism, half-buried in the gleaming stone ground. Its purpose feels clear yet mysterious: a massive pillar at the center casts a shadow like the hand of a clock, pointing to numbers inscribed along the outer rim.
The Guardian’s faint voice reaches you. “This is the Dial of Ages,” she whispers. “Long ago, it was used to mark significant times in the Dreamscape. To unlock the next fragment of the Veil of Wonder, you must enter a passcode hidden within the dial. Rotate the circle to align the shadow with each number in sequence.”
As you approach, you realize that with each correct rotation, the fast-moving sun will shift, causing the shadow to jump forward 30 degrees. Carefully, you position the first digit of the passcode, feeling the weight of the stone dial as it clicks into place. But with each correct digit, the challenge intensifies, and you must anticipate where the shadow will fall after each movement.
The blazing sunlight pushes you to work quickly, racing against time itself. Each movement of the dial is a step closer to unlocking the fragment, but any miscalculation will send you back to the start, forcing you to navigate the dial anew.
Objective
Calculate the total rotation needed to align the pillar’s shadow with each digit in the passcode sequence, adjusting for the sun’s shifting position.
Challenge
Challenge
On the Isle of Shifting Shadows, you encounter the ancient Dial of Ages, an enormous stone circle with numbers engraved around its edge. A central pillar casts a shadow that acts like the hand of a clock, pointing to different numbers based on the rotation of the circle. Currently, the shadow points to 3 (East).
To unlock the next fragment of the Veil of Wonder, you need to enter a passcode: 51081.
Each time you submit a digit by aligning the shadow with it, the rapid movement of the sun causes the shadow to shift 30 degrees clockwise. Calculate the minimum total degrees of rotation required to align the shadow with the entire passcode sequence in the correct order.
Submit your answer in degrees.
Hint 1
Remember, each time you submit a digit, the sun’s position causes the shadow to move 30 degrees clockwise. This will affect the next alignment you need to make.Hint 2
To minimize the total rotation, consider rotating the dial in the shortest direction to reach each target number.Hint 3
The clock has numbers from 1 to 12. But perhaps there is a way to achieve the number 0...Answer
Wrong answer!Outcome
After carefully calculating and aligning each digit of the passcode, the final rotation clicks into place. The sundial emits a faint glow, and a quiet hum fills the air as the mechanism unlocks. The central pillar pulses with light, illuminating the area around you, and the stone surface begins to crack, revealing the fragment of the Veil of Wonder nestled within.With the third fragment now in your possession, the shadows around you begin to recede, and the island’s eerie, fast-paced cycle of light and dark slows. The next island awaits, bringing you closer to restoring the Veil and completing your mission.