User:CameronCN/Torment (Internet puzzle game)

Torment is an internet puzzle game created on April 12, 2007. It was created by a person using the name 'Grngecko.' This puzzle is wildly known for being unsolved for over 3 years. Almost nothing is known about 'Grngecko' apart that from he/she is the creator of the game.

Torment features different levels or stages that one must complete in order to complete the game. The game features extremely difficult puzzles, mostly cryptograms. The player must figure out the cipher before progressing onto the next stage. An example of such a cipher is the one used in Edgar Allen Poe's story 'The Gold Bug', commonly referred to as the Gold Bug cipher. On each stage, one or more images, pictures or gif file, usually giving hints to the desired answer. Some cryptograms may contain coordinates leading to a historical figure or object, which the players must name.

Different internet forum users have created threads in order to try to solve the puzzle, each one being unsuccessful. Users on these forums mainly try to stay away from giving away answers, much because Grngecko does not want the game to become too easy. Instead of these internet forum users giving direct answers, they give each other hints and tips in order to complete the stage.

Multiple red herrings have been put into the game by Grengecko. for example, typing "man" into the solution key will bring you to a picture of worms with no way to advance. Other red herrings, however, make it look like there is a way to advance, even though there is not. For obvious reasons, Grngecko has included red herrings into the game for people trying to cheat their way through. Typing in "theend" brings you t a page that follows no pattern to other pages, which in that case most players would describe it as a red herring.