Wednesday, December 22, 2010

And The Winner Is?

I figured my little hint yesterday would spark one of the few people working on my code . . .

Someone believes they've solved it and that someone is none other than Nick Jacoby.

Check out his post over at Cardboard Overload.

Solution is not given away, but he has completed the final task.  Thank you to everyone that took a look, I really enjoy creating these and will likely take the next step and put out my own set of custom cards for my next one so that I can have complete creative control.  Consider it the Ginter Code tune-up for anyone who will attempt to break that code next summer.

I figure I'll need to make it harder to really challenge these Ginter champs.

Congrats Nick.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

What to do ... what to do?


Sneak peak into my brain, maybe . . .

Tis the season!  Enjoy.

Oh and anyone who plugs/plugged this code endeavor, well consider yourself on my Christmas list.  I'll reach out to you if I don't have your address.

My Last Bit Of Brewers Gold


Anyone else out there holding some nice 2010 (or 2009) Brewers gold?  I'd love to make a trade.

Felipe Lopez was a nice fill-in during the 2009 season while Rickie was on the mend again.  Not sure where he ended up last year, but if memory serves me correctly he didn't do much of anything . . .

Saturday, December 18, 2010

2010 Topps Update Series - Tony Gwynn SP (US-203)

I'll add this card over to the Visual Trade Bait page in a few moments . . .

I honestly didn't realize that Tony Gywnn started his competitive donut eating days during his playing days.  That's quite the spare tire look he's sporting in this photo.  Couldn't we have gotten something a little more flattering?

Are there any Gwynn fans/collectors out there that want/need this card?  Please do let me know.  I'd love to make a trade.  For now I'll plop him beside the Nolan Ryan SP I found in the 2009 Updates & Highlights.

For those wondering, no, the code hasn't been broken yet, but several people have made progress.  I'm very excited for those several people!  Go bloggers go!

Friday, December 17, 2010

My First MCG Redemption: Sweet Mariner Action

If I could only remember where I was reading today that the MCG redemption cards seemed to be everywhere now, I'd point you to that person's blog.  The problem is I read a TON of your blogs today.  I probably left an electronic paper trail littered with comments, but for now know that I read this somewhere and that sets the stage for this post.

I dove headfirst into a jumbo pack of 2010 Update Series (what happened to the U&H moniker?  that was short lived).  Plenty pleased with the cards I nabbed, which I'll save for another post, I was excited to see I did indeed pull a MCG redemption code.

I then wandered over to www.toppsmillion.com to see what had been recently unlocked.  I saw a few 80s cards, a few 90s cards, a few 70s cards and 1 1950s card.  It didn't look super promising, but I thought what the heck, I've never done this before, let's give it a whirl!

Here's what I ended up with:


Stan, nice 'stache.  And I notched a cool little cartoon on the back as well.  A cartoon about someone named Jack Reed.


Well, overall, I'm happy with this experience, although I'm sure if I pulled a 1992 Mark McGwire I'd have a different stance.

More Brewers Gold & Contest Update


Brew Crew Kockout!  Another fantastic card from the 2010 set, and it's in my hands.  I'd really really really really love the gold or black parallel of Prince's card #1 from the set.  Pleading with you readers out there ...

This card came as part of the aforementioned trade with Nachos Grande.  He's building quite the sweet set of 2010 Ginter relics, so see if you can help him out.

Code Challenge #2 is now a week old, and remains unbroken, although I can confirm some chips and cracks have been taken out of it.

Just remember, I have tried to take some common concepts and put them to use in my code.  Some that I learned from the Ginter Code challenges and some that I learned on my own.  Pattern recognition is key.  First Ginter Code had words that interlocked from card to card to set the order.  Second Ginter Code had a group of 9 cards in order 1-9 that paired with another group of 9 cards in order to give you your start.  Third Ginter Code gave you birthday hints throughout the set to figure out how to group the cards and start the de-transposing.  All great codes in their own way, all primarily based on transposition and finding which pieces of text to read.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

I Told You I'd Steal This Idea - Visual Trade Bait


I've finally stolen the visual trade bait idea from the Project 1962 blog.

I was made aware of this blog, and this idea for trade bait during my first code contest when I was pimping a couple of "new to me" blogs.  I made quite a few new friends during those weeks, and the same goes for during this code challenge as well.

I've only added a couple of cards to the page, stuff I already had scanned in.  Some shiny 2009 Topps Heritage and a couple other cards I'd posted as available in trade before including the Roy Halladay propaganda poster card.

As you can see at the top of my page now there is a tab for "Home" and "Visual Trade Bait", a feature I didn't even know was available but I plan to make more use of now that I know I can add up to 10 other "pages".


I'll post an update as I add more cards to it.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Some Gold & Code Contest Update



Bernie's Bash Brothers.  Love it.  I love both you guys equally, but not as much as I'd love having a rotation and bullpen .  .  . but also not as much as I love the trade I pulled off with Chris at Nachos Grande.  You can see the relics I sent his way from the 2010 A&G set.  If you've got some lying around that you'd like to deal for cards  you'd enjoy more, I'd encourage you to look at his want list.  Chris is one of the easiest guys out there to trade with and his list is always filled with potential trade fits.  Check it out.

I'd still love to trade for any other 2010 Brewers gold parallels.  Let me know if you've got something.

Now for a little code contest update.  Last time I put up a code contest, I had a lot better idea who was working on it, and what they had managed to figure out.  This time, I know nothing.  Which is fine.  Just know that I'll be using a sliding scale for determining the prize.  Maybe it will slide all the way up to that 1951 Topps Blue Back Johnny Mize card.  Anyone find any interesting things in the code yet?

Monday, December 13, 2010

The Game Is Afoot: Code Contest



Good morning ladies and gents!  I'm always astounded at the number of people who click through to look at the codes I've created.  I believe the first code challenge brought in somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 page views, although I suspect that 100+ were from the champion himself, Mike from JD's Wild Cardz.

Who will be the first to crack Code Challenge #2?  You?  You???  YOU????  I'm just curious to see how many people may or may not be working on it.  Like last time, if you are kind enough to pimp this little code breaking contest like Nachos Grande I'll be forever grateful and throw you into a drawing for the prize if it's not solved.  Just let me know you did so.

Good luck!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Justin, You Complete Me

Maybe more specifically, you've completed my 2009 Topps Series 1 set by sending over Colin Balester.  And for that, I couldn't be more appreciative.

If you guys haven't seen Justin's site, or his want list please swing by and see if you can help him out.  He's looking for post-2000 Cubs cards as well.

So where have I been for a month?  Well, that's a great question, and I've got an equally great answer.  Job hunting!  Yes, Mr. Economy through me a curveball and decided to set me down swinging.  As you can imagine, cards were the first thing cut from the budget.  Okay, maybe not the first, but they were UP THERE!

Meanwhile I've been following the Brewers progress this offseason.  Very pumped to have added Shaun Marcum to the rotation. Now if we could just find a way to bring Greinke into the fold we'd be set.  Maybe a three-way where we move Prince?  Or perhaps a trade out west with the Angels who are looking for a bat.  I'm just hoping Doug Melvin doesn't settle for Carl Pavano - I'm not a fan.  Just don't like him.

I received some other trade packages in the past month or so and I'll get some things posted again now.

I still owe Justin some cards in trade, and I'll be getting something out his way this weekend, and I know there are a couple other people who are waiting for a post about a completed trade with me  as well. I haven't forgotten, don't worry!

Oh, and if you're into that sort of thing, I'm also working on the next SS92 code.  To debut sometime around New Year's.  And yes, Mr. Gellner, I know I still owe you a back-up prize from solving the first one.