Don't use the "Back" button on your browser
While you're at Riddler.com, avoid using your browser's Back or reload buttons. You'll risk losing your place in the game you're playing, it may cause future games to malfunction, and it may bog your browser down overall. Instead, navigate using the buttons displayed on the site.

Browser versions and resizing your window
If you can, use the latest versions of Netscape or Internet Explorer. Resizing your Web browser while you're playing a Java-based game may cause you to be kicked out unexpectedly. To avoid this, don't resize the browser window while you're playing.

We do not support WebTV users
Currently WebTV users will not be able to load Java based applets. In the future it is a possibility that we will have a selection of shockwave games which WebTv users can also enjoy.

Clear Your Cache
Caching is used to make your browser load pages faster. Your browser will keep temporary files on your hard drive, and when you go to a page that you have already visited, it will load contents from your computer instead of the internet to speed the process.

If you find that pages are loading slowly or that your browser performance overall is suffering, you may need to clear your cache of these excess files. Clearing your cache is different for each browser.

With Netscape, you will fine the option under the Edit/Preferences menu in the "advanced" section titled "Cache". Just click on the buttons to clear both the disk and memory cache.

With MS Internet Explorer, it is different for the varying versions. In IE 4, go under the View/Options menu. Click on the "Advanced" tab. From there you will see the section about Temporary Internet Files. Click on the "Settings" button. Then just click on the Empty folder button, and your cache is cleared.

In IE 5, the Cache selection is under Tools/Internet Options

Enabling cookies
Logging in to the games requires that your web browser accept cookies.
For Windows

In Netscape Communicator:
A. From the "Edit" menu, select "Preferences".
B. Select the "Advanced" text on the left menu, then click on "Accept All Cookies" from the list on the right.
C. Click the "OK" button.

In Netscape 6:
A. From the "Edit" menu, select "Preferences".
B. Open the "Advanced" dropdown from the menu on the left, and select "Cookies".
C. Put a check in the selection on the right labeled "Enable All Cookies". Hit the "OK" button.

In Internet Explorer 5:
A. From the "Tools" menu, select "Internet Options".
B. Select the "Security" tab from the tabs at the top of the window, then click on the "Custom Level" button.
C. Scroll down until you reach the section entitled "Cookies". Check the "Enable" circle, then hit the "OK" button. If another menu pops up confirming the change, hit the "OK" button. Hit "OK" on the remaining window.

In Internet Explorer 6:
A. From the "Tools" menu, select "Internet Options".
B. Select the "Security" tab from the tabs at the top of the window, then click on the "Default Level" button.
C. Select the "Privacy" tab from the tabs at the top of the window, then click on the "Advanced" button.
D. Check the "Overide automatic cookie handling" box, and the "Always allow session cookies" box. Hit the "OK" button. Hit "OK" on the remaining window.


In AOL:
A. From the "Settings" menu, select "Preferences".
B. Click the link labeled "Internet Properties (WWW)".
C. Select the "Security" tab, and click the "Custom Level" button at the bottom of the window.
D. Scroll down to the "Cookies" section, and check the "Enable" circle. Hit the "OK" button. Hit the "OK" button on the remaining window.


For Macintosh

In Netscape 6:
Follow directions for Netscape 6 under Windows

In Internet Explorer 5:
A. From the "Edit" menu, select "Preferences".
B. Open the "Receiving Files" dropdown from the menu on the left.
C. From the dropdown on the right, choose "Never Ask". Hit the "OK" button.

Low Browser Memory
Java is known to be a bit of a resource hog, and our games could tax the browser's memory. The end result is that if you have been playing a lot of games, have a number of applications/windows open, or have simply been browsing for a stretch of time, your system resources may be low and the games may not run properly. Often times this can be remedied by emptying your cache and restarting your browser. On occassion it may be necessary to restart your computer to insure your browser is clean.

Problems loading the "ad page"
If the ad page isn't loading properly then try hitting the stop button on your browser. Often times this will cut off the attempt to load a broken ad and will allow you to press the play game button to get to the actual game screen. Occasionally that play game button will appear as a broken image icon (a result from stopping the page load). Even if the image itself appears broken, the link should still work.

Loading the games
If the game doesn't load, but all you see is a small picture or a broken image, then you might have to upgrade your web browser. Specifically, our games require an up-to-date JVM, Java Virtual Machine. When upgrading your browser, make sure you upgrade your JVM, and the next time you start you web browser, the games should load properly.

Why does Riddler sometimes seem slow?
We do everything we can to make Riddler games fast and fun. In fact, we recently increased our Internet bandwidth and server capacity substantially, so except when traffic is unusually heavy, Riddler should perform well for you. If you experience slowdowns at peak hours, especially on weekday evenings, the problem is almost certainly heavy Internet traffic. You might want to try playing at other times when the Net isn't as busy.