PusscatMy method when I'm stumped is to use guesses (and magick) to get a foothold, then prove it twice.
the grugq@PrincessOfCats that's one of the things worth mentioning about hacking actually. Patience and dogged "I will beat this" is the best mental model for a hacker. Sometimes you need to put something aside for a while but then you come back with fresh eyes and ideas and try again and again.
CybergauchoThe most intelligent man in the world can complete a task in one hour.
A persistent man can do it in one month. End results are the same.
Perseverance is another form of intelligence.
The Literorrery@xy @PrincessOfCats @thegrugq I'd contend that the persistent one learned more in that time, having tried more things that didn't work. Intelligence starts you at a higher base point, but persistence provides more long-term potential.