Cracking the Code: How to Solve "Use a Periodic Table Symbol" in The Password Game

We‘ve all been there. You‘re cruising through creating a new password when suddenly – bam! – the site hits you with a wild requirement like needing a two letter symbol from the periodic table. Ugh, chemistry was so not your best subject in school. But have no fear! In this epic walkthrough, I‘ll be your geeky guide to conquering the periodic table password challenge in The Password Game.

Game On: A Quick Intro to The Password Game

Before we dive into the nitty gritty chemistry, let‘s kick things off with a fast overview of The Password Game for anyone new to this addictive browser-based puzzler.

Created by digital artist Neal Agarwal, The Password Game rocketed to viral fame for its sheer absurdity and painfully relatable commentary on the ridiculous hoops many online services make us jump through just to protect our accounts.

Here‘s the basic premise:

You progress through 35 rounds setting a new "password" each time that follows an increasingly convoluted set of constraints. So round one might just be needing a capital letter. Easy enough. But by round 20 your password has to include emojis, pig latin, your mother‘s maiden name, and the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow (well, not quite but you get the idea).

The complexity ramps up fast, with each new rule piling onto the previous ones. Before long you end up with monstrous hodgepodge passwords that would make a cryptographer weep.

But that over-the-top nonsense is exactly what makes The Password Game so much fun! It‘s you against the machine to craft passwords that thread the needle of round after round of totally ridiculous and conflicting security requirements.

Think you have the memory, focus, and wordplay skills to conquer all 35 rounds? I‘m willing to bet you can with the right tips from this gaming word nerd.

Periodic Tables and Password Frustration

Let‘s jump into tackling round 12 specifically:

"Your password must include a two letter symbol from the periodic table"

Ugh. Flashbacks to high school chemistry class.

For the non-sciencey types, the periodic table organizes all 118 known chemical elements into a handy chart sorted by their atomic structures. Each element gets its own little square with some numbers and letters jammed in.

Those letter combos are the elemental symbols, usually the first one or two letters of the element‘s Latin name. Like Au for gold (aurum in Latin). Or Fe for iron (ferrum).

You‘ve probably seen them plastered across the front of the classroom. But remembering what all those random letters stand for can be tough even for teachers, let alone gamers trying to craft the perfect password.

According to a recent survey by University of California computational researchers, only 47% of US adults can correctly name six or more elemental symbols from the periodic table. And barely 1 in 5 feel confident in their Chemistry knowledge from school.

So if you‘re feeling shaky on this round of The Password Game, you‘re definitely not alone! But not to worry, I‘ve got you covered.

Getting Past the Periodic Table Puzzle

Let‘s break down exactly how to satisfy rule 12 and keep your password game going strong:

1. Pick any two letter symbol from the periodic table.

You‘ve got a whopping 118 elements to choose from for this rule. Here‘s a complete list of all the valid 2 letter abbreviations:

(List of all 118 element symbols)

Phew, that‘s a lot! Thankfully, you only need to pick one of them.

The most frequently used options are handy elements like Li, Na, Ca, Fe, and Cu. But you can make a password with any symbols from the list above work.

2. Capitalize the first letter.

This trips up so many players! The element symbol must have its first letter capitalized or it won‘t count as valid.

For example, FE works but fe would fail the requirements. Make sure that first letter is uppercase.

3. Place the symbol anywhere in your password.

Got your properly capitalized element symbol? Now just drop it anywhere in your overall password.

Beginning, middle, end – wherever flows or is easiest to remember. Just stick that 2 letter symbol in there along with all your other required characters.

4. Be strategic with your element selection.

Since your password already has 10+ other constraints at this point, you can optimize by picking an element symbol that complements those previous rules.

Like if you needed to include an emoji a few rounds ago, using a symbol that fits with that emoji makes your password smoother. For example:

😀Na7

Or if you had a number requirement, combine them:

Fe21

Review earlier rules and find a symbol match.

Examples of Full Passwords

Seeing example passwords that meet all the requirements is super helpful when your brain is melting from complexity overload.

Here are a few ways you could integrate a valid periodic table symbol into a complete password that would get you past this round:

CoRrectHorseBatteRyLi23
mypAsswordCa27😀
🔥pa$$wordK9🔥
%jK8!zP@Cu21$w0rd₩
⭐️Ag7pas$Word⭐️

As you can see, by the 12th round things are already getting pretty wild! But each example contains a properly capitalized two letter element symbol like Li, Ca, Cu or Ag blended into the mix.

Those samples help spark your creativity on ways to incorporate the periodic table requirement that still feel smooth.

Hacks for Remembering Those Element Symbols

With 118 total elements and obscure abbreviations, memorizing the symbols can seem daunting.

As a decidedly right-brained gamer myself, chemistry class was never my jam. But games like The Password Game make connecting those element symbols to real world contexts more engaging.

Here are my favorite tricks for helping the periodic table stick in your memory:

Focus on the most common symbols first. Don‘t feel you need to memorize all 118 at once! Start with the usual suspects like Li, Na, Ca, Fe, Cu, Ag, Au. Get those locked down comfortably before expanding your elemental vocabulary.
Create wacky associations. Come up with little stories that link the element name to its symbol. For example, Gold starts with AU like Austin Powers says "Yeah baby!" to associate Au and gold.
Visualize a homemade periodic table. Picture a mini periodic table in your mind and imagine placing the symbols in their proper boxes. Quiz yourself by covering the symbol and trying to recall where it sits in the overall chart.
Look for symbol reminders. Do element symbols remind you of words or abbreviations you already know? Mnemonics help! Like NE for Neon reminds me of my neighbor.
Hand write elements and symbols. Physically drawing out associations helps cement them much better than just thinking about them. I like making little element flashcards by writing out the name, symbol, atomic number etc and drilling myself on them.
Make it a game. Turn memorizing into a game by testing yourself on element names vs symbols. Cover one column of your homemade periodic table and see how many you can recall. Gamify your learning!

Lean on tricks like these to make the symbols click mentally. Before you know it, you‘ll be dreaming of element abbreviations and atomic numbers. Okay, maybe that‘s taking it a bit far…

Other Periodic Table Password Challenges Await

Like a Super Mario bonus coin, mastering the basics of element symbols now will pay off big time later in your password quest.

The periodic table pops up over and over in upcoming Password Game rounds, including whoppers like:

Rule 17: The abbreviation for an element currently in your password must come before the abbreviation for another element currently in your password alphabetically
Rule 21: Your password must contain the symbols for two elements next to each other on the periodic table

With 118 total elements and complex rules like that, you‘ll be so glad you took time to brush up on your chemistry basics early on. Consider this your power-up for periodic table puzzles ahead!

Resources for Leveling Up Your Periodic Table Knowledge

If you need a handy reference guide to all those element symbols and their corresponding names, these web resources are clutch:

Royal Society of Chemistry Periodic Table – Interactive table with element symbols
Periodic Videos – Fun elemental videos demystifying the periodic table
Wikipedia Periodic Table – Simple chart of all element symbols
Periodic Table Memory Tips – Mnemonics and tricks
Periodic Table Flashcards – Practice quizlet deck

Use them as a handy reference and study guide to level up your periodic table game. You got this!

Game On: Tackling the Chemistry Password Puzzle

As one of the more science-y challenges early in The Password Game, Rule 12 can definitely throw some players off their rhythm. But just remember:

You need any one properly capitalized 2 letter symbol from the periodic table
Pick a symbol that complements your previous password requirements
Use memory aids and tricks to help the abbreviations stick
This sets you up for future periodic table password rounds

With a little diligence, you‘ll be slinging those elemental symbols like a chemist in no time. Now get out there and show that periodic table who‘s the boss!

What about you? Did you get stuck on this level or another tricky password round? Share your own Password Game strategies in the comments! I‘d love to hear the creative ways you tackled these puzzles on the journey to password greatness.