Jola Sigmond brainteaser - do it for the free poem

[flexagon]

Whoa, I am in love with this little brainteaser. It is not easy, but the pattern when you see it is elegant enough to blow your mind with its crystalline sensibility. Not original to me, this was created by Jola Sigmond and is in the latest issue of GAMES magazine.

On with it: what number is missing in the table below (and what's your reasoning)?

2     4     8    16    32
2     3     4     5     6
10   11     X    31    52

Obscure hint in rot-13: Ner lbh orvat naguebcbpragevp jvgubhg zrnavat gb?

More direct hint in rot-13, spaces omitted: abgnyygurahzorefnervaonfrgra... lbhqrpvznyovtbg.

First person to get this without resorting to reading GAMES, I will write you a sonnet on the topic of your choice. Other poem forms of similar length are available on request. Ready, go.

THE ANSWER in rot-13: Va rirel pbyhza, gur guveq ahzore vf whfg gur svefg ahzore rkcerffrq va onfr [frpbaq ahzore]. "Gra" vf gjb va onfr gjb, "ryrira" vf sbhe va onfr guerr naq fb sbegu. Gur zvffvat ahzore vf "gjragl", gung vf, gjb mreb, juvpu vf whfg rvtug va onfr sbhe. (Gurer'f nyfb na nyzbfg-svobanppv-frdhrapr guvat tbvat ba: vs lbh ernq npebff gur pbzcyrgrq guveq ebj, rirel ahzore vf gur fhz bs gur gjb ahzoref cerprqvat vg, zvahf bar. Gung'f xvaq bs n erq ureevat, gubhtu.)

Comments

[niralth.livejournal.com]

There were lots of red herrings. I spent about half an hour looking at it, but never made the particular leap necessary to solve it. The two hints didn't help me, because that's the first thing I thought of. Ah well. :)