Mastermind puzzle for dummies?

[kevintheradioguy]

Okay, I am stuck at the mastermind puzzle, and been hitting my head over it for an hour. It's a real pain, because I'm in my mid-thirties, and I do not - and never have - understand mastermind puzzles... and sudoku. However much I try, I just do not get it. Sure, I re-read the rules, and such, but I still have no idea how you solve it. What's the logic? Or is just blind guessing (boo on the devs if it is)?
Why 5421 gives me two white and two orange lights, but 6412 gives me two orange and two grey? XD it doesn't make any sense to me.
I even found the solver, but I don;t get what it tells me to do XD what do those letters it throws at me even mean? XD How the hell do you solve it? I'd like to progress.

[kevintheradioguy]

Two hours now. Still don't get it.
Like, how does this work?
1345 = white, white, grey, grey.
1326 = white, white, orange, grey.
Simple enough, 13 are in the right positions then. But then:
1362 = white, orange, orange, grey. What the hell..? How does this work? I don't get it.

[Myamo]

Hey! The position of the leds does not correspond with the position of the numbers. I would suggest using ZZYMYN's mastermind solver on this link: http://zzymyn.com/quern/solver.html

[Panterich]

Are you asking for rules explanation or for solving hints?

Originally posted by kevintheradioguy:

Why 5421 gives me two white and two orange lights, but 6412 gives me two orange and two grey?

This points to the fact that you don`t understand the rules.. OR that you`ve missed the fact that number of tries/guesses is limited for each solution, because your described situation is not possible - so those two results must belong to two different solutions.

[Myamo]

Hey! To use the solver, please start with 1234, and tap which feedback you get. The solver will tell you what combination to try next. Try the new combination, tap the feedback, and repeat until you get to 4 whites.

http://zzymyn.com/quern/solver.html