Register: Username, Password, Hacker News Profile URL.
Click "forgot password" link.
Message: Modify your HN profile to include the phrase "RandomTextPleaseLetMeIn".
Click on "Verify me from HN".
The system lets you in. Now change your password.
Edit:
Instead of HN profile URL, you could also use Delicious ala 'save the following link with this tag "RandomFunk" to your Delicious profile'.
The goal is to prove to a website that has read-access something to which you have write-access.
This something is shared between you and the website before hand (at registration).
You have an OpenID. You've forgotten your password. How do you get back into your account without requesting an e-mail to reset it?
Register: Username, Password, Hacker News Profile URL.
Click "forgot password" link.
Message: Modify your HN profile to include the phrase "RandomTextPleaseLetMeIn".
Click on "Verify me from HN".
The system lets you in. Now change your password.
Edit:
Instead of HN profile URL, you could also use Delicious ala 'save the following link with this tag "RandomFunk" to your Delicious profile'.
The goal is to prove to a website that has read-access something to which you have write-access.
This something is shared between you and the website before hand (at registration).