What does as far as mean?

[Wanderer]

As far as you explained the problem, it didn't sound worse. What does this sentence mean?
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Let my English be checked!

[Beeesneees]

"As far as you explained the problem" = Based on your explanation of the problem.

I'm guessing that the whole thing means:
Based on your explanation of the problem, it didn't sound as if it(the problem) was worse (than it was before).

"As far as" is also common in
"As far as I can tell"
"As far as I know"
"As far as I can discover",
all of which mean "based on the information I have received"

Another common phrase, which is more difficult to deal with is,
"As far as I can see" because depending on how it is used it can either mean the same as above or it can literally mean the distance I can see.
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"Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened."
Terry Pratchett