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Original Message
"Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-11-13 at 05:06 PM
So, my son and I are participating this Saturday in a race around our city in search of the Golden Grinch.

We received the first clue on FB and on the website here: http://www.ravenchase.com/clues/Grinchd2013starter.pdf

I know how to solve a vigenere, but I feel a little lost here. If you are looking at this, do you see the same characters I do:

o o a o a n p p v L z 2 o a o & 5 v

I'm certain I don't need the 2, 5 or & to solve it because they don't match up wit the vigenere chart, but I don't know if I have the other letters in order or what the key is.

I just thought I would ask here before I email the race people.



Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


Table of contents
Messages in this discussion
"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by kingfish on 12-11-13 at 05:27 PM
No idea what a Vigenere is or how to solve it.

Starting with the top of the tree, and reading each string down the tree from left to right, and continuing on the string to the right hand page, I read;

O a O n a O p K L p o V o Z & 2 5 a v E Y w o R = D w HO

"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by Snidget on 12-11-13 at 07:54 PM
I see what Kingfish sees but the K and the last bit were covered and I had to click to see them
"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-11-13 at 09:50 PM
I don't see anything past the 2nd V. On my screen the lights not on the tree do not have letters. There are silver/gray bulbs. If I click those, it takes me to You Tube of the Grinch video.

Interesting.

I had to google the Vigenere, and I think I can do it with the key or I can type them into an online solver, but I only get gibberish.

I've participated in various races before, and I've never gotten the clue ahead of time like this. Most of the time you are solving riddles on the street. I am stressed.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by Snidget on 12-11-13 at 10:32 PM
I have to click the grey bulb on the tree to get the letters, the other did send me to the grinch.
"I sincerely believe this is not the answer"
Posted by Starshine on 12-11-13 at 07:40 PM
LAST EDITED ON 12-11-13 AT 07:44 PM (EST)

However having put in an enjoyable couple of hours here we go


If we assume that the codeword is Christmas and that my reading of ooanoppLvzoo&2a5v is correct (just realised that it isn't )

Then the first six characters would be Duck WD, and ... this doesn't seem to mean anything,

Sorry

Oh using the letters from His Majesty Kingfish and Christmas I get Retlaw, however as you aren't in WI or Alberta probably not that useful.

"RE: I sincerely believe this is not the answer"
Posted by Snidget on 12-11-13 at 07:55 PM
What if the keyword is Grinch?
"RE: I sincerely believe this is not the answer"
Posted by Starshine on 12-11-13 at 08:42 PM
I've closed my documents now, but Grinch seemed to produce complete gibberish.

Just realised that retlaw is Walter backwards, so I suppose it is possible that you need to start from the poem and not the tree.

Will look in in about six hours when I get up for work.

That'll show me, save, save, save, one can always delete a file in a month or so.

"RE: I sincerely believe this is not the answer"
Posted by Snidget on 12-11-13 at 10:04 PM
LAST EDITED ON 12-11-13 AT 10:36 PM (EST)

LAST EDITED ON 12-11-13 AT 10:18 PM (EST)

Walter J. Zable Stadium?

That stadium line in the poem didn't fit and some of the letters are capitalized and the JZ next to each other could be the two capital letters next to each other?

But if you switch the direction does it mess up the key so gives you different letters?

"RE: I sincerely believe this is not the answer"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-12-13 at 06:47 AM
No stadium. I know the race should start in Shockhoe Bottom. Shockoe Bottom is downtown, it's where the river flows through the heart of the city. It's hip and trendy and buy. There is great debate here about whether or not to build a baseball stadium in the Bottom. And, while that could be cool, the logistics would simply be a nightmare. We have a great current location, just a crummy stadium.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by kidflash212 on 12-12-13 at 07:18 AM
LAST EDITED ON 12-12-13 AT 07:24 AM (EST)

O a O n a O p K L p o V o Z & 2 5 a v E Y w o R = D w HO


Using what kingfish showed - The letters hidden under the gray say Keyword=who.

When I put the other letters in a decoder using "who" as a key I get "Start at ebsoad". tried it with the number 25 and got "Start at ebsoad & 25th"

I'm thinking maybe I have a letter in the wrong place.


ETA - just looked at Shockhoe Bottom and there is an E Broad & 25th.

"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by Snidget on 12-12-13 at 07:44 AM
I think we may have a winner!
"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by kidflash212 on 12-12-13 at 08:29 AM
Now we just need every available OT poster to show up at E Broad &25th on Sat morning wearing pink T shirts saying "Boo's Boosters".
"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by newsomewayne on 12-13-13 at 05:41 PM

>shirts saying "Boo's Boosters".

Anyone else think there's a good chance that's how Boo's labeled her underwear drawer?


Black Friday expectations delivered by Agman, 2011
"Who, me? I was unaware. I found out when you did. Nobody's madder than me...." - President Barack Obama on, well, everything.

A place for everything and everything in its place.

"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-15-13 at 01:38 PM
Ha! Far from it.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"YES!"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-12-13 at 09:56 AM
Thank you! I think the problem was that I could never see the letters under the gray.

2th & East Broad makes sense - it is also located in Church Hill, which is right there at Shockoe Bottom.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by Starshine on 12-14-13 at 05:39 AM
Shockhoe Bottom - snigger
"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by kidflash212 on 12-14-13 at 01:17 PM
I was trying to be mature and not snicker at that.
"THANKS EVERYONE!"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-12-13 at 10:01 AM
I am a dope. The letters on the Facebook clue do not light up. And when I went to the website clue I clicked all of the silver lights on the right and kept getting sent to Youtube. Only after I clicked the one on the tree did the others work.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by kingfish on 12-12-13 at 10:45 AM
Good luck Boo. That golden grinch is as good as your's.
"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-12-13 at 10:56 AM
I am super excited, although there is a 90% chance of rain. We have decided that, even in the rain, we will do it as long as they put it on. It will be a big, fun adventure for us together before I'm on the DL for a bit and we will probably go eat pancakes at Bob Evans after.

The other bonus of why we simply must do it is that Conner will be able to use it for his school project because it falls under the category of "reading and following directions" for his reading log this quarter. I am stoked. While other kids will be doing the boring routine of making cookies or brownies or something of that nature, we are doing a full blown Amazing Race together!


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by kidflash212 on 12-12-13 at 01:41 PM
Sounds like a lot of fun - and the rain should thin out the competition!
"RE: Okay, Help: Calling All Puzzle Masters"
Posted by byoffer on 12-13-13 at 00:55 AM
Hey Boo

I am just catching up here, and happy to see you got your answer. I have done a scavenger-hunt type race here in TO the last few summers, and have a few tips:
- smart phone is critical
- get a map to scribble on (might help you pick a good route)
- use crowd-sourcing! I saw a team last year that basically took a picture of the clue sheet, posted it to FB, and let their friends help solve. Judging by this thresd, OT is likely to help also!

Good luck, have fun, and post pics!!