Scheduling:

9:30amCheck in starts, breakfast (2040 Valley Life Sciences Building)
10:00amKickoff (2040 VLSB)
10:30amPuzzles distributed online
10:00pmWrapup: announce winner, distribute prizes, discuss puzzles (2040 VLSB)

Team location and contacts:

You'll need a team headquarters where you can work throughout the day. If you are using a classroom, please do not leave valuables in it unattended. The organizers' HQ will be in Cory Hall, but we will visit you as necessary if you are playing from campus.

Be sure to update your team information on the website with your physical location and a contact email so we can keep in touch while the hunt is running.

Each person should have a laptop, power, Internet access, paper, pencils, and pens. Access to a printer, projector, or whiteboard is not required but could be useful. You will find yourself walking outside, so bring comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire. A smartphone could also be useful but is not required.

Structure of puzzle hunt:

The first step for each puzzle is to figure out what to do to solve the puzzle -- the title of the puzzle and the flavortext (italicized text at the beginning of the puzzle) may provide clues. The answer to each puzzle will be a single word or short phrase. To submit an answer, click the "Submit Answer" link from the specific puzzle page.

Additionally, there is a meta puzzle for each round that uses the answers to the puzzles in the round. This puzzle can be solved without completely solving all of the puzzles in the round, so once your team has solved a majority of the puzzles, someone should start looking at the meta puzzle. To submit an answer to the meta puzzle, click the "Submit Answer" link on the round page.

Solving puzzles will unlock more puzzles, but puzzles will also be released on a timed schedule. If you are stuck, you will still have the opportunity to try new puzzles.

Honor code / sportsmanship:

Things that are NOT cheating: Extensive Googling, asking people not associated with the hunt for advice, writing or using an existing computer program to solve a puzzle (e.g. Sudoku solver).

Things that are cheating: Interfering with other teams (e.g. editing a relevant Wikipedia page), collaborating with other teams without talking to the organizers, gaining unauthorized access to the hunt website.

To submit an answer to a puzzle:

Click on the "Submit Answer" link on the relevant puzzle page. Your answer will be confirmed online.

To ask a question:

Click the "Contact us" link to send us an email.

To visit us in person:

Let us know that you would like visit to via the contact link. We will confirm via email.

Other things to keep in mind:

If you think a puzzle is telling you to go somewhere or call a phone number, contact us before doing anything!

One of the goals of this puzzle hunt is for everyone to have fun. Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help your enjoyment of the hunt.

Dramatis Personæ

  • Professor:
    Xavier Cavétour
  • Head TA:
    Robert Graves
  • TAs:
    Artemis E. Facts
    Alabama Smith
  • Lab Assistant:
    Lora Craft
  • ... and featuring Stuart Dent as himself.