Puzzles

Auburn Puzzle Party 4 contained 21 total puzzles. The first puzzle was an interactive puzzle including all eight teams and around 20 volunteers. Puzzles 2-17 included the sixteen “main” puzzles. Finally, Puzzles 18-21 comprised the four “Boss” puzzles where the players could battle each villain in a game of Puzzle Rumble, which we’ve included on a separate page.

Solutions to the puzzles are included on this page under a ROT13 cypher to avoid spoilers.

Puzzle #1: The Legion’s Henchmen

• Creators:
  • Alex Byaly
  • Steven Clontz
• Puzzle Type:
  • Initial Puzzle
• Puzzle Description:
  • Incoming Message from the Commissioner:
  • The Enigmatic Legion has unleashed their Henchmen on the Lower Quad! The Informant has told us that we can arrest them and bring them in as long as we can find the four groups of six that connect them.
  • Collect the sixteen Henchmen calling cards and find the four Puzzle Patrol Badge Codes using their initials in the manner described during orientation.
  • There are 16 henchmen, so you will need to collect 16 cards. (You will have 17 cards counting the lead card the Informant gave you.) Once you have all the cards, you can construct the rings of trust.
  • On the front of each card is each henchman’s name in a large font, and on the back is a list of people they trust in smaller type. You will need to find “Rings of Trust”.
  • A ring of trust is a ring of six different henchmen arranged in a directed loop, where each henchman trusts the next one in the loop. In order to get a puzzle patrol badge code, start with the first henchman in the ring alphabetically and list out the initials of all six in the order they appear in the loop.
• Meta Information:
  • Each team received an initial card, which allowed them to collect their initial clue, but was otherwise irrelevant.
  • The information on the sixteen cards they could collect by talking to each Villain can be found on this spreadsheet.
• Solutions:
  • Oraavr, Iny, Erar, Dhvaa, Zbetna, Rzrefba(lvryqvat gur pbqr OIEDZR)
  • Tnyr, Cubravk, Iny, Erar, Dhvaa, Yrfyvr(lvryqvat gur pbqr TCIEDY)
  • Oraavr, Ubyyvf, Wbeqna, Xreel, Zbetna, Rzrefba(lvryqvat gur pbqr OUSXZR)
  • Tnyr, Cubravk, Ubyyvf, Wbeqna, Xreel, Yrfyvr(lvryqvat gur pbqr TCUWXY)
• Comments
  • Steven
    • For all the people who claimed we didn’t do any math puzzles, well, here you go.  A straight up application of graph theory, Alex showed us a directed graph last spring with exactly 4 directed 6-cycles, which would go on to model this puzzle. (The Rumbles serve as the rest of our math puzzle quota for this competition.)
    • The abstract idea for the puzzle predates how it was actually implemented. Alex and I considered posting signs on buildings with the information, or using chairs in Beard-Eaves Coliseum at first. But a walk through the Village Dorms (later we moved this to the Lower Quad for convenience) inspired the idea in me: what if we have dozens of people in black masks spread throughout acting as the Legion’s Henchmen?
    • I cannot thank enough our friends (and many of my Honors Calculus students!) who came out that morning to help us out with the puzzle. One of my biggest worries was that we might not have enough volunteers on Saturday morning, but they all came through.

Puzzle #2: Teen Ine’s Tip

• Creator:
  • Steven Clontz
• Puzzle Type:
  • Librarian – Easy
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • As you probably know, I despise texting. Seeing those kids abuse the English language with their LOLs and OMGs makes me want to kidnap a schoolbus of children and brainwash them all into writing essays for fun.
  • So you can imagine my disgust when I discovered that my old sidekick Bookworm was a closet texter himself. I immediately disowned him; he’s trying to make it as a villain himself these days, using the alias “Teen Ine”.
  • I shared with him the hidden location of one of my Puzzle Patrol Badges. Before you try to take me on, you should try to text him at (number redacted), and see how you fare against his meager attempt at puzzle making.
  • I predict you’ll fail, of course.
• Meta Information:
  • Texting the number in the original video revealed the following message: SIDE GIFT BADGER BUG OLDE USABLE CATHY SMOOT
• Solution:
  • Hfvat G9Jbeq gb fcryy bhg nyy ohg gur ynfg yrggre, lbh trg gur zrffntr “FUR UVQ ONQTR NG BYQ GENPX ONGU EBBZ”. Guvf zrffntr ersref gb Jvyohe Uhgfryy Genpx, jurer n Chmmyr Cngeby Onqtr pbhyq or sbhaq uvqqra va gur jbzra’f erfgebbz.

Puzzle #3: The Path to Literacy

• Creator:
  • Kelly Bragan
• Puzzle Type:
  • Librarian – Medium
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • Let me tell you a story about a young man I once knew:
  • “Reed Kellogg loves to go to the library. His favorite books are about lords and beautiful ladies. When it is time to go home, he chooses several books to check out first. When he gets home, he goes straight to his room. He spreads out his new books on the floor and admires them. Reed takes very good care of the library books. He knows the Librarian is always watching. If he steps on them or writes in the margins or bends their pages, she will get him.”
  • Careful readers may find the location of a Puzzle Patrol Badge hidden in my story. Study up, children. Hahahaha!
  • Attachment: JPG
• Solution:
  • Gur gerrf nybat gur ebnq ner Errq-Xryybtt qvntenzf bs gur fragraprf va gur fgbel. Gur ahzoref pbeerfcbaq gb yrggref gung znxr hc gur cuenfr “Jvyybj Unyy Ohf Fgbc.”
• Comments:
  • Steven
    • Let me go ahead and apologize for what was probably the biggest screw-up of the whole event – there is no such thing as Willow Hall Bus Stop! Our confusion occurred over the image you see when you look at the photo of it on the Auburn online interactive map: http://auburn.edu/map/?id=215
    • For whatever reason, we thought the bike rack was a bus stop. During set-up the morning of, Kelly realized the mistake, but during the chaos that was that morning, we didn’t have time to fix it.
    • We received a lot of negative feedback about not informing the players once we realized the mistake, but I didn’t want to give any team a relative advantage (since teams had already lost time looking for a red herring). So only teams that called me asking about the lack of such a bus stop were informed to look for the bike rack instead.

Puzzle #4: Open All Year for Villainy

• Creators:
  • Steven Clontz
  • Charles Pilman
• Puzzle Type:
  • Librarian – Medium
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • When word got out that I had dismissed my sidekick, I started advertising for a new assistant. You will find one of my flyers posted on a telephone pole near the city library, where five would-be applicants have already signed up.
  • While most of their accreditations seem to fit a particular pattern, one in particular seems to stand out. You should seek out that applicant’s favorite book at the City Library; you’ll find a Puzzle Patrol Badge.
  • Simple, right? However, if you should seek out the wrong book, you will find a fake Puzzle Patrol Badge that subtracts Points. Be careful, now. Hahahaha!
• Meta Information:
  • The list of applicants that could be found on the signup sheet is as follows:
    • Charlie Chase, N.D., J.F.The Evil That Men Do by R. Lance Hill
    • Bart Brown, J.J.A., S.O.A Wanted Man by Nancy J. Parra
    • Eric Evans, M.A., M.J.The Greatest Crime by Sloan Wilson
    • Andrea Anderson, J.F.M., A.M.This Dame for Hire by Sandra Scoppettone
    • David Dixon, M.R., S.A.Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime by Robert J. Randisi
• Solution:
  • Beqre gur anzrf nycunorgvpnyyl svefg. Qnivq Qvkba’f npperqvgngvba yrggref ner gur bayl barf juvpu nera’g va gur beqre bs gur zbaguf bs gur lrne. Uvf obbx ubyqf gur pbeerpg Onqtr.

Puzzle #5: Open All Year for Villainy

• Creators:
  • Anna Brice
  • Steven Clontz
• Puzzle Type:
  • Librarian – Hard
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • My life of villainy began when a young man tried to court me at my workplace in River City. Ah, he caused such a ruckus with his song… so I killed him.
  • In any case, should you travel to our own university library, you’ll find peace, quiet, and a clue to the location of a Puzzle Patrol Badge by tracking down call number ML3838 .B6.
  • Perhaps you can learn a thing or two from that young man’s ill-advised musical flirtation…
• Meta Information:
  • In the book “How Musical Is Man?” at the university library, sheets of paper with the following numbers written can be found:
    • 11 28 3
    • 8 42 14 19 37
    • 70 9 40 94 31 87 73 136
• Solution:
  • Ol cvrpvat ncneg gur ylevpf gb “Znevna gur Yvoenevna” sebz “Gur Zhfvp Zna”, lbh pna svaq gung gur 11gu yrggre bs gur ylevpf vf E, gur 28gu yrggre vf R, rgp.
  • Gur zrffntr ernqf “ERQ ORAPU OEHFGREF”, jurer n Chmmyr Cngeby Onqtr pbhyq or sbhaq.
• Comments:
  • Steven
    • So, we completely forgot to leave the paper in this book.  Luckily, when Black Team reached it, they called us, and we immediately emailed them a PDF and ran down the street to the library to leave the papers for the other teams.
    • Originally this puzzle was designed by Anna for Blackjack, using Katie Perry’s “Waking Up in Las Vegas”. We had too many good Blackjack puzzles, however, so I repurposed this one to use as a Librarian puzzle.
    • I liked the thought of our Puzzle Patrol universe being a spinoff of the “Music Man” universe, where Professor Harold Hill drives Marian to insanity and an illustrious career as a super-villain.

Puzzle #6: Running Mates

• Creator:
  • Scott Varagona
• Puzzle Type:
  • King Rook – Easy
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • I am the King Rook, the Godfather of the Chessboard. Don’t let the other villains fool you: I run this town.
  • What’s my secret? I always keep my enemies in check.
  • Find my first puzzle at this location, where I sent my opponent’s king to sleep with the fishes, and solve that puzzle to capture a Puzzle Patrol Badge Code.
  • Don’t fall in. Heh heh.
• Meta Information:
  • At the pond near Ross Hall, this document could be found.
• Solution:
  • Rnpu purff obneq ba gur cncre vf n frg-hc sbe n zngr va bar zbir. Pbzovavat gur yvarf qenja ol zbivat gur cvrpr sbe gung zngr fcryyf bhg gur zrffntr “GUR PBQR VF G4KNYI”.

Puzzle #7: You’ve Been Set Up!

• Creator:
  • Scott Varagona
• Puzzle Type:
  • King Rook – Medium
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • Breaking news, Puzzle Patrol Patsies. My associates have set you up to take the fall for my latest racket: I’m stealing the Commissioner’s favorite chess set, and selling it on the black market!
  • And just to rub it in, I’m leaving him with nothing but pawns… and a puzzle, which will lead you to the next Puzzle Patrol badge.
  • (Commissioner: Hey! How’d you get in here?!)
  • Oops, gotta go!
• Meta Information:
  • At the Commissioner’s Headquarters, this document was given to team members.
• Solution:
  • Ol zngpuvat gur cbc phygher vgrzf gb gur nccebcevngr purff cvrpr (Ryivf gb Xvat, sbe rknzcyr), cbfvgvbavat gur gvyrf ba gur nccebcevngr fcnprf ba gur purffobneq fcryyf bhg gur zrffntr “ONQTR NG TAHF EBBZ”.

Puzzle #8: The Opening Act

• Creator:
  • Scott Varagona
• Puzzle Type:
  • King Rook – Medium
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a snitch. A rat. A two-faced… Informant.
  • The Informant opened by acting like he was my friend, but then betrayed my trust in the end.
  • My… sadness over this inspired the following puzzle. Solve this puzzle to obtain a Puzzle Patrol Badge at an ironically appropriate place.
  • And tell that Informant he’d better sleep with one eye open.
  • Attachment: PDF
• Solution:
  • Ol nffbpvngvat rnpu purff cbfvgvba jvgu gur anzr sbe na bcravat hfvat gung cbfvgvba, gur svefg yrggref bs gurfr bcravat anzrf fcryy “ONQTR NG GURNGRE BA FNZSBEQ NIR”.

Puzzle #9: Tours of Auburn

• Creator:
  • Scott Varagona
• Puzzle Type:
  • King Rook – Hard
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • Auburn has a hall where it is fun to play chess, or so I’ve heard.
  • Attachment: PDF
• Meta Information:
  • At the appropriate location on campus, the second page to this puzzle could be found taped to the door.
• Solution:
  • Gur svefg cntr pna or frra gb pbagnva n xavtug’f gbhe juvpu fcryyf bhg “NHOHEA UNF N UNYY…” ba vg. Nccylvat guvf xavtug’f gbhe gb gur frpbaq cntr erfhygf va tvoorevfu, sbyybjrq ol gur zrffntr “GUR PBQR VF 9DF4IE”.

Puzzle #10: Titan of the Turnpikes

• Creator:
  • Steven Clontz
• Puzzle Type:
  • Compass Rose – Easy
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • Let me tell you the story of a monster known as the Titan of the Turnpikes. This colossus exists right here in Auburn, although it’s the birds that know it best.
  • I’ve hidden one of my Puzzle Patrol Badges in the eye of the beast, if you’re brave enough to track it down, heroes.
• Solution:
  • Gur gvgna qenjvat va gur ivqrb ercerfragf gur ebnqf fheebhaqvat gur phy qr fnp ng Prqneperfg Pvepyr rnfg bs pnzchf. Gur znc vf bevragrq jvgu abegu gb gur yrsg. Gur urneg jvgu “zbz” va vg ercerfragf Zbzzn Tbyqoret’f Qryv. Gur synzrf pbzvat bhg bs gur zbhgu ercerfrag gur Nhohea Sver Qrcnegzrag. Gur rlr vf gur phy qr fnp ng gur raq bs Prqneperfg Pvepyr, jurer gur Onqtr pbhyq or sbhaq.

Puzzle #11: A Fishy Situation

• Creator:
  • Daniel Brice
• Puzzle Type:
  • Compass Rose – Medium
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • I’ve hidden a Puzzle Patrol Badge in an alley near my favorite bank in downtown Auburn.
  • Now, don’t be silly by thinking that I’d just give you this badge. You’ll see what I mean, if you find it.
  • I’ve left you feeble-minded heroes a few clues near the badge to help you piece together the missing details. But be careful. Some of the clues I have left are, should I say, less helpful than others.
• Meta Information:
  • In an alley near the appropriate location, teams find an incomplete Puzzle Patrol Badge (Code: ??EL9?) and a manila envelope containing white envelopes with three fish: blue, yellow, and red. Each has numbers which correspond to GPS coordinates on the back.
    • Blue fish: 34° 57’ 24.56” N, 117° 52’ 3.01” W
    • Yellow fish: 35° 41’ 5.79” N, 117° 41’ 27.73” W
    • Red fish: 37° 39’ 48.83” N, 122° 25’ 5.92” W
• Solution:
  • Gur ivqrb yrnqf grnzf gb na nyyrl arne Pbzcnff Onax. Gur oyhr, lryybj svfu lvryq gur punenpgref “45”, “N” jura ybbxrq hc ba Tbbtyr Zncf, Ovat Zncf, naq/be Lnubb Zncf, pbzcyrgvat gur Onqtr Pbqr. Gur erq ureevat unccraf gb cbvag gb na “S”, ohg vf veeryrinag, nf vg vf n Erq Ureevat.

Puzzle #12: Welcome to Auburn

• Creator:
  • Steven Clontz and Daniel Brice
• Puzzle Type:
  • Compass Rose – Medium
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • I’m a well-traveled man. I’ve been to the depths of the Earth and to her peaks. But I’m proud to call Auburn my home.
  • While these signs welcome visitors to my fair city, for you, heroes, they hold vital clues to a Puzzle Patrol Badge Code.
  • Seek them out on North College, Martin Luther King, South College, and East Glenn. If you are able, glean from them what hidden messages they may hold.
• Meta Information:
  • At the four signs, manilla envelopes with the following messages inside on pieces of paper are staged:
  • North College:
    • Trace me:
    1. -------
    2. ------XXXX
    3. --------XX---
    4. ------------
    5. ----XX----
    6. XX--XX--------
  • South College:
    • Trace me:
    1. ---XXXX
    2. XXXX------
    3. --XXXX-------
    4. --XX----XX--
    5. XX----XXXX
    6. --------XX--XX
  • East Glenn:
    • Trace me:
    1. XX-----
    2. ----XX----
    3. ------XX--X--
    4. XX----XX----
    5. --XX------
    6. --X---XX---X--
  • Martin Luthor King:
    • Trace me:
    1. --X----
    2. ----------
    3. XX---------XX
    4. ----XX----XX
    5. ----------
    6. ---X------X---
• Solution:
  • Pbzovar gur “Genpr Zr”f jvgu gur nccebcevngr pneqvany qverpgvba.
    1. RRJFFFF
    2. FFFFRRAAAA
    3. JJFFFFRRAARJJ
    4. RRFFJJRRFFJJ
    5. FFRRAAFFFF
    6. AARJAARRFFJRFF
  • Genpvat bar havg va gur qverpgvba sbe rnpu ahzore fcryyf n yrggre bs gur onqtr pbqr: GHT34N.

Puzzle #13: Where in the World is Compass Rose?

• Creator:
  • Steven Clontz
• Puzzle Type:
  • Compass Rose – Hard
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • Still haven’t given up, eh heroes? Your resolve surprises even me. Well, since you seem to have taken a break from running around, perhaps you’d like to see a slideshow of my latest international exploits?
  • I took this trip with my dear recently departed friend, who sadly passed away exactly three weeks ago. A true man of Auburn, he actually based our travel itinerary on a Puzzle Patrol Badge Code that he had stolen from that incompetent commissioner. Wait, perhaps my friend may have left some information near his desk?
• Solution:
  • Gur fbyhgvba vf snveyl vaibyirq, ohg vf jevggra hc va shyy urer: uggc://ovg.yl/tbdSoa
• Comments:
  • Steven:
    • This puzzle is unique in that it is the only puzzle in the entire competition that cannot be replicated without visiting the location, since the location of the flags is crucial.
    • While some teams thought there was an error in the construction of the puzzle, it was solved by another team, so I’m really not sure.  I haven’t checked it again myself, but if I get a chance I’ll update this.

Puzzle #14: Mahjong

• Creator:
  • Anna Brice
• Puzzle Type:
  • Blackjack – Easy
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • I’d wager that even if I gave you my first Puzzle Patrol Badge Code, you wouldn’t be able to stomach what I’ve got in store.
  • I’ve hidden my phone number within these boxes, which I’ve placed here in the arboretum.
  • Send me a text, and I’ll send you my first Puzzle Patrol Badge Code.
• Meta Information:
  • Each team found at the arboritum a chinese takeout box with a giant “fortune cookie” inside. Inside the fortune cookie was a slip of paper with some Mahjong tiles printed on it. The reverse side read “Confucius says: There’s more to life than a winning hand.”
• Solution:
  • Erzbivat gur vyyrtny gvyrf cynprq erfhygf va n inyvq gra-qvtvg cubar ahzore juvpu cynlref pbhyq grkg sbe gur Onqtr Pbqr.

Puzzle #15: Hit Me Baby

• Creator:
  • Anna Brice
• Puzzle Type:
  • Blackjack – Medium 1
• Puzzle Description:
  • -no transcript-
  • Attachment: PNG
• Solution:
  • Gur cynlref hfr onfvp fgengrtl sbe gur sbhe-gb-rvtug qrpx fubr juvpu vf ninvynoyr ba gur Jvxvcrqvn “Oynpxwnpx” negvpyr. Gur ahzore ba gur sne yrsg vf gur qrnyre’f ivfvoyr pneq. Gur ahzoref va rnpu obk ner gur cynlre’f unaq. Funqr va gur obkrf jurarire lbh jbhyq uvg, be funqr va gur obkrf jurarire lbh jbhyq fgnl. Rvgure jnl, nf ybat nf lbh ner pbafvfgrag, gur svavfurq cebqhpg jvyy fcryy bhg gur zrffntr “Unyrl Pragre Pbapergr Orapu,” jurer gur cynlref jvyy svaq n Chmmyr Cngeby Onqtr.
• Comments:
  • Steven:
    • This was too much fun to film and edit.

Puzzle #16: Bingo

• Creator:
  • Anna Brice
• Puzzle Type:
  • Blackjack – Medium 2
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • Alright, would-be heroes. It’s time to play a round of Bingo. I’ve sent you your cards in an attachment to this message.
  • (calls out Bingo numbers)
  • Ah, you’ve found my Bingo, have you? The question is, can you find my Puzzle Patrol Badge?
  • Attachment: PNG
• Solution:
  • This is a classic keyword cipher scheme puzzle. the keyword is “BINGO” and must be added to each number on the bingo game board.
  • Before attempting to decipher, though, players must play BINGO with Blackjack by blotting out on their game board the numbers that she calls in the video.
  • The final message says “GET BADGE FOCUS ON RED CAR CA AND AL PLATES IN BASKETBALL ARENA C ZONE PARKING LOT”

Puzzle #17: Super Lotto

• Creator:
  • Anna Brice
• Puzzle Type:
  • Blackjack – Hard
• Puzzle Description:
  • Begin transcript:
  • You think you’re luckier than Blackjack, do you? Let’s play some Super Lotto, heroes.
  • Wait, you don’t have a ticket? I may have accidentally thrown away a few extras when I was walking underneath the L building on campus.
  • You may be on a hot streak, but it will take some real luck to find its secret: a Puzzle Patrol Badge Code!
• Solution:
  • The Puzzle Patrol Badge Code is hidden in the top-right-corner barcode.
  • The lotto numbers are a total red herring. 10302010 is merely the date of the puzzle party, another red herring.
  • 1890 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA is the address of a night club called “The Bar Code”.
  • 6192620763 is the phone number of “Morse High School” in San Diego.
  • ENTER NATIONALLY indicates that players are to use international morse code.
  • The bottom barcode decodes to say “BADGECODEINTOPRIGHTCORNER”, and the top-right barcode decodes to give the Badge Code.