Jumpman's Grand Puzzle - Stage 6, Level 1

Friday, April 13, 2018

Stage 6, Level 1

Just before noon, I set out for Haven Comics. I happened to arrive the same time as the owner, Josh Olive, who I know from mutual friends back in college. I went inside as he was gathering things in his car. I was greeted by a familiar face and after exchanging greetings, I told the employee I needed a handout. As expected, it was a copy of the word search. But it turned out the first two lines on the poster were only one-third of the next riddle.

When most are gone those that remain,

Will send you on your way again.

But if you wish to solve you'll speak

“Oh my God I'm such a geek!”

Then the dials you'll turn and spin,

Until the answer settles in.

I had already solved the word search using the photo I'd taken a week before. The words were mostly from the links on the Jumpman's Journal Facebook page. The exceptions being "synthesizer" instead of "Yamaha DX7," and the partials "Atari" and "Commodore" from "Atari 2600" and "Commodore 64" (or "Commodore VIC-20"), respectively.

Even if you didn't figure out where the words came from, you could probably spot enough of them to figure out the pattern: horizontal words at the top and bottom, vertical along the left and right, and diagonals to take up the middle. "Those that remain" are the uncircled letters which, when read left to right, top to bottom, spell out H-U-N-T-S-V-I-L-L-E E-S-C-A-P-E R-O-O-M-S. Hardly a surprise since I'd already spotted the Steve there.

I spoke to Josh about the contest, as he said he hadn't been keeping up with it. I passed on my son's theory that the Pints & Pixels folks weren't happy with how bad the escape room folks were at keeping secrets. Which reminded me, I'd neglected to show the Emerald Key when I asked for the handout and they'd forgotten to ask, so I showed it then to prove I had it.

Speaking of secrets, I'd noticed something about my photo of the word search during the past week. There was a second Steve behind the poster that didn't quite line up with the one facing the inside of the store. What, then, might be seen from the outside? I checked it out as I left. It turns out there was another word search poster behind the one inside. Except it was a mirror image so that it would appear to be the poster inside showing through. This poster, however, was missing any surrounding text, including the bit about "ask for a handout." Without the handout, a contestant might have the next location, but they wouldn't have the password they needed. That was rather evil. Although if they'd been totally evil, they could have changed the remaining letters in the word search and sent the contestant who tried to proceed without going inside -- presumably because Haven wasn't open when they came by -- to an entirely different location. But they weren't that evil.

By the time I started checking my photo of the outer poster I was back at work. I started thinking about too much about it and the word "But if you wish to solve you'll speak." Did the poster outside mean Huntsville Escape Rooms was a complete decoy? Was I supposed to say "Oh my God, I'm such a geek" at Haven? Although I wasn't Facebook friends with Josh, I messaged him to say I had suspicions and if they were correct, he deserved an acting award. He responded he already had some for performances in local theater. Figures.

I texted Walter my suspicions so he could check when he went by that afternoon. He did, and said no, there was nothing else to be done at Haven. I'd worked myself up over conspiracy theories for nothing. Well, that's a relief, I guess.

The next chance at the final challenge wouldn't be until Tuesday, so there was no rush to go by Huntsville Escape Rooms. Besides, we had other things to get done over the weekend. We'd get there.

For additional entries, see the Jumpman's Grand Puzzle label.