Mystery Hunt 2012 Recast: COMPLETE!!!

[LordKinbote]

Correct.

Next: R.E.S.P.E.C.T. by Emily Morgan and Jit Hin Tan

[novice]

ABMNOT
AENORTY
BCEKLORSTU
BFLU - BLUFF - F
CDEILNOTU
CIK - KICK - K
GIOPS - GOSSIP - S

ABCEKNO - BACKBONE - B
ABLMNOR - ABNORMAL - A
ACEILMPR - EMPIRICAL - I
ACEILTUV - CULTIVATE - T
HINOPSY - HYPNOSIS - S

ACDEIKLNST - CANDLESTICK - C
ACDEMY - ACADEMY - A
ACEMZ - ECZEMA - E
ACHIMNST - MACHINIST - I
DEIO - DIODE - D
GLNOTU - GLUTTON - T

ABCEGILORTY
ABEINORTX
ACRTUY
AGHTUY - HAUGHTY - H
CDEIMNOPU

ACDILMOPT
ACHILP
BCEKUY
MNOTU - MUTTON - T

[Suspence]

The words are formed by adding a letter from those provided.

ABMNOT - BOATMAN - A
AENORTY - ATTORNEY - T
BCEKLORSTU - BLOCKBUSTER - B
BFLU - BLUFF - F
CDEILNOTU - NUCLEOTIDE - E
CIK - KICK - K
GIOPS - GOSSIP - S

ABCEKNO - BACKBONE - B
ABLMNOR - ABNORMAL - A
ACEILMPR - EMPIRICAL - I
ACEILTUV - CULTIVATE - T
HINOPSY - HYPNOSIS - S

ACDEIKLNST - CANDLESTICK - C
ACDEMY - ACADEMY - A
ACEMZ - ECZEMA - E
ACHIMNST - MACHINIST - I
DEIO - DIODE - D
GLNOTU - GLUTTON - T

ABCEGILORTY - BACTERIOLOGY - O
ABEINORTX - EXORBITANT - T
ACRTUY - ACTUARY - A
AGHTUY - HAUGHTY - H
CDEIMNOPU - COMPENDIUM - M

ACDILMOPT - DIPLOMATIC - I
ACHILP - PHALLIC - L
BCEKUY - BUCKEYE - E
MNOTU - MUTTON - T

It doesn't seem that the same process works on the groups of added letters.
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[gftt*]

Maybe now add a letter twice:

ATBFEKS + two E's = BEEFSTEAK
BAITS + two S's = BASSIST
CAEIDT + two D's = ADDICTED
OTAHM + two M's = MAMMOTH
ILET + two T's = TITTLE

ESMDT... probably add 3 E's and get ESTEEMED.

Call in ESTEEMED

[novice]

Too easy.

[gftt*]

In a letter to a valued friend, ESTEEMED would be worth 5 + 19 + 20 + 5 + 5 + 13 + 5 + 4 = 76.

[Suspence]

1. This best-selling book flew off the rack.
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX = 65
VELVET ELVIS = 20
VALLEY = 12
TERMINAL = 10

"Rack" hints at Scrabble - these are Scrabble values

2. This word might appear in a letter to a valued friend.
ESTEEMED = 76
EBOOK = 48
ADOBO = 37
RACED = 31

"Letter" and "valued" hint at letter values. These are sums of the letter values where A=1, etc.

3. This food often fails to meet international standards.
[new answer] = ?
MERCURY = 63
COLON = 58
UNION = 42

"International Standards" seems to points to ISO character codes, and all 3 can be connected to characters, but we haven't established the exact connection yet.

4. This is part of a lengthy and miserable experience.
I DREAMED A DREAM = 70
CLINTON = 35
CHERRY = 30
DEPOT =25

"Lengthy" seems to point to the fact that we multiply the length of the word by 5.

5. Even the ancient Romans may have had to pay this burden.
LUXURY TAX = 70
BUSINESS TRAVELERS = 56
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES = 52
OKAPI =1

Romans hints at Roman numerals. These give the sums of the Roman numerals appearing in the word(s).

6. You might use the phrase “robbed blind” while talking about this.
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID = 79 (supposing I counted correctly)
FORGET PARIS = 34
BATED BREATH = 28
YOKEL =15

"Blind" suggests the number of dots in Braille.

7. This man was born to run.
[new answer] = ?
TERRY GENE BOLLEA = 53
JOHN ADAMS = 35
JERRY WEXLER = 17

"Born" hints at birth years. These are all the birth years for each person

8. Even a two-bit company must follow these rules.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION = 82
CAPITOL HILL = 5
FIRESTONE = 2
SLITS = 1

"Two-bit" refers to binary, utilizing I's and O's in each set.[/quote]
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[gftt*]

Suspence, you're missing the following observation from jadesmar:

[Scurra]

[gftt*]

[SuperSlug]

[Suspence]

[novice]

[Suspence]

[SuperSlug]

Synchronicity strikes!

I was working on stuff for the Brownie meeting tonight and looked at Raw Bar to see what was coming. Raw Bar used one of the Wiki pages I had open for Brownies and I solved it.

The answer I got is on the short list.
_________________
Some people are lost in the shuffle. I'm shuffling along with the lost.

[Suspence]

Let us know what you did, and call it in! We'll be down to one unsolved puzzle (and the meta).
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[novice]

I'd thought we'd want to forward solve Raw Bar.
Why that score range?

There are food signs from (U+1F344) to (U+1F372), the least significant byte for those signs has a decimal value from 68 to 114.

[Suspence]

[SuperSlug]

Raw Bar

[gftt*]

[gftt*]

[Suspence]

[LordKinbote]

ESTEEMED is correct.

Next: Raw Bar by James Grimmelmann

[Suspence]

[novice]

[SuperSlug]

[LordKinbote]

[Suspence]

[Suspence]

Written Down seems to be football-ized versions of famous quotes:


The ball dropped with a bounce to some defender, to some tackler, the Cardinals receiver cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath - ‘The Fumble! The Fumble!’ (John David Crow)
AND
He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision—he cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath. (Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad)

Be a passer, and let your passes be strong (pass boldly), but let your trust in the offensive line be stronger, and rejoice in the tight end who is the lynchpin in the splitback, the I, and the wildcat. (Billy Sims)
AND
Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. (Martin Luther)

Referees of the sidelines, first down! You have nothing to move but the chains. (Bert Jones)
AND
Workers of the World, Unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains! (Karl Marx)

To be included in Coach Green’s team for a while was a remarkable experience: the receivers believed he made routes for them, recognizing the proud uniqueness of their abilities, buried under the running formations of so many other playbooks. (Michael Clayton)
AND
To be included in Dick Diver’s world for a while was a remarkable experience: people believed he made special reservations about them, recognizing the proud uniqueness of their destinies, buried under the compromises of how many years. (F Scott Fitzgerald, from Tender Is The Night)

As many more teams in the NFL begin the season than can possibly go to the playoffs; and as, consequently, there is a long schedule in which teams play each other in a series of competitions for these playoff berths, it follows that the Eagles, if their playbook varies slightly in a manner profitable to the offense, under the complex and sometimes varying rules of the league, will have a better chance of reaching the Super Bowl, and thus be nationally selected. (Jim Everett)
AND
Qs many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. (Charles Darwin)
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[SuperSlug]

To hell with the wind! As the history of the game proves, the wind has no bearing on a punt. It’s unavoidable and immaterial, as the coaches say. The skill of the kick returner is what gives life to the whole misbegotten, mad special teams unit, fast or slow. (Marshall Faulk)
AND
To hell with the truth! As the history of the ... as the lawyers say. The lie of a pipe dream is what gives life to the whole misbegotten mad lot of us, drunk or sober. (The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neill)

Tampa Stadium’s the stage.
And all the players merely stand-ins;
They have their positions and their gameplans;
And one receiver in his prime runs many routes,
His game lasting four quarters. (Kelly Stouffer)
AND
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. (As You Like It by William Shakespeare)
_________________
Some people are lost in the shuffle. I'm shuffling along with the lost.

[jadesmar]

Tampa Stadium’s the stage.
And all the players merely stand-ins;
They have their positions and their gameplans;
And one receiver in his prime runs many routes,
His game lasting four quarters. (Kelly Stouffer)

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
-- William Shakespeare, As You Like it Act II Scene VII

[Suspence]

But the hands of one of the cornerbacks were laid on the backup QB’s neck while the other pushed him down toward the turf and twisted him there, twice. As his balance failed, the QB saw the two cornerbacks shoulder to shoulder, through the grille of his facemask, watching the result. Collared. “Like a horse!” he said. (Russell Okung)
AND
But the hands of one of the gentlemen were laid on K.'s throat, while the other pushed the knife deep into his heart and twisted it there, twice. As his eyesight failed, K. saw the two gentlemen cheek by cheek, close in front of his face, watching the result. "Like a dog!" he said. (Franz Kafka)

Next o’er ‘hawk hands the ball begins to roll;
The Oakland corner with the ball he stole.
How here they fumbl’d, how there he gripp’d it snug,
The drive now o’er; the ball inside his hug. (Bob Whitfield)
AND
Next o'er his books his eyes began to roll, In pleasing memory of all he stole; How here he sipp'd, how there he plunder'd snug, And suck'd all o'er like an industrious bug. (Alexander Pope)
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[novice]

We've only backsolved a few, we've also skipped a few puzzles.

I still didn't get the score range, though. Why do the scores have to fall between 65 and 100?

[Suspence]

I’ll risk forty two dollars that he can outjump any back on the Packers. (Dick Bielski)
AND
I'll risk forty two dollars that he can outjump any frog in Calaveras (Mark Twain)
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Suspence]

[gftt*]

[Suspence]

Gunners diverged round the line, and I—
I took the snap and booted high. (Dewayne Robertson)
AND
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by (Robert Frost)
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[novice]

Rick Mirer
Dick Bielski -> Mark Twain
John David Crow -> Joseph Conrad
Simeon Rice
Dewayne Robertson -> Robert Frost
Billy Sims -> Martin Luther
Bert Jones -> Karl Marx
Jim Houston
Michael Clayton -> F Scott Fitzgerald
Bob Whitfield -> Alexander Pope
Jim Everett -> Charles Darwin
Russell Okung -> Franz Kafka
Marshall Faulk -> Eugene O'Neill
Kelly Stouffer -> William Shakespeare

[Suspence]

1A) A strip-sack by the linebacker is not dexterity. Dexterity is the strip-sack delivered by the linebacker, when the quarterback is just as hungry as the linebacker. (Rick Mirer)
1B) A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog. (Jack London)

4A) When you are a Running Back of Very Few Carries, and you Rush the Ball, you find sometimes that a rushing Lane that seemed very Lanish at the snap is quite different when you get into it with the ball and have linebackers looking at you. (Simeon Rice)
4B) “When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.” (A A Milne)

8A) Blitzing and blitzing in the muddy mire,
The Falcons cannot hear the snap count;
The pocket proves impenetrable; the linebackers cannot cover;
The Oilers tight end is loosed upon the secondary. (Jim Houston)
8B) Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world (W B Yeats)

Rick Mirer -> Jack London
Dick Bielski -> Mark Twain
John David Crow -> Joseph Conrad
Simeon Rice -> A A Milne
Dewayne Robertson -> Robert Frost
Billy Sims -> Martin Luther
Bert Jones -> Karl Marx
Jim Houston -> W B Yeats
Michael Clayton -> F Scott Fitzgerald
Bob Whitfield -> Alexander Pope
Jim Everett -> Charles Darwin
Russell Okung -> Franz Kafka
Marshall Faulk -> Eugene O'Neill
Kelly Stouffer -> William Shakespeare

Just looked up the football players, I was only familiar with about half of them...all appear to be high first round draft picks. Each of them were picked in the top 10, with the exception of Michael Clayton (15th). The only 1st overall pick in the list is Billy Sims.

2 - 9 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 -8 - 15 - 8 - 3 - 6 - 2 - 6, respectively. Doesn't do much for me, some are too long to use as an extraction method to the authors last name.
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[jadesmar]

Do these footballers have football player numbers that may be useful?