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Post by wortelboer on Dec 13, 2017 19:40:25 GMT -5
Problem with that approach is you don't know if that is the correct edition. A different edition will have a different word page 44 because the formatting will be different.
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Post by ariock on Dec 13, 2017 19:49:09 GMT -5
Problem with that approach is you don't know if that is the correct edition. A different edition will have a different word page 44 because the formatting will be different. True, but this is specifically the 1964 edition that Todd was talking about.
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Post by centaurofattn on Dec 17, 2017 9:15:10 GMT -5
Two is that the Underwoods book had odd seemingly random words at the corners of pages and in several cases had blurred marks that looked very much like the Spine letters from Volume 2. Which library did you visit and did you note the strange words? With the most recent tip in 4.3 and Ryan's information about this being an expensive puzzle, I think the library visit idea is worth...well...revisiting.
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Post by Todd on Dec 17, 2017 9:20:46 GMT -5
Two is that the Underwoods book had odd seemingly random words at the corners of pages and in several cases had blurred marks that looked very much like the Spine letters from Volume 2. Which library did you visit and did you note the strange words? With the most recent tip in 4.3 and Ryan's information about this being an expensive puzzle, I think the library visit idea is worth...well...revisiting. We're right there with you and have been reaching out to some of the most persistent in the community to see if they are near any of the listed libraries. Let's make it public... Who's able to assist?
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Post by dmikester on Dec 17, 2017 11:25:23 GMT -5
I will be going to the Los Angeles Public Library and the Burbank Central Library sometime in the next couple of days (possibly today if I have time). I’ll take pictures of my findings so that we can collaborate.
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Post by phraca on Dec 17, 2017 11:36:09 GMT -5
I am working on a lead for the Washington State University library near Seattle in the first block of 4. It’s a strange request to make to someone.
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Post by centaurofattn on Dec 17, 2017 12:03:14 GMT -5
I considered just calling the libraries and having an aide help out, but depending on what is to be found, it could do more harm than good. I have colleagues in various college towns as well that I've sent a message to. Last time I made a weird request like this it was well received haha
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Post by Todd on Dec 17, 2017 12:19:55 GMT -5
Since I'm mostly responsible for shooting down this line of inquiry in the first place, let me state this:
The working theory is that the four sections on the Harvest Time page relate to the four books for which the issues are titled, and that the number at the top of the section refers to the page in the book. So if you're going to one of the first 4 libraries, you're looking for page 15 of A New Era of Thought.
But don't get tunnel vision. Explore things outside of the working theory. For the books in the second section, explore both The Child of the Cavern and Les Indes Noires.
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Post by dmikester on Dec 17, 2017 12:22:52 GMT -5
So let me ask then: what do we think would be worth looking into outside of the working theory? And for that matter, even with the working theory, what do we think we should look for in the specific pages referenced?
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Post by lucasscooter on Dec 17, 2017 18:10:43 GMT -5
I would love to help, except that I live south of Tucson, which is kind of a dead space on the map. All three of the nearest libraries are 6+ hours away. Definitely let me know if there's anything I can do from home, though!
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Post by craigrj on Dec 18, 2017 11:59:29 GMT -5
Is there a summary of where this puzzle is at? Perhaps a refresher would spark interest or ideas in casual readers now here?
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Post by dmikester on Dec 18, 2017 12:33:51 GMT -5
Give me a little bit of time. Thank to some legwork and Ryan's help, I more or less know how this is supposed to be solved. But there's a big caveat, namely that I'm confident that there's no way that this can be solved the way that it was originally meant to be solved because of how much time has passed. I'm waiting on a response from Ryan about an aspect of the puzzle and I'll post details as soon as I can. The basic takeaway is that there was an idea floated around here a long time ago that turned out to be pretty much exactly right.
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Post by centaurofattn on Dec 18, 2017 12:46:24 GMT -5
We are/were intended to work together and leverage our different geographic areas to get the answer, and if there was something IN a book, then the only factor of time would be if someone else got to the books before us. Or if library staff cleaned up or something. He did mention to me that there was the intent to update the Interactive Fiction game to include the books virtually once we solved this, but that hasn't happened (and also he may not be able to/interested in updating for future solvers). I still think the hunt is fun though, but certainly don't want a goose chase scenario (especially since I'm not one chasing geese haha).
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Post by dmikester on Dec 18, 2017 13:00:57 GMT -5
OK, let me give a summary of the basic scenario (heavy spoilers here that will reveal what the info on the website means): Basically, there are indeed supposed to be things (slips of paper) hidden in the actual physical books at the libraries. The first set of libraries is A New Era of Thought, the second is Child of the Cavern, the third is Of Death and Dark Oblivion, and the fourth is At The Mountains of Madness. The numbers on the website refer to page numbers, and if you go to that page number in the appropriate book, you are supposed to find a slip of paper with...a glyph symbol on it, as in the glyphs from the locks. I know what one of them is (the one for Child of the Cavern), but I want to wait to see if Ryan is willing to share the other symbols with us before revealing it so that we can have them all in one place.
I spent hours at the Los Angeles Public Library yesterday looking at various versions of Child of the Cavern and Les Indes Noires and the slip of paper that was supposed to be in one of them was gone. I'm going to be going to the Burbank Central library tomorrow to see if I can find the correct book and the symbol, but again, because of the amount of time that has passed, I'd be very surprised if the slips of paper were still there. However, I also don't want to spoil everything at once if people really do want to go to the libraries and try to find the pieces of paper. There's no need to go to the second set of libraries though, so no worries there; I'll share that glyph in a later post.
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Post by centaurofattn on Dec 18, 2017 13:41:45 GMT -5
The number of library options was to help in case this happened, I believe. Hopefully if yours was disturbed, one of the others may still be okay. Anyone have a contact in Japan? haha
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