Evermore Vermeer Girl
A Field Notes Murder Mystery
TODAY! Field Notes Murder Book
For one day only, Field Notes is giving away a free puzzle-slash-mystery book (emphasis on the slash) that we designed with them.We previously collaborated with them for their 2018 "Clandestine" Edition, and we were thrilled to get another chance to make more mischief together. More info here.
Latest Puzzler
Every month I post a new bite-sized puzzle. Here's the latest one:
Think of an album from 2020 from a massive pop star. Remove an “R”, anagram the rest, and you'll get a name of a caffeinated drink. Then, by removing something from the drink, you’ll get a massive pop hit from 2024. What are the album, drink and song?
Submit your answer here 🗳Krytpos solution found in plain view
"What is the value of a secret that someone else knows?" That's what The New York Times asks in this wild article about how the solution to a 35-year-old cryptogram, John Sanborn's Kryptos, which sits outside the front door of the CIA headquarters in Virginia, was discovered by a couple of researchers. All of Kryptos had been decoded except for the fourth passage — until an amateur cryptographer and his friend found the key at the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art. Sanborn had been planning to auction off the solution, but now that the solution has been discovered, it's unclear what will happen next. The crucial part, to me, is the last two paragraphs, where they interview someone involved in trying to solve it: the value isn't in the solution, but the method to get there. That's the fun of it.
Gnomon cryptics
There are many kinds of regular crosswords and minis, plus meta-crosswords and cryptics for those looking for a different type of challenge. But if you're really a glutton for punishment, like me, there are variety cryptics, which hide certain rules that you need in order to solve the puzzle. These are the focus of The Gnomon, an online publication launched earlier this year by Andy Yingst. Each bi-monthly issue has three to five puzzles, primarily constructed by Yingst but also featuring submissions.
World Writing Systems
wysiwyg* Software Design GmbHBone up on your Linear Elamite, Oracle Bone Script, and Aztec pictograms at this gorgeous site that hosts an outline of all currently-known recorded writing systems, dating back to proto-cuneiform more than 5,000 years ago. Out of all 293 systems, at least seven systems have yet to be deciphered, and only a little more than half of them have been included in Unicode.
Herd
jpnichols9gmail.com
Herd is a new solo puzzle board game launching by the end of this year. Created by Blaž Urban Gracar, the game takes the form of a spiral-bound book and 6 figurine pieces that you move around to solve the puzzles. I've enjoyed Gracar's other work, so I'm excited about this one.
Compendium of Meta-puzzles
I got this book of puzzles by Pedja Banovic on a whim and have been really enjoying it. Each page includes a small mini-hunt, using a surprisingly wide variety of logic and encoding mechanics. The book also includes a glossary of useful lists and charts, because who actually remembers the atomic number of protactinium? (It's 91.)
Raddle Mystery #3 is arriving on Sunday
The Mystery League
This one's a murder mystery, like the Field Notes book mentioned above. But different. Stay tuned by signing up for the Raddle newsletter.
Solution to the August Puzzler
Think of a part of the body near the top. Remove every other letter and you'll get a part of your body at the bottom. What parts are these?