Cardtography Solution

How It Works

This puzzle was solved in two steps. First, the deck of cards should be ordered properly to give some basic instructions for step two.

Step 1 - Sorting

Noting the sides of the cards, you could see writing meant to line up along the two long edges. The top edge also had markings.

The sealed deck was supposed to indicate that the sorting order required was new deck ordering, a non-obvious sorting procedure. When the cards were sorted and aligned properly, the sides of the cards spelled "Map" and "1-10 of (spade)". People who saw "Wub" and "(spade) (backwards f)o 01-1" should have hopefully thought to reverse their sorting, but not everyone did.
    

Step 2: Using the Map

Teams, in their pre-game packet, recieved a Rand-McNally map of Seattle, along with several other items. Pulling out this map, they would notice that the letters/numbers written on the 1-10 of spades were all grid numbers on this map, and furthermore that there were red dots all over the map, just like on the 1-10 of spades.

By taking each card, aligning each red dot with the grid mark indicated, they could make the second red dot on the card line up with another red dot on the map. Each card had an arrow on it, which, properly aligned, would point north.

Teams then placed the cards in this manner, from 1 to 9 (the 10 of spades had no grid markings or red numbers, and had to be "keystoned" in). When the placement was completed, the other markings on the cards combined to form letters, spelling out the solution.

Solution

The cards aligned to spell out JACK BLOCK SHORELINE, which indicated to teams that they should head to Jack Block park, and head down to the shoreline.

Design Notes

The number one blocker in this puzzle was budget - each copy required one deck of Bicycle Jumbo Index playing cards and a 2006 Rand McNally Seattle map. We attempted to make this puzzle work using AAA maps, but the most recent AAA maps were revised to not have red dots, which was a key component of this puzzle - or so I thought.

GC Notes

I say "or so I thought" because it turned out several teams solved this puzzle without even pulling out their map! (Especially if they sorted the cards in reverse, and were so unwise as to not bring a Wub with them.)

I wish I'd known that before I spent all that money on those maps...

(Special thanks to Laser Lemon, from whom I plagiarized all the pictures on this page. I flipped your sort images for this description, guys. Hope you don't mind.)