Munchausen By Pirate

Owner:

Hawthorne

Solution:

MUNDANITY

GC Notes:

GC to update day-of-game.

Presentation:

Puzzle presented to interns at the HUB by an individual in a fancy had with a button marked "ask me about my Coin", the puzzle itself is composed of actors (between 3 and 9) wearing brightly colored bandannas (Green, Pink, and Orange), and will occur somewhere in the Boundary Bay overnight Hub.

Teams are told that in order to get the "coin" they need the "pirate password" which can be discovered by conversing with Pirates in the Brightly colored bandannas.

Walkthrough:

Phase 1: Storytelling

Teams are expected to interact with the "pirates" wearing the colored bandannas.

When interacting with the Pirates, teams should learn that the pirates all know the password, but will only give it to a "Worthy" pirate.

The pirate will then clue one of the team members with an initial Story Seed, but note that seeds are entirely random and actors may come up with new ones on the fly.

To prove their "Worth" must improvise a "Pirate Story" that complies with a number of unspoken rules. Any time a team member breaks one of these rules they will be hinted as to what they have done wrong, told that they are clearly not a worthy pirate, and will be asked to leave (they can try again later or talk to a different pirate).

Below are a list of rules interns must comply with, in order of expected discovery, along with the expecting hinting (phrasing of the hints will vary based on actors):

1. Interns must have a drink, or at least an empty cup in hand before they can begin telling a story.

   1. (Hint: No self respecting pirate would be found dead without a drink in a place like this)

1. Interns must utilize the initial story seed.

   1. (Hint: Aye, that wasn't you then, pity. That would have been a worthy pirate)

1. Interns must pause to drink (or fake drinking) from their cup periodically (~once every 2 min).

   1. (Hint: Aye, I'm going to stop you here, you haven't touched your grog.. Every pirate knows that storytelling and drinking go hand in hand)

1. Interns must not drink too frequently (<30 seconds)

   1. (Hint: Hey matey, pace your self! Don’t drink it all at once!)

1. Interns must take a drink at a suitable place in the story (IE cliffhanger)

   1. (Hint: That's a horrible place to take a drink. A worthy pirate knows to take a break where there is tension and suspense)

1. When interns take a drink, the actor will interject with a new story seed (Wasn't this the part where <Seed>), interns must incorporate the new seed into the story

   1. (Hint: Are you calling me a liar?)

1. The interns must not finish the story until they have taken 3 drinks (and be interjected 3 times)

   1. (Hint: That's it? a worthy pirate would stretch out his tale, adding twists and turns to it!)

1. Interns must wrap up the story after the 3rd drink/interjection

   1. (Hint: Is this story ever going to end)

1. Interns must conclude the initial story seed by the end of the story.

   1. (Hint: I though this was supposed to be the story about <seed>

Once the interns successfully complete a story, the actor will give them the following:

• A list of gossip concerning the captains of the ships with the two other colors (IE, the Orange pirate will give out gossip about the Pink and Green captains )

• Instructions to ask the other pirates for stories about their captains.

• Instructions to interrupt the other pirates with the correct gossip to get a piece of the pirate password.

Phase 2: Gossip

Interns can repeat phase 1 another time to get additional sheets of gossip (they need at least 1 from pirates of two different colors, though they may elect to collect all 3)

If interns ask a pirate for a story about his/her captain, the pirate will recount a random story, pausing 3 times to take a drink, before concluding the story.

For each color, there are three associated pieces of gossip. The easiest way to determine the mappings of gossip/color is to simply compare two lists. Any two lists will have one color in common, any gossip common to those two lists belongs to the common. Once the common gossip is removed, the remaining three pieces of gossip belong to the other color on each page.

Alternatively, the interns can attempt to brute force it.

If the interns interject a pirate with a piece of gossip belonging to a color other than that pirates bandanna, they are told "I heard that too, but that wasn't MY captain"

If the interns interject a pirate with a piece of gossip belonging to the same color as that pirates bandanna, they will be corrected with "Ahh, you heard right, except …." These corrections will be different by one letter(either adding, removing, or replacing the letter C):

Orange (Replace the Letter C):

Green (add a letter):

Pink (Remove a letter):

Phase 3: Final solve.

First, the interns must identify the 9 letters that are changed by the pirates.

M - T - Y - D -A - I - U - N - N

Next the interns must establish an ordering. To do this they should use the ranks at the beginning of each piece of gossip (Low-to-high)

Naval Ranks:

1. Seaman

2. Petty Officer

3. Warrant Officer

4. Midshipman

5. Lieutenant

6. Commander

7. Commodore

8. Vice Admiral

9. Fleet Admiral

When ordered, the Final answer is revealed: "Mundanity"

Hinting:

For the first phase of the puzzle the teams should receive most of their hinting from the staff actors.

Phase 2

Data:

The three sets of gossip are:

Pink Pirate:

Gossip about the captains of the U.S.S. Orange and the H.M.S. Green:

The Lieutenant mentioned that the Captain was instrumental in the 4th great Cuban uprising.

The Seaman mentioned that the Captain made the most accurate forecasts on the seven seas.

The Fleet Admiral mentioned that the Captain once had the pleasure of gracing the Tsar's secret summer palace.

The Commodore mentioned that the Captain hosted tea with the queen of England.

The Midshipman mentioned that the Captain smuggled all of the bananas out of Ecuador.

The Vice Admiral mentioned that the Captain buried a king's ransom in treasure inside a cavern on the coast of South Wales.

Green Pirate:

Gossip about the captains of the U.S.S. Orange and the S.S. Pink:

The Fleet Admiral mentioned that the Captain once had the pleasure of gracing the Tsar's secret summer palace.

The Seaman mentioned that the Captain made the most accurate forecasts on the seven seas.

The Commander mentioned that the Captain stole the royal crowns from the tower of London.

The Warrant Officer mentioned that the Captain crossed the Atlantic Ocean on pine raft.

The Petty Officer mentioned that the Captain was elected minister of shipping despite popular opinion.

The Vice Admiral mentioned that the Captain buried a king's ransom in treasure inside a cavern on the coast of South Wales.

Orange Pirate:

Gossip about the captains of the H.M.S. Green and the S.S. Pink:

The Warrant Officer mentioned that the Captain crossed the Atlantic Ocean on pine raft.

The Midshipman mentioned that the Captain smuggled all of the bananas out of Ecuador.

The Petty Officer mentioned that the Captain was elected minister of shipping despite popular opinion.

The Lieutenant mentioned that the Captain was instrumental in the 4th great Cuban uprising.

The Commander mentioned that the Captain stole the royal crowns from the tower of London.

The Commodore mentioned that the Captain hosted tea with the queen of England.

Ordered by rank: