Interrogation
Owner:
Ben Andrews
Solution:
CLANDESTINE
Partial Answers
NULL: Keep Going
GC Notes:
GC to update day-of-game.
Presentation:
Teams arrive at a location and meet an informant.
Walkthrough:
Teams have to solve two minipuzzles:
They need to identify the villain's last name through a game of 20 questions.
They need to obtain a 4 digit code by playing Mastermind.
Hinting:
Before starting, figure out whether they're on the first or second phase. You can figure this out by asking them to tell you what they've done so far; don't give away the second half of the puzzle at first, because some teams may not see that part.
Part 1 - Name
Q: There's someone here for me to interrogate, but I'm totally lost. What should I be doing?
A: It seems like this person may be a double agent. Have you tried figuring out who they're working for? The last name should be enough to get them to talk.
Q: I'm trying to figure out the name, but I'm pretty lost. Their responses don't seem to be making any sense.
A: Try getting simple and playing 20 questions with them. Yes or no questions are best.
Q: I'm asking yes or no questions, but not getting good answers.
A: There are probably two stock coded responses for "yes" or "no". Can you figure those out? (Give them the responses if they seem frustrated.)
Q: OK, I know what I'm doing, but figuring out this name is hard.
A: We have some intel that the double agent may be working for someone with a name derived from the world of computer science.
Q: We're thinking something along the lines of mathematics.
A: Think more computer science than mathematics, although it may be a term that applies in both.
Part 2 - Mastermind
Q: Uh oh, now what's going on?
A: Have you listened closely and heard them mention the word 'mastermind'? Does that ring a bell?
(explain the game of Mastermind if they are lost)
Q: How am I supposed to get data now? They keep saying the same thing when I guess four digit numbers.
A: Try looking at their hand gestures instead. (Be explicit if they're confused.)
Q: How are we supposed to know which number is exactly right and which is right-but-wrong-position?
A: Listen carefully to the poem.
Data:
The below information is what is provided to staff.
Interrogation
** **
Introduction
Teams arrive and meet the router. The router tells them a suspected double agent has been captured and needs to be interrogated.
"We have reason to believe that this agent is in fact a double agent who was involved in the destruction of GUID headquarters. They may know who is behind this act and have a clue as to what to do next"
The router leads teams to the
When teams approach you, guide them into asking about the last name of the .
"Finally, someone's here to get this whole misunderstanding resolved. Let's get this questioning out of the way so I can go; I've got work to do.
I've been accused of being a double agent and having something to do with the destruction of headquarters, which is absolutely preposterous. You don’t have a shred of evidence.
How can you claim I’m working for someone else? I bet that you can't even tell me the name of the enemy I’ve supposedly been feeding information to…"
Now go into name mode.
Name Mode
** **
In this round, teams are trying to guess the last name of the villain, which is "Dr. Null".
Canned responses
(try not to deviate too much from these, except in very limited cases if you judge it to be appropriate to keep the team moving forward. Adding in occasional exasperation, like "come on" or "really" is fine, as is using sarcastic intonation if the team is being silly.)
Asking something that's not a question.
"I was under the impression you were trying to interrogate me, but that isn’t even a question."
If they ask anything except a question about your employer's name:
"That's irrelevant." or "You'll never get me to talk.", followed by "you don't even know his last name."
If they ask a question about a specific name:
"I'm not going to tell you his name if you don't already know it."
If they try to ask any spelling/letter questions to brute force the name:
"Come on, I'm not going to spell out his name for you."
If they ask a question that's not yes or no:
"That question's too complicated for me to answer."
If they ask a question hinting at the name that's false:
"Come on, you and I both know that's not true."
If they ask a question hinting at the name that's ambiguous (use this liberally to avoid sending them off track.)
"I'm not sure how to answer that question precisely, so no comment."
** **
If they ask a question that's true:
"You can’t prove that."
** **
**When they guess the name correctly, check the time against logistics. If there's still 30 minutes available for the team, proceed to Number Mode. Otherwise, just give them the code for the lockbox and proceed to the ending spiel.
**
**Number Mode
**
"WHAT? How do you know it’s Dr. Null? Aggh! … I mean, I don’t work for Dr. Null. You still don’t have any proof, and you don’t have any idea where to find him! I mean, there are the contents of this highly secure, unbreakable lockbox here… erm… But you'll never get me to tell you the passcode to it, no matter how many times you guess!"
In response to any questions that don’t pertain to the code:
You may think you're close to guessing the identity of a great mastermind… but you're not going to make any more progress without getting in this lockbox.
Mastermind response:
Are you certain? Please reflect
Your digits just aren't quite correct.
** **
Besides, I'll never give up the fight
Even if some are exactly right.
While reading the first paragraph, signal how many digits are correct digits but in the wrong location.
While reading the second paragraph, signal how many digits are correct digits in the correct location.
Signals:
Hands in lap = 0
Hands on table = 1
Hands outstretched side to side = 2
Hands on back of neck = 3
Hands above head = 4
The target number is 7033.
When teams guess the correct number, go through the sequence and show them 0/4. Then, realize what happened and that you've been defeated. say:
"You think you all are safe? None of us are safe! He now has access to every GUID database—he already knows all of your face and all of your real names!! You think this is over? It’s far from over. He’s not going to stop until he gets what he wants. I’ve said too much-- He’s going to be after me soon enough. So you better start running, it’s only a matter of time before he gets you too…"
Then encourage teams to open the lockbox and shoo them away.
Inside the lockbox is a slip of paper with the answer to the puzzle, "CLANDESTINE", and an indication that Dr. Null's current hideout is on a boat.