Draw! Solution

Each time the artist names an item, the team must draw it.  In order to satisfy the artist, the drawing must conform to several ordered rules.  If the team hasn't fulfilled a rule, the artist will offer them a pamphlet associated with the first rule they've broken.  Each pamphlet hints at how to satisfy its particular rule.

Once the team has satisfied all of the rules (which includes providing a written title for their drawing) the artist will underline several letters in their drawing's title. The artist cycles through subjects starting with A-F, and will underline up to three letters based on which initial letter it is:

A words : ADR

B words: ACW

C words: APT

D words: AIL

E words: DNR

F words: EMO

Combining and unscrambling the specified letters from each title reveals the phrase: DRAW A CAT PALINDROME. If the team presents the artist with a drawing of a "taco cat" (or another appropriate palindromic depiction) the artist will give them a final pamphlet containing the answer and send them on their way with a phrase similar to "What kind of nonsense is this? Take this pamphlet and get outta here!"

The rules

  1. The drawing must resemble the object.

    "This doesn't look anything like what I asked you to draw!"

  2. The drawing must include both the object and a reflection of the object.  In other words, the teams must draw the object both right-side-up and up-side-down.

    1. If the object is drawn only right-side up (or it's ambiguous): "This is okay, I guess, but it's uninspired. Here, take this pamphlet on drawing WELL." [Staff gives Pamphlet #1]
    2. If the object is clearly drawn only upside-down: "Take another look at that pamphlet I gave you.  Do you see one or two titles?"

  3. The drawing must have a title.

    "Okay, your drawing is fine, but you need to give it a title!  Every great piece of art has a title!"

  4. The drawing's title must consist of real words.

    "This title is gibberish! Titles must have only real words."

  5. The drawing's title must be an initialism of the name of the object.

    1. If the title is not an initialism: "This is a bad title. Take this pamphlet on properly titling your artwork." [Staff gives Pamphlet #2]
    2. If the title is an initialism but does not pertain to the object: "I don't see how this title describe what you've drawn."
    3. If the title has no letters the cowboy can underline: "This title is technically acceptable, but unfortunately it's missing some important things. It's not your fault, try again and I'm sure you'll get it."

  6. If the title ha s no valid letters and is really short: "This title is technically acceptable, but unfortunately it's missing some important things.  It's not your fault, but you should try again with a longer title."

    1. If the title has only one letter the staffer can underline: "This title is okay, but not good or great.  I like <a Y {while underlining a Y}>."
    2. If the title has two letters the staffer can underline: "This title is good, but not great.  I like <an X {while underlining an X}> and <a Z {while underlining a Z}>."
    3. If the title has all three letters the cowboy can underline: "Now this is a great title!  I especially like <an X {while underlining an X}>, <a Y {while underlining a Y}>, and <a Z {while underlining a Z}>. And since you're apparently so great at titling your works, you may also want this pamphlet on the deeper meaning of art." [Staff gives Pamphlet #3]

Once these rules are satisfied, the cowboy will explicitly underline one of each of the appropriate letters IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER NOT APPEARANCE ORDER if the correct letters for that letter group exist.  Teams are thus encouraged to provide titles with an abundance and variety of letters.

OVERRIDING EXCEPTION: AT ANY TIME, IF THE TEAM DRAWS A CAT PALINDROME (E.G., TACOCAT) [Staff gives Pamphlet #4]

The pamphlets

Pamphlet #1: Drawing Well: A Reflection On The Principles of Art Throughout the Ages

The title page of the pamphlet is reflected vertically.

Pamphlet #2: Presenting Art Magnificently: Peaceful Harmony Links Every Title

The title of the pamphlet is an initialism that spells PAMPHLET.

Pamphlet #3: DER IIV GMN AEN GIN: NSU ACR BLM GIN EHT CES ERT FOS ART

The title of the pamphlet is a set of underlined triplets of letters that spell out Deriving Meaning: Unscrambling the Secrets of Art when unscrambled.

Pamphlet #4: Gettin' Outta Here: The Answer is Inside

The objects

The objects the teams are told draw are nearly meaningless themselves, except that they form the basis of the titles the teams will need to use to gather data and are associated with particular letters in the answer clue.

A words : ADR

B words: ACW

C words: APT

D words: AIL

E words: DNR

F words: EMO

Solution

INSIDE

GC Notes

Objects to Draw

The following are the lists of words teams should be given to draw, in order by alphabet.  The staff member should give the first A word, then the first B word, and so on through F, and then the second A word, second B word, and so on and so on.  In the unlikely event that a team goes through all the words (or appears as though they might be in danger of doing so), the staff member should proactively think of new words and add them to the lists below so that all teams get a consistent set of words.

If, after going through the first six words (i.e. one time going through A - F), the team still hasn't gotten the third pamphlet, staff should give them the asterisked words until they do.  The 'A' list does not have an asterisked word because 'Asteroid' already forces the third pamphlet if they don't have it yet.

A - ADR

  • Antelope
  • Asteroid
  • Apple
  • America
  • Arnold
  • Ant
  • Argyle
  • Anchor

B - ACW

  • Balloon
  • Backgammon
  • Bow
  • Brat
  • Boot
  • Bill
  • Basket
  • Bridge
  • * Backward

C - APT

  • Cowboy
  • Colander
  • Card
  • Calamity
  • Custard
  • Cow
  • Crest
  • Clap
  • * Capital

D - AIL

  • Dynamite
  • Danger
  • Draft
  • Dice
  • Dwarf
  • Dip
  • Dude
  • Drain
  • * Dial

E - DNR

  • Echo
  • Elephant
  • Evening
  • Evergreen
  • Eon
  • Essence
  • End
  • Early
  • * Earned

F - EMO

  • Fire
  • Flamingo
  • Face
  • Fort
  • Fellow
  • Fin
  • Frown
  • Fill
  • Feast
  • * Former

Staff Behavior

This puzzle tends to run a bit long, so staff are encouraged to be fairly permissive with teams. Don't be a stickler with most rules unless it's obvious a team is intending to break a rule (this is generally easy to determine since you're sitting in a call with them and can hear their ideas).

Team Behavior

Most teams solve the puzzle in a predictable fashion.  After being told to draw "antelope", they'll do so and be given the first pamphlet.  Most teams don't have any trouble figuring out what the first pamphlet means, and so they'll draw a mirrored "balloon".  They'll be told to include a title, and so "cowboy" will have a bad title and result in the team getting the second pamphlet.  From here teams diverge a bit, depending on how good their titles end up being.  Almost all teams figure out the hook at some point during their second pass through the "alphabet", with some figuring it out before they even finish the alphabet once.