Microsoft Intern Game Giving Campaign Recast, November 6 2022
Welcome to the 2022 Giving Campaign recast of The Mystery Society Investigative Gals Recast, the 2022 Microsoft Intern Game! This version of the Game preserves the spirit of the event -- with a series of puzzles and interactive challenges presented serially for teams to solve together -- without required car travel. All puzzles will take place in-person on Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington.
Read more about the Giving Campaign Recast event below, apply now (FTE only), or get started today on our PreGame puzzles (FTE only, online puzzles you'll find on this site, suitable for all audiences, and solvable independently or with friends on your own time).
Signing up to play
Applications ARE OPEN NOW (FTE only)! and close on Monday, October 24, 2022 at 5pm PT or until we've reached the maximum amount of teams. All teams who apply, donate, and attend the info session are allowed to play. There is a mandatory info session on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 from 6 - 7pm PT and the event itself will run the full day on Sunday November 6, 2022. Teams are encouraged to keep their entire day free for November 6.
Team Composition
The event is designed for teams of four or five players. Each Microsoft FTE is welcome to bring up to 1 guest. The total team size must not be more than five players, so each team can contain up to two guests. If you find yourself with more guests than FTEs, please contact us to discuss options.
Suggested donation
Our requested minimum donation for this day-long event is $100 per player that is a Microsoft FTE—but we encourage you to donate generously if you have the means. You can read more about the donation process as part of applying.
Questions? E-Mail MSIGame@microsoft.com.
What Is This?
Every year, the college interns at Microsoft join into groups and solve puzzles in a contest of skill, for the prize of honor. It's called "The Game," and they rate it as one of their favorite activities of the summer. We're running the Game again for the greater Microsoft community as part of the 2022 Giving Campaign!
What's the same?
Many things will be the same between the Intern Game and the Giving Campaign Recast of the Game:
- The PreGame puzzles (virtual puzzles) are posted on this website and are playable by all FTEs, registered or not.
- Many of the puzzles that ran for Interns this year will be run again as they were intended.
- Much of the plot will be preserved and presented.
What's different?
There are a few key differences between the Recast / Giving Campaign Game and the version the Interns play:
- The event has been shortened to one day. There will be nothing overnight, and the event ends on the same day it starts for everyone.
- Puzzlers participating in the Giving Campaign version of the Mystery Society Recast will not have to travel across Washington state in their cars. All puzzles will take place on Microsoft campus.
- Each Microsoft Employee is welcome to bring one guest to play, with a minimum team size of 4 and a maximum team size of 5. If your team does not meet these criteria, please contact us to discuss options.
- There is no entry fee, but the requested minimum donation for this day-long event is $100 per player that is a Microsoft FTE—but we encourage you to donate generously if you have the means. Here is a list of our selected charities (FTE only).
- There will be no new virtual content or virtual puzzles on the day of the event (all players must be in-person in Redmond, Washington).
- The puzzles may not be presented in "chronological order" as they were presented to Interns, but most teams will get to solve most puzzles. The Intern Game Staff reserves the right to "skip" teams over puzzles due to time, capacity, or other constraints.
Previous Microsoft Intern Games
You can read more about our past Intern Games on our complete archive site.
Also, here are some intern-made videos:
PreGame
This portion is only available to full time employees.
The Day-of Event
Event Details
Date: November 6, 2022
Times: It ends the same day it starts. There are no overnight puzzles.
Team Composition: Teams must be comprised of four or five players, with up to one guest per Microsoft Employee.
Entry Fee: All players are encouraged to donate $100 each or however much they can spare. All day-of event costs (for example, for fabricating puzzles) are covered as a donation from staff.
Application Process: Teams must apply on the Applications page (applications close on Monday, October 24, 2022 at 5pm PT), then FTE members donate to charity (suggested amount $100, suggested charities here), then send a proof of FTE's members donations to us (details on FTE site). Finally, teams must attend the mandatory info session on Wednesday, October 26 from 6 - 7pm PT.
Transportation: Teams are responsible for securing their own transportation to campus for the event, and need to be able to drive around campus to other buildings that are not within walking distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Microsoft Intern Game?
The Microsoft Intern Game is a Game planned for Microsoft's summer interns. For more details about what a Game is, check out https://interngame.microsoft.com/. You can see an episode of My Intern Life dedicated to the 2011 Intern Game here.
When will the Intern Game Giving Campaign Recast take place?
The Intern Game Giving Campaign Recast will be on Sunday, November 6, 2022 and there is a required info session for all teams on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 from 6 - 7pm PT. We cannot disclose exactly what times the Game will run, but teams should expect to be committed for the entire day.
What about Puzzleday, is this the same thing as that?
No, Puzzleday is also a puzzle event, but beyond that they're quite different and we encourage puzzle fans to participate in both. Find out more information about Puzzleday and other puzzle events at the intern puzzle events hub.
Am I allowed to talk to other people about this?
Yes!! We encourage you to collaborate with others on the PreGame puzzles as well as to share thoughts and experiences. Returning interns, FTE, and guests may have additional insight. Ultimately, this is a team event so you'll need to get used to working with others. Any forum is fine to discuss the Intern Game and Intern Game Giving Campaign Recast.
How many other people should I find for my team?
A team must consist of four or five players total. Each Microsoft FTE may bring up to one guest, so a team of four or five may contain two guests total. If you find yourself with more guests than FTE, contact us to discuss options.
Can we play if we only have 3 people? What about 6?
The event is designed around teams having 4-5 players, so this is a requirement. Please contact us if you have concerns or questions about team size.
I have this non-Microsoft (or non-intern) friend. Can they play with my team?
Yes! Each Microsoft FTE may bring up to one guest. If you find yourself with more guests than FTE, contact us to discuss options.
Will we be charged for this event?
Apart from the recommended donation per player, there are no other charges to participate. All other costs for running the event will be covered as a donation from staff. Please note teams may incur their own costs during the Game, like buying lunch.
Historically, most participants have felt in retrospect the Game was good value for the money spent. We are both hopeful and confident you will feel the same way.
This sounds pretty intense, is this event only for hard-core puzzlers?
While the day-of event can feel intense, it's designed so everyone can enjoy themselves, regardless of their experience or how hard-core they are about the event / puzzling. To help maximize your enjoyment though, it's important to understand your style of participation and what you're hoping to get out of the experience. We have seen players generally fall into one of three buckets.
- "Runners" like to do well and solve puzzles quickly, and see the event primarily as a chance to prove their skills.
- "Speed-walkers" also enjoy doing well, but will slow down from time to time if that's what keeps things fun.
- "Strollers" are less competitive and seek to maximize their experience; how well they "do" on a puzzle doesn't matter as much as how much fun they had.
It's not the case that every player on a team needs to fall into the same bucket. In fact, successful teams have been formed of combinations of all three. Assessing which bucket each team member falls into, however, can help to set expectations and improve team dynamics.
How should I prepare for the Game?
We will be hosting a mandatory info session on October 26, 2022 from 6-7pm PT where we will lay out many of the logistics of the event and to help teams adequately prepare but here's one hint: we have hard data that teams who complete more PreGame puzzles tend to do better in the actual Game. If you're having trouble with PreGame puzzles, don't fret; work together. If you still need assistance, contact us and we'll do our best to help you, though we can't always promise to respond immediately.
When you solve the puzzles, read the solution pages – there's lots of good information about how we design puzzles in there. Also, participation in other puzzle events (such as Puzzleday) can increase your familiarity with puzzling in general, and sharpen your solving skills.
Am I required to solve the PreGame puzzles to participate in the day-of event?
Not strictly - while they are linked to the event's puzzles, they're designed to be independent, so you're not required to do one to do the other. That said, the puzzles in the PreGame are specifically designed to teach you skills you'll need to be more successful in the day-of event, so we do highly recommend you try the PreGame puzzles.
Anything Else?
I have a question you didn't answer!
That's not a question. But you can contact us with any other questions you have.