Your Puzzle Contest
March 28, 2008
Okay, this is a little strange for me. I'm working on a YA novel and there are a lot of puzzles and clues and codes in it. I wrote this set a couple weeks ago, and it took me time to get to the chapter where the two main characters actually solve the puzzle. I, of course, know what the final solution is, but I went through the clues the way the characters did and I confess, one or two of them made me sit and think for a minute.
So, here's my puzzle challenge for you folks who are into these kinds of things.
I will post these ten questions. Anyone interested, try to solve the clues. Anyone who solves all ten clues accurately by 5PM EST on Monday, March 31st and posts them here on the blog, will get a signed copy of one of my books--The Serpent's Kiss, The Devil's Pitchfork, or Dirty Deeds. (If you already have them, I've got a ton of books, some of which haven't been released yet because publishers and publicists still send me advanced reading copies--we can work something out).
Now, having said that, the 10 answers to these questions form a larger clue in the context of the book. Sometimes they are letter/number substitutions, sometimes the first letter of each answer, sometimes other things. (Hey, you thought this was going to be easy?"
I will provide one hint. It's an Anasazi ruin in Arizona.
For anyone who gets the FINAL answer correct by 5PM EST on Monday, March 31st, I will send you signed copies of all 3 of my books and/or a reasonable substitution.
Ready? Here are the clues.
1. He wrote nine symphonies.
2. Rudyard Kipling’s child.
3. A big red fruit that most think is a vegetable.
4. Orycteropus afer.
5. Odysseus’ heir.
6. Not a street, drive or boulevard.
7. A thief without thought.
8. Not a fool, imbecile, dunce, dummy, ignoramus or moron.
9. The home of Lincoln, not Abe.
10. North to the black raven.
Cheers,
Mark Terry
posted by Mark Terry at 6:39 AM
9 Comments:
Duuuuuude,
These are hard. I've got a pretty good idea about 1-6, but after that, it gets dicey. Are you willing to say that the ultimate answer is a 10-letter word?
It's a 9 letter word. :)
Number 10 is a direction.
Love puzzles...but this one is hard!
This was the main topic of dinner conversation last night. My kids (20-somethings) are determined to figure this out. They were actually better at guessing some of the answers then I was--darn, show offs!
I can't wait to see the answer.
My wife just read these and demanded I give more clues. So...
6. Not a street, drive or boulevard. (Think Sunset...)
7. A thief without thought. (Think pathological, folks).
Ah jeeze. Sorry, #6, I should have said, "Think Pennsylvania..."
7 & 8 are stumping me. I think I have the others. My brain hurts. I'll see how 7 & 8 look in the morning. :-)
E
The first letters of Beethoven, Elise, tomato, aardvark, Telemachus (or Telegonus), avenue, kleptomaniac, idiot, and Nebraska spell Betatakin, an Anasazi ruin.
I'm still working on "north to the black raven."
Wow, brilliant Stephen! This is way cool. :-)
Stephen,
Congratulations (Except the second one, although the letter is correct. Rudyard Kipling's children's book: "Elephant's Child."
E-mail me at markterry@charter.net
As I commented to Gregory Huffstutter, #10 is the direction. Go to Betatakin and go north to the Black Raven!
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