Spaceopolis (Metapuzzle) (MIT Mystery Hunt 2020)
| Spaceopolis (Metapuzzle) | |
|---|---|
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2020 | |
| Spaceopolis | |
| Author(s) | Brent Holman |
| Answer | Click to revealPRISM BRAKE |
| Statistics | |
| No. solves | 41 |
| No. total guesses | 671 |
| Links | |
| Puzzle | Link |
| Solution | Link |
Records show that one of the Spaceopolis rides keeps crashing. If you can figure out where it is, you should be able to determine which part we need to fix.
Spaceopolis is the metapuzzle for the round of the same name.
Answer List[edit | edit source]
- Creatures from Outer Space --> ANSWERGREENBACKS
- Gallery of Tomorrow --> ANSWERFINGERPAINTS
- In Space, No One Can Hear You Sing --> ANSWERLOWER THE VEIL
- Mars Rover --> ANSWERMINIMAL CLOUD STORAGE
- Operation --> ANSWERTRACHEOSTOMY
- Orbital Simulator --> ANSWERPRESENT DAY
- Penny Park Convention Center --> ANSWERPARTNERS IN CRIME
- Satellite Swing --> ANSWERSKIPPING TOWN
- Stress Test --> ANSWERPRONOUNCEMENT
- Whack-A-Mole --> ANSWERHEADKNOCKERS
Puzzle Elements[edit | edit source]
Meta - This is the metapuzzle for the Spaceopolis round. As such, it takes as input the answers to the other puzzles within the round. The puzzle page features only the flavortext for the puzzle.
External Information - Despite appearances, there is a shell to the meta—the header to every feeder puzzle contains one comet and some number of stars.
Reordering (Positional) - The comet is in a different position on each header. Reordering by this position...
Indexing - ...and indexing into the answer based on the number of stars...
Intermediate Clue Phrase - ...provides HEGU CRATER. While a suitable answer for where the malfunctioning Spaceopolis ride is, it's not the answer to the minipuzzle.
Knowledge Required (Astronomy, Selenography) - The only notable feature about Hegu Crater is its position on the far side of the moon.
Knowledge Required (Music, Popular) - Further progress on the puzzle requires knowing of the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon (and being able to link it to the puzzle, be it via HEGU CRATER or otherwise).
Meta By Association - Each of the ten answers can be associated semantically with a track on that album.
Reordering (Positional) - The album is now used as a reordering.
Diagonalization - Diagonalizing into this new arrangement of answers provides the answer to the puzzle.
Asked and Answered - The final answer also answers the problem of getting a Spaceopolis ride to not crash—it answer spoilersneeds a PRISM BRAKE to decelerate it.
