MIT Mystery Hunt 2020/The Ringmaster: Difference between revisions

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|title = <!-- Puzzle title, defaults to subpage name, but be sure to include in case of slashes or weird formatting -->
|title = <!-- Puzzle title, defaults to subpage name, but be sure to include in case of slashes or weird formatting -->
|hunt = <!-- Hunt name, defaults to page parent. Do not link with [[]]; it'll automatically do so -->
|hunt = <!-- Hunt name, defaults to page parent. Do not link with [[]]; it'll automatically do so -->
|round = <!-- will also automatically link - assumes subpage of hunt page -->
|round = Big Top Carnival
|image = <!-- Should start with File: -->
|image = <!-- Should start with File: -->
|image_width = <!-- include "px", defaults to 200px -->
|image_width = <!-- include "px", defaults to 200px -->
|image_caption =
|image_caption =
|author =
|author = Nina Hinrichs
|solves =
|answer = SILVER PLATE
|solves = 18
|guesses = <!-- total (correct and incorrect) -->
|guesses = 127
|link = <!-- puzzle link, these should all be plain URLs -->
|link = https://puzzles.mit.edu/2020/puzzle/ringmaster/
|solution_link =
|solution_link = https://puzzles.mit.edu/2020/puzzle/ringmaster/solution/
|checker_link =
|checker_link =
|stats_link =
|stats_link =
}}
}}

⚫
'''The Ringmaster''' is a [INSERT PUZZLE TYPE] puzzle from the {{l|Big Top Carnival}} round of the [[MIT Mystery Hunt (2020)|2020 MIT Mystery Hunt]]. It [INSERT BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
''Since the start of the new millennium, the ringmaster has been the face of the circus.''

⚫
'''The Ringmaster''' is a puzzle from the {{l|Big Top Carnival}} round of the [[MIT Mystery Hunt 2020|2020 MIT Mystery Hunt]].


==Solve Path==
==Solve Path==
[[Category:Pages without solve path]]
[INSERT SOLVE PATH]


[[Category: Pages that need images]]
[INSERT PICTURE]
==Puzzle Elements==
==Puzzle Elements==


{{Element|Text-Heavy Presentation|The puzzle primarily consists of several sentences, akin to what a ringmaster would say before a circus act. Below this is a string of letters.}}
* [INSERT ELEMENTS]

{{spoiler|label=Spoiler-y Elements}}
{{Element|Hint in Title|A [http://brassrat.mit.edu/archive ring]master.}}

{{Element|Hint in Flavortext|''Since the start of the new millennium (2001), the ringmaster has been the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezel_(jewellery) face] of the circus.''}}

{{Element|MIT-Specific Culture|Each sentence describes a feature on the bezel of one of MIT's class rings (the Brass Rat); for example, a "ZZZ" can be found within the waves in the bottom right of the [http://brassrat.mit.edu/img/archive/2005.webp 2005 Brass Rat]. The year can be identified.|Identification|Identification|[[List_of_culture_and_geography_puzzle_topics#MIT-Specific_Topics|MIT Culture]]}}

{{Element|Alphanumeric Substitution Cipher|The last two digits of the ring's year can be converted to a letter.}}

{{Element|Intermediate Clue Phrase|The result is the phrase BEAUFORT [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log_jam LOGJAMS].}}

{{Element|Beaufort Cipher|Decrypting the string of letters as a Beaufort Cipher with key LOGJAMS provides another long string starting "Look in" followed by [[Recursion|another list of objects]] on Brass Rats. Many of these features are common motifs on Brass Rats...}}

{{Element|MIT-Specific Culture|...but looking closely at the designs, exactly one such ring hides the letters [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacks_at_the_Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology#IHTFP IHTFP] within the given object. The [http://brassrat.mit.edu/img/archive/2001.webp 2001 Brass Rat], for example, forms the letters within the blades of grass under the beaver.|Identification|Identification|MIT Culture}}

{{Element|Intermediate Clue Phrase|Performing the same alphanumeric substitution cipher provides the phrase CHARS AFTER G.}}

{{Element|Instructional Extraction|The text contains several Gs; taking the letters directly after them provides the answer.}}

{{spoiler-end}}

Latest revision as of 22:01, 31 January 2024

The Ringmaster
MIT Mystery Hunt 2020
Big Top Carnival
Author(s)Nina Hinrichs
AnswerClick to revealSILVER PLATE
Statistics
No. solves18
No. total guesses127
Links
PuzzleLink
SolutionLink


Since the start of the new millennium, the ringmaster has been the face of the circus.

The Ringmaster is a puzzle from the Big Top Carnival round of the 2020 MIT Mystery Hunt.

Solve Path[edit | edit source]

Puzzle Elements[edit | edit source]

Text-Heavy Presentation - The puzzle primarily consists of several sentences, akin to what a ringmaster would say before a circus act. Below this is a string of letters.

 

Hint in Title - A ringmaster.

Hint in Flavortext - Since the start of the new millennium (2001), the ringmaster has been the face of the circus.

Identification (MIT Culture) - Each sentence describes a feature on the bezel of one of MIT's class rings (the Brass Rat); for example, a "ZZZ" can be found within the waves in the bottom right of the 2005 Brass Rat. The year can be identified.

Alphanumeric Substitution Cipher - The last two digits of the ring's year can be converted to a letter.

Intermediate Clue Phrase - The result is the phrase BEAUFORT LOGJAMS.

Beaufort Cipher - Decrypting the string of letters as a Beaufort Cipher with key LOGJAMS provides another long string starting "Look in" followed by another list of objects on Brass Rats. Many of these features are common motifs on Brass Rats...

Identification (MIT Culture) - ...but looking closely at the designs, exactly one such ring hides the letters IHTFP within the given object. The 2001 Brass Rat, for example, forms the letters within the blades of grass under the beaver.

Intermediate Clue Phrase - Performing the same alphanumeric substitution cipher provides the phrase CHARS AFTER G.

Instructional Extraction - The text contains several Gs; taking the letters directly after them provides the answer.

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