Palindrome
Palindrome is a team that participates in the MIT Mystery Hunt. The team is one of the oldest Mystery Hunt teams that is currently active, consisting of many Hunt veterans and other well known puzzlers and puzzle-setters. Palindrome is also one of the most successful MH teams, having won Hunt in 1997, 2000 and 2007; subsequently hosting the Hunts for 1998, 2001 and 2008. Most recently, Palindrome won the 2021 Mystery Hunt and were the hosts for the 2022 Mystery Hunt[1]. Since 2010, Palindrome has placed top 10 every single year, also placing top 3 in seven of those years.
Palindrome members have written several other hunts, including BAPHL 7, BAPHL 12 as well as other non-competitive hunts like Space Oddity or Bunch of Yoyos. Some members of Palindrome separately run their own hunts and events, including Mark Halpin's Labor Day Extravaganza as well as Puzzle Boats and P&A Magazine by Foggy Brume.
History[edit | edit source]
The team is named Palindrome in the puzzle community because of their tradition to have a different palindrome in their team names for every Mystery Hunt. The team takes its grassroots from National Puzzlers' League and similar Boston-based puzzlers conventions.[2] Additionally, a Palindrome tradition is that each year, all on-site hunters get nametags, with a design inspired by that year's team name.
In 2018, some Palindrome members split off to form Ange Management, a sister team with close connections to Palindrome. The team is less competitive and frequently has members switching between the two.
Nametag designs[edit | edit source]
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A Nut for a Jar of Tuna (2024) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Ten-Alpaca Planet (2023) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Not So Boston (2021) - art by Joe Cabrera
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WTF FTW (2020) - art by Joe Cabrera
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¯\_(+_+)_/¯ (pronounced "huh") (2019) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Flower/Ewe/Werewolf (2018) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Too Long, No Loot (2017) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Dammit, I'm Mad! (2016) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Senile Felines (2015) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Engage Le Jeu Que Je Le Gagne! (2014) - art by Joe Cabrera
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I Prefer Pi (2013) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Mega-Tart Stratagem (2012) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Stacy's Super-Aware Pussycats (2011) - art by Joe Cabrera
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So Many Dynamos (2010) - art by Joe Cabrera
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Star Rats (2009) - art by Joe Cabrera
Mystery Hunt performances[edit | edit source]
| Hunt | Year | Placement | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2024 | 2024 | n/a | as A Nut for a Jar of Tuna |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2023 | 2023 | 11th | as Ten-Alpaca Planet |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2022 | 2022 | n/a | Host |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2021 | 2021 | 1st | as Not So Boston |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2020 | 2020 | 2nd | as WTF FTW |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2019 | 2019 | 2nd | as ¯\_(+_+)_/¯ (pronounced "huh") |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2018 | 2018 | 3rd | as Flower/Ewe/Werewolf |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2017 | 2017 | 5th | as Too Long, No Loot
The name is a reference to the theme of the Hunt as well as the fact that Palindrome had performed very well but not yet won a hunt recently.[3] |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2016 | 2016 | 4th | as Dammit, I'm Mad! |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2015 | 2015 | 5th | as Senile Felines |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2014 | 2014 | 5th | as Engage Le Jeu Que Je Le Gagne! |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2013 | 2013 | 2nd | as I Prefer Pi |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2012 | 2012 | 6th | as Mega-Tart Stratagem |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2011 | 2011 | 9th | as Stacy's Super-Aware Pussycats |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2010 | 2010 | 6th | as So Many Dynamos |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2009 | 2009 | 10th | as Star Rats |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2008 | 2008 | n/a | Hosted as Dr. Awkward |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2007 | 2007 | 1st | as Dr. Awkward |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2006 | 2006 | 6th | as Wercrew |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2005 | 2005 | 3rd | as El Google |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2004 | 2004 | 6th | as Ecroforce |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2003 | 2003 | 5th | as Snafu Fans |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2002 | 2002 | 3rd | as Ycnamancy |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2001 | 2001 | n/a | Hosted as The Team That Must Not Be Named |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 2000 | 2000 | 1st | as PAINTTTNIAP |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 1999 | 1999 | ? | as Ygology |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 1998 | 1998 | n/a | Hosted as The Faculty / Palindrome |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 1997 | 1997 | 1st | as Ainamania |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 1996 | 1996 | ? | as Ailihphilia |
| MIT Mystery Hunt 1995 | 1995 | ? | as Aibohphobia |
