ARG: Legend of the Sacred Urns-New

Where has it gone?

Kassidy@forums.unfiction.com — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 00:13:22 +0000

All links are closed, all sites are down. Where did the game go? Who won? What was the anwser? Please excuse me if this is somewhere else, but I can't find it!

How many of us would like to speak to Paul Hoffman?

kiva@forums.unfiction.com — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 00:04:20 +0000

First, I would like to explain why I am posting to the Unfiction Forum and not the SP Forum. Mike (Charlie) in the Chat session stated this

(23:10:22) HaxanMike: Yeah, I can answer questions, but I prefer...
(23:10:34) HaxanMike: to answer meta style questions on the ARGN forums
(23:10:53) HaxanMike: because the SPF are heavily monitered
(23:11:01) HaxanMike: if ya get my drift

He also went on to state

(23:36:58 ) Pam: How can we get our hands on Hoffman?
(23:37:15) HaxanMike: I can askhim if he'd do a chat, if you'd like

I for one would be very interested in asking Paul Hoffman a number of questions.

I notice that I seem to be the only one posting in this Forum at this point of time but I also notice that the topics are being viewed by a number of other people.

If you are at all interested in speaking to Paul Hoffman (if Mike can arrange it) then please indicate that interest in this thread.

Thanks everyone.

EDIT: If you are interested and are registered on the Steinitz Puzzlers Forum (SPF) then please vote in Charlie's poll on that Forum. If you were not a SPF member, but would still like to speak to Paul Hoffman (if it can be arranged) then please indicate your interest in this thread. Thanks :)

Can we trust Charlie?

TheDom@forums.unfiction.com — Thu, 03 Feb 2005 19:43:16 +0000

Charlie has always maintained that he played in character on the SP Forum. We were told we could trust Marlene and MTSM but nobody vouched for Charlie.

Go back to the About this Site/FAQ/Links page .

I first discovered the Legend of the Sacred Urns a couple years ago, when a friend told me about a "wacky" old professor named "Engelbert Stein-something" who had a theory that tied together all of the world's great mysteries. Intrigued, I started to do some research on this person, but found very little on Dagobert Steinitz' academic theories -- most of the info I found involved a legendary treasure hunt he allegedly set up in the late 60's. The more I read about this mysterious professor's life and work, the more I wanted to know.

Charlie playing in character NOT telling the truth.

I am still researching here to see if we were told this or we just deduced this ourselves, but we were under the presumption that the PM's did not know the answer. Charlie's post 1/13

From my vantage point, watching everything that went on and knowing the solution , you nailed it right here.

Anyone else with other examples?

Is the Puzzle really over?

mgs4real@forums.unfiction.com — Sat, 22 Jan 2005 21:25:35 +0000

Just a quick synopsis of what I am thinking. If anyone is interested then a will prepare a more detailed posting of my thoughts.

The solution as it stands to a number of the puzzlers does not appear to be up to the level of a Hoffman puzzle. Too many of the clues/hints were not used. Therefore, maybe we should look at the puzzle again. Is it a 2 part puzzle. A treasure hunt and a complete puzzle.

Why the treasure hunt? To create interest etc in the puzzle and provide promotion for Sharp within a limited time frame.

Why a separate or complete puzzle? For the real puzzlers to solve.

I think we need to look at who wrote what pieces of the puzzle and who had direct involvement with Paul Hoffman.

From the chat, the puzzle was being translated into 9 languages with Europe, Japan and China commencing later than the US. The treasure hunt only being in the US (for US residents only). Are the European, Japanese and Chinese campaigns still going?

Why the delay in posting the answer (other than Charlie not being well)? Did one of us actually find a solution to the puzzle and not just the treasure hunt? Did this create a problem for the creators of the puzzle?

If anyone is really interested in following this line of thought, please indicate your interest in this thread and I will prepare a more detailed posting. As I said, these are my thoughts and my thoughts only, but I do believe that it is not beyond Paul Hoffman in taking this approach.

PM Chat

RobDixon@forums.unfiction.com — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 02:14:15 +0000

Although we're still waiting for final verification, it looks like the PM Chat is scheduled to be this Thursday at 9pm EST in #steinitz.

For those of you with mIRC, you can access the chat room is irc.chat-solutions.org #steinitz

For those who'd prefer accessing the chat through the java applet, use this link

If you can't attend the chat, but have a question you'd still like to ask feel free to post it here. We'll try to get everyone's questions answered as time allows. We'll also post a transcript afterwards. Thanks!

[META] Charlie Tan's Story

dotsontwo@forums.unfiction.com — Fri, 07 Jan 2005 19:32:00 +0000

This Post is For Charlie Tan.

I was wondering if you might be able to give a bit of background information regarding your involvement in the game. Do all of the Pm's actually exist, or do you play the part of everyone? stuff like that.

EDIT: Added tag. -vpi

nothing to see here

HARG@forums.unfiction.com — Sat, 25 Dec 2004 14:00:34 +0000

Spammers suck.

** edited -- jamesi

[PUZZLE] HIDEOUS NERD THREATENS HOT

RobDixon@forums.unfiction.com — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 17:33:05 +0000

I think there is a new clue for this puzzle...

"Even the most unsightly, menacing loser can reconstruct himself in a respectable way."

Another anagram? The best one I've found so far is UNDERNEATH THE SISTERHOOD , which makes no sense.

This is not a red herring

Chuck@forums.unfiction.com — Mon, 06 Dec 2004 19:25:23 +0000

We were told by Marlene that "Keep in mind that what looks like a red herring might not be. "

Then this picture was given to us with the hint...

Ceci n'est pas un hareng rouge (This is not a red herring)

We've all seen how if you fold the picture like in the Mad magazines you see a fish and "Red HerRing". Obviously we're missing something here, so what else could this mean?

In-game sites

rose@forums.unfiction.com — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 11:15:16 +0000

www.steinitzpuzzlers.com
www.moretosee.com
www.steinitzpress.com
www.steinitzskulls.com
www.steinitzdds.com
http://natalie.moretosee.com/
http://mike.moretosee.com/
http://peter.moretosee.com/

Message from MoreToSeeMan

enaxor@forums.unfiction.com — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 21:27:35 +0000

This message was posted by one of the PM's MoreToSeeMan on the Steinitz Forum. http://forums.steinitzpuzzlers.com/index.php?showtopic=526&view=findpost&p=5573

Puzzlers!

Do not be discouraged!

You cannot find the third urn online until you find the final web site.

You have the clues you need to find the final web site.

"Keep searching!"

A Review of the Clues and Solves

mgs4real@forums.unfiction.com — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 16:54:10 +0000

First Urn

Clues used by Peter to find the first urn:

* LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE FLINT (Mohawks)
* FIND WHERE IT WAS PLAYED (Steinitz chess game was played in Hastings, England)

Peter knew that Steinitz named himself so because he was obsessed with Wilhelm Steinitz, the chessmaster. Throughout his house Steinitz had chessboards with the key move in the 1895 Steinitz-Bardeleben game.

* 1836 Claim ticket (year Hastings, Michigan was founded)

Hastings, Michigan has a Mohawk hiking trail which has several underground caves.

* SLITHER LIKE A HORSE (move like a knight in chess)

While crawling through the caves, Peter always took the paths that would follow the path of the knight. Whenever he had the option to take a right angle turn, he took it.

* IT'S THE FINALE THAT COUNTS (Rxh7+)

Peter used the finale move in the Steinitz-Bardeleben game to open the lockbox that had the urn in it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second Urn

Clues Peter, Michael and Natalie used to find the second urn:

* LA DNA OK = OAKLAND (from the jar in the kitchen)
* NEBRASKA (pictured on the first urn)
* LOST TERROR BLANKS ALL = TROLL STROLL NEBRASKA (confirmer for NE?)

This led them to Oakland, Nebraska where they found First Street...

* ILUVW VWUHHW = FIRST STREET

they dug there and found the purse, PI coin and the following clue

* YOU'RE NEAR THE END BUT IT'S NOT HERE, HEAD FOR TWO RIVERS WITH YOUR SCUBA GEAR (from here they somehow figured out which two rivers to go to - the Iowa and Little Sioux Rivers)

* PI coin (the combination for the lockbox was 31416)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leftover Clues

* OHPS LUNSHUK! OHPS LUNSHUK! = HAIL ENGLAND! HAIL ENGLAND! - Lyrics of Inno delle nazioni (Hymn of the Nations) by Giuseppe Verdi, an Italian Opera composer

* HEIGH-HO! I'M THE GREATER SPACE CADET = THE GAME REACHED OPERATIC HEIGHTS ( in reference to the Opera Game in chess? I think this was played while listening to the Barber of Seville)

* HIDEOUS NERD THREATENS HOT (unsolved, see thread )

* BUY MARLENE A BIRTHDAY GIFT (her birthday is 11/22/1920, the contest officially starts on 11/22)

* KHEPERI (an egyption god of the rising sun, found on the menu)

* THE ROUTE LEADS THERE (found on the bookmark)

* UNTO 12 THIN MANATEE NETS = NAME THAT TUNE IN 12 NOTES (hint given by Marlene)

* Mary Queen of Scots is on the first urn

* The Letter Grid

* The Batahla de Guararapes invitation

* Sound files from Mike's blog

* 8 new hints ...

(S) Toward many passions was Dag inclined, but two were foremost on his mind

(T) With people, one finds value in faces, But the same cannot be said of places

(R) The puzzler's task transcends perspective

(A) How is a clue like a paper plate

(T) Two are but a guide For how to steer your ride

(E) Ceci n'est pas un hareng rouge

(G) Even the most unsightly, menacing loser can reconstruct
himself in a respectable way

(Y) Nessuno canta nello spazio

Let me know if I missed anything :)

A Push from MoreToSeeMan

rose@forums.unfiction.com — Wed, 01 Dec 2004 20:54:42 +0000

In response to this comment...

This puzzle is so above me to begin with but it's frustrating that we aren't getting any new info to help out. Everything is being so over analyzed at this point, it's hard to tell which end is up anymore. It would be nice if Sharp would throw us a bone that would help everyone here clean up the thought processes going on. I'm not going to be the one to solve the puzzle, that's for sure. But I'd like to see the rest of you get a little direction. It would make my reading more interesting!

MoreToSeeMan said...

I won't thow you a bone, but maybe Norman will throw you a skull. :wink:

There is another website we've never seen you talk about. But then, you wouldn't... unless you were very close to the end.

I could solve this puzzle in six clues.

Marlene says she could do it in less.

We both agree you need #25.

I'm guessing it is safe to assume that #25 is in reference to the number 25 clue in the clue list on the Steinitz Forums?

25) BETWEEN ATHENS AND CAIRO O(KT)ITAREXHEWT (Letters Square Solve- Morphy Chess Game)

Registration is Live

Wrestler160@forums.unfiction.com — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 23:54:15 +0000

To register go to http://www.moretosee.com/index_flash.html click on the red banner which should take you to the registration page.

The clue

The music is key

*edited to correct the clue

[SOLVED?] Grid Pieces

Varin@forums.unfiction.com — Sun, 21 Nov 2004 21:14:03 +0000

The Grid Pieces...