Puzzles

Bombs Away You arrive ten minutes before the deadline mentioned in the note sent to headquarters. The device looks small, but the transponder on its side suggests a network—possibly more bombs hidden inside the nearby opera house. Your phone buzzes. A text appears. Then another. They claim to hold encrypted instructions to defuse the bomb. A trap? A test? How did they get your number? You don’t have time to decide. You start decoding. Think you have the answer? First Procedure: Second Procedure: Third Procedure: Submit × About this puzzle mechanic: This puzzle utilizes three classic puzzle mechanics in its...

Excalibur You scroll through the photos your friend sent — the pendant, the weathered monolith, the carvings. King Arthur? Excalibur? Seriously? Your friend’s fascination with the legend was charming as a kid, but you never thought it would drive her PhD — or lead to real discoveries. The pendant could easily be a collector’s trinket, but the monolith… that’s harder to dismiss. Hidden deep in a forgotten forest, its etchings have been verified as centuries old. She insists the inscription on the pendant encodes the resting place of the legendary sword. You’re skeptical — but cryptography is your area of...

Gargoyle Gardens A master landscape architect strolls confidently into your chambers and provides an overly lavish, flourishing bow. How wonderful, another palace garden proposal from another pompous showman. It’s only then that you notice the small boy shuffling after, hidden behind the opulent robes, eyes glued to the ground. The master extolls his virtues, talents and awards, while the boy stays perfectly quiet. The designs are handed over, and the pair exit. At the door, however, the boy gives a surprisingly steely and intentional gaze to the plans that were just submitted. You ponder… is something going on here? Or...

Train Treason You arrive at the station just as the train suspected of carrying the KGB agent pulls in. Scores of men and women pour off and begin to make their way to the exit. Your espionage instincts are unfortunately not identifying any standout candidates as the operative. Whatever was supposed to be handed off is of grave import to the Moscow Kremlin. Your only hope is to decode the note found on the now captured American mole - quickly! Think you have the answer? Submit × About this puzzle mechanic: This puzzle uses wordplay, a classic puzzle mechanic that...

The Guardians The pair of knights stand before you in pristine armor, Sir Lawrence in silver, and Sir Phillip in Green. They stand silently, but each holds a scroll with elegant script. You’ve heard of this test from lore… each scroll holds either only truth, or only lies. They could both be holding truths, both be lying, or there could be one of each. You must determine each of the knights’ types - truth or liar - and then decipher the hidden passcode. Only then will you be allowed to complete your quest. Think you have the answer? Submit ×...

Bird Brain “My CROWS!!” Your colleague Norman comes running through your office, panic in his eyes. “Upright or bent over… facing left or right… four groups… THEY’RE SPEAKING TO ME!!”. Good Lord, when you took this job at the University, you had no idea how eccentric its faculty would be. Norman flies out of the room, but a photo has fallen from his disheveled briefcase. Well, your concentration is already broken, why not take a look? Think you have the answer? Submit × About this puzzle mechanic: This puzzle highlights grouping and pattern recognition, a foundational principle in puzzle design....