Perplex City Wiki - User contributions [en]

Parcel Letter

2005-05-04T18:59:06Z

KSG: /* Puzzles */

A letter tucked into the [[Parcels]] delivered to people who solved the [[22.04.05 Update]] email.

==Content==

<pre>
THE PERPLEX CITY ACADEMY

Dear Friend, 28th April 2005

Thank you for your patience; our Cube retrieval project
has been a mammoth undertaking and we are grateful for
your loyalty and support. You were one of the first people
on Earth to answer my plea for help and, on behalf of the
citizens of Perplex City and our agents on Earth, Mind
Candy, I offer you our collective thanks.

For the last 15 months I have been planning a puzzle game
that, I hope, will lead you to the Receda Cube. Preparations
are not yet complete, but they are now sufficiently advanced
that I can give you this exclusive preview. Six prototype
puzzle cards are included in this parcel. You are one of the
first 333 people on Earth to see these cards; they will soon
be available from sources across your world. Hundreds of
different cards will be issued, creating a complex puzzle game.

It may strike some as perverse to create a game in such a
grave situation as this. For us in Perplex City and in the
Academy, the logic is clear. We have observed your culture
and witnessed how fast information can spread in the right
circumstances. We want as many people to be looking for the
Cube as possible; we want the news of our quest to spread
rapidly by word of mouth. A game, in your world and in ours,
gets people talking.

Through the cards, and the growing number of our websites we
will make accessible to you, you will have a window into our
world. You will learn about the people and places of Perplex
City and, most importantly, our way of thinking. We have
investigated the theft very thoroughly and have been unable to
solve the mystery. We hope that you will be able to make links
and propose solutions that we might have overlooked. It is also
our firm belief that the greatest problems are solved by new
thinking, by lateral thinking; the kind of thinking that is
engendered by a game or puzzle. Puzzles are a central part of
our culture and society. We hope that this game will be a trigger
for the people of Earth to enjoy and respect them as much as we do.
Intelligence and puzzle-solving skills are to be applauded, not
hidden away.

As a further incentive and to encourage the largest possible number
of participants, our agents on Earth, Mind Candy, are able
to offer a reward of PCL2,000,000 which is approximately
equivalent to Â£100,000, $200,000, 150,000 or ~20,000,000 to the
person who finds the Cube. Mind Candy will also be arranging the
distribution and marketing of these cards across your world. They will
be selling the cards for PCL5O, Â£2.50 or $5.00 for each pack of six.
There is yet more I have planned, but this must all wait for now.

My friend, the Cube is an irreplaceable part of our history; it
vital for us to retrieve it, and for this we need your help. This is
only the beginning of the journey we will make together. May we find
success waiting for us at the end.

Sente Kiteway

Perplex City Academy, One Taversen Square, The Old Town, Perplex City
</pre>

==Puzzles==

The letter contained withing the parcel contained at the bottom a small clue.

At the very bottom was a number followed by an equals sign and then a letter or a number.

The codes at the bottom of the letter seem to be unique. Though until all 333 are known we are unable to confirm what it says.

So far the codes and their owners that are known are:

<pre>
BigBadDaryman: 1=I
dtrains: 7=W
Stormalong: 9=I
bagsbee: 10=M
rowlock: 11=E
Russell_k: 12=T
boac: 15=E
cassandra: 18=A
SilentAvenger: 22=E
Sep7imus: 23=L
strifey: 26=A
cortana: 27=T
kidzdoc: 29=O
BC: 30=N
firefox: 31=O
yanka: 32=F
spaceXplorer: 35=E
chippy: 40=T
vibration13: 41=9
Rob_Riv: 48=T
Reason: 55=L
[Unknown]: 57=T
lotusflower: 62=E
step: 78=H
Listacorta: 88=A
Lysithea: 90=S
Sparkles: 91=T
zaeil: 92=O
Mason: 95=S
StevenapeX: 99=L
Muffin: 100=O
mafalda_quino: 102=A
number9dream: 109=O
brat-sampson: 114=U
ellipses: 118=R
theMoo: 123=A
Porka25: 126=O
Scott1234: 128=N
hakab2060: 129=G
Ebay Auction: 130=E
thrush: 132=E
DogsHead: 135=S
z0z0: 136=T
uptownishnyc: 139=E
Hamoir: 144=D
hikey: 145=O
Xara: 147=J
Buceph: 150=E
Belga: 151=M
sober: 152=Y
RobPal: 170=S
Flidget_Jerome: 176=G
chrome_halo: 177=A
Nerfball: 178=M
Kastanok: 179=E
<blank>: 185=R
KillSwitch: 187=E
Enigmaster: 188=L
D4N: 189=E
Davermouse: 193=R
impossibledave: 194=K
gjindancer: 195=E
Xanatos: 198=Y
MagicGingerHippy: 199=C
redpanda: 202=E
LouMac: 203=T
Catherwood-offline: 204=T
Mozzie: 205=E
filmguy1013: 208=E
seannyob: 209=S
Duluoz: 215=O
CreativeEmbassy 219=Ã‰
^BonoVox^: 220=P
madam o'brien: 222=R
l.cpl. boudreaux: 229=E
cskane4life: 230=T
Spankit: 232=U
KSG: 233=R
WaCKo1138: 236=A
cjr22: 242=N
Der_loki: 251=R
Snowball: 252=G
karlosuk: 255=S
Falken: 256=T
Catfurnace: 259=K
[Unknown]: 262=L
Riffy: 263=M
earlgray: 266=D
Solaris: 269=T
fimacmo: 272=K
dopefiend: 273=K
JebJoya: 275=B
Lazarus: 283=D
maxim: 287=P
Salkunh: 289=N
James Lyon: 294=N
tanner: 296=U
Openfly: 300=S
Swanneh: 304=C
sequoya: 307=V
AdamF: 310=T
arieh: 312=Y
jerryt: 316=Y
sonofajoiner: 317=O
InspJJ: 321=A
bocahedron: 326=E
othuum: 328=E
MrShifty: 329=W
Wishi-san: 332=R

</pre>

Current text for this is as follows. Line breaks are every 40 characters.

To generate this text automatically from the list above, see
[http://www.jermy.net/perplexcity/parcel_letter.py parcel_letter.py]

<pre>
I_____W_IMET__E__A___EL__AT_ONOF__E____T
9______T______L_T____E_______________H__
_______A_STO__S___LO_A______O____U___R__
__A__O_NGE_E__ST__E____DO_J__EMY________
_________S_____GAME_____R_ELE___RKE__YC_
_ETTE__ES_____O____P_R______ET_UR__A____
_N________RG__ST__K__LM__D__T__KK_B_____
__D___P_N____N_U___S___C__V__T_Y___YO___
A____E_EW__R_
</pre>

There is also some basic analysis of the known letter weightings at [http://www.jermy.net/perplexcity/parcel_letter_analysis.py parcel_letter_analysis.py]

If you want to try to search for a word or phrase in the known text try [http://www.apejet.org/sites/args/find_it.php find_it.php] - Nogwater.

==Images==

{|
|[[Image:280405_letter.jpg|thumb|Parcel Letter]]
|}

Parcel Letter

2005-05-04T18:56:24Z

KSG: /* Puzzles */

A letter tucked into the [[Parcels]] delivered to people who solved the [[22.04.05 Update]] email.

==Content==

<pre>
THE PERPLEX CITY ACADEMY

Dear Friend, 28th April 2005

Thank you for your patience; our Cube retrieval project
has been a mammoth undertaking and we are grateful for
your loyalty and support. You were one of the first people
on Earth to answer my plea for help and, on behalf of the
citizens of Perplex City and our agents on Earth, Mind
Candy, I offer you our collective thanks.

For the last 15 months I have been planning a puzzle game
that, I hope, will lead you to the Receda Cube. Preparations
are not yet complete, but they are now sufficiently advanced
that I can give you this exclusive preview. Six prototype
puzzle cards are included in this parcel. You are one of the
first 333 people on Earth to see these cards; they will soon
be available from sources across your world. Hundreds of
different cards will be issued, creating a complex puzzle game.

It may strike some as perverse to create a game in such a
grave situation as this. For us in Perplex City and in the
Academy, the logic is clear. We have observed your culture
and witnessed how fast information can spread in the right
circumstances. We want as many people to be looking for the
Cube as possible; we want the news of our quest to spread
rapidly by word of mouth. A game, in your world and in ours,
gets people talking.

Through the cards, and the growing number of our websites we
will make accessible to you, you will have a window into our
world. You will learn about the people and places of Perplex
City and, most importantly, our way of thinking. We have
investigated the theft very thoroughly and have been unable to
solve the mystery. We hope that you will be able to make links
and propose solutions that we might have overlooked. It is also
our firm belief that the greatest problems are solved by new
thinking, by lateral thinking; the kind of thinking that is
engendered by a game or puzzle. Puzzles are a central part of
our culture and society. We hope that this game will be a trigger
for the people of Earth to enjoy and respect them as much as we do.
Intelligence and puzzle-solving skills are to be applauded, not
hidden away.

As a further incentive and to encourage the largest possible number
of participants, our agents on Earth, Mind Candy, are able
to offer a reward of PCL2,000,000 which is approximately
equivalent to Â£100,000, $200,000, 150,000 or ~20,000,000 to the
person who finds the Cube. Mind Candy will also be arranging the
distribution and marketing of these cards across your world. They will
be selling the cards for PCL5O, Â£2.50 or $5.00 for each pack of six.
There is yet more I have planned, but this must all wait for now.

My friend, the Cube is an irreplaceable part of our history; it
vital for us to retrieve it, and for this we need your help. This is
only the beginning of the journey we will make together. May we find
success waiting for us at the end.

Sente Kiteway

Perplex City Academy, One Taversen Square, The Old Town, Perplex City
</pre>

==Puzzles==

The letter contained withing the parcel contained at the bottom a small clue.

At the very bottom was a number followed by an equals sign and then a letter or a number.

The codes at the bottom of the letter seem to be unique. Though until all 333 are known we are unable to confirm what it says.

So far the codes and their owners that are known are:

<pre>
BigBadDaryman: 1=I
dtrains: 7=W
Stormalong: 9=I
bagsbee: 10=M
rowlock: 11=E
Russell_k: 12=T
boac: 15=E
cassandra: 18=A
SilentAvenger: 22=E
Sep7imus: 23=L
strifey: 26=A
cortana: 27=T
kidzdoc: 29=O
BC: 30=N
firefox: 31=O
yanka: 32=F
spaceXplorer: 35=E
chippy: 40=T
vibration13: 41=9
Rob_Riv: 48=T
Reason: 55=L
[Unknown]: 57=T
lotusflower: 62=E
step: 78=H
Listacorta: 88=A
Lysithea: 90=S
Sparkles: 91=T
zaeil: 92=O
Mason: 95=S
StevenapeX: 99=L
Muffin: 100=O
mafalda_quino: 102=A
number9dream: 109=O
brat-sampson: 114=U
ellipses: 118=R
theMoo: 123=A
Porka25: 126=O
Scott1234: 128=N
hakab2060: 129=G
Ebay Auction: 130=E
thrush: 132=E
DogsHead: 135=S
z0z0: 136=T
uptownishnyc: 139=E
Hamoir: 144=D
hikey: 145=O
Xara: 147=J
Buceph: 150=E
Belga: 151=M
sober: 152=Y
RobPal: 170=S
Flidget_Jerome: 176=G
chrome_halo: 177=A
Nerfball: 178=M
Kastanok: 179=E
<blank>: 185=R
KillSwitch: 187=E
Enigmaster: 188=L
D4N: 189=E
Davermouse: 193=R
impossibledave: 194=K
gjindancer: 195=E
Xanatos: 198=Y
MagicGingerHippy: 199=C
redpanda: 202=E
LouMac: 203=T
Catherwood-offline: 204=T
Mozzie: 205=E
filmguy1013: 208=E
seannyob: 209=S
Duluoz: 215=O
CreativeEmbassy 219=Ã‰
^BonoVox^: 220=P
madam o'brien: 222=R
l.cpl. boudreaux: 229=E
cskane4life: 230=T
Spankit: 232=U
KSG: 233=R
WaCKo1138: 236=A
cjr22: 242=N
Der_loki: 251=R
Snowball: 252=G
karlosuk: 255=S
Falken: 256=T
Catfurnace: 259=K
[Unknown]: 262=L
Riffy: 263=M
earlgray: 266=D
Solaris: 269=T
fimacmo: 272=K
dopefiend: 273=K
JebJoya: 275=B
Lazarus: 283=D
maxim: 287=P
Salkunh: 289=N
James Lyon: 294=N
tanner: 296=U
Openfly: 300=S
Swanneh: 304=C
sequoya: 307=V
AdamF: 310=T
arieh: 312=Y
jerryt: 316=Y
sonofajoiner: 317=O
InspJJ: 321=A
bocahedron: 326=E
othuum: 328=E
MrShifty: 329=W
Wishi-san: 332=R

</pre>

Current text for this is as follows. Line breaks are every 40 characters.

To generate this text automatically from the list above, see
[http://www.jermy.net/perplexcity/parcel_letter.py parcel_letter.py]

<pre>
I_____W_IMET__E__A___EL__AT_ONOF__E____T
9______T______L_T____E_______________H__
_______A_STO__S___LO_A______O____U___R__
__A__O_NGE_E__ST__E____DO_J__EMY________
_________S_____GAME_____R_ELE___RKE__YC_
_ETTE__ES_____O___Ã‰P_R______ET_UR__A____
_N________RG__ST__K__LM__D__T__KK_B_____
__D___P_N____N_U___S___C__V__T_Y___YO___
A____E_EW__R_
</pre>

There is also some basic analysis of the known letter weightings at [http://www.jermy.net/perplexcity/parcel_letter_analysis.py parcel_letter_analysis.py]

If you want to try to search for a word or phrase in the known text try [http://www.apejet.org/sites/args/find_it.php find_it.php] - Nogwater.

==Images==

{|
|[[Image:280405_letter.jpg|thumb|Parcel Letter]]
|}

Perplex City Video

2005-02-17T10:47:55Z

KSG: /* Content */

==Theories==

* The audio overdub maybe results of the social study by [[Sarah Covington]] mentioned in [http://wiki.incognitus.net/mirror/ppc/www.perplexcity.com/10.10.04/tmp/httpd/errorlog/5957496696.cache Errorlog 5957496696.cache]. The title "Subject: Civilisation and Late Stage Urbanisation, A Phase 2 Consumer Transition" sounds like it would fit this overdub.

* The video was shot in Shinjuku, a Tokyo entertainment district. The pictures in the images section are proof of that theory: (the right parts are from the video), [[:image:compare.png|Comparison 1]] and [[:image:shinjuku-video.jpg|Comparison 2]]

==Content==

* Video available [http://wiki.incognitus.net/files/ppc/video.mov here]
* Flashes of Dates and names of US Papers:

<pre>
1) 17th February : USA Today
2) 22nd February : New York Sun
3) 23rd February : The Times, London
4) BLANK
5) BLANK
6) 8th March : LA Times
7) BLANK
8) BLANK
9) BLANK
10) BLANK
11) 21st March : The Guardian
</pre>

* Voice over to the rolling video, transcribes as:

<i>"There is a theme that has risen again and again in our studyings (studies?) across all relevant disciplines. The similarities between our peoples are truly profound and consequentially serve to make the differences all the more shocking. It is as though our modern day societies took our collective cultural experiences, all of our shared histories and learned from it completely different lessons.
One could expect then A feeling of alienation upon(?) the subjects of our studying. This is not so. Our researches have instead, come to identify very strongly with their counterparts on the other side of the curve(? current? curtain? not sure). The rhythm we seem to occupy seems to be a long period of comfortable familiarity, with a counterpoint of sudden(?), and often shock, culture shock..."</i>

* Entries for the news papers so a advert pointing to PerplexCity.com. 17/02/05 USA Today Advert was: <i>LOST. The Cube. Reward Offered. not only an object of great significance to the city but also a technological wonder www.perplexcity.com</i>

==Puzzles==

* What is the audio voice over explaining?
* Is there anything hidden in the video? Why is it in Japan?
* Why give dates of newspapers?
* Why the intentional blanks?

==Images==

{|
|[[Image:Vid-lost-cube.jpg|thumb|Lost Cube]]
|}

{|
| [[image:compare.png|thumb|Video Comparison 1]]
| [[image:shinjuku-video.jpg|thumb|Video Comparison 2]]
|}