Escape Mail season 1: episode 10 hINTS

Hint 1↓

This episode is the biggest one yet, and a flow card would be a good bet. But since Hard players don't have one of those, see how the front page, left column flows?

Hint 2↓

The arrows on the left (front page), tell you where the answers lay. Skip anything extraneous, and search the rest in order you must!

Want the flow card?↓

If you ordered Hard but think you’d like to access the Flow card, click here.

Detailed Process Outline↓

There are a number of places to start solving this episode. While none of them are “incorrect” it is helpful to notice the big empty crossword puzzle on page 7. In the description beside the crossowrd you'll notice that is says that solving this is step one. If you follow the flow of the articles on the front cover under "Issue at a Glance" you’ll notice the crossword is not in the flow. That is because most articles contribute to the crossword. By focusing on each article, you’ll find keywords and begin to fill in the crossword puzzle. Only once the crossword is completely filled in will Steps 2-4 be possible and the hidden phrases be accessible. Tip: If you don’t understand a puzzle, skip it and move on, there’s a good chance the rest of the words will help you get what you need.

Hint 1↓

Based on the last article, you’re looking for across and down. The font of these advertisements is where directions can be found.

Hint 2↓

Match the words in the ads to the font at the top. See the number contained within the ad to know where the answers drop.

Solution↓

The section title “ADVERTISEMENTS” has two letters in a unique type face: “A” and “D”. You’ll also notice those fonts showing up in the ads on certain words. The “A” stands for “Across” and the “D” for down. Then, notice there is a number in each ad. This will tell you where in the crossword the word belongs:
PINS = 57 across
AOL = 61 down
TVS = 30 down
RCA = 6 down
PSA = 63 down
ASP = 38 across
Honourable mention to you if you noticed Papyrus and Comic Sans ;)

Hint 1 ↓

When in doubt, notice the bold. It gives a hint for secrets untold.

Hint 2 ↓

Inside a bog, a body uncovered. Look for a word inside another.

Solution↓

Notice the following phrases and the words contained within them: “Archaethirtyfiveologists froacrossm Ratzelhottubsstadt” says thirtyfive across hottubs
“bofiveg boacrossdy igrasps” says five across grasp
“radiothirtytwocarbon datacrossed tpierceso” says thirtytwo across pierces
“fistwentyeighthed idownn threuppede” says twentyeight down reupped.

Hint 1↓

Caesar’s bust is a must.

Hint 2↓

Notice the sponsors on Page 8? Aha! A key, necessary to translate.

Hint 3↓

A cypher needs a key, use the minus three!

Solution↓

Notice how the Sponsor Julius Translations (page 8) depicts an image of Caesar’s bust and words “cypher -3”? Some puzzlers know what this means immediately (Caesar cypher), while others figure it out by the “sponsorship” of the classifieds (Julius) and logical deduction. Find the scrambled word/acronym in each ad. Each letter in the jumbled words, if translated -3 in the alphabet, equals a new word or acronym (subtract three to each letter such that D=A):

• Pandemic Helper: Looking to drop 24 (24 down) SSH (PPE) items off to someone who needs them
• Sitter for YHH (Vee) wanted two (2) days/week (Since Vee is 2 we know it can only go down)
• Hiring a key HAHF (Exec) must be 73 years or younger (there’s only one direction in the crossword for 73)
• Selling a ’67 lowered beauty hot rod complete with accessories and HWF (Etc) (there’s only one direction in the crossword, plus “lowered” could imply a downward direction)
• Wanted: 29 posterd of VLD (Sia) (Since Sia is 29, we know it can only go down.)
• ABC company we are diversifing: hiring 45 GHHV (Dees) (We know 45 can only go down, and we know some of your copies have a spelling mistake here...)

Hint 1↓

The intro to this section seems a little redundant, no? “Mergers”, “two together” and “combinations” are below.

Hint 2↓

There’s something funny about each couple, their names are slightly odd. I wonder what would happen if the letters were jigsawed?

Hint 3↓

These wedding may or may not be a scam, Either way, you're going to need to anagram!

Solution↓

Each couple’s name is an anagram and the placement of the new word within the crossword is indicated in the description of each couple:
DIETARY = 54 across
ALIASES = 44 down
NOTEPAD = 42 across
PROVERB = 9 down
ENTOMBS = 53 across
EROSIVE = 33 across
ESTATES = 27 down
SEIZES = 10 down
SEALER = 4 down (“sealer” can also be anagrammed a few ways, so solving 1, 14, 17, 24, and 32 across is helpful to double check this).

Hint 1↓

The article here gives a clue of what you will need to find. “Pieces of each work are missing” is the critical line.

Hint 2↓

Follow the link in the article to the website gallery. Compare the images there with the ones in your hand, and see!

A Helper/Spoiler↓

See this image for the missing items.

Solution↓

In each image, there is something missing. Combine that with the info in the description to find out where the word is placed:
LEG = 26 down (if you’re concerned that you just made the word ERG don’t worry, stick with it)! ART = 41 down
NOISE = 69 across MOAT = 70 across
ASH = 56 (a)cross
SUN = 40 down
GALILEO = 5 down
NOAH = 68 across
ELK = 3 down

Hint 1↓

The logic here is really the toughest part. Writing down all known information is a good start.

Hint 2↓

There’s not much to say here except to tease out the facts. Write out two columns to see who defends and who attacks. Write places for the lines, 2 of 3 and 2 of 2, then write out all the numbers and the names of who is who. Start to place the players in the places they should go, and when you figure out one thing, it tells you another thing you should know!

Solution↓

We learn that there is a forward line of Edie, Eleanor and Elsas. We also learn Elsas has the highest jersey number (72). Then next important fact is that, in order from lowest to highest, Yves is 1, Edie is 16, Deka is 17 and Itos is 23. If Moesha and Eleanor add up to 101, they can only have the numbers 50 and 51 and since we know Moesha is even then Moesha is 50 and Eleanor is 51. Since Nims and Osborne are 1 apart, the only pair of numbers left to choose from is 42 and 43 and since Nims is even, then Nims is 42 and Osborne is 43. That leaves us with Mae 66. And we know the direction of each player (A=attack=across and D=defense=down) because we learned the two forward lines are the “E” line and the “EVA” line leaving Moesha, Nims, Itos and Osborne on D. And of course in the photo, there’s the one caveat that Mae refuses to play Attack and so can be found on D. So, in summary, Edie 16 across, Eleanor 51 across, Elsas 72 across, Deka 17 across, Yves 1 across, Mae 66 down, Moesha 50 down, Nims 42 down, Osborne 43 down, Itos 23 down.

Bonus Word 1↓

The beginning of the article says this is the WNBA 71 A division meaning that WNBA is 71 across.

Bonus Word 2↓

There’s also a little bonus in the photo caption: SOG is 8 down

Hint 1↓

A chart’s not that helpful when the columns are out of line, but if you connect dots with your own lines then you’ll be fine.

Hint 2↓

What is the main ingredient in pewter, you ask? You may have to search the web for this particular task. Solution

Solution↓

The hint card in your envelope says you may need to use Google in this episode. Search for the various elements seen in each of the owl-miner conflicts and connect the dots from the Ore type to the corresponding species. Drawing a straight line between the two, it will intersect with the neccessary "region" and "Designation".

See solved image here.

1. EDT = 11D
2. ERG = 34A
3. ASA = 37A
4. TSE = 36D
5. PNW = 57D
6. ESO = 55A
7. FEM = 13D
8. YTD = 1D
9. NOX = 65D
10. ATR = 7D

Hint 1↓

A few words and numbers, don’t seem to mean much. But the way they were written just has the right touch.

Hint 2↓

The orientation of the numbers is a strange design. It can’t be coincidence, it must be a sign.

Solution↓

The numbers 39 and 21 are written vertically, and 19 is written horizontally. If you correlate the numbers as they appear with the words, you can infer the following:
USE = 39 down
EACH = 21 down
ITEM = 19 across.

Spoilers Below↓

There are several words hidden in 1-off locations all around the paper. You may or may not have needed to find them based on what you could deduce from other words:

1. On the front cover at the top you read “A 46” with an arrow pointing right which is met by an arrow point left under the word “OFF”. Therefore Off is 46 across and likewise “Air” is 25 down.
2. At this point you may have completed the words “Sia” and “Vee” which showed up previously in the classified section.
3. There’s also 52D “At Home” hidden in the fourth panel of the comic strip and "22A:VIZ" in the building sign on panel 8.
4. If you did not read the hint for the Sports: Lineup section, you may or may not have missed two additional puzzles contained in that section: The beginning of the article says this is the WNBA 71 A division meaning that WNBA is 71 across; There’s also a little bonus in the photo caption: SOG is 8 down.

Crossword Answers Only↓

The crossword on page 7 contains several standard crossword clues, which are, in order, Self, Tele, Largo, Retests, Surmise, Rasps, On Me, Sea. (You may notice the Worldwide Words section on page 2, helped you with one of the crossword clues: Largo).

Complete Crossword Solution↓

Completely solving the crossword puzzle will allow you to advance to Steps 2, 3 and 4. In order to solve the crossword puzzle, see the hints above.

To see an image of the complete crossword, click here.

Hint 1↓

Hidden throughout this episode are, a few “steps” to be followed or you won’t get far! The second “step” is listed on Nac’s coupon for you. Spelling “Nac’s” backwards helps you know what to do.

Hint 2↓

Also, notice one of the articles that didn’t have a crossword clue? Augmented Reality has some tips (one or two).

Hint 3↓

Once you’ve folded the QR “coupon” code, scan the square twice and view the experience that showed. You’ll see an image that looks real but is of course not. Use the numbers depicted, note the arrows, 14 is a lot!

Hint 4↓

Be sure that you have first completed the crossword, and ensure you’ve got the 14 words on the camera that occured. Notice Nac’s likes things alphabetized. This is crucial, now you’ve been advised. And a final tip, for the sake of ease, put a number beside each word, 1 through 14 please.

Want an assembled QR code?↓

If for any reason you're having trouble folding the QR code and getting it to scan, here is a completed QR code, you can either print off or scan from a second device.

Still Having Difficulties?↓

If for whatever reason you are unable to access the A/R experience, see these screenshots of what it looks like here. You now have the nesessary information to solve and may not need to look at the Solution.

Solution↓

If you fold Nac's coupon and scan the QR code with a Qr scanner it loads an augmented reality camera. Now, view the same QR code with the AR camera and see the vintage camera with numbers and arrows on it. There are 14 numbers depicted on the Augmented Reality camera along with arrows indicating which word you need specifically from the crossword. The words are as follows:
1 down = YTD
5 down = GALILEO
6 down = RCA
16 across = EDIE
21 down = EACH
29 down = SIA
33 across = EROSIVE
34 across = ERG
40 down = SUN
47 down = FOR
55 across = ESO
60 across = RASPS
62 down = SIS
72 across = ELSAS

Noting the “alpha” on the front of the camera or the clue on Nac’s coupon to alphabetize, and the text under the QR code telling you to "Number what you find one to fourteen" - your new order of words is:

1 EACH
2 EDIE
3 ELSAS
4 ERG
5 EROSIVE
6 ESO
7 FOR
8 GALILEO
9 RASPS
10 RCA
11 SIA
12 SIS
13 SUN
14 YTD

Hint 1↓

Family trees and secrecy. Bolded letters are revelatory.

Hint 2↓

All 14 numbers, on the family tree trace. Then move the tracing paper to another place.

Hint 3↓

There is a strange looking sudoku that’s not meant to be solved, and upon closer inspection, “The Rearrangement” is what it’s called.

Hint 4↓

With floating numbers on the tracing paper, each one represents a word. Now move it to the sudoku and see the order reconfigured.

Solution↓

The bottom ancestry advertorial has bolded letters indicating this is "Step 3". The column says to “trace your ancestry” and “trace the degrees” or “number”. If you do that, and noting the alignment of the 4 corners, you will have drawn the exact size of the sudoku square with numbers that conveniently align directly to the left of the sudoku numbers when overlaid on the sudoku. Now you see:

1 becomes 10
2 stays 2
3 becomes 9
4 stays 4
5 becomes 12
6 becomes 5
7 becomes 11
8 stays 8
9 becomes 14
10 becomes 3
11 becomes 7
12 becomes 13
13 becomes 6
14 becomes 1

This means that the new order of the words that you want is: EACH (previously 1 is now 10), EDIE (previously 2 is still 2), ELSAS (now 9), ERG (still 4), Erosive (now 12), ESO (now 5), FOR (11), GALILEO (8), RASPS (14), RCA (3), SIA (7), SIS (13), SUN (6), YTD (1).

In order:
1 YTD
2 EDIE
3 RCA
4 ERG
5 ESO
6 SUN
7 SIA
8 GALILEO
9 ELSAS
10 EACH
11 FOR
12 EROSIVE
13 SIS
14 RASPS

See an image of the overlay here.

Hint 1↓

There’s a letter that you read at the start of this thing, did you know the innocuous PS marked the ending?

Hint 2↓

From all fourteen words you’ll need the third letter, if you’ve made it this far you couldn’t have done it better!

Last check↓

*Note before looking at the solution below, ensure you have the 14 words in the correct order as per the solution listed in Step 3.

Solution↓

The third letter from each of the 14 words in the order discovered from Step 3 is “DIAGONALS CROSS”.
YTD
EDIE
RCA
ERG
ESO
SUN
SIA
GALILEO
ELSAS
EACH
FOR
EROSIVE
SIS
RASPS
This refers you to the crossword puzzle where, if you read from the bottom right corner upwards and from the top right corner downwards you get: FITZTRUSTSMENOW and CANHELPSTEALKEY. Enter these into the portal in any order and watch Svetlana’s calling card video explaining how she has been fooling JJ this whole time.

To see an image of all the word translations together click here.

To see an image of the solved crossword with the answer highlighted click here.