Thursday, May 26, 2011

Off-Day Puzzle #3: PCS Season 4 Bags A Sponsor

Running SoSG is a pretty lucrative gig, and since we've been at it for well over four years now, incremental opportunities for sponsors are pretty limited. Imagine my glee, then, to have been approached by the footwear and apparel brand And1, who has agreed to sponsor this puzzle, PCS Season 4 Puzzle 3, for a princely fee (as if we could afford any richer of a lifestyle, right?)!

We're excited to have And1 on board as a sponsor--and think that they will fit perfectly with this puzzle.

Plus, as an added bonus, those who have submitted correct answers will be entered into a contest for a 2011 Dodgers magnet schedule, shipped at our expense (to any US address), so you can mark off the mounting Dodgers losses on your own refrigerator!

And away we go:

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

Puzzle Rules: The solution to the puzzle is a Dodger player.

Comment freely in the thread, but if you have the solution, please don't give it away to everyone in the comments section. Instead, do the following:

  • Email us the solution (first and last name), along with your reasoning. Submitted answers without the reasoning, or those submitted with the incorrect reasoning, will count for participation only, even if the answer itself is correct;
  • Please include your screen name somewhere in the email; and,
  • Post a comment simply saying you have emailed your solution attempt. We may not be able to reply to your original email promptly, so please be patient and check back on the comment thread for the latest news; we may confirm correct answers there.

You have until midnight PT tonight--and possibly midnight PT on Friday May 27 (pending appeal to the PCS Gods) to submit your answer. Answer will be posted a 7a on May 29. Depending on how generous I feel (and how busy today gets at work), we may post hints during the day. Good luck!

Not familiar with SoSG's off-day puzzle competition? Read up here. And join the mayhem!

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

HINT #1 (10:43a): The second picture in collage #3 is WHACKERS (admittedly, this was one of the more difficult ones to ID, the others should be easier).

HINT #2 (1:20p): The fourth picture in collage #2 is PATIOS.

HINT #3 (1:45p): Okay, I'm realizing how people need a bit of boost on the words, the crux of the puzzle. Here are the word lengths:

  • Collage #1: 5, 7, 6, 7, 5, 4, 5
  • Collage #2: 6, 5, 8, 6, 7, 7
  • Collage #3: 5, 8, 6, 5, 7, 6, 7, 5

You do NOT need to identify all the words to be able to solve the puzzle.

HINT #4 (4:59p): Those of you who are staring at your word lists should probably stare at Collage #3. There are a lot of Dodgers swimming around the lists, but no current Dodger in Collages #1, and only one current Dodger in Collage #2.

HINT #5 (6:45p): Current Dodgers (2011 players) in Collage #3 are represented by pictures 2, 3, 6, and 7. The current Dodger in Collage #2 is represented in picture 5. And the player represented by picture 2--whose word you already know from an earlier hint--is one of the six 2011 bobbleheads.

HINT #6 (10:10p): Wow, I had no idea this one was going to be this difficult. Complicating the effort is the fact that I screwed up hints #4 and #5 (now edited). I'm an idiot.

Tell you what, I'm going to delay publishing the answer for a day, and if the PCS gods are okay with me extending the deadline by 24 hours (to midnight Friday 5/28), I will keep this thread open. If the PCS gods are okay with the extension, answers after the original 5/26 midnight deadline will also count; if not, we'll just adjust to take the correct answers before the original deadline. Ruling pending.

Most of you have gotten word lists but are stuck from there, so here is one more push:

Every word identified represents a specific Dodger. In alphabetical order by last name (which does NOT match the order of the pictures on the three collages), those players' initials are: WA, BA, BB, HSC, JC, AC, OD, KG, SG, CK, DL, AM, RM, HN, WO, AP, TS, JS, SS, DS, MT. And there are five current Dodgers in that list.

My apologies for screwing this whole ball of wax up. Good luck--hopefully you have another 26 hours to solve. --Sax

66 comments:

Greg Finley said...

Nothing says baseball blog like a sponsorship from a basketball shoe!

ubragg said...

totally stumped so far, absolutely no traction in 45 minutes.

Kyle Baker said...

(cries)

ubragg said...

ooh, figured something out... making progress now...

Steve Sax said...

shoot me an email if you're having trouble IDing any of the images...

ubragg said...

data sent with request for image verfication/help

Josh S. said...

"MIRANDA"

*starts beating the shit out of everyone in the place*

Steve Sax said...

ubragg, emails sent. You are perilously close

Steve Sax said...

@Greg Finley 7:04p: Clearly, there's a point to this particular sponsorship...

ubragg said...

possible answer sent...

QuadSevens said...

Question sent.

Steve Sax said...

ubragg in with the first correct answer!

Josh S. said...

STOOPID SAX MAKE ME STARE AT BIKINI MODEL AT WORK

Loney Fan said...

I think it's time for a hint.

Steve Sax said...

Hint #1 posted! Also, if you are having trouble identifying any of the pictures, send in what you've got and I'll try and check 'em.

Those of you who have sent guesses are usually on the right track...

QuadSevens said...

Second question sent.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

status/question sent.

Steve Sax said...

Q7: email reply sent.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

I'm missing a girdle sprocket... really starting to slow me down.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

hahaha... wrong game thread.

Steve K said...

I'm lost... sent in an email for any guidance on what I've done so far...

Jason said...

Oops, progress sent a while back.

MR.F said...

My brain is completely fried with work right now. Off-day puzzles should last through the weekend!

QuadSevens said...

Answer sent!

Loney Fan said...

Pass

Steve Sax said...

hint #2 posted

Steve Sax said...

trying to answer the emails in the next five mins

Steve Sax said...

Okay, I'm going into a meeting so I'm going to post a major Hint #3 in a second

Steve Sax said...

all emails answered

Hint #3 posted

Sharon said...

Email sent :)

QuadSevens said...

(bangs head on desk)

spank said...

spam

Dusto_Magnifico said...

answer kindof not really sent...

guess sent.

Steve Sax said...

Hint #4 posted.

Steve Sax said...

Hint #5 posted.

Eric Karros said...

answer sent...

Eric Karros said...

...by Ubragg...


...roughly 11 hours ago

Steve Sax said...

EK, I screwed up on this one...can I extend the deadline a bit?

Steve Sax said...

Deadline possibly extended (pending EK's approval)--see post update

spank said...

Saxy doesn't know what the hell he's doing!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Oh-for-three! Oh-for-three!

Steve Sax said...

Sax picked the wrong time to stop sniffing glue

Nostradamus said...

Whoa, seriously? Answer sent, but maybe not.

Josh S. said...

The initials bit helps me with what I'm stuck on, but I don't have the energy to finish. I'll just hope EK is kind.

Kyle Baker said...

45

Nostradamus said...

Works every time.

Nostradamus said...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the answer's right... I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Kyle Baker said...

Exactly, Billy Dee.

Steve Sax said...

Mr Customer is in with the second correct answer

Sax is pounding the Oban 14 neat

Kyle Baker said...

(gets a cab over to Sax's crib)

Josh S. said...

Answer sent!!

A few minutes over the line, but close enough for government work.

Kyle Baker said...

As a government worker, I endorse Josh's statement.

Steve Sax said...

Josh S is in as #3 (pending pcs gods approval). Steve K was right behind with #4

Nice work, gents

Steve K said...

That was rough... but fun. Good puzzle Sax. I can't imagine how long it took you to set it up!

QuadSevens said...

I was working on this last night and got so frustrated that I decided to watch The Bounty Hunter instead. I'm back on the case now and more determined than ever!

Answer coming soon...

Loney Fan said...

I second Quad7's emotion!

Steve Sax said...

I should have put the initials there from the start...

rbnlaw said...

I'm just here for my 10 points to stay ahead of DB.

Nostradamus said...

I'm glad I couldn't look at this one until late last night. Seeing hints 1 and 5 simultaneously tipped me in the right direction immediately.

Nostradamus said...

Plus, I've been looking at the same puzzles that Sax has in the in last few weeks.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

I'm still stumped. Honestly I was hoping that an answer would be posted.

QuadSevens said...

Progress sent.

(bangs head on desk)

QuadSevens said...

Answer sent.

Steve Sax said...

Quad7 is in with the fifth correct answer!

Jason said...

Crap, this is still going? Answer sent.

Steve Sax said...

Jason in with the sixth correct answer!