Monday, April 22, 2013

PCS 6.2: First And Foremost

Click to enlarge
There are 22 particular names hidden in this word search. Find them, then decode the secret message.

Hint #1: 1 hidden word revealed.

Puzzle Rules: The solution to the puzzle is a former Dodger. 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:
  • Send me an Email with "PCS" somewhere in the subject line, containing the first and last name of the players, 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. And 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.
Under the new rules, you now have until midnight PT on Saturday to submit your answer. Answer will be posted Sunday morning. Good luck!

27 comments:

Franklin Stubbs said...

A refresher on the scoring system update, for those who were out of the loop last puzzle

QuadSevens said...

Found a few names. This is going to take a little time.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Hopefully a theme will become apparent, Q7

Hideo Nomo said...

Got the theme after five names, but it looks like it will take some time to come up with the other 17.

QuadSevens said...

Got 10 names. Not sure on the theme just yet. I'll keep searching and thinking.

Hideo Nomo said...

And suddenly, I have half the names.

QuadSevens said...

Theme has been discovered. Still need more names and the hidden message though.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Not an official hint, but focus on solving the names before trying to crack the code. MAYBE with 20 or 21.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Whoops, the horizontal name 5 rows from the bottom should be 1 row down. Graphic adjusted accordingly.

The impact is only to 1 name.

Hideo Nomo said...

6th row from bottom varies by one letter in the new graphic.

Old line was:
REWDTANKHS...

New line is REWDTANHHS..

Steve K said...

Hideo, there are more changes than that. There are also changes in the two rows above that.

Steve K said...

I've got 17 names and the theme. Will have to figure out what to do once I get to 21 or so names.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Gnomes, it's trickle down from the change above. The reason the name I mentioned had to move was another clue was one letter short (I suppose you can infer it is diagonal at this point).

Sorry if I was more confusing than necessary in trying not to give away too much.

Franklin Stubbs said...

I think my explanation did more harm than good, so I'm officially issuing the correction as hint #1 and revealing that name.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Done and done. A bigger first hint than I intended, but I'll take it!

ubragg said...

I believe I have found 21 names, though some might be wrong. Tried a few things on decode step, but nothing seems to work so far...

ubragg said...

Ignore - posting again since I forgot to check the email follow-ups link.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Ubragg, et al

Most of the names, once found, should be fairly obvious and part of a particular theme. I'll be happy to confirm correct names and progress.

QuadSevens said...

Progress sent.

ubragg said...

Answer sent!

Franklin Stubbs said...

Ubragg with the solve. Quad, you're getting close

Franklin Stubbs said...

I just had a moment of panic thinking I had a 23rd clue in there. Thankfully not, as I've already used my mulligan today.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, Tereshkova was the only word I had found

Franklin Stubbs said...

Well, consider this your confirmation, then, Saxy!

Hideo Nomo said...

I have 18 names, but haven't made any progress since.

QuadSevens said...

Answer sent!

Franklin Stubbs said...

...and that answer is the correct one!