Happy Belated April Fools Day!
In case you haven’t realized it yet, my new contest rule was a simple April Fools Day prank. Fear not: if you already entered the contest, your entry has not been invalidated.
On page 6 of Puzzlecraft, Mike Selinker says:
“The central skill of a puzzlemaker is not the mastery of wordplay or logic or math. The puzzlemaker’s most important skill is the mastery of frustration. I’ve had many puzzle event staffers work for me over the years, and I look for a certain balance of emotions in them. The ones that don’t get invited back are those that cannot bear to see a solver in pain. The solver will come up, eraser worn to a nub, and say “I can’t solve this!” The puzzle staffer who says, “Here, I’ll show you the answer” is failing in her job. Because the solver doesn’t want to know the answer. People solve puzzles because they like pain, and they like being released from pain, and they like most of all that they find within themselves the power to release themselves from their own pain.
The fact that the contest ended right on April Fools Day wasn’t a coincidence. What better way to celebrate a holiday based upon frustration than to release yet another puzzle?
In case you missed it, the Final Final Puzzle is still and will continue to be available for solving. Click here for the Final Final Puzzle.
End of the Contest
Now that Howland Island has ticked over into April 2, the contest is officially closed for new entries. I’ll announce the winners early next week here and in the Facebook group. Stay tuned!
Eric Peterson / ePeterso2
Chief Puzzlehead