Mike Arauz is a strategist at Midnight Madness Puzzle Hunt Invitation
***SPECIAL INVITATION TO MY RSS FEED SUBSCRIBERS***
This Saturday night, August 25th, I will be suiting up with Team Red for the 4th year in a row to attempt to win one of the most complex, challenging, and elaborate puzzle hunts you've ever seen.
If this sounds like something you'd like to participate in, please email me directly, - him@mikearauz.com - and I'll get you more info about joining our team.
Midnight Madness is an homage to the 1980 film of the same name. It is a puzzle hunt in the tradition of similar competitions held at Microsoft and MIT.
The game has been administered and passed down from year to year. It was started by some Columbia undergrad students who are now MIT grad students. They don't charge anything and there is no prize for winning. Our team, Team Red, came in second last year and won the year before that. The previous year we did not finish (we only had around seven people that year). There are about 25 teams. Most competitive teams average 15-20 people. As of now they do not accept new teams, only returning ones.
Traditionally the game averages about 16 puzzles. Usually divided into three to five zones. But the game always changes from year to year. Last year the zones were played consecutively, the year before that they were played concurrently. Also, there is usually some new complicated 'plot element' that has to be dealt with.
The game starts around 11pm. It takes around a half hour or so for Game Control to explain the details of the rules to the Team Captains and disperse the first round of clues. Game Control will also define a playing area that the game will take place in.
For an idea of what the puzzles are like, you can go to midnight-madness.org or you can take a look at this thread for a spoiler free experience of the puzzles. Puzzles can always be solved by common knowledge, that is to say, in previous years there have been no puzzles in braille or challenges that require knowledge of organic chemistry, though frequently you will need to call information to get the address of a location.
There is always a hint system, but it can change from year to year. Last years game involved a 'side game' of photo scavenger hunt in order to earn 'street cred' points that could be used to buy hints. Previous years involved a hint system where hints could only be received every half-hour. Getting hints and using them judiciously is key part of any team's strategy.
You can use any form of transportation (e.g. rollerblades, bike, bus, taxi) but they ask that teams do not use their own cars for gameplay. This would be a significant disadvantage to teams without their own cars.
The length of the game varies. Three years ago the game ended at 8:40am. Two years ago we won at 7:31. Last year the game went till 2pm of the following day!
This Saturday night, August 25th, I will be suiting up with Team Red for the 4th year in a row to attempt to win one of the most complex, challenging, and elaborate puzzle hunts you've ever seen.
If this sounds like something you'd like to participate in, please email me directly, - him@mikearauz.com - and I'll get you more info about joining our team.
Midnight Madness is an homage to the 1980 film of the same name. It is a puzzle hunt in the tradition of similar competitions held at Microsoft and MIT.
The game has been administered and passed down from year to year. It was started by some Columbia undergrad students who are now MIT grad students. They don't charge anything and there is no prize for winning. Our team, Team Red, came in second last year and won the year before that. The previous year we did not finish (we only had around seven people that year). There are about 25 teams. Most competitive teams average 15-20 people. As of now they do not accept new teams, only returning ones.
Traditionally the game averages about 16 puzzles. Usually divided into three to five zones. But the game always changes from year to year. Last year the zones were played consecutively, the year before that they were played concurrently. Also, there is usually some new complicated 'plot element' that has to be dealt with.
The game starts around 11pm. It takes around a half hour or so for Game Control to explain the details of the rules to the Team Captains and disperse the first round of clues. Game Control will also define a playing area that the game will take place in.
For an idea of what the puzzles are like, you can go to midnight-madness.org or you can take a look at this thread for a spoiler free experience of the puzzles. Puzzles can always be solved by common knowledge, that is to say, in previous years there have been no puzzles in braille or challenges that require knowledge of organic chemistry, though frequently you will need to call information to get the address of a location.
There is always a hint system, but it can change from year to year. Last years game involved a 'side game' of photo scavenger hunt in order to earn 'street cred' points that could be used to buy hints. Previous years involved a hint system where hints could only be received every half-hour. Getting hints and using them judiciously is key part of any team's strategy.
You can use any form of transportation (e.g. rollerblades, bike, bus, taxi) but they ask that teams do not use their own cars for gameplay. This would be a significant disadvantage to teams without their own cars.
The length of the game varies. Three years ago the game ended at 8:40am. Two years ago we won at 7:31. Last year the game went till 2pm of the following day!
Monday, August 20, 2007
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