For Whom the Bella Toils
by Paul Melamud and Corey Plover
ANSWER: VIAL
The collections of pills and other assorted drugs represents the pharmaceuticals the person had present in their system upon toxicological forensics after their death (though each set also includes one additional drug). As an extra clue, the pillbox has 31 compartments and the compartment represents the day of the month that individual died.
Date of death | Person | List of drugs | Additional drug |
---|---|---|---|
1-Jul-1996 | Margaux Hemingway | Phenobarbital | OxyContin (Oxycodone) |
4-Dec-2007 | Chad Butler | Promethazine / Codeine Cough Syrup | Verelan (Verapamil) |
5-Apr-1976 | Howard Hughes | Codeine (Sulfate), Valium | Urso 250 (Ursadione) |
7-Sep-1978 | Keith Moon | Heminevrin (Clomethiazole) | Abilify (Aripiprazole) |
8-Feb-2007 | Anna Nicole Smith | Acetominaphen, Atropine, Benadryl, Bottle of Chloral Hydrate crystals, Ciprofloxacin, Klonopin, Lorazepam, Nordazepam, Oxazepam, Topiramate, Valium, | Seconal (Secobarbital Sodium) |
10-Sep-2006 | Daniel Wayne Smith | Ambien, Lexapro, Methadone, Zoloft | Indocin (Indomethacin) |
12-Apr-1989 | Abbie Hoffman | 150 x Phenobarbital | Chlor-Trimeton (Chlorpheniramine) |
13-Nov-2004 | Russell Jones | Cocaine, Tramadol | Depakote (Divalproex sodium) |
16-Aug-1977 | Elvis Presley | Amytal, Avental, Carbrital, Codeine, Demerol, Diazepam, Elavil, Nembutal, Methaqualone (Quaaludes), Morphine, Placidyl, Sinutab, Valium, Valmid | Mebaral (Mephobarbital) |
17-Feb-2003 | Steven Bechler | Xenadrine RFA | Rilutek (Riluzole) |
19-Jan-1996 | Don Simpson | Atarax, Ativan + Lorazepam, Benztropine, Cogentin, Compazine, Depakote, Desyrel, Diphenhydramine, Diphenoxylate, Haloperidol, Librium, Lithium Carbonate, Narcan, Nystatin, Phenobarbital, Promethazine, Thorazine, Tigan, Toradol, Unisom, Valium, Vicodin, Vistaril, Xanax | Waran (Warfarin) |
20-Jul-1973 | Bruce Lee | Equagesic | Opana (Oxymorphone) |
22-Jan-2008 | Heath Ledger | Doxylamine, OxyContin, Restoril, Valium, Vicodin, Xanax, | Isordil (Isosorbide Dinitrate) |
24-Jan-1986 | L Ron Hubbard | Vistaril | Ismo (Isosorbide Mononitrate) |
25-Jun-2009 | Michael Jackson | Diazepam, Ephedrine, Lidocaine, Lorazepam, Midazopam, Propofol | Axert (Almotriptan Maleate) |
27-Aug-1967 | Brian Epstein | 6 x Carbatrol | Yocon (Yohimbine) |
28-Aug-2009 | Adam Goldstein | Benadryl, Cocaine, Ergamisol (Levamisole HCl), Klonopin, Lorazepam, Oxycodone, Vicodin, Xanax, | Levoxyl (Levothyroxine) |
29-Jan-1977 | Freddie Prinze | Methaqualone (Quaaludes) | Rozerem (Ramelteon) |
30-Apr-1982 | Lester Bangs | Darvon, Valium | Glucotrol (Glipizide) |
Though there is some ambiguity between rows 3, 4 and 6, entering the names of these people in the grid spells LEFTOVERS DEATH ORDER down the center column:
Ordering the additional drugs by the person's date of death spells the phrase YOUR MAGIC WORD IS VIAL in the drugs' initial letters (using either brand or generic name):
Date of death | Person | Additional drug |
---|---|---|
27-Aug-1967 | Brian Epstein | Yocon (Yohimbine) |
20-Jul-1973 | Bruce Lee | Opana (Oxymorphone) |
5-Apr-1976 | Howard Hughes | Urso 250 (Ursadione) |
29-Jan-1977 | Freddie Prinze | Rozerem (Ramelteon) |
16-Aug-1977 | Elvis Presley | Mebaral (Mephobarbital) |
7-Sep-1978 | Keith Moon | Abilify (Aripiprazole) |
30-Apr-1982 | Lester Bangs | Glucotrol (Glipizide) |
24-Jan-1986 | L Ron Hubbard | Ismo (Isosorbide Mononitrate) |
12-Apr-1989 | Abbie Hoffman | Chlor-Trimeton (Chlorpheniramine) |
19-Jan-1996 | Don Simpson | Waran (Warfarin) |
1-Jul-1996 | Margaux Hemingway | OxyContin (Oxycodone) |
17-Feb-2003 | Steven Bechler | Rilutek (Riluzole) |
13-Nov-2004 | Russell Jones | Depakote (Divalproex sodium) |
10-Sep-2006 | Daniel Wayne Smith | Indocin (Indomethacin) |
8-Feb-2007 | Anna Nicole Smith | Seconal (Secobarbital Sodium) |
4-Dec-2007 | Chad Butler | Verelan (Verapamil) |
22-Jan-2008 | Heath Ledger | Isordil (Isosorbide Dinitrate) |
25-Jun-2009 | Michael Jackson | Axert (Almotriptan Maleate) |
28-Aug-2009 | Adam Goldstein | Levoxyl (Levothyroxine) |
The title is a play on "For Whom the Bell Tolls", an Ernest Hemingway novel. The famous line "I know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." refers to a church's funeral bell, relevant to the puzzle's theme. As an added quirk, Ernest's granddaughter Margaux Hemingway is an element of the puzzle.