When New Year’s Townsfolk say they want to accomplish more in the coming year, they really mean it.

The Taskmaster has decided to set your team a series of tasks, listed below.

They will be judging what you did, and how you did it, on a scale of 1–5.
Their word is final. You will definitely respect Them.

Prepare the evidence of your successful completion of these tasks.

You may then summon the Taskmaster to judge your efforts.

The Taskmaster will also assess your teams with surprise tasks. These will contribute towards your total score.

A note from the Taskmaster’s assistant

Hello!

The Taskmaster has let me write this section to cover some boring admin and rules that I love and They despise.

  • Read the whole task. Aloud, preferably. All of the information you will need is contained within it.
  • Do not do anything illegal, immoral, unsafe, uncomfortable, or anything you do not think the Taskmaster would want you to do in the completion of a task. If you are uncertain, don’t do it.
  • If any task involves members of the community not involved in this event, be kind and courteous—just as They would want you to be.
  • The Taskmaster awards the maximum of five points only for the perfect and flawless execution of a task. You’re probably not going to score five points for every task. Sorry, but They deserve only the best. You should plan accordingly before They arrive.
  • Tackle the tasks in any order you choose. The numbering is there to help Them assess your efforts.
  • Points are awarded or deducted at Their whim. They may even award bonus points.
  • All timed tasks must show evidence of what time the task was both started and completed. Photographs are usually sufficient. Tasks may be planned prior to time start, but not begun.
  • Remember, the Taskmaster’s judgment is final.
  • Above all, give it your all, be creative, and make Them proud.

Good luck!
The Taskmaster’s assistant


Points

The total number of points your team needs to score to satisfy the Taskmaster is your registered team size, rounded up to the nearest five.


When you are ready to be judged by the Taskmaster, submit an interaction request on this puzzle with the phrase STAY ON TASK.


Task 01: Complete the following picture.

Task 02: Make an outfit using only paper.

Dress one person in an outfit that fits one of the following categories: Royal Wedding, Haute Couture, or Battle-Ready.

This person must be wearing the outfit when being judged by the Taskmaster.

This person must be wearing regular clothes underneath their paper outfit.

Task 03: Give the Taskmaster the most things to a total value of $13.00.

The Taskmaster may choose to keep some or all of the items.

Evidence of price is required.

You have a maximum of one hour to complete this task.

Task 04: Wear the most alphabetically-unique outfit.

One person must don the most articles of clothing that each begin with a different letter.

One person must wear all of the clothing.

They must be wearing the outfit when being judged by the Taskmaster.

Task 05: Put something genuinely surprising in a box for the Taskmaster.

The Taskmaster will not keep this item.

Task 06: Camouflage yourself.

One person must be hidden or disguised in the first picture shown to the Taskmaster.

You must then video the person getting out of that location.

Task 07: Make the longest paper chain.

Each adjacent link must be a different color.

You have a maximum of ten minutes to complete this task.

Task 08: Make the best depiction of an MIT building using paper.

You may only use paper.

No pens, markers, tape, scissors, or any other utensil may be used in the creation of your depiction.

Task 09: Find the best inanimate doppelgänger.

Find the object that most resembles a member of your team.

Both the object and the team member must be present for inspection by the Taskmaster.

Photographs or 3D printed items are not permitted. Do not relocate any inanimate object without its owner’s explicit permission.

You have a maximum of thirty minutes to complete this task.

Task 10: Create a logic puzzle with a unique solution.

You must provide the solution along with the puzzle.

The puzzle should take 1–2 minutes to solve.

Task 11: Give the Taskmaster something to eat.

One member of your team should be prepared to eat the something as well.

Task 12: Make the tallest self-standing tower.

You may only use writing implements and paper in your tower.

It must be entirely self-standing.

Task 13: Gather 26 items for the Taskmaster.

The items’ names should each begin with a different letter of the alphabet.

Task 14: Take a photo of yourself in front of five external entrances to different MIT buildings.

Points will be awarded based on the length of time between taking the first and last photos.

Buildings must be clearly identifiable from the photos.

Task 15: Spell your team name.

You must use team members to physically spell out your team name.

You may not use any other items.

Task 16: Memorize as many MIT class names as possible.

You will recite this list in alphabetical order to the Taskmaster.

Reference materials may not be used during your demonstration.

Task 17: Rearrange the components of today’s newspaper headlines to make the nicest sentence.

You must include the newspaper’s date somewhere in the final product.

Task 18: Speak as many languages as possible.

One person should learn how to speak the following sentence in as many languages as possible:

"At last, I have mastered the art of tying my shoelaces."

Your pronunciation must be sufficient for Google Translate to understand you.

Reference materials are not permitted.

Task 19: Create the best connect-the-dots picture.

There must be a unique solution to the picture.

It should not be recognizable before solving.

Task 20: Recreate one of the following images as accurately as possible.

You have a maximum of thirty minutes to complete this task.

Task 21: Impress the Taskmaster with the best object.

The Taskmaster will not keep this item.

Task 22: Prove the location of the member of your team furthest from your base.

Calculate the distance between your team’s headquarters and the most remote person on your team.

The person must have been awake when you first read this task.

You may choose to measure in any unit you like, but you must also provide enough data for the Taskmaster’s assistant to verify your work.

Task 23: Draw the biggest circle.

Draw the largest circle you can. Do not permanently mark any campus surfaces.

Task 24: Impress the Taskmaster with the best skill.

Task 25: Prepare something to make the Taskmaster laugh.

You have up to three attempts.

You may not touch the Taskmaster.

Task 26: Prepare the most stunning visual transformation.

Required participants: 1

You will perform your stunning visual transformation for the Taskmaster.

You have a maximum of 18 seconds to perform the transformation.

Task 27: Locate the correct places at MIT for these labels.

You must show one of the following labels per location:

  • Nice pipe.
  • Very tall.
  • Yellow and green.
  • Breakfast.
  • Excellent magnet.

Anything currently located within your team HQ is invalid.

Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

Task 28: Make the best Rube Goldberg machine.

You may test your machine in advance, but only the run performed for the Taskmaster will be graded.

Task 29: Take a picture holding this picture so that your picture lines up exactly in the position in which this picture was taken.

Task 30: Using the GPS on your phone, draw out the most interesting picture by traveling.

The GPS trace must be provided to the Taskmaster for judgment.

Note: Many apps can do this, but MapMyHike is useful.

Task 31: Make either the most delightful picture or most delightful ransom note.

You may only use printed copies of puzzles from within this Hunt.

You may use scissors, glue, and tape to construct your picture or ransom note.

Task 32: Re-create a puzzle from a previous Hunt.

Scores will be based on faithfulness to the original, creativity and detail.

The puzzle can be from any Hunt, but the original must be presented as well. The re-creation must be an original composition.

Task 33: Take pictures of a team member around the MIT campus.

Only locations on MIT campus that have hidden a Mystery Hunt coin are eligible.

You will earn one point per location (up to five) photographed with a team member.