Solution to X Marks the Spot

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Answer: ECTOPLASMIC

by Azalea Weisblat

This puzzle involves walking around ⊥IW to locations that have an X on the ground. First, we must figure out which scene with an X fits each instruction. Then, we can follow the instructions, starting from the X, and draw lines to spell out a letter on the ground, viewed from the perspective of the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Instruction Location Letter
...then go to the northernmost tree, and back, then to the sphinx, then the grand staircase, then back to the sphinx, then to the spaceship, and finally the third-southernmost bush. Student Center E
...then go to second base, home plate, and the Eggman. Athletics Fields C
...then go to the southwest corner of the building with two towers, the entrance to the curvy building, and the castle. Dorm Row T
...then go to the baseball player, the western crumple, the bottom of the staircase, and back to where you started. Outside Stata O
...then go to the westernmost pillars, the banner, the main indoor way out, and the center outdoor way out. Lobby 7 P
...then go to the fishing book, and the flag. By the Charles River L
...then go to the door to a building whose number has seven proper divisors, the sail, eastern lamppost, and the western lamppost. East Campus A
...then go to the entrance to Building 3, the pond, and the entrance to Building 1. Killian Court S
...then go to the purple flower, to the middle of the seating area, to the white flower, and to the blackboard. Around the Green Building M
...then go to the lowest window on the side of the nearby building, the corner of the building, the nearest dorm entrance, the interior of that dorm, and the scooter. Random Hall I
...then go to the corner, and then the next corner, and then the end of the hall. Building 1 C

Putting together all the letters we got, in the order of the instructions, spells ECTOPLASMIC, which is the answer.

Author’s Notes

This puzzle was inspired by (Athletics meta spoilers) the title constraint of having to start with an X, imposed by the Athletics round supermeta.