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MITMH2022
Public Access

Endless Practice

Lake Eerie

An error was corrected at Sunday 11:15 AM TIMEMIT. The upper leftmost image of Sunblock has been amended.

An error was corrected at Sunday 12:04 AM TIMEMIT. The crossword grid in 8. Off the Grid mistakenly had two squares labeled 35. One of the squares has been corrected to 36.

You’re so excited for your trip! Riding the train makes you feel like a perennial child. A note attached to a tulip bowl says "these puzzles will help you become a better person."

But the puzzles seem to go on and on forever. And shouldn’t someone be checking your ticket?

2 rows of 5 illustrated people, each with a letter a number below. Top row: A, 115; B, 100; C, 3; D, 109; E, 130. Bottom row: F, 0; G, 101; H, 12; I, 114; J, 89.

A logged-in team would see an image appear in this table for each mini-puzzle it solved. In public access mode, you can check the box in each row to see its image.

Playplace
Sunblock
Mouse Taken
To-Do
Castle Crisis
The Cracked Crystal
The Pitch
Off the Grid
Historical Pictures
Unfinished Symphonies

If the table does not update after a mini-puzzle is solved, you may need to refresh.

1. Playplace

Look! Some of these balls have balls in them! (Colors are irrelevant.)
Top-down view of a ballpit with balls arranged in a honeycomb pattern in six rows. Link to full image
  • Row 1: SSI, LES, NNO, NOR, IK, YR, RFL
  • Row 2: CMI, CA, UN, EAM, OTS, TTE
  • Row 3: STI, LD, TOS, EA, HO, TAI, BU
  • Row 4: IDI, IE, IDE, ONR, REO, DR
  • Row 5: SES, ANT, TTF, GR, NPZ, AGO, IRE
  • Row 6: RCI, EXE, FOO, EA, THS, OFF
SSILESNNONORIKYRRFL
CMICAUNEAMOTSTTE
STILDTOSEAHOTAIBU
IDIIEIDEONRREODR
SESANTTTFGRNPZAGOIRE
RCIEXEFOOEATHSOFF
'4-9 8
'9 7
'10 3
'6 4 1
'8 4
'8 5
'5 5 2 4
'3-3 7 4
'4 9

2. Sunblock

As you assemble what you need for the beach, remember: Use sunscreen to block out the unnecessary rays right from the start of your trip.
Sunblock bottle with SPF 33 Sunblock bottle with SPF 67 Sunblock bottle with SPF 25 Sunblock bottle with SPF 50 Sunblock bottle with SPF 80 Sunblock bottle with SPF 56
Sunblock bottle with SPF 75 Sunblock bottle with SPF 33 Sunblock bottle with SPF 67 Sunblock bottle with SPF 71 Sunblock bottle with SPF 50 Sunblock bottle with SPF 60
Sunblock bottle with SPF 50 Sunblock bottle with SPF 33 Sunblock bottle with SPF 33 Sunblock bottle with SPF 71 Sunblock bottle with SPF 71 Sunblock bottle with SPF 50

BRAZIL   BRAZIL   BARBADOS   NEW YORK   FLORIDA   HAWAII   CALIFORNIA   AUSTRALIA

3. Mouse Taken

Some predators blend in with the colors of their environment when collecting game.
[See original puzzle for images]
5
'(6)
'(11)
'(11)
'(6)
'(5)
5
6
'(7)
'(7)
'(8)
'(6)
'(9)
2
7
'(7)
'(8)
'(4)
'(5)
'(4)
4
4
'(7)
'(5)
'(6)
'(6)
'(7)
6
5
'(6)
'(6)
'(5)
'(4)
'(4)
5

4. To-Do

Some websites are literally iconic.

Browser window with a to-do list. Link to full image

Screenshot of a browser window with one of nine tabs open, containing the following text:

To do:

  • Find a new newspaper of record whose scandal investigation inspired a Best Picture nominee.
  • Find a new online email client.
  • Find a new professional social network.
  • Find a new site for looking up information about anything.
  • Find a new site for selling my homemade crafts.
  • Find a new site for vacation rentals.
  • Find a new streaming service that will also send me DVDs in the mail.
  • Find a new streaming service with lots of comic book movies and classic cartoons.

And after I’m done with all that: Find a new browser, preferably from a massive tech company (either old or new should work).

5. Castle Crisis

Oh no! The Queen is throwing a party, but her corgis have run wild around the grounds!

Can you clean up all the corgi tracks before the caterers arrive?

I G R O C C O R G I G R O C O R G I G R O C
G I G R O C C O R G I I G R O C O R G I O O
I I I I I I I G R O C O R G I R C I C R C R
G G G G G G I O I G R O C R I O G O G C O G
R R R R R G G C O R G I R G R R R I O O R I
O O O O R I I O I I C O R G O G C R I R G I
C C C O R G I R G C I O I C I O G I G G I G
S R C O R R I G R O C G R C R I I G R I C R
I O C O I O G I O R C O R G I I G R O C O O
G G C O G C R I C G C O I O I G R O C O R C
R C R C R C O R G I I G R O C I O C O R G I
O O O O O G C R I R C O R G I G C O R G I G
C R C R C R I I G R O C O I I R O R G I G R
O G O G G O G G R I C C N G C O R G I G R O
R I R I O I R I O C O I G R O C G I C R O C
G I G R O C H G C O R G I O I R I G R O C R
I R I C O R G I I I G R O C C O R G I C R R
I
Truck whose side reads, “7’1 6 7 Quality Catering”

6. The Cracked Crystal

After discovering the cursed Myst Diamond, Garnet Livingstone has mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind the badly damaged jewel. Fill in what’s missing and repair the crack. Livingstone left coded instructions as to the location of the crack.

Link to the full image.
Directed graph of boxes, some with words, some with blanks and enumerations.
  1. After the unfortunate scandal surrounding the recovery of the Shroud of Thorin (who knew he was fictional?), I needed to rehabilitate my reputation. So, I made one of these with the past.
  2. With my carefully assembled team, I flew to a secret and remote location with a map showing the location of the Myst Diamond. After circling the coordinates for ten minutes, one of the team spotted this, but there was no one in it to direct us to the runway.
  3. We prepared to disembark from the plane. As leader of the mission, I would be first on the ground. I reached out and shut down this part of the plane—the location of the instruments used by the pilot.
  4. We made camp near the cave purported to house the diamond. I was the first to wake in the morning, and my heart pounded in my ears like one of these.
  5. After weeks spent preparing in my basement, playing through every Lara Croft title on this console device, I thought I could handle anything.
  6. After entering the cave, I looked back toward the final vestige of civilization I could see: This tall structure, holding within it the liquid that makes life possible.
  7. First, I took out the special device I’d constructed to locate the diamond. The device had to be kept at -70 degrees Celsius, so it was placed in a container of this substance—composed of the same element as the diamond itself.
  8. Artifacts in the cave suggest a hominid presence during this time span, which ranged from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic period. I believe that immediately after this latter period, hominids discovered the diamond, worshiped it, and hid it within the cave.
  9. The device whirred, clicking out a series of directions. I reached into my pocket for a notebook and a pencil. Damn! What I pulled out was one of these—left behind by a meter maid in NYC. I’d have to pay it after this trip.
  10. The remainder of the story can be found in the book I wrote after my return: “Grills and the Myst: Adventures in BBQ Following the Great Discovery.” (Idiot publishers! The most handsome photo of me holding the diamond spans one of these, so that my torso is cut off from my head!)

7. The Pitch

Some producers know the engines that drive successful movies. They’re the ones whose office is (1 5 4).

This puzzle consists of a video.
This puzzle consists of a video that may be viewed on the puzzle site.

8. Off the Grid

This puzzle’s circuitry is a little exposed in places.

Across

  1. Gun manufacturer takes endless ride in traffic jam
  2. Verse in tribute to endless yodel
  3. Simple greeting after an extended period becomes a whole Shakespearean drama
  4. Cartoon dog to diet after shedding
  5. An enigma after the opening of German place to make pancakes
  6. Wilder way to begin tailgate: one noisemaker, then a whole lot
  7. Infant daughter ably brings a mess after tops of new shoes removed (2 wds.)
  8. Former Senator Franken: O.J. Simpson trial judge may be Supreme Court justice
  9. Barnyard discussion feeling unfinished
  10. On reflection, Bono telepathically revealing hint (2 wds.)
  11. Emergency Room gains $1000 with a little work
  12. Ten lamas wandering around Smith or Brown, e.g. (2 wds.)
  13. I will leave fancy house to the lead singer of Garbage
  14. Oprah’s magazine friend is a real gem
  15. Actress Bergman is like all of this puzzle’s answers?
  16. After losing front end, a car split apart, but got here
  17. Aquatic mammal in lecture series seemed unstable
  18. He introduces gym twice with a hit OutKast song (2 wds.)
  19. Includes someone on an email... or, doubles up a letter of particular importance

Down

  1. Soccer, “The Dance of a Dozen Inches?”
  2. Huge classic Ford initially loses tread density
  3. State of Hawaii surrounded by rings
  4. Oral presentation of ocean results in average grade (a letter of particular importance)
  5. Hostile creature concealed by black lingonberries
  6. Tom lied about, like, radio shows from the 40’s (hyph.)
  7. O Lord! Tortuous agony!
  8. It’s not odd to skip the beginning of a Brad Pitt movie
  9. Witch gets rid of Hogwarts groundskeeper
  10. Part of alibi transcribed—it’s right from the horse’s mouth
  11. Splash Mountain’s godlier twists (2 wds.)
  12. Little kid landed at center of crypt—this is everything.
  13. Sabrina star is in for Monday
  14. “Reap chaos”—Old West lawman
  15. Advanced electrical system trims drag all over the place (2 wds.)
  16. Elf actor nears New Order
  17. Unwilling to inject oxygen into strip of wood
  18. Chop up a vine to make a kind of lotion
  19. Straight-A student’s candy pebbles
  20. Caviar restaurant offer excludes starters
Puzzle grid
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9
10 11
12 13
14 15 16
17 18 19 20
21 22 23
24 25 26
27 28 29 30
31 32
33 34
35
36 37

9. Historical Pictures

A picture with the number 1 superimposed. A picture with the number 4 superimposed. A picture with the number 7 superimposed.
A picture with the number 9 superimposed. A picture with the number 9 superimposed. A picture with the number 10 superimposed.
A picture with the number 12 superimposed. A picture with the number 13 superimposed. A picture with the number 15 superimposed.

But really the most important one was the chess one...

10. Unfinished Symphonies

Even great artists write terrible songs. Musicians like Bob Dylan, Lizzo, Sade, Jan and Dean, Band of Horses, Alanis Morrissette, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Greta Van Fleet all have discarded demos they abandoned.

Across

  1. No traffic
  2. Creator of a symbolic elephant
  3. Takes action
  4. Element whose name shares no letters with its atomic symbol
  5. Safest part of a castle
  6. Eight start
  7. Realm
  8. Over
  9. Letters found near a thorough explanation
  10. Spanish Mmes.
  11. Don't show?
  12. Michael, on Family Ties
  13. Kenny G.’s version of Tosca, maybe
  14. Stop
  15. Anne’s teenage home
  16. Music Mann
  17. Triclops feature
  18. “Wow, that Simpson baby is way over there!”
  19. Cabinet dept.
  20. Follower of hero or hedon
  21. Poison
  22. Word on many tip jars
  23. Resident
  24. 45A, for example
  25. 26 fortnights
  26. Shout from someone loving a hayride
  27. Wooden shoe
  28. Nice hot time
  29. Master of his Civilization
  30. Meh
  31. It makes a row
  32. Real cards
  33. Serious grain
  34. Had met before
  35. The Maze Runner monster
  36. Grp. that’s not pound foolish?
  37. Log
  38. It works best with a driver
  39. Seasoning of Paris
  40. Roadie load
  41. Statement upon meeting a certain Greyjoy
  42. Adorkable instruments
  43. Swamps
  44. Volunteered at a softball game, maybe
  45. Name of a famous Gambit
  46. Zombie’s junkyard dog
  47. WaPo section
  48. Horde
  49. Handshakes but cooler
  50. She let it go
  51. NFL Hall of Famer Junior
  52. Dal pal?
  53. Yours in Haiti
  54. Welsh symbol
  55. Talking cockroach in Gregor the Overlander
  56. Ilk
  57. Actress Suvari
  58. Mad

Down

  1. Times Square booth
  2. Bridge
  3. Mulligan
  4. Commotion
  5. Common reason for the refusal of service
  6. NATO, e.g.
  7. Pantry regular
  8. “Nothing here, folks!”
  9. Spiner android
  10. Mine find
  11. Unagi, on sushi
  12. Deli 7-D
  13. Phrase preceding an opinion
  14. Part
  15. Small bills
  16. “Thank U, ”
  17. Foiled food of the Fifties
  18. Spanish footballer Sergio
  19. Smell
  20. Washing machine part
  21. Prize given to stupid scientific studies
  22. Detente
  23. The White Lotus performance
  24. “Understood, fellow beatnik!”
  25. Graph edge
  26. At no cost
  27. Word seen only in Latin class or crosswords
  28. Pink
  29. Draw
  30. “Over,” in email
  31. Meeting places
  32. Hitchcock film that’s one continuous shot
  33. Gilbert, in Ghostbusters
  34. Phrase now usually replaced by "they”
  35. Voice of “Pure Michigan” ads
  36. “The phone book of the internet”: Abbr.
  37. Meh
  38. Part of A.D.
  39. Lens solution brand
  40. Hanta of My Hero Academia
  41. Darn
  42. Animal Crossing elephant
  43. Source of birdseed and anvils
  44. Nighttime bugle song
  45. Stretched, maybe
  46. Gig spot
  47. Most bad-ass Princess of the 80s
  48. Under-provide
  49. Big land mass
  50. School skipper
  51. Weekend
  52. Famous lemons
  53. Secretary
  54. Fox show
  55. Foil substitute
  56. Smile
  57. Hope Van ____, aka The Wasp
  58. Musical letters recipient
  59. Type of manual
  60. Leaf gatherer
  61. Romano, e.g.
  62. Page in an atlas
Puzzle grid
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29
30 31 32
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44
45 46 47 48 49
50 51 52 53 54 55
56 57 58
59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67
68 69 70 71 72
73 74 75 76 77 78
79 80 81 82
83 84 85
86 87 88 89 90 91 92
93 94 95 96 97 98
99 100 101 102
103 104 105 106