Solvers are presented with a version of the pre-hunt promotional poster that says “THIS IS NOW A PUZZLE” on it. Messing around with the page reveals that the image is actually in seven sections, and looking at the alt text reveals that each section has an extra word unrelated to the picture. Taking these extra words in reading order gives the message GO CHECK REGISTRATION SITE FOR THE CHANGES.
If you are logged in, the registration site looks a little different. The rotating text at the top has changed to “NOW A PUZZLE”, and the question “Is anything on this page a puzzle?” has changed to be a series of clues with enumerations. Each of these clues can be answered with a one letter change to THIS IS NOW A PUZZLE, and the changed word is indicated by the asterisk in the enumeration. The added letters spell EXIF DATA
| Clue | Answer | Extracted Letter |
|---|---|---|
| Please don't solve my masters' project. 6* 3 1 6 | TH(E)SIS NOT A PUZZLE | E |
| A feeder about the Roman Goddess of Night 4 2 3*, 1 6 | THIS IS NO(X), A PUZZLE | X |
| A feeder about a type of bug. 4 2 3*, 1 6 | THIS IS N(I)T, A PUZZLE | I |
| ... then what is it? 4, 2* 3 1 6 | THIS, I(F) NOT A PUZZLE | F |
| A feeder about a Valve game. 4 2 4* 6 | THIS IS (D)OTA PUZZLE | D |
| ... is instead a red herring. 4, 2* 3 1 6 | THIS, (A)S NOT A PUZZLE | A |
| Make a feeder into a baby! 4 2 "3* 1 6" | THIS IS “(T)OT A PUZZLE” | T |
| A feeder about the Turner who led a rebellion. 4 2 3*, 1 6 | THIS IS N(A)T, A PUZZLE | A |
EXIF data is information stored in pictures to note location, camera, and the like. If you view the EXIF data for each section of the poster, in the comment section there is one word. Combining them together in order, it gives the message “Did you know EXIF data includes thumbnails?”
Looking at the thumbnails is a bit harder, but there are sites like dcode that can extract them. When solvers do that, they are provided with thumbnails that are significantly different than the pictures, and in fact form a jigsaw puzzle of the original poster. The breaks between the jigsaw pieces, when arranged, spell KLINGER.
Jigsaw Pieces
Completed Jigsaw
