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WitchOfDoubt · 03-13-2012, 08:41 PM

(Sorry for slow responses - I've been sick!)

The puzzle on Dr. Rinaldi's sheet, which the guests had found on the reception desk near the Foyer, was quickly solved. However, as soon as they finished, Nat Foreman called their attention to the paperweight that had been used to hold down the typed sheet.

"Look," he said. "It has some letters engraved on it - UAA. And a chess pawn engraved on one side, it looks like." He pocketed it, certain that it would be a clue for later.

(Foreman has found an ochre stone that matches the one the Witch showed to the group at the Banquet. What will it be used for?)

----

Suddenly, as the guests were searching the toy chest, the ground began to shake violently.

"Earthquake!" shouted Mark, more excited than afraid. As a child of Los Angeles, he'd lived through a few of these. A few guests from farther afield were startled, but there was barely any time to panic, as the shaking ended within seconds. A toy boxcar fell off of the table with the model railroad set, crashing violently on the ground, but was miraculously undamaged, and a few books fell from the top of the bookcase.

As everyone gathered their wits, Alicia Tressler, the only medical doctor among the guests, quickly checked everyone for injuries. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but as she was helping Mrs. Ye to her feet, she saw something glinting in the toy chest. One of the jewels set into a costume crown, a cheap plastic trinket, was not an imitation at all, but a real opal. It came loose with a click, revealing that its underside bore the inscribed symbol of a chess knight.

"My God," said Alicia. "Look at it shine!"

But attempts to use the opal on the lock were fruitless. Even though the opal would prove useful later on, the sequence also referred to something entirely different in the toy chest.

This safe puzzle is almost, but not quite, solved.

Meet the Pieces (Part 4 of Many)

Alicia Tressler

Age: 43
Profession: Doctor

Quote: "Well, differential diagnosis is a little like solving a puzzle or being a detective. You have to work it all out by elimination and follow all the clues. But you don't get to screw around until you're sure of your answer. The germs don't wait!"

Background: Born in Madrid, Spain, to a British diplomat and a local teacher, Alicia Tressler loved medical news and strange tropical diseases from childhood on. With the same verve that made her the queen of the youth soccer field, she chased a career in medicine. Now that she's well-established as a practicing physician, she enjoys medical mysteries, the piano, and poetry in the Romance languages.

Random fact: She once drove a van decorated to look like a giant mouse for 500 miles.

Sample puzzle: It was Puzzle Career Night, when guests at the Club brought in challenges that were relevant to their jobs or fields of expertise. Dr. Tressler had a particularly cogent example.

"Let's do some epidemiology," she said to the assembled guests. "Here's the story.

First-year students in Layton House at Gressenheller University room together in pairs. During the first three weeks at the university, however, they rotate between rooms, switching roommates every week. Unfortunately for them, one of the new arrivals carried the Blah virus.

Luckily, a student with early symptoms was diagnosed and they were all tested and treated. But who was Patient Zero, the person who first brought the virus to Layton House?

Here's a schedule showing which students were rooming together during each rotation, and what their test results were. We'll refer to them by number to keep them anonymous:"

"Now, some rules!

One: The virus only passes between students who are currently rooming together. However, between two roommates, its transmission rate is 100%.

Two: Everyone who tested positive had the virus, and everybody who tested negative was uninfected.

Three: Students 12, 13, and 14 all arrived a few weeks early to campus, and could not have been patient zero.

Who was patient zero?"

(Note: The rough format of this puzzle was borrowed from a biology class, but the scenario is mine. Reference available upon request.)

* * * * * * * * *

And this is far from the last of this room's riddles.

Enough! If you give up, surely someone else will guess it for you!

Stop thinking! Go find a game where there is one "answer" to every problem!

STOP! Leave this place, and my secrets will be safe.

Signed,
The Sapphire Witch

03-13-2012, 08:41 PM	#36
WitchOfDoubt Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 104	(Sorry for slow responses - I've been sick!) The puzzle on Dr. Rinaldi's sheet, which the guests had found on the reception desk near the Foyer, was quickly solved. However, as soon as they finished, Nat Foreman called their attention to the paperweight that had been used to hold down the typed sheet. "Look," he said. "It has some letters engraved on it - UAA. And a chess pawn engraved on one side, it looks like." He pocketed it, certain that it would be a clue for later. (Foreman has found an ochre stone that matches the one the Witch showed to the group at the Banquet. What will it be used for?) ---- Suddenly, as the guests were searching the toy chest, the ground began to shake violently. "Earthquake!" shouted Mark, more excited than afraid. As a child of Los Angeles, he'd lived through a few of these. A few guests from farther afield were startled, but there was barely any time to panic, as the shaking ended within seconds. A toy boxcar fell off of the table with the model railroad set, crashing violently on the ground, but was miraculously undamaged, and a few books fell from the top of the bookcase. As everyone gathered their wits, Alicia Tressler, the only medical doctor among the guests, quickly checked everyone for injuries. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but as she was helping Mrs. Ye to her feet, she saw something glinting in the toy chest. One of the jewels set into a costume crown, a cheap plastic trinket, was not an imitation at all, but a real opal. It came loose with a click, revealing that its underside bore the inscribed symbol of a chess knight. "My God," said Alicia. "Look at it shine!" But attempts to use the opal on the lock were fruitless. Even though the opal would prove useful later on, the sequence also referred to something entirely different in the toy chest. This safe puzzle is almost, but not quite, solved. Meet the Pieces (Part 4 of Many) Alicia Tressler Age: 43 Profession: Doctor Quote: "Well, differential diagnosis is a little like solving a puzzle or being a detective. You have to work it all out by elimination and follow all the clues. But you don't get to screw around until you're sure of your answer. The germs don't wait!" Background: Born in Madrid, Spain, to a British diplomat and a local teacher, Alicia Tressler loved medical news and strange tropical diseases from childhood on. With the same verve that made her the queen of the youth soccer field, she chased a career in medicine. Now that she's well-established as a practicing physician, she enjoys medical mysteries, the piano, and poetry in the Romance languages. Random fact: She once drove a van decorated to look like a giant mouse for 500 miles. Sample puzzle: It was Puzzle Career Night, when guests at the Club brought in challenges that were relevant to their jobs or fields of expertise. Dr. Tressler had a particularly cogent example. "Let's do some epidemiology," she said to the assembled guests. "Here's the story. First-year students in Layton House at Gressenheller University room together in pairs. During the first three weeks at the university, however, they rotate between rooms, switching roommates every week. Unfortunately for them, one of the new arrivals carried the Blah virus. Luckily, a student with early symptoms was diagnosed and they were all tested and treated. But who was Patient Zero, the person who first brought the virus to Layton House? Here's a schedule showing which students were rooming together during each rotation, and what their test results were. We'll refer to them by number to keep them anonymous:" "Now, some rules! One: The virus only passes between students who are currently rooming together. However, between two roommates, its transmission rate is 100%. Two: Everyone who tested positive had the virus, and everybody who tested negative was uninfected. Three: Students 12, 13, and 14 all arrived a few weeks early to campus, and could not have been patient zero. Who was patient zero?" (Note: The rough format of this puzzle was borrowed from a biology class, but the scenario is mine. Reference available upon request.) * * * * * * * * * And this is far from the last of this room's riddles. Enough! If you give up, surely someone else will guess it for you! Stop thinking! Go find a game where there is one "answer" to every problem! STOP! Leave this place, and my secrets will be safe. Signed, The Sapphire Witch __________________ The Sapphire Witch cordially invites you to a labyrinth of riddles and mysteries, The Witch's Epigraph.