Ghost in the Machine

Sneaking into the run-down carnival at the edge of town seemed like an easy way to get a cheap thrill; certainly more of a thrill than was ever on offer when the carnival was still in business. Wandering the backstage areas, you just finish adding “J. Kilroy was here” to the end of a long list of similar graffiti when you are briefly blinded by a sudden light.

After regaining your bearings, you head back to the midway and notice perhaps a halfdozen attractions running at full tilt. Your natural curiosity to see what’s going on struggles with your desire to not be that character in a bad horror movie, and loses. As you turn toward the hole in the fence that got you into this madhouse, you discover that the fence is now complete. Moving closer, you discover that the fence is also very sharp, and now very electrified.

While lying dazed on the ground, you hear the loudspeakers sputter into life: “You have entered my limbo, my temporary place of abode which is becoming distressingly permanent. The price for your freedom is my freedom. Work, and work hard, and work without fail. Set me free, and you may get a good night’s sleep.”

As the silence descends, you decide that even if you are in a bad horror movie, your only choice is to obey. You begin to explore. . . .

This is the introduction to the new puzzle suite by Andrew Feist called Ghost in the Machine.

These puzzles are free, and you can confirm answers (to individual puzzles and the final answer) by email to tabstopva+acs@gmail.com. If you want hints, or answers, that’s a dicerent story. To receive the hint file for this suite, send Andrew a copy of a receipt for a $5 donation to the American Cancer Society; for the hints and answers, make it a $10 donation. Don’t send him the money; just send him (at tabstopva+acs@gmail.com) a copy of the receipt.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Andrew sends his thanks to his playtesters Brian Cimmet and Charlie Reams. Also thanks to the puzzle community, especially the ones from whom he has subconsciously,  unconsciously, and unknowingly stolen puzzle ideas.

Ghost in the Machine home page • Direct download

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ePeterso2

Who I Am ePeterso2I’m Eric Peterson, and my email address is epeterso2@puzzlehead.org. I’m a software engineer who lives in a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I’ve enjoyed solving puzzles for years, and a few years ago I began constructing puzzles of my own. If you’re ever in Broward County and would like to get together some time, please send me a note by email and let me know. I love the opportunity to meet with other puzzleheads, especially if it involves lunch. Puzzle Testing I believe that the best way to make a puzzle even better is to ask someone else to solve it. You learn so much about how people think, how people approach your puzzle, pitfalls they may encounter, and outright errors in your construction by having someone else try it before you unleash it upon the world. If you’re a puzzle constructor, I would be honored to test your puzzle for you. Send me email with your puzzle or a link to it, and I’ll try solving it, as long as I have time available to do so. I’m a busy guy, so my time is limited … but I’m always open to a challenge. My Public Profiles * My Linked In profile * My Geocaching.com profile * My FloridaCaching.com profile Puzzles I’ve Written * Geocaching puzzles Puzzles I’ve Solved * Geocaching puzzles (solved and found) What Happened to ePeterso1? ePeterso1 was a horrible experiment gone wrong that had to be hunted down and killed before he claimed the lives of any more innocent victims. Most of the bugs that caused ePeterso1 to go haywire have been corectted in ePeterso2.

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