October 2, 2012
Don’t give up!
Have you found the secret password hidden in the October issue of Smithsonian magazine? Some solvers have written to us in bewilderment, confident that they’ve completed the first puzzle but upset that their password doesn’t seem to work.
To those of you who feel sure that your password is right but have been foiled by the website, I say: look closer–especially if you’re using a digital version of the magazine! You are probably agonizingly close to the correct password. Double-check your work. Look again.
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One thing I noticed in entering the password for puzzle 1 – for some reason, it wouldn’t work on Chrome. When I powered up Firefox or Explorer, it worked fine. Can’t explain why.
We’ll take a look. We thoroughly tested on all browsers, but if you have any additional feedback (version / operating system) that would be a great help!
I used Chrome to enter the password for Puzzle #1 yesterday and it worked fine.
I know hints are not being provided, but one thing I would like to confirm is, the first instruction (first sentence) of the code can be obtained in the magazine itself and further research is not required.
The first puzzle is solved entirely within the magazine’s pages. But you do need to know (or research) some things about American History to get to the answer.
– The Puzzle Team
Got puzzle #1 ok, puzzle #2 (anchor icon) has me stumped!
Took me all evening to figure out Puzzle 2. This is great. Good work.
Would like to know how many people are trying to solve the great american history puzzle if you could share. Thanks
After getting puzzle one and two, I am now officially hooked. Keep ‘em coming!
can anyone give me a small hint. on puzzle 2 i think i got it but i am a lil stuck
Puzzle #2 was tough though once I understood one of the poem’s lines, the rest came clear, one after the other falling like a row of dominoes. I too am hooked. Looking forward to #3.
Does anyone here participate in the “Almaniac” contests? I’m hooked on those too.
Took me some thinking and research to get #2 (anchor), but my 12 year old got it right away! Maybe they are learning something at school after all.
The password on the first one…yes I too spent a day sure I had it but it just wasn’t working before I rechecked everything and realized my error…and it wasn’t the browser.
I agree with Dwest…it would feel more like a community if we knew how many are playing. My family is really enjoying this.
Ken, are you *trying* to drive me crazy?! And does anyone have any Excedrin they can spare? It took me awhile to get both puzzles but now I’m hooked…and committed (maybe literally!)
A closer look did reveal what I was missing. However I still got “wrong answer.” After spending hours and hours trying to find another solution and retrying what I thought had to be correct, a switch from Firefox to Explorer proved it right.
James, where can these “Almaniac contests” be found, I would like to check them out.
Elisa – same here. I spent a long time on #2 only to have my Dad get it within a minute.
I would like to know how many people are involved in the contest, too.
God I can’t even slove the Frist puzzle I don’t even know where to start
I’m really stumped on number two. What I’m wondering is if all the solutions have to do with American History, or if they’re open-ended and just the final puzzle has to do with history. Any comments?
We can’t really give out hints — but it’s fair to say that it’s not called The Great American History Puzzle for nothing!
– The Puzzle Team
Dwest- Just do a Google search for Almaniac. It should be the first one that pops up.
James – I did the Circumglobal Dash YEARS ago – before internet. The Smithsonian puzzle had me thinking about it and I couldn’t remember what it was called and had no idea how to find it. Thanks for the Almaniac reference!
I still think there are browser/cache/cookies issues. I login to enter an answer and get presented by a page saying ‘incorrect answer’ before I even put in an answer !!!!
Looking for confirmation that I do (or don’t) have it solved from somebody who has solved the initial #1 from the magazine. Please contact me at my firstname@lastname.net and I’ll send along what I did, and what I’ve tried. I got nowhere asking the SI help link for confirmation…no response to an email. Thanks.
One important point is that the puzzle doesn’t “refresh” each time you load it; that is, if you previously typed an answer and it was wrong, then it will continue to display the “wrong answer” message until the correct answer is typed.
– The Puzzle Team
I have decoded 3 but cannot for the life of me find what it asks for. Driving me nuts.
Just double-checking! So…will it be o.k to keep guessing until I get the right answer? Or will I be disqualified if I guess wrong? I love this puzzle!
The Rules do not prohibit submitting more than one answer.
– The Puzzle Team
I am also solved the crytogram, but I am completely stumped on the solution afterwards.
Ben, you’re not alone. Spent the weekend with the FLU, at least the challenge help pas the time away.