The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt
The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt
It's not about South Park. And it's not about shutting up!
Hello, hello!
Welcome to The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt!
It’s a special Deepawali + Halloween (aka Deepoween) edition of The Weekly Whoop.
The Announcement post previously notified this Hunt’s format, rulebook, rewards, and clue release schedule.
A reward of up to US $ 1000 is up for grabs, with an option to double it by solving The Weekly Whoop #3 as a side quest.
To learn more about how this generally works, look up The Weekly Whoop #1 and #2 for inspiration.
To know more about whoop!, visit the About page. You can also DM me.
Alright! Let’s dive into the Hunt.
The Key
Here is the riddle in verse. You will love it!
-.-. .... .- .-. .-.. . ... .----. / ... --- -. / .-- .- ... / .- .-.. ... --- / -.-. .... .- .-. .-.. . ... --..-- / .- -. -.. / ... --- / .-- .- ... / -.-. .... .- .-. .-.. . ... .----. / --. .-. .- -. -.. ..-. .- - .... . .-. .-.-.- / -.-. .... .- .-. .-.. . ... .----. / ..-. .- - .... . .-. / .-- .- ... / .- .-.. ... --- / -.-. .... .- .-. .-.. . ... --..-- / .- -. -.. / ... --- / .-- .- ... / .... .. ... / --. .-. . .- - -....- --. .-. .- -. -.. ..-. .- - .... . .-. .-.-.-
Didn’t I tell ya? It just rolls off the tongue.
Alright, on to the quest.
The Quest
Use the key to complete the crossword below by answering the prompts Across and Down and providing the logic1 behind your answers.
DM me for clarifications, brainstorming, checking/sending solutions, and idle chitchat.
The Clues
The clues are helpful hints released with a time delay. There will be at least four clues for this Hunt, and at least three will be open to all.
Clue #1
Patience is a virtue! This cluewill bewas out on November 01, 2024 at 0600 hours PT.
Clue #2
Patience is a virtue! This cluewill bewas out on November 01, 2024 at 1800 hours PT.
Clue #3
Patience is a virtue! This cluewill bewas out on November 02, 2024 at06000750 hours PT.
Clue #4
Patience is a virtue! This cluewill bewas out on November 02, 2024 at18001837 hours PT.
You can also follow these releases on whoop!’s Whatsapp channel. It’s anonymous.
The Rules
The rules of the Hunt:
Complete the Hunt by completing the crossword and providing the logic behind the answers.
Partial solutions are a no-no for submission, but you can discuss them with me during the Hunt.
The deadline is 1800 hours Pacific Time on Sunday, November 03, 2024.
The Hunt ends when someone completes it OR if the time runs out.
If the community requests extra time, it is possible.
Whoever completes the Hunt first (within the timeframe) wins2
Ask questions, seek clarifications, confirm answers, brainstorm, and send the solutions (and logic) via DM (preferred method) or via email.
The Rewards
There is only one reward. It will go to the person operating the Substack account that sends through the first complete and correct solution.
Annual subscribers are eligible for a $1000 cash prize.
Monthly subscribers are eligible for a $500 cash prize.
Free subscribers3 are eligible for a $250 cash prize.
Say you are the first to complete the Hunt. You can upgrade to a particular subscription tier and become eligible for the prize corresponding to that tier.
BONUS SIDE QUEST: The Weekly Whoop #3 is still open; all the clues are out. You can double your prize by completing it together with The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt.
ASIDE: You might decide you only want to solve The Weekly Whoop #3. That’s fine. However, in that case, you are only eligible for the rewards listed for that Hunt. You can find them here.
The Tools to complete the Hunt
In addition to putting that beautiful mind of yours to work, you can:
work with friends and family
collaborate with colleagues and strangers
brainstorm with me4
use the internet,
walk into the local library (remember that old thing),
use AI and any other resources
The Downloads
As is customary, the key (aka the riddle), the quest (aka the crossword), and the abridged playbook (rules and rewards) are here in gallery format.
And a downloadable PDF version, should you want to share it with friends and enemies:
Download, share, print. Use them later for family game nights or team-building exercises.
Parting Shot
This is it, folks!
I had a lot of fun devising The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt. I hope it will bring you a similar joy of discovery and a few ‘Aha!’ moments.
Hunt with friends and family, or, if you are alone but don’t want to be, work with me. Most of all, have fun.
Welcome to the Hunt!
Logic is more than superficial connections like synonyms, antonyms, anagrams, word lengths, et cetera. E.g., if the answer to a particular prompt is a synonym of the prompt, your logic should explain why that specific synonym is the answer in the context of the riddle.
Or, e.g., say you see a particular word emerge as the answer to an Across or Down prompt because of the letters from answers to the other prompts. You must still explain how that specific word is connected to the riddle.
This means there is only one reward up for grabs, and its value varies with your subscription plan.
Free subscribers do have to subscribe by providing an email.
DM me on Substack (waveman). That’s the preferred route. You will have to opt for a free subscription for this.
You can also find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit, Grapevine, and X at the handle whoopthefeed. This facility is available for a limited time only. I will notify the community once we move entirely to Substack DMs.
[This benefit is available to subscribers only] You can access the community chat to work with other community members. Just (a) be respectful, (b) please don’t disclose the answers on the chat (use DMs if you must), and (c) remember that there’s only one reward per quest, and it will go out to the subscriber who communicates it first via DM or email.