Quo Vadis — A Mystery in 6 Parts (6)
Part 6 — Clues Blues
This is part 6 of a 6 part series about a mystery, a puzzle, a game, and a lost treasure. Previous Posts can be found here: part 1, part 2, part 3, Part 4, Part 5
People have been discussing the Quo Vadis puzzle in various little corners of the Internet. It’s not just me — but I hope that by sharing this set of articles I can attract the attention of the sort of folks who enjoy figuring out stuff like this. I know most puzzle folks aren’t keen on collaboration, but sometimes it can help. To that end, I’m sharing a few observations about these clues/riddles and adding a reminder that while it may be tempting to assume that the solution is the phrase Honi soit qui mal y pense, Dr. Langdell assures us that this is merely a red herring and the real answer is something different. He did not say that the real answer doesn’t contain some of those words — but he did assure us that that phrase is not the solution.
So, here are some things I’ve read and some things I’ve noticed. Please feel free to contact me with your own observations. If you think you’ve got it solved, I’ll be happy to forward your solution to Dr. Langdell — and if anyone solves it and he confirms it, I’ll post that update and connect it to this series of articles. Good luck, fellow sleuths!
Clue #1
TOURD’FORCE USING ONLY A KNIFE TO EAT AN A1 SOLUTION
This was the only clue I vaguely remember from the game. It’s not far in — and I remember having to get the dictionary out to find what a “Tourd’Force” was. I now know it is an impressive accomplishment, often in the literary arts — but I don’t know if the contraction here is important? For me, an A1 solution is a delicious steak sauce. But I’m not sure A1 sauce is a clue since my understanding is that in England the stereotypical choice would be HP sauce? So A1 may be part of another pun or play on words? And why a knife? There’s no fork? Does the visual pun of “FORC” in “FORCE” mean you don’t have it? Does “TOURDE” mean something? A1 is a term for ships — does that mean an A1 solution is the sea? Or a “C?” I dunno — your guess is as good as mine.
[update: My friend JD points out that the A1 is a very famous road in England. It runs from London, England to Edinburgh, Scotland and the beginning (if you consider London the beginning) is near St. Paul’s Cathedral. Not sure any of this is important — but it might be. Especially if “solution” is somehow related to the road’s beginning or end — if A1 refers to a road.
Also, the song Beautiful Girl by George Harrison and the song Too Old to Rock & Roll, Too Young to Die by Jethro Tull both contain “A1” in their lyrics and are old enough to have been known at the time of the puzzle’s crafting. ]
Clue #2
BINARY INDECISIONS BETWEEN SILENT BEGINNINGS AND QUIET TERMINATIONS
Okay, this is the first of the clues that falls into what Langdell calls his “red herring.” The beginning of silent is “s.” The termination of “quiet” is “t.” “Binary indecisions” could be construed as a “1” or a “0” so if we combine S+0+1+T we get “SOIT” which — I suspect — is what lures people into the Honi soit qui mal y pense solution.
Clue #3
LOSING THE DUTCH ONE, ROYALTY APPEARS BEFORE ME
Another clue which feeds into Langdell’s “red herring” may be this one — if this solution is correct. “One” in Dutch is “EEN.” “Royalty” could be “Queen” and “Me” could be “I.”
So, doing some alphabetical math: QUEEN — EEN + I = QUI.
Again, this feed into the Honi soit qui mal y pense pattern — if that is not a “red herring” but Dr. Langdell assures us it is.
Clue #4
A THOUSAND ADDED TO EVERYTHING LOSES FIFTY
A third clue that fits into the “red herring” pattern, this one directly harkens back to the use of Roman numerals in the book Masquerade. “M” = 1000. “Everything” could be “all.” And “FIFTY” is “L.” So, using alphanumeric math we get: M + ALL — L = MAL which tempts us even more towards Honi soit qui mal y pense doesn’t it?
Clue #5
BE SWEET AND BE QUICK TO GO BACKWARD
(Note the knight is about to get the Scepter “in game.”)
I don’t have much to go on here except that the punster in me can’t help but notice that the Honi in the “red herring” looks visually a good bit like HONEY. French for Honey is “MIEL” and French for Quick is “RAPIDE” and I’m not sure that’s a lick of help.
Clue #6
AT LAST YOU THINK YOU ARE THERE
Here is — possibly — yet another clue to lure us towards the Honi soit qui mal y pense solution.
“vous pensez” is French for “YOU THINK.” It’s so close to “y pense” as to tantalize isn’t it? Makes you think about it, doesn’t it?
And there you have it. Here are the clues to the mystery of Quo Vadis. The almost unplayable yet astonishing game design of a 19 year old British kid, combined with the puzzle crafting skills of a software entrepreneur in the early days of 8-bit micro-computer gaming. Will this puzzle — which has remained unsolved for over three decades — fall before the combined wit of the Internet? I don’t know — but I wish you all good luck. I’d just be happy to see a working solution at this point. (And maybe bop a few demon-bats on the head with the Scepter of Hope — but one can only wish…)