FOUND IN THE ALLEY
Greg Pliska
The ball-shaped array of symbols is in fact a sequence of characters taken from the score sheet of a four-player game of bowling. Entering the symbols, frame by frame, as they would be in a normal game, yields the following:
X |
|
7 |
/ |
5 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
X |
|
7 |
/ |
9 |
/ |
5 |
/ |
3 |
2 |
X |
7 |
3 |
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4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
/ |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
/ |
8 |
/ |
5 |
/ |
3 |
5 |
X |
7 |
- |
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1 |
1 |
8 |
/ |
8 |
1 |
8 |
/ |
4 |
3 |
1 |
- |
1 |
1 |
1 |
- |
2 |
/ |
2 |
/ |
2 |
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- |
1 |
1 |
/ |
4 |
- |
3 |
1 |
3 |
/ |
5 |
/ |
9 |
/ |
6 |
/ |
2 |
7 |
X |
2 |
8 |
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The number of points scored in each frame, converted to an alphabetic character (A=1, B=2, etc.), gives this:
X |
|
7 |
/ |
5 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
X |
|
7 |
/ |
9 |
/ |
5 |
/ |
3 |
2 |
X |
7 |
3 |
20 |
T |
15 |
O |
7 |
G |
5 |
E |
20 |
T |
19 |
S |
15 |
O |
13 |
M |
5 |
E |
20 |
T |
|
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
/ |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
/ |
8 |
/ |
5 |
/ |
3 |
5 |
X |
7 |
- |
8 |
H |
9 |
I |
14 |
N |
7 |
G |
6 |
F |
18 |
R |
15 |
O |
13 |
M |
8 |
H |
17 |
Q |
|
1 |
1 |
8 |
/ |
8 |
1 |
8 |
/ |
4 |
3 |
1 |
- |
1 |
1 |
1 |
- |
2 |
/ |
2 |
/ |
2 |
2 |
B |
18 |
R |
9 |
I |
14 |
N |
7 |
G |
1 |
A |
2 |
B |
1 |
A |
12 |
L |
12 |
L |
|
- |
1 |
1 |
/ |
4 |
- |
3 |
1 |
3 |
/ |
5 |
/ |
9 |
/ |
6 |
/ |
2 |
7 |
X |
2 |
8 |
1 |
A |
14 |
N |
4 |
D |
4 |
D |
15 |
O |
19 |
S |
16 |
P |
12 |
L |
9 |
I |
20 |
T |
|
which is the message:
TO GET SOMETHING FROM HQ BRING A BALL AND DO SPLIT
The expectation is that solvers will show up at HQ (calling ahead, of course) with a ball – any ball, not necessarily a bowling ball – and perform a split. Those unable to actually achieve a full split get credit either for admirable attempts or for doing some other action that creatively follows the instructions (i.e., making a 7-10 split in the hallway; putting the letters D and O really far apart; bringing us a banana split made up of bananas, ice cream, chocolate sauce, super balls and little cut-out musical notes [a ball-do split, get it?], etc.).
The answer is a red bowling pin (PIN for normal meta).