The Thomas Crown Scare (Solution)

by Kevin Chen, based on an idea by David Reiley

This puzzle takes you to various pieces of art in the Boston and MIT area. At each location, record one letter of the answer and determine the next location by following the instructions. Writing down the letters in order gives the answer MAXWELL SMART. The last three letters of the answer spell ART, making him the perfect person to help protect the art.

LocationArtLetterNext location
Faneuil Hall, Samuel Adams Park, near intersection of Congress St. and North St.Gödel, Escher, Bach neuronM (Michael J. Galvin)6th Red Line T Stop (Boston Harbor Shore Line Circa 1630)
Kendall/MIT T StopKendall BandA (and lead the hammers)Building 32
Building 32 Gates LobbyOrigaMIT Holiday Tree DisplayX (χ)Building 76 (third row of slide rule)
Building 76 LobbyMosaic Tile Map of MITW (prefix for west side of campus)Building 16
16-5 to 26-5 connectorCosmic Ray ChandeliersE (the art detects muons, which are "heavy electron-like particles", and the symbol for electrons involving a lowercase letter is e-) 
16-5 to 8-4The Xauxa KhipuL (the art looks like lowercase l)Area next to building 32 (European invasion of the Andean zone of South America in 1532)
North CourtAesop's Fables, IIL (Percent-for-Art funds for the Northeast Sector Landscape)64 (Class of 1964)
Next to Building 64Transparent HorizonS (the art is commonly referred to as Transparent Horizons)Building 36
Building 36 LobbyTwo-faced sculpture (name unknown)M (Robert M. Fairchild)Building 6
Building 6 and 6CBars of Color within SquaresA (Building 6C)4-4
Strobe AlleyDancing DotsR (rubber shaft)Building 4
Ellen Swallow Richards LobbyPortrait of Ellen Swallow Richards, replaced by MIT Museum letter stating that the portrait has been removedT (8)