Treasure Island (Solution)
by Palmer Mebane, based on an idea by Eric Wofsey
The solution to the Minesweeper puzzle is shown above. When one looks at the letters on the positions of the mines, the following phrase is spelled in the grid:
TREAT ALL QWERTY KEYS AS COLEMAK AND CHANGE ALL COPIES OF P TO O
Do this replacement on every letter of the grid. For example, G becomes D, A stays the same, etc. This gets a new grid of letters, which form a short word search.
| G | G | G | P | P | W | D | U | F | A | W | E |
| O | A | G | F | E | S | A | B | O | R | A | X |
| D | O | L | L | A | R | B | I | I | M | P | C |
| R | Z | M | Q | W | F | C | P | P | G | J | L |
| H | E | F | Q | A | J | K | E | B | R | A | A |
| T | Y | R | C | Y | I | R | V | N | T | F | M |
| A | E | A | S | K | S | I | R | E | T | S | A |
| Y | H | C | H | A | P | M | R | W | K | Y | T |
| D | J | D | N | D | C | A | R | O | F | A | I |
| I | C | D | G | W | C | A | D | Y | X | D | O |
| Y | P | O | U | N | D | J | F | J | B | X | N |
| R | Y | T | B | Y | O | G | K | A | Y | Y | E |
The word search contains the following 8 words:
- EXCLAMATION
- AROBASE
- POUND
- DOLLAR
- PERCENT
- CARET
- AMPERSAND
- ASTERISK
Each word represents one of the numbers 1-8, except typed with the shift key held. If one takes the next grid space right after each of the above words, they reach a space which has that number as a minesweeper clue. For example, in ASTERISK, the next space after the K has a minesweeper 8.
Take the eight spaces corresponding to those coming just after each of these words. In order, these spaces on the original grid contain the letters K E Y B O A R D. KEYBOARD is the answer.