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Puzzlehunt 2012

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Sweet as Pie

In order to be considered a good flirt, you are expected to take even the subtlest cues.

irc.srcf.ucam.org
http://www.srcf.net/irc/
/query meloncat

Solution

Author

Sunoo Park (sp590)
Matvey Soloviev (ms900)

Description

The commands above are instructions for connecting to an IRC server, and communicating with the meloncat user who turns out to be a bot.

Like many irc chat bots, the bot seemingly randomly constructs sentences using Markov chains, in this case based on the text of The Shadow Over Innsmouth, a Lovecraft novella. However, there is actually a pattern, the first letters of each word spell anothre word. If this word is spoken to the bot, it then moves onto a different pattern. Repeatedly finding the pattern eventually leads to the bot saying the solution.

Solution

limecat wants to make melony, melony love to thee

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