PUZZLE SPOILERS AHEAD! This week, we debrief last month's Elevate Tutoring 2012 Online Holiday Puzzle Hunt with creator Bob Schaffer and player Matt Cleinman.
[ Download mp3 - 24 MB ]
00:59 - "online"
01:57 - previously: BANG 33, re-run, and online version
03:35 - the source of the holiday puzzles
04:35 - how did Matt do in the final analysis?
09:18 - a player's perspective
12:26 - puzzle hunting is a family affair
14:14 - the lone solver
17:40 - Elevate Tutoring fundraising results
23:33 - the future
25:53 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Mandelbrot Set" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Friday Flash Fiction: "Her Story"
This is what happens when you wait until the last minute to write a story.
Read "Her Story" at 512 Words or Fewer
Read "Her Story" at 512 Words or Fewer
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
SnoutCast #153: Kickin' It
A thoroughly un-scientific survey of recent puzzle hunt-ish projects on Kickstarter.
[ Download mp3 - 34 MB ]
00:59 - "commercial"
04:08 - Unique Puzzles for a YEAR: 150% funded!
17:08 - Great America Race 2012: unsuccessful, but event happened anyway
20:26 - Puzzle Extravaganza II: canceled, now being sold directly by creator
25:25 - pros and cons (and ramblings)
31:02 - coming to Boston this summer, WARTRON: BOSTON in Boston, Massachusetts!
36:48 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Baby Got Back" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
[ Download mp3 - 34 MB ]
00:59 - "commercial"
04:08 - Unique Puzzles for a YEAR: 150% funded!
17:08 - Great America Race 2012: unsuccessful, but event happened anyway
20:26 - Puzzle Extravaganza II: canceled, now being sold directly by creator
25:25 - pros and cons (and ramblings)
31:02 - coming to Boston this summer, WARTRON: BOSTON in Boston, Massachusetts!
36:48 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Baby Got Back" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
Friday, January 18, 2013
Friday Flash Fiction: "Wizard and Robot"
Today's story was inspired by this photo. Believe it... or not!
Speaking of science fiction police procedurals, I watched the very promising pilot for Continuum this week. My three main observations:
Read "Wizard and Robot" at 512 Words or Fewer
Speaking of science fiction police procedurals, I watched the very promising pilot for Continuum this week. My three main observations:
- Wearable tech is awesomesauce.
- William B. Davis looks even creepier now than he did on The X-Files.
- My alter ego is pretty badass.
Read "Wizard and Robot" at 512 Words or Fewer
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
SnoutCast #152: Pricing Puzzled Pints
A special extended conversation, in which we estimate how much one of our monthly events would cost at retail! Also, how would you like to adopt a cat?
[ Download mp3 - 36 MB ]
00:59 - "valuable"
02:28 - the business (or not) of puzzle hunts
04:19 - estimating Puzzled Pint costs
07:01 - the hours: ~80 total (5 puzzles per month)
14:32 - three-step hints, just like cooking!
18:00 - cost of materials: ~$50 (printing)
21:33 - hourly labor costs: ~$9 (minimum wage)
26:55 - final figure, per team: ~$50 (15 teams)
33:31 - exporting value
35:03 - tax implications
38:25 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Ikea" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
[ Download mp3 - 36 MB ]
00:59 - "valuable"
02:28 - the business (or not) of puzzle hunts
04:19 - estimating Puzzled Pint costs
07:01 - the hours: ~80 total (5 puzzles per month)
14:32 - three-step hints, just like cooking!
18:00 - cost of materials: ~$50 (printing)
21:33 - hourly labor costs: ~$9 (minimum wage)
26:55 - final figure, per team: ~$50 (15 teams)
33:31 - exporting value
35:03 - tax implications
38:25 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Ikea" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
Friday, January 11, 2013
Friday Flash Fiction: "CSI: Computer Science Investigation"
Yeah, I can't believe it took me this long to make that fuckin' joke either.
Read "CSI: Computer Science Investigation" at 512 Words or Fewer
Read "CSI: Computer Science Investigation" at 512 Words or Fewer
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
SnoutCast #151: Harmonies and Heuristics
In which we revisit the eternal question: how is a cappella music like puzzle hunts?
[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]
00:58 - "vocal"
01:08 - Adopt Lady Grey!
04:05 - the college connection
08:55 - getting paid for it (or not)
16:35 - repeatable experiences (or not)
24:45 - SRSLY, ADOPT LADY GREY
26:01 - Hire DeeAnn; read Curtis' story in this e-book
28:14 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and backing vocals from "When You Go" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]
00:58 - "vocal"
01:08 - Adopt Lady Grey!
04:05 - the college connection
08:55 - getting paid for it (or not)
16:35 - repeatable experiences (or not)
24:45 - SRSLY, ADOPT LADY GREY
26:01 - Hire DeeAnn; read Curtis' story in this e-book
28:14 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and backing vocals from "When You Go" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
Friday, January 04, 2013
FREE eBook of My First Fiction Sale
Now through the end of Saturday (January 5, 2013), you can download a FREE Kindle edition of the first short story I ever sold! It's titled "At Long Last, Love," and it's part of the anthology From the Porch Swing - memories of our grandparents.
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ATT9W7E/curtiscchensfree
"At Long Last, Love" was the first fiction piece I ever sold for actual money, so I'm still nostalgic about it. :) For those interested, you can read the backstory of the sale on my blog and livejournal.
If you want to see how much I've improved as a writer since then, please peruse my other, more recent work at curtiscchen.com.
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ATT9W7E/curtiscchensfree
"At Long Last, Love" was the first fiction piece I ever sold for actual money, so I'm still nostalgic about it. :) For those interested, you can read the backstory of the sale on my blog and livejournal.
If you want to see how much I've improved as a writer since then, please peruse my other, more recent work at curtiscchen.com.
Friday Flash Fiction: "Debriefing"
The narrator in this piece is not actually Kangaroo, though I can understand why you might be confused about that.
Read "Debriefing" at 512 Words or Fewer
Read "Debriefing" at 512 Words or Fewer
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
SnoutCast #150: Christmas Movies
If you're like us, you spent December 25th at the movies. And if not, well, now you get to hear about it. Happy New Year!
[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]
00:59 - "renewable"
03:20 - the infamous Ghost Patrol vacuum cleaner
05:35 - Rise of the Guardians
10:18 - This is 40
12:32 - The Hobbit (HFR 3D)
17:29 - Jack Reacher
19:38 - Les Misérables
28:10 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Skullcrusher Mountain" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]
[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]
00:59 - "renewable"
03:20 - the infamous Ghost Patrol vacuum cleaner
05:35 - Rise of the Guardians
10:18 - This is 40
12:32 - The Hobbit (HFR 3D)
17:29 - Jack Reacher
19:38 - Les Misérables
28:10 - The End
Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.
Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Skullcrusher Mountain" by Jonathan Coulton
[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]