Friday Flash Fiction: "This is the Job"

Read "This is the Job" at 512 Words or Fewer

I have no idea where the hell this came from. Really, I promise: I am not a serial killer.

SnoutCast #171: Shirt Shrift

I'm not going to lie to you, Marge: this is not our best podcast ever. Far from it. But at least I got a pun into the title.

[ Download mp3 - 18 MB ]

00:58 - "sartorial"
19:24 - 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 "I Feel Fantastic" by Jonathan Coulton

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Friday Flash Fiction: "Who Died?"

Read "Who Died?" at 512 Words or Fewer

I like to imagine Jeremy Irons performing this particular monologue. YMMV.

And now, apropos of nothing, some a cappella:


http://youtu.be/tJT4L7HGKzQ

It's been a rough couple of weeks. I guess I'm still processing Matthew's death.

(edited to remove emo coredump)

SnoutCast #170: The Coin Heist Report with Glenn Willen, Part 3 of 3

The conclusion of our conversation with Glenn Willen, one of the Manic Sages who ran the 2013 MIT Mystery Hunt!

[ Download mp3 - 27 MB ]

00:58 - "metaphysical"
02:35 - here's Glenn again...
07:32 - "pure" meta-puzzles vs. "shell" meta-puzzles
11:44 - "funniest moment of the [2013] Mystery Hunt"
16:52 - how many puzzles are in a Mystery Hunt?
19:32 - closing thoughts
22:43 - apply to play in The Famine Game (September 27-29, Washington DC)!
29:20 - 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 "Re: Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton

[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]

  

Friday Flash Fiction: "Down to Earth"

Read "Down to Earth" at 512 Words or Fewer

I freely admit that this week's story was inspired in part by the Gravity trailer:


http://youtu.be/ufsrgE0BYf0

I'm sure I was also influenced by the death of my friend Matthew Schuler.

It's been a rough week. But the show must go on. Make good art and all that.

SnoutCast #169: The Coin Heist Report with Glenn Willen, Part 2 of 3

More of our conversation with Glenn Willen, one of the Manic Sages who ran the 2013 MIT Mystery Hunt.

[ Download mp3 - 24 MB ]

00:04 - "enigmatic"
01:47 - more with Glenn Willen...
23:37 - sad news about our friend Matthew Schuler*
26:07 - The End

* You can hear Matthew talk about Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) in SnoutCasts #86, #87, and #88.

E-mail us at podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.

Music: instrumentals from "A Talk With George" by Jonathan Coulton

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Friday Flash Fiction: "Dear John"

Read "Dear John" at 512 Words or Fewer

It is entirely possible, if not likely, that today's story was influenced by "Reset," a beautifully creepy short film I saw last week at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon. Here's the trailer:

SnoutCast #168: The Coin Heist Report with Glenn Willen, Part 1 of 3

The first part of our conversation with Glenn Willen, one of the Manic Sages who ran the 2013 MIT Mystery Hunt!

[ Download mp3 - 20 MB ]

00:59 - "serious"
02:01 - a little bit of MIT history repeating
04:26 - Mr. Willen goes to Cambridge, Mass.
07:21 - how to win a Mystery Hunt (or not)
09:56 - tools for competitive solvers
15:03 - fun with clue construction
16:24 - experience in other puzzle hunts?
18:08 - why people run Games
21:24 - 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 "My Monkey" by Jonathan Coulton

[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]

  

Friday Flash Fiction: "Overtones"

Read "Overtones" at 512 Words or Fewer

Why, yes, I am working through some personal issues this week. WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT OKAY

Seriously, though, you should try this online exam (free registration required) to see if you can tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean faces. The results may surprise you.

One more thing: did you know that Marvel is releasing a special "Chinese version" of Iron Man 3 (opening today) for distribution in China? (Insert your own joke/complaint about Ben Kingsley playing the Mandarin here.)