SnoutCast #154: Chrissie Puzzies

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

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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

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

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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:

1. Wearable tech is awesomesauce.
2. William B. Davis looks even creepier now than he did on The X-Files.
3. My alter ego is pretty badass.

But enough about that. Let's find out what our two favorite undercover detectives are up to this week...

Read "Wizard and Robot" at 512 Words or Fewer

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

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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

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 ]

 

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.

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

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 ]