The event is over! Fill out the https://aka.ms/pdsurvey and help us improve (also get a bonus puzzle!). You can still check answers here but they will not count towards your score.
The Microsoft Intern Puzzleday is an annual collaborative puzzle competition that challenges teams to solve a large number of original puzzles of all different kinds. These puzzles include wordplay, cryptograms, jigsaws, logic problems, and more.
Puzzleday is for Microsoft interns and a limited number of their friends. It's a team competition open to novice and hardcore puzzle solvers alike. Rule number 1 is "HAVE FUN!" More information about registration is available on the Rules page.
Puzzleday begins at 10:00 AM on Saturday July 9th, 2022 in 33/McKinley. You should show up at 9:30 AM to meet your team and check in. We'll have a few announcements and then hand out the puzzle packets shortly after 10:00 AM. Puzzleday runs continuously, with answer submission ending later in the afternoon at 5:00 PM. An awards and puzzle-demystification ceremony will be held shortly thereafter, starting at 5:20 PM in 33/McKinley.
Each team can have a maximum of 12 people. At least 1/3 of your team should be physically present on-campus since some puzzles require visiting locations on-campus. At most 1/2 of your team can be non-Microsoft intern guests (but remember, no Microsoft FTEs allowed!) While guests are allowed on campus, remember that you will also need members with Microsoft badges to get into buildings.
Primarily your brain and a lot of imagination. Every member of your team should have access to a computer. A pair of headphones or speakers may be desired. Building copy rooms will have all other office supplies you may need.
All Microsoft employees have access to printers. Just print the puzzle's webpage straight from the browser! If you need help installing the printer, follow the instructions at aka.ms/FollowMePrinting.
See the Rules page for more information.
Each puzzle has a simple final answer, either a single word or a short phrase. In some puzzles you are explicitly told how to get the final answer. In others, figuring out how to extract the final answer is part of the puzzle. When you think you've found the answer, enter it into the website and it will immediately tell you if you are correct. Sometimes, you can get a long phrase while working through a puzzle. That phrase is probably a clue to a shorter answer. Try entering the phrase into the website. If the word/phrase is recognized, you may get a "Keep going" or similar message. This means that you entered a valid partial answer and are on the right track.
A metapuzzle is a special puzzle that takes the progress you've made from solving other puzzles and combines them in some way. It is not necessary to solve all other puzzles before solving the final metapuzzle, but solving more puzzles often makes progress on the metapuzzle easier. The metapuzzle will be clearly labeled, and it is highly recommended to start looking at it early.
The implicit instruction for all puzzles is "Figure out the final answer." Puzzles without instructions are either classic puzzle forms, perhaps with a twist, or puzzles where the challenge is figuring out how to solve the puzzle. In the latter case, the key is usually to look for patterns or common bonds between the parts of the puzzle. For example, are many of the words spelled wrong? Have all the vowels been left out? Sometimes there may be a hint hidden in the puzzle. You may also find inspiration by looking at the list of Encodings or Tools.
The best way to win is to solve puzzles quickly so that you get to the final metapuzzle. The best way to accomplish this is with teamwork. Many teams prefer to work individually on the easier puzzles and work as a group on the harder puzzles. If you get stuck, ask for help or switch to another puzzle. Make sure you keep track of which puzzles you've already solved and confirmed using the answer submission system.
Not having fun. If you're not having fun working on a particular puzzle, switch to another one. Don't worry, you're unlikely to run out of puzzles.
If you don't understand how to solve a puzzle, contact Puzzleday staff. We may give you a hint or clarify the instructions. Aside from that, there are enough puzzles that you probably won't be stuck on all of them.
Each member of the winning teams will receive some digital theme-related prizes.
Haha. No.
Yes. If you do miss the registration deadline, send mail to Puzzleday staff at puzzhunt.
No! This event is fully playable and fully enjoyable remotely. Some teams may find it more advantageous to meet in person if possible, but the majority of the puzzles don't require interaction with any physical components or visits to locations in-person.
Please stay on east campus, anywhere south of NE 51st St, north of Bel-Red Road, and east of 520. Additionally, within those boundaries, DO NOT enter buildings 21, 30, 34, 41, 42, 50, or 87 under any circumstances. Also, stay out of any fenced-off or construction areas.
Yes! As in any event like this, some teams and some players will be very dedicated. But the event is designed so that less dedicated teams will also have fun. It's also OK to have teams that consist of some hard-core participants and some casual participants. There will be a variety of puzzles, so there's a good chance there will be puzzles that you enjoy (and that are easier than others).
Absolutely. Our goal is to create an event that is welcoming to everyone. In fact, since Puzzleday is a team event, we find that many teams naturally end up consisting of people from different backgrounds and specialties. We endeavor to make our puzzles in general accessible to all audiences, although some specific puzzles may use mechanics that are less accessible to people of certain abilities than others.
If you require alternate versions of puzzles or any other accommodation, please reach out to Puzzleday staff by filling out this form as soon as you can before the event so we can prepare the materials. By default, the puzzles we provide digitally are compatible with Windows' built-in accessibility tools like Narrator. For more customized accommodations, we will engage in a dialog with you to determine what will be most effective.
Send email to puzzhunt. We may also provide you with an alternative method of contacting us, such as a telephone number, when necessary.