Papa Shade had a birthday last week (or the week before, time is a blur). He is difficult to shop for. One of those people who seems to already have everything they need. So I got him a heap of stuff he didn't really need. Together with mi hermana and accomplice I made an elaborate birthday treasure hunt. Theme: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Step 1: Take a naked treasure chest shaped box, paint, afix "Don't Panic" sign on outside.
Step 2: Buy Hitch-inspired gifts from ThinkGeek. Such as a "42" towel, mint chocolate chip astronaut icecream and a survival kit in a sardine can (thanks for all the fish).
Step 3: Continue buying gifts and display love for father by braving the terrifying world of Toys r' Us. Egads. One stuffed toy dolphin, a small package of glow-in-the-dark planets/solar system, and a styrofoam dart dart gun (which got morphed into POV gun). Write labels for gifts (such as dolphin and POV gun) and make Towel magnet...
(I got magnetized photo holder at grocery store, printed this little sign off of Google Image and insert. Towel Day is May 25th... in case you don't have a supercool special magnet to remind you)
Step 4: Come up with three hard to solve puzzles. Sista wrote the first, a rhyme-riddle about Dr. Who. The answer was "Dalek", then how many letters in my name: 5. Second was a cryptogram, a Terry Pratchett quote re-written in alternate alphabet that had to be deciphered. Once the key had been worked out, the question to decode and answer was: Your birthday day. Answer = 6. Third puzzle was a sudoku with a highlighted box. The highlighted box was the third number.
Step 5: Buy small, three number lock like the kind you put on luggage and program with combination matching answers. Lock treasure chest (filled with toys/gifts).
Step 6: Download appropriate sci-fi-y fonts, type up puzzles, get accomplice to illustrate. Place each clue in separate envelope, write introduction and answer sheet.
Step 7: Pack and mail and try not to panic
Greetings Intrepid Hitchhiker!
Seconds before your 66th birthday, you are plucked off the planet and are now hurtling through space powered by pure improbability.
You have:
* A mysterious, mostly harmless, locked box.
* No combination.
* No tea.
The box was devised by two hyper-intelligent, pan-dimensional twins who occasionally moonlight as brain-stealing lab mice. They are most unhelpful. You must now solve a series of puzzles all on your own in order to unlock this contraption. Don't be disheartened! Along the way you will encounter many strange lifeforms and fellow travellers. You may even discover the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. Or not. No warranty, no money back. The only guarantee this venture comes with: What you find at the end of your quest will be worth its weight in dolphin snacks.
Good Luck!
Papa loved it, huge success.
This is playlist/album/CD thingie I made for Ma...
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