Operation Justice Unlimited

"Maybe thy written report shall save thee further bondage;
and God He knows we need men more and more in the Game."

Kim, Rudyard Kipling

It was a little before 10:00 AM on July 31, 2004. I was at the end of San Francisco's municipal pier and so were a lot of other people. It was an unusual combination of frivolity and seriousness. Many people sported silly costumes; silly conversation circulated. The Justice Unlimited Game was about to begin. This was to be an instance of THE GAME--a treasure/puzzle hunt that would last for more than 30 hours. I was playing with Team Mystic Fish, a crew of word puzzlers, athletes, gadget freaks, and generally smart folks.

Soon I would learn the thrill of The Game: Riding around in a rented van full of gear, visiting unusual locations around the San Francisco bay area, finding hidden clues, using toilets, and solving creative puzzles.

• The Shortest Longest Day:
  Getting in the good deed before dawn
• Free Comic Book Day:
  Visiting five San Francisco comic book shops in one day with time to spare
• Construction Notes:
  The three-eyed fish hat; the battery bandoleer
• Pre-clues:
  What happens when busy people collaborate by email
• Preparations:
  In which I fail to observe the van's provisioning
• The Briefing:
  The start of The Game proper.
• Putting The Petition In Competition:
  We annoy many innocent people
• Under Cover Of Darkness:
  Kicked in the butt by tiny-Hulk
• The Coast By Post:
  I just got a post card of an unknown... Instantly I noticed its unusual features... where you hiding
• Box Full Of Stuff, Oh Yeah:
  How I came to own a pair of X-Ray specs
• Beale Cipher, Speech Balloon Variation:
  Finally, an excuse to visit the beach by San Quentin
• Fun With Chicken Wire:
  A twisted puzzle
• Balancing Act:
  If my mom asks, tell her there was a safety net
• Blood And Bones Behave Classily:
  You can throw things at them and yell at them and they are still sweetie-pies
• He Was A Daredevil:
  Sitting in the van at night
• Candy Weirdness Transcends National Boundaries:
  If it makes no sense, it's always semaphore
• Knowing Hal Jordan: Too Much Or Not Enough?:
  Knowing just a little superhero trivia: too embarrassing, not helpful enough
• Light Reading:
  Read lights at night; puzzler's delight
• Bless The Darkness, Destroy The Candle:
  Should we burn it, cut it, or smash it with hammers?
• Handling Addictive Substances:
  Flying at high speed, Having the courage, Getting over crisis, I'll rescue the people
• We Live To See Another Dawn:
  We almost participated in the Tour de Peninsula
• Snickers Bars Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, And Other Origins:
  We solve the wrong puzzles
• Not Exactly The God Of Gamblers:
  I manifest bad attitude
• Contrapositive Of Pigpen:
  This puzzle was over in a hurry
• Parasol Para-solutions:
  I want to hear you say "I want to make a better day"
• Hogtied And Dog Tired:
  Smart questions means less running
• Arranging The Tubes:
  A thing of beauty is a joy forever
• Partyball:
  Denouement

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