Community Puzzle: The Case of the Missing Couple

[Im2Fast_4U]

Late, but did the puzzles, and got:

Spoiler

A : Y

B : R

C : U

D : M

E : E

 

As confirmed with others here mid-writing the post

 

As for what this could mean:

Spoiler

As many have eluded, it could be a case of schizophrenia and a note from Kevin for himself, confused as to why someone else is him "why are you me", but I'm not sure. Do we have any info on his medical records? If not, I am uncertain if they could be procured to know of any possible mental illnesses with Kevin, but would like to know if this is possible.

 

I tried a straight Caesar shift at first of all possible combos, and nothing jumped out at me as relevant, nor do I see any number to base such a shift off of in our clues.

 

I then had the idea of shifting each letter by a different number, namely forward and backward by +/- 1,2,3,4,5 for Y,R,U,M,E. The logic being A=1, B=2, etc. That yielded:

-moving all letters forward: ZTXQJ

-moving all letters backwards: XPRIZ

 

Given the mention of Roman numerals, I really liked the idea of the backwards shift, where say XL is L - X (50 -10 = 40), as the first letter is a subtraction of the second when it is smaller. The only place this potentially breaks down is with puzzle E, as E was the solution, but I think the logic alone is a worthy exploration of what to do with YRUME.

 

Doing a straight Caesar shift on ZTXQJ didn't reveal anything interesting across the board, but wasn't expecting it to given the forward interpretation to get ZTXQJ in the first place.

 

XPRIZ already sounds promising, as considering the YRUME phonetic meaning, XPRIZ as "ex prize" could have some serious implications. Is Kevin possibly possessive of his girlfriends, both past and present? Seeing them as his prize of sorts? This could explain why he was always working at the coffee shop while Jane was on shift, always needing to monitor her whereabouts for his... sanity? Security? Possessiveness? Possible...

 

The strangest thing yet with this happens when you do a straight Caesar shift on XPRIZ: a shift of 15 yields MEGXO, which jumped out at me. Is there a Meg/Megan that was or is in Kevin's life? MEGXO could imply a lover (think signoffs of XOXO on cards or texts for hugs and kisses) he isn't over, or be the key e"x" he "priz"es? Furthermore, if you add up 1+2+3+4+5, it equals 15, the exact number used for the shift to get from XPRIZ to MEGXO... Could it be that MEGXO is the password?

 

[MAUSZX]

Well I solved the puzzle 4, and well it was tricky the first one to be honest.

 

The solution is:

 

Spoiler

Y R U M E.... I don't know what this means, also the U look like it had some weird deformation on the right lol.

About the question if who is making the puzzles... is weird, but it seems like culprit wants someone to find who he/she is. Why? I don't know.

Edited July 6, 2022 by MAUSZX

[Malachen]

55 minutes ago, MAUSZX said:

Well I solved the puzzle 4, and well it was tricky the first one to be honest.

 

The solution is:

 

  Hide contents

Y R U M E.... I don't know what this means, also the U look like it had some weird deformation on the right lol.

About the question if who is making the puzzles... is weird, but it seems like culprit wants someone to find who he/she is. Why? I don't know.

So I thought that 

 

the u was a lower case and the other letters were all caps which led me to Imgur as I thought it may be leading to a picture file. 

 

 

https://m.imgur.com/a/YRuME

However, if this was ever an image, it isn't anymore.
 

Also Vice had said it doesn't make sense to him but may make sense to us. Perhaps it's game related in some way. Do any games have those initials perhaps?

 

Another thought, does any trophy have these initials? Perhaps the trophy number is the password. I tried to look but the site isn't showing me any trophies when I sort by alphabetical

Edited July 6, 2022 by Malachen

[Im2Fast_4U]

A new thought on how to interpret the initial cipher:

Spoiler

Rather than reading YRUME as "why are you me", I began thinking of other ways this could be read. I eventually saw "e room" and quickly made a connection to The Playroom and Astro's Playroom. So could this be a cryptic hint to the password being ASTRO, given the featuring of Astro Bot in both of them?

 

[Platinum_Vice]

Puzzle 5 of 9

 

 

Good morning PSNP,

 

I tried the first password that you all suggested: 

Spoiler

Y R U M E

 

 

...and that worked on the first attempt. I have to say, I am loving the dedication that you are applying. It makes me confident in the face of what I fear will be the hardest puzzle so far and the one that will require the widest knowledge of gaming with PlayStation. 

 

I can't get access to full medical records at the moment without some evidence of injuries or death, but there is a Mental Health crisis portfolio in this State that documents mental health-related attendance by Emergency Services. Neither Jane or Kevin are on that list so they have therefore never come across the Emergency Services' radar for mental health crises.

 

I can definitely discount the evil-twin theory as we do know that neither Kevin or Jane had any siblings. 

 

I appreciate the theories and suggested lines of inquiry... I have no problems with you suggesting more!

 

 

The CCTV from the bank near Kevin's ATM withdrawal has come in. His $3,000 withdrawal was a month before they went missing. The CCTV depicts Kevin making the withdrawal as expected. Jane is with him. They appear to be having an argument. It’s not physical but Jane looks upset. Kevin gives Jane some of the withdrawn cash. He’s wearing a checked shirt, jeans and boots. She’s wearing a denim jacket, jeans and boots. There’s no one else nearby that appears to be within earshot for me to inquire with regarding the content of the conversation (the CCTV is video-only, no audio).

 

 

I tracked down Kevin's employer. It’s a company developing an app for a game for kids between 5 and 10 that they are hoping to pitch to schools to assist students with special needs. Kevin is not expected to turn in his current programming task until the end of the month and he works autonomously so he hasn’t contacted his employer and they don’t find that odd. They don’t know very much about his personal life as he works from home – they’ve only met in person once and spoken face to face remotely twice... all other communication has been written.

 

 

I spoke with Isabella Davidson (Jane's best friend). She hasn’t seen or heard from Jane or Kevin for about a month which is not necessarily unusual. She struggled to think of where they could be but suggested an overseas holiday or maybe just a getaway at a rental apartment. She said that Robert doesn’t particularly like Kevin (or Isabella, for that matter – she thinks Robert finds her too much of a promiscuous influence on his angelic daughter), but Isabella doesn’t think Kevin or Robert would ever come to blows over disagreements. Due to many prior conversations with Jane, Isabella believes Kevin to be quite romantic and passionate about Jane. 

 

 

Trigger warning/adult themes: The information in the next paragraph is a little darker than usual, so proceed with caution if you find that you’re sensitive to darker themes involving drugs/overdoses: 

Spoiler

When I went to find Frank, Jane's ex-partner from four years ago, I found out that he died from a drug overdose about three years ago. Toxicology revealed heroin and fentanyl in Frank's blood. This could potentially be circumstantial evidence that Frank was given a “hot shot" (drugs laced with other, more potent chemicals to cause the user to overdose) by a supplier but it is not enough to open a case into a suspected homicide of Frank. The investigation into his death was officially listed as an overdose. This is also insufficient evidence of foul play in regards to this current Missing Persons case for Jane and Kevin for it to be handed over to homicide detectives. Frank's parents did not want to engage with me about Frank or Jane.  

 

 

 

I spoke with Kevin’s friends – James and Michael – separately but they gave me similar information; they were closest in high school and have kept in touch. Kevin, James and Michael catch up a few times a year to play D&D (Kevin roleplays a cleric, which frustrates James because Kevin’s logistical management is a little lacking). Kevin has an interest in hunting and has a crossbow (he has told them he’s hunted, gutted and cooked rabbits before) but they have only gone out a few times (they’re all city-boys that weren’t raised with hunting discipline or hands-on experience so they often struggled with hunting). Michael told me that Kevin is a lucky guy – Michael has always thought that Jane was quite the catch. Other than Robert, Michael is the most concerned person regarding Jane and Kevin so far.

  

 

I am making inquiries with public transport, taxis, Uber (and competitors) and AirBnB (and competitors). 

 

I will go back to Robert and try to get his consent to release Jane’s face to televised and social media. This often significantly increases a detective's workload with incoming calls but it does sometimes yield worthwhile results. I also want to revisit their apartment for one last look with all of the recent information.

 

 

Now, the fifth puzzle:

I could not easily transcribe it to a program online in a way that would be free and easy for you all.

 

You could instead:

1.       Print the images, or

2.       Copy/write the word search down manually (20 across x 15 down).

 

Here’s the puzzle, good luck!

- Vice

 

 

Jane, this password (or pass-sentence) is particularly lengthy. Subtract the iconic PlayStation characters, weapons and locations.

 

 

 

 

@DrBloodmoney

@MAUSZX

@DonFrancesco

@Im2Fast_4U

@DoctorDrPepper

@YaManSmevz

@rjkclarke

@MattbluePT

@HusKy

@GuitaristZag

@Malachen

@AugustUnder

@APeskyAxolotl

 

 

 

[DrBloodmoney]

I have everything but 02, 07, & 16... so if anyone wants to trade some answers....

Edited July 8, 2022 by DrBloodmoney

[Malachen]

4 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I have everything but 02, 07, & 16... so if anyone want's to trade some answers....

As in you don't know what they are?

2 is Mordecai, 16 is Sparx or maybe Sparks from Spyro. Can't remember how you spell it. I think 7 is a gun from R and C but I can't tell

[DrBloodmoney]

2 minutes ago, Malachen said:

As in you don't know what they are?

 

  Hide contents

2 is Mordecai, 16 is Sparx or maybe Sparks from Spyro. Can't remember how you spell it. I think 7 is a gun from R and C but I can't tell

 

cheers! 
 

yes - 7 I should have known!

 

I have the others, if you need help in kind!

[HusKy]

3 minutes ago, Malachen said:

As in you don't know what they are?

 

  Hide contents

2 is Mordecai, 16 is Sparx or maybe Sparks from Spyro. Can't remember how you spell it. I think 7 is a gun from R and C but I can't tell

 

 

Yep, correct and 7 is...

 

Spoiler

The RYNO, also stylized as R.Y.N.O. (an abbreviation for Rip Ya A New One) from R&C.

 

[Malachen]

9 minutes ago, HusKy said:

 

Yep, correct and 7 is...

 

  Hide contents

The RYNO, also stylized as R.Y.N.O. (an abbreviation for Rip Ya A New One) from R&C.

 

Yes ofc it is. Gonna have to wait for my lunch break to do the wordsearch though lol

Edited July 8, 2022 by Malachen

[DrBloodmoney]

36 minutes ago, Malachen said:

As in you don't know what they are?

 

  Reveal hidden contents

2 is Mordecai, 16 is Sparx or maybe Sparks from Spyro. Can't remember how you spell it. I think 7 is a gun from R and C but I can't tell

 

 

Spoiler

Does Sparx go by any other name in Spyro?

 

I've never played the game, but I've triple checked, and I'm relatively certain there is not a single instance in the jumble of an "S" with a "P" next to it in any direction...

 

There's also only one "X" and it has no "K" around it either....

 

Edited July 8, 2022 by DrBloodmoney

[HusKy]

7 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

  Hide contents

Does Sparx go by any other name in Spyro?

 

I've never played the game, but I've triple checked, and I'm relatively certain there is not a single instance in the jumble of an "S" with a "P" next to it in any direction...

 

There's also only one "X" and it has no "K" around it either....

 

 

Spoiler

It's the PS1 version of Sparx and afaik this character has no other names besides "Sparx the Dragonfly".

 

[Platinum_Vice]

8 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

  Hide contents

Does Sparx go by any other name in Spyro?

 

I've never played the game, but I've triple checked, and I'm relatively certain there is not a single instance in the jumble of an "S" with a "P" next to it in any direction...

 

 

Huh...interesting...

 

[DrBloodmoney]

Okay - I was able to figure out the sentence in the jumble, even without knowing the last one:

 

(Pink Dots are the letters from the clues, Green is the answer to the riddle, Yellow is what I think is meant to be the last answer I couldn't get:

 

Spoiler

 

Answer: Where You Told Me That You Loved Me For The First Time.

 

Leftover Letters (Answer to 16?): HAROZ, or ZORAH?

 

 

Edited July 8, 2022 by DrBloodmoney

[Malachen]

2 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Okay - I was able to figure out the sentence in the jumble, even without knowing the last one:

 

(Pink Dots are the letters from the clues, Green is the answer to the riddle, Yellow is what I think is meant to be the last answer I couldn't get:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Answer: Where You Told Me That You Loved Me For The First Time.

 

Leftover Letters (Answer to 16?): HAROZ, or ZORAH?

 

 

Zorah seems to be an actual place. I also got the same phrase but I am thinking the phrase itself is the answer. Don't want to overthink this again lol

[Im2Fast_4U]

I wonder if:

Spoiler

Instead of the password being that transcribed message "Where you told me that you loved me for the first time", it would seem most appropriate the password would be the titular location where she told him as such for the first time. Based on the information Vice has given us with them moving along in their relationship rather quickly, perhaps the Foo Fighters concert mentioned on her social media post was this place?

 

I find it hard to believe such a long statement would be the password, and instead be more protected. This reads like an individualized security question "what street did you grow up on?" for a website, no? I think that'd be the place to start looking.

 

Vice: can you talk to Isabella and see if she knows the specific location Jane first told Kevin she loved him? I would wager it is the Foo Fighters concert, but could be anything as far as we know. If she has that info on this matter, that'd be great to confirm with her and advance to the next puzzle!

 

[Malachen]

9 hours ago, Im2Fast_4U said:

I wonder if:

  Hide contents

Instead of the password being that transcribed message "Where you told me that you loved me for the first time", it would seem most appropriate the password would be the titular location where she told him as such for the first time. Based on the information Vice has given us with them moving along in their relationship rather quickly, perhaps the Foo Fighters concert mentioned on her social media post was this place?

 

I find it hard to believe such a long statement would be the password, and instead be more protected. This reads like an individualized security question "what street did you grow up on?" for a website, no? I think that'd be the place to start looking.

 

Vice: can you talk to Isabella and see if she knows the specific location Jane first told Kevin she loved him? I would wager it is the Foo Fighters concert, but could be anything as far as we know. If she has that info on this matter, that'd be great to confirm with her and advance to the next puzzle!

 

It certainly does seem this way but after we overcomplicated the last one I went for the simplest option ?

[DonFrancesco]

On 8.7.2022 at 2:10 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

Okay - I was able to figure out the sentence in the jumble, even without knowing the last one:

 

(Pink Dots are the letters from the clues, Green is the answer to the riddle, Yellow is what I think is meant to be the last answer I couldn't get:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Answer: Where You Told Me That You Loved Me For The First Time.

 

Leftover Letters (Answer to 16?): HAROZ, or ZORAH?

 

 

 

On 8.7.2022 at 4:48 PM, Malachen said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Zorah seems to be an actual place. I also got the same phrase but I am thinking the phrase itself is the answer. Don't want to overthink this again lol

 

 

I finally got around to doing this too and I have the same sentence as @DrBloodmoney

Spoiler

The sentence is: "Where you told me that you loved me for the first time." I had no idea what 1 was supposed to be for the longest time, probably because I never played a single Far Cry game so far, but I figured it out based on it being the only letters left at the end. Answer #7 I stole from what HusKy posted. But for the life of me I can't find 16 in the actual word grid? Maybe I'm just blind, but I can't see it anywhere.

 

But just to clear the confusion up, I believe it's actually meant to be:

Spoiler

The "Zorah" you two mentioned belongs to Tali's name. The full version of her name is "Tali'Zorah nar Rayya".

 

So, I thought about the clue for a moment, and I had a similar feeling about it as I'm2Fast_4U. But I was also wondering if

Spoiler

Did we consider that it could have been Jane's ex-partner, Frank Williams, who might have written this and not Kevin himself? So far we haven't really seen or heard anything about Kevin's ex-partners (or maybe we have and it just didn't register with me, but at least I don't remember it), so someone as yet unknown from his past might be a possibility too. Since he doesn't have instagram and his Facebook account is almost fully private it might be harder to find any reliable information on this, though...

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by DonFrancesco

[DrBloodmoney]

6 minutes ago, DonFrancesco said:

 

 

I finally got around to doing this too and I have the same sentence as @DrBloodmoney

  Hide contents

The sentence is: "Where you told me that you loved me for the first time." I had no idea what 1 was supposed to be for the longest time, probably because I never played a single Far Cry game so far, but I figured it out based on it being the only letters left at the end. Answer #7 I stole from what HusKy posted. But for the life of me I can't find 16 in the actual word grid? Maybe I'm just blind, but I can't see it anywhere.

 

But just to clear the confusion up, I believe it's actually meant to be:

 

  Hide contents

The "Zorah" you two mentioned belongs to Tali's name. The full version of her name is "Tali'Zorah nar Rayya".

 

I will edit this answer if I come up with some good thoughts / theories about the answer...

You’re absolutely right - I don’t know how I missed that!

 

I’m on my phone now, and can’t do spoiler tags - so I’m being vague here - but that means that other clue isn’t actually in the puzzle - which might be a clue in itself…

 

 

 

 

[MattbluePT]

Okay, so I got the following:

 

Spoiler

Where You Told Me That You Loved Me For The First Time

 

Anyway, I didn't found the word for 16 in the puzzle, but it didn't make any difference getting the sentence. Could 16 be related in any way with the location? I'm quite confused with this, as the only way I got the answer to 16 was from the other players in this event (never played Spyro). I agree with @Im2Fast_4U, it most probably isn't the password, but a clue to the location that makes the password. Or maybe to where they are? The location to the Foo Fighters concert might be a clue. It needs further investigation.

 

Skipped the last two challenges as I was on vacation, but I'm really getting thrilled with the unfolding of the case.

[DonFrancesco]

8 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

You’re absolutely right - I don’t know how I missed that!

 

I’m on my phone now, and can’t do spoiler tags - so I’m being vague here - but that means that other clue isn’t actually in the puzzle - which might be a clue in itself…

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I noticed that too:

Spoiler

That clue #16 seems like it's nowhere to be found in the puzzle, no matter how you spell it.

 

And I was wondering the same thing, if that might, in fact, not be an oversight at all, but a deliberate clue in and of itself... maybe related to the actual answer?

 

Spoiler

I contemplated this some more and it seems to me like there might be two possibilities, if we were to assume that the missing word in the grid, "Sparx", could be an additional clue. Either it's more metaphorical and refers to the perception of whoever wrote this, that "sparks" were flying that day, or it references an actual place or event. Like something happening at a campfire for instance? Or maybe fireworks?

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by DonFrancesco

[DrBloodmoney]

6 minutes ago, DonFrancesco said:

 

Yes, I noticed that too:

  Hide contents

That clue #16 seems like it's nowhere to be found in the puzzle, no matter how you spell it.

 

And I was wondering the same thing, if that might, in fact, not be an oversight at all, but a deliberate clue in and of itself... maybe related to the actual answer?

I wonder if it is a statement about their relationship…

 

If there is “no XXXXX”… that would mean they weren’t really in love?

[DonFrancesco]

2 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I wonder if it is a statement about their relationship…

 

If there is “no XXXXX”… that would mean they weren’t really in love?

 

Oooh... that's an interesting thought. I just edited the answer you quoted to add an idea that I had, that went the completely opposite direction ? But now that I read this, it seems to make a lot of sense to see it this way... and it would also imply a motive in a way, wouldn't it?

[DrBloodmoney]

Just now, DonFrancesco said:

 

Oooh... that's an interesting thought. I just edited the answer you quoted to add an idea that I had, that went the completely opposite direction  But now that I read this, it seems to make a lot of sense to see it this way... and it would also imply a motive in a way, wouldn't it?

Possibly - I don’t think it’s an oversight - Vice was very quick to correct the puzzle that had an actual error in it, and he knows about this one - so I’m certain it’s deliberate!

[DonFrancesco]

2 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Possibly - I don’t think it’s an oversight - Vice was very quick to correct the puzzle that had an actual error in it, and he knows about this one - so I’m certain it’s deliberate!

 

Oh, haha, I was actually referring to what I wrote in spoiler tags at the very bottom of the post. But just to add something else:

Spoiler

The more I think about it, the more I believe Frank Williams might be someone to look at more closely. With what we're starting to slowly figure out here, wouldn't it make sense, that he felt more and more jealous / hurt by seeing the many pictures of his ex-girlfriend Jane with her new partner, whom she is obviously very much in love with? And that maybe he started thinking Jane never really loved him (no "sparks") and that this is also related to the place where she first told him so regardless? Which he might now perceive to be a lie, so that that is where he abducted her (and probably Kevin too, who might have thought it wasn't safe for her to go alone, or something along those lines)?