#oneoffifteen

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 8 Inside a few people are laughing I hear them from not to far They don't know the shared ecstasy Or just how close they really are ~ #sign #neon #HonkyTonk #TinRoof #country #music #sky #storm #rain #snow #lightning #thunder #⛈ #BealeStreet #Memphis #Tennessee #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Memphis, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1iAnlZB4QM/?igshid=1x2bl7yhft526

[prettyoddfever]

Part 3: the Pretty. Odd. tracklist reveal

(the main post)

So the site’s source code was updated yet again to say “Oh, hello. Do you have time for one last challenge.” THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE GREATEST PUZZLE EVER. 

But so many people were initially like

The jigsaw puzzle for the cover art had lost my attention because the pieces showed up at different times (so even if you managed to check the right page, you might have been there too early to find anything). But this final challenge was a logical puzzle that was already laid out... you just had to work your way through it on your own.

THE FINAL CHALLENGE

Adam posted a myspace bulletin on January 26th that linked to his last.fm where the tracks he had recently listened to spelled out a message:

I’m so glad I didn't have a life because this challenge was a race that was over before some people even knew it existed (like the people who actually had plans or were asleep on the other side of the world).

The band’s site looked like nothing interesting was happening... it mostly just showed the second album’s cover art next to some info about a contest to be on the set of the next music video. BUT if you knew to keep checking the source code by now, you could find a “final challenge” link that took you to this image that had the file name “canyoukeepasecret:”

There’s a backwards link on the bottom of that image that showed up if you highlighted the page: panicatthedisco.com/oneoffifteen. That link led to a directory with some folders that contained mostly notes. I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT A DIRECTORY WAS AT THE START OF THIS DAY so I wasted precious time figuring out basic stuff... but pretty soon it was intuitive.

That directory listed some important dates (January 28, February 10, and March 25), random lyrics that we recognized from When the Day Met the Night, infuriating small talk from Adam, the link “http://www.panicatthedisco.com/000002,” and what looked like his grocery list: “milk, bread, ice cream, pickes, ketchup, lettuce, hand soap, pretty. odd.” There was also this image:

That was called “youmightwanttoholdontothis.jpg” so now things made more sense... we had to find the images for the song names. There’s an “8″ in the top left corner of that image and we already knew that When the Day Met the Night was definitely the title of a song on the second album.

side note: some people jumped right to a directory for panicatthedisco.com/prettyodd since that was easy to guess. But that meant that they found things out of order and were missing a couple song titles at the end. I think this whole challenge turned into mass chaos partially because everyone was going at their own pace and sharing random links to whatever they had found... so then a lot of people were just jumping from one directory to another without knowing what they were missing or where those clues even came from. Adam told us that there were no dead ends, so I wanted to follow this through in some kind of logical order.

If you found your first song title under the “oneoffifteen” link, then the only thing you had to work with next was "panicatthedisco.com/000002.” That turned out to be a blank white page, but the source code said “Not a lot going on here. Maybe if you dig a little deeper.” It took me a bit to catch onto the fact that we’d have to use the whole directory approach for most of this challenge (but at least I wasn’t as bad as the kids who were trying to translate lorem ipsum).

So the “000002″ directory had notes about “things have changed for me” & “and that’s okay,” records of some chats with Adam, and a green picture of a guy named Aaron:

There was also this image for the fifth song’s title: 

That image was called “songtitleshavechanged” so we knew this was the new name for Things Have Changed. Here are the two chats with Adam:

[18:29] fueledbyadam: wait...another video after what? [18:30] CamsAbcs: nine in the afternoon? [18:30] fueledbyadam: they shot one for nine in the afternoon [18:30] fueledbyadam: they're shooting another one next month [18:30] fueledbyadam: for things have change [18:30] fueledbyadam: d [18:31] CamsAbcs: when?! [18:31] fueledbyadam: february [18:31] CamsAbcs: is it going to be released as a single? [18:32] fueledbyadam: i don't know [18:32] fueledbyadam: maybe [18:32] fueledbyadam: maybe not [18:32] CamsAbcs: aww why [18:32] fueledbyadam: why what? [18:32] fueledbyadam: it might be released as a single because it's an awesome song [18:32] fueledbyadam: it might not because another song might be chosen

[09:15] buseast: hey adam [09:17] fueledbyadam: yo david...how have you been? [09:17] buseast: a little lonely [09:17] buseast: none of my friends are ever online any more [09:17] buseast: so i never have anyone to talk to [09:18] buseast: seen anything cool online lately? [09:20] fueledbyadam: yeah...check out http://www.dailymotion.com/search/sushi/video/x462w1_lart-du-sushi_creation

That link he mentioned took you to a video about sushi and then in the comments there was a link that took you to panicatthedisco.com/tuxedo. (So if you’re following the ideas here, it’s sushi + tuxedo so far). That link gave you two images:

The penguin was called “tux.gif.” The “clamscasino” directory gave you 3 images that seemed even more random:

And then there were these lyrics if you pieced a bunch of text notes together in order:

“Toast the fine folks casting silver crumbs to us from the dock. Jinxed things ringing as they leak through tiny cracks in the boardwalk. Scarecrow now it’s time to hatch sprouting suns and ageless daughters. Don’t you know that those watermelon smiles just can’t ripen underwater?"

That directory also had the title for the 11th song on the album:

(side note: THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONG NAMES. It reminded me of the lobster quadrille in Alice in Wonderland). 

The directory also had a note with “panicatthedisco.com/isloveenough.” That link gave you this image:

And then it looked like a dead end. I tried to treat it as a directory but I only found these extra images:

So I went back to the main url that had the Folkin’ Around image and found this in the source code: “/numerocinco.” That name was reassuring because this was the 5th song title I was looking for, so at least I wasn’t totally out of order.

The “numerocinco” directory gave you this picture of a snake:

There was also a “listen with your eyes” mp3 that I’d already seen people talking about, so I knew what this part would reveal. 

side note: Adam tried to stop people from sharing clues. However, there were still thousands of comments on the boards & lj where people were agonizing over whatever step they were on. Most of that talk didn’t make too much sense on its own, but there were definitely short comments and/or links that were really helpful once I got to certain parts. I don’t think I would’ve been able to figure this out entirely on my own.

If you downloaded & played the mp3 in itunes you could see this art:

The actual audio file was a mess of noises like drums & coughing, so that didn’t matter... but viewing the lyrics gave you:

And the info gave you a link:

That link turned out to be a page called “SECURITY” where you needed to enter a code:

I remembered seeing a couple people mention that 128 was a “password” that had worked for them on some page... it made sense here because January 28th was the release date for the NITA single. Before I moved on, I tried to use the “/NiTa” page as a directory and found this:

(we hadn’t seen the music video yet, so I didn’t know what the picture was). Then I went through the previous “SECURITY” page using 1-2-8:

and arrived at a directory called “asbigasthemoon.” These two things were in the “images” folder:

The documents folder also had some text links that led to 4 pictures on myspace. This was the third:

The other pictures didn’t seem like they were relevant. It was just like a “Charles In Charge” guy who looked like he did something with marketing for FBR. There were also 2 pictures of Papi Fernandez (who mostly did stuff with Cobra Starship. I wish I could still link here to explain him ha). 

But there was a link in the “about me” section on that myspace page that was helpful:

The link led to these lyrics:

I wont cut my beard and I wont change my hair. It grows like fancy flowers but it grows nowhere. If I could build my house just like the Trojan horse, I’d put a statue of myself upon the shelf of course. She’s the smoke, she’s dancing fancy pirouettes. Swan diving off of the deep end of my tragic cigarette. She’s steam, laughing on the windowpanes. The never-ending swaying haze, oh that ever smiling maze ballet. Everything’s gone missing. I’ve lost more songs to floods. I can’t prove this makes any sense but I sure hope that it does. Perhaps, I was born with the curiosity of old crows. The piano knows something I don’t know.

Then I removed everything from the end of that link and went to the actual “/prettyodd” directory that the lyrics were part of.

Remember how I mentioned that some people had guessed at the start that there would be a “prettyodd” directory and had already gone through that? This is where it fits into the order of the clues. There was a lot in this directory and most of it wasn’t particularly useful, so I think that’s why a lot of people who started there got confused and gave up.

The “images” folder held these:

Then the first subdirectory within “prettyodd” was called “734382.” It contained another subdirectory, some empty folders, and these two random pictures:

A subdirectory in “734382″ was called “tragiccigarette.” That seemed promising because I had totally seen people talking about that link. Some folders there had 3 text notes that gave a link to this cryptology site, said “This should be fun,” and then dumped this on us:

3.12.1 1.9.3 3.1.9 1.1.1 2.17.6 2.5.2 3.8.1 1.27.4 2.1.2 2.23.3 2.5.1 3.10.1 2.24.11 1.3.1 1.31.2 1.23.5 3.2.2 2.25.1 1.9.1 3.6.2 2.3.2 2.1.1 3.5.1 3.15.1 2.4.4 2.1.2 1.2.1 3.21.2 1.5.3 3.1.6 3.23.1 3.23.2 3.23.3 3.23.4 1.2.4 2.12.3 2.1.3 2.7.1 2.7.2 1.35.3 3.2.3 2.15.1 3.14.3 1.2.3 2.3.3 3.40.4

(those 3 text notes were numbered 5, 1, and 3 btw but I don’t think that turned out to be important).

I already knew that eventually there would be a cypher that would lead you to “panicatthedisco.com/whatdoesthepianoknow” once you decoded it because Adam had yelled at someone for posting the answer lol. It’s not like I was remotely near the front of the race or stood a chance at winning, so I was totally fine taking this shortcut. I’m so glad I didn’t have to work that out.

(continued in the next post)

[sirwizzo]

Off to go help beautify the community. I'll be off the grid for the next 10 to 12 hours. Happy Friday everybody! #workboots #caltrans #hardlabour #imnotcutoutforthisshit #whatifihavetopoo ##nophonenoworries #illbegladwhenthisshitisdone #oneoffifteen (at Wizzo's Home)

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 12 Against the wall we thrash about I taste the salt of her sweat Pushing herself hard onto me My manhood so hard and erect ~ #abandoned #AbandonedHouse #forgotten #decay #🏚 #urbex #urban #graffiti #BlackAndWhite #BNW #⬛️⬜️ #Philadelphia #Pennsylvania #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1oJVaZBoOS/?igshid=101cktli69sv1

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 11 Intense is the lust we carry Each day until we meet She has to touch herself To be free of the rising heat ~ #Sunrise #BeginingOfDay #🌅 #dawn #sky #SkyPorn #PaintedSky #clouds #sun #🌤 #Baltimore #Maryland #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Baltimore, Maryland) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1lua85B-H_/?igshid=1opife7neq3ox

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 10 'Inside me' she whispers As I lift her to come near She can feel the penetration As she bites along my ear ~ #FireEscape #building #city #urban #🏢🏥🏨 #NewYork #Manhattan #BlackAndWhite #BNW #⬛️⬜️ #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Manhattan, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kldrnBBbH/?igshid=7a218j103asg

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 9 My fingers are moving downward A moan escapes her lips I know just where to touch her As she gently rocks her hips ~ #prison #PrisonFarm #abandoned #abandonedplaces #forgotten #condemned #🏚 #decay #urban #graffiti #steps #Sunset #Endofday #🌅 #dusk #Moundsville #WestVirginia #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Moundsville, West Virginia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1jGFNzBt-O/?igshid=1tpru0ph5ac1w

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 7 I slowly pull down the zipper In the center of her chest And plant those soft, wet kisses Lingeringly upon her breasts ~ #window #boutique #WindowShopping #retail #shopping #dress #👗 #ThriftShop #SecondHand #retro #vintage #AfterHours #night #MiamiBeach #Florida #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Miami Beach, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1gY3BhhYVY/?igshid=1uptea59kker9

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 6 We near the alley by the bar Where we usually rendezvous I feel the heat pouring off of her 'Tonight what shall we do?' ~ #city #urban #alley #🏢🏬🏨 #Predawn #morning #Boston #Massachusetts #BlackAndWhite #BNW #⬛️⬜️ #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1dyyLLh54C/?igshid=vg451a6a6n2u

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 5 The sun’s first light creeping up City lights dimming their glow Shadows hurrying on their way Passing other wanders as they go ~ #Sunrise #BeginingOfDay #🌅 #dawn #sky #SkyPorn #PaintedSky #MorningInTheCity #RiseAndShine #Atlanta #Georgia #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Atlanta, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1bRcAkh5C1/?igshid=1kcmlkan9hylc

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 4 The moon is full this morning And it suits the mood I'm in She slinks up beside me Can't wait to indulge in sin ~ #moon #night #FullMoon #🌕 #lunar #midnight #clouds #☁️ #sky #Rockford #Washington #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Rockford, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Z84QDhQ8C/?igshid=17ixv5eo5417q

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 3 Banter is not our thing Never has been all these years We meet for pleasures unknown Will always be this way I fear ~ #CandyShop #Candy #Sweets #RocketFizz #SodaPop #store #2ndAndChurch #Nashville #Tennessee #street #urban #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Rocket Fizz Nashville, TN) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1YnieZhy7O/?igshid=1m78gdms0zjo5

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 2 'How are you?' she asks 'I'm well.' is my reply We continue down the road Not speaking, her or I ~ #street #city #urban #bikes #bicycles #🚲 #buildings #sky #clouds #🌤 #blueskies #Amsterdam #Netherlands #holland #cobblestone #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Amsterdam, the Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1XZusYh6Oq/?igshid=aa08r1of4gbb

[cthomasself]

Rendezvous - part 1 Wandering at early hours Fog swirling at my feet She steps in my path The place we always meet ~ ~ #fog #FoggyMorning #mist #boats #SailBoats #⛵️ #StAugustine #Florida #🌁 #MatanzasRiver #BridgeOfLions #bridge #🌁 #OldestAmericanCity #CastillodeSanMarcos #landscape #Startoftheday #morning #FifteenPartSeries #OneOfFifteen #1of15 #PoemOfTheDay #poetry #📝📆 #PictureOfTheDay #PhotoOfTheDay #📷📆 #CTSelf (at Saint Augustine, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WF4S5Bops/?igshid=yjdhzg6b7knr