Sponsored Content
“We are so excited that a publishing company is using the medium of puzzles… to promote a book.”
The only thing I like better than puzzles is winning money while solving puzzles. Who Killed Ickey? is an online treasure hunt taking place January 27, 2024 with prizes worth $50,000. In this special release sponsored episode, we sat down with the Who Killed Ickey? puzzle hunt designer John Bromels for the inside scoop on how this treasure hunt works .
John started off creating The Puzzle Crawl—for nerds who like to drink and drunks who like to think. He is also on the team that ran this year’s MIT Mystery Hunt…. but don’t worry. He told us that he designed The Who Killed Ickey? hunt to be accessible to puzzlers of all experience levels.
We’re really excited that a publishing company is using the medium of puzzle hunts to promote their new book. Good luck to all the puzzlers! The Who Killed Ickey? treasure hunt begins at 10 am Pacific Time on January 27, 2024 and ends at 4:30 pm Pacific Time. You can learn more at the Who Killed Ickey? website.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We are immensely grateful to our sponsors in the off-season. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.
Who Killed Ickey?
Who Killed Ickey? is a madcap treasure hunt from Galbraith Literary Publishers taking place on January 27, 2024, with prizes totaling fifty thousand dollars. This hunt is designed by John Bromels, a member of the team running this year’s MIT Mystery Hunt.
Who Killed Ickey? Details
- Grand prize of $25k to fastest team.
- Next 10 fastest teams win prizes with total value of $20k.
- There are mini puzzles every week, and solvers are entered into a drawing to win more prizes.
- Neither the book (which is set in 1977 San Francisco) nor the Hunt are related to recent global events in any way.
- The Who Killed Ickey? treasure hunt begins at 10 am pacific time on January 27, 2024 and ends at 4:30 pm pacific time.
- You can learn more at the Who Killed Ickey? website.
Morty
Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
- Morty now features haunt attractions!
- Morty for Android is here and in public beta.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners. (This works for existing users too!)
Buzzshot
Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGS
COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
- 00:02 Introduction and Sponsor Acknowledgement
- 00:30 Meet the Guest: John Bromels
- 01:01 Sponsor Spotlight: Galbraith Literary Publishers
- 01:26 The Intersection of Puzzles and Publishing
- 03:44 John Bromels Puzzling Origins
- 04:04 The Birth of Puzzle Crawl
- 05:07 Reflections on the 2024 MIT Mystery Hunt
- 06:25 The Philosophy of Puzzle Design
- 07:27 The Who Killed Ickey? Treasure Hunt: An Overview
- 11:50 How to Participate in the Who Killed Ickey? Treasure Hunt
- 15:42 The Exciting Prize Pool
- 17:22 The Mini Puzzle Challenges
- 20:18 Solving Puzzles and Winning Prizes
- 20:38 Understanding Contest Laws
- 21:15 The $5,000 Bonus Cash Prize
- 21:55 The Joy of Puzzling
- 22:40 Supporting Puzzle Hunts and Publishers
- 23:30 Sponsor Break: Morty App, Buzzshot, and COGS by Clockwork Dog
- 25:38 Professor Lorenzo’s Carnival of Mysteries
- 27:38 How to Follow and Contact John
- 29:06 Upcoming Season and Patron Benefits
- 30:20 Bonus Story: Dropping the Ball
Leave us a voicemail
Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
About John Bromels
Facebook: @jbromels
Instagram: @puzzlecrawl
X: @FromAtoZany
John has been hooked on puzzles since the fourth grade, when he found his first copy of GAMES Magazine in his elementary school library and first started doing puzzles instead of his homework. Somehow, this unorthodox move has paid off, as he has gone on to become Supreme Galactic Overlord of Cincinnati, Ohio-based Puzzle Crawl and founder of Otherworldly Adventures.
He has written puzzles and created immersive events for clients large and small, including Procter & Gamble, General Electric, and Kroger. He most recently was part of TTBNL, the host team for the MIT Mystery Hunt 2024. Visit him online at bromels.com.
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