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Google / Da Vinci Code Quest #24

Today’s Quest is an Observation Challenge.

That means watching a video and answering three questions. Enter the bolded text into Google Video to find the questions.

Question 1 is confusing. It’s referring to the number of books they are reading, not the number you see. That should make answering it fairly easy.

Question 2 is absurdly easy. It’s also the name of the Da Vinci code website. That makes the third question easier, since entering the answer to number two into Google will find the anagram.

Once completing the Quest, you have to fill out a form (as quickly as possible) with your address and phone number. You may be called on May 20 between 2-4 pm, which is very interesting. I hope I don’t have to answer a phone question to win the prize. Also, there are a lot of checkboxes for commercial email. I don’t like that, but they’re unchecked by default.

UPDATE: Full details on the Final Challenge, and advice, at my latest post.

UPDATE: The winners are being notified, and prizes are arriving.

May 10th, 2006 Posted by Nathan Weinberg | General | 299 comments

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299 Comments »

How many people knew that the question would be on “meet sophie” video. I think the video was actually released sometime yesterday, so folks who watched it before had some advantage!

Comment by mad.earth | May 10, 2006
[…] Quest #24 […]

Pingback by » Solution To Google Da Vinci Code Quest #1 » InsideGoogle » part of the Blog News Channel | May 10, 2006
Congratulations on successfully completing all 24 puzzles.

Comment by cs97jjm3 | May 10, 2006
oh my god, that was easy!
now, how long do i have to wait to know that i’m a finalist?
yikes

Comment by jennifer | May 10, 2006
Hopefully, I got in before the 10,000 limit, cause this one was one of the easier ones….

Comment by ouegamer | May 10, 2006
My computer’s clock had 6 minutes after the hour when I finished submitting all my info, hope that was quick enough for the top 10,000 to get that doodad. Now I just have to figure out why I’d actually *want* it.

Comment by Stu | May 10, 2006
easy huh it took me around 3-4 minutes

Comment by Kobe | May 10, 2006
that was, shockingly, really really easy.
once the second two answers were done, even if you’re thrown by the first question you can solve it by entering numbers from 1 up to a reasonable amount.
oh, and for uk entries there’s no issue with speed, it’s a random draw so long as you complete the quest by midnight. could be a shame, could be a blessing.

Comment by valerie. | May 10, 2006
Unbelievably easy… I was thinking that number 24 would be a monster, but I finished it in under 2 mins!

Comment by Nik | May 10, 2006
I guess the later you fill out the form, the later your call date is. If you go back to see the registration form, I see:
Friday, May 26, 2006

Also, after submitting, does it actually say you won a cryptex? It didn’t for me. It just said thanks for registering.

Comment by Frank | May 10, 2006
Is it not madonna of the rocks??? Number 3 is killing me.

Comment by SakuyasLove | May 10, 2006
What’s wrong with the Google site today (5/10), have been trying to access it to play the last puzzle since 1PM EDT and have not been able to. It keeps saying the page isn’t available….what’s up?

Comment by Marlane C | May 10, 2006
Just wondering at what time other people submitted puzzle #24. I didn’t realize what text Question #3 was referring to for the anagram, so I had to solve it by finding the painting that is in both museums. I didn’t get mine in until 1:13PM EST. I hope that’s good enough.

Comment by AppleJax | May 10, 2006
Nevermind, I got it!

Comment by SakuyasLove | May 10, 2006
It is madonna of the rocks

2

so dark the con of man

madonna of the rocks

Comment by Frank | May 10, 2006
Has anyone received an email yet confirming their successful completion and registration for the final puzzle?

Comment by Chuck | May 10, 2006
I got it finished in under two minutes, tried to register and was informed that it was already closed. How can that be? Oh well, they sucked me in for 24 days. I know I completed it.

I feel jipped.

Comment by charolem | May 10, 2006
can someone tellme the website

Comment by Meg | May 10, 2006
I just tried registering at 10:30am PST but it’s ALREADY closed! I’m not a finalist

Comment by Kristine | May 10, 2006
this is crap i finished and have been trying to register since 1:10 pm easter time (10 minutes after the puzzle was posted and i got a message saying the quest ended
i think this is BS

Comment by Diana | May 10, 2006
Charolem - How was the registration closed? It took me forever to solve #3 b/c I tried Madonna then went back to Virgin on the Rocks and both didn’t work. And finally I tried Madonna again and it worked. But I was way over 10 minutes and I still registered.

Comment by Jay | May 10, 2006
I had the same issue saying the puzzle was alsready closed when I filled out the registration form, but there was also a note at the top saying that they would bein touch via e-mail.

I am totally confused at this point!

Comment by jay | May 10, 2006
Oh, and looks like we won’t know for more than two weeks. For those who were typing too furiously to read all the stuff in the information form, the phone section specifically mentioned a time range:

Please enter the telephone number (including area code) where you can be reached between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 26, 2006.

Comment by Stu | May 10, 2006
I finished at 1:03 and submited my form. it said thank you for submitting please add this email to your approved list on your email and look at the prized you seek.

Then when I went back to the google main page it said “if you have not already, please register”. so I went to register again anyways and it said “the quest is now closed”.

FRANK - what is this date that you see? which country are you in? I hear its difrerent everywhere. I dont see a date anywhere and I’m fairly certian my first registration got in on time.

Comment by sarah | May 10, 2006
finalist baby just was informed

Comment by Kobe | May 10, 2006
I don’t believe the original post about the phone call on May 20th is correct - I thought
the rules say the final 10,000 get an email by May 15th. I think the sole grand prize winner is the one that gets the phone call.
It took be about 5.5 min submit the puzzle answers. I’m not too confident that was quick enough. I wonder if we’ll find out how many people played and the timestamp for the 10,000 person cutoff.

Comment by Gman | May 10, 2006
The rules say that the first 10000 people to finish completing a puzzle entry form and a contest entry form will be deemed finalists. Till now, I have filled in only one form, so whats the deal?? I havent received anything in email either.

Comment by Woohoo | May 10, 2006
I finished the registration form by 1:03. Anyone get confirmation they’re a finalist yet?

Comment by Yeti | May 10, 2006
I too knew it was the sophie video before hand. I had written it out and guessed there’d be something about so dark the con of man and looked up madonna of the rocks ahead of time.

Im suprized there wasn’t a question about the Rosslyn Church - that would have been challenging!

Comment by sarah | May 10, 2006
This is the info I found in the rules:

Notification: Phase 1: Finalists will be notified by email on or about May 15, 2006 and at time of receipt of their Finalist Prize which will be shipped by postal mail to be received by May 18, 2006.

Comment by Buselik | May 10, 2006
whoo hoo - the first form is your completed game card.

Comment by sarah | May 10, 2006
Kobe - How were you informed?

Comment by sarah | May 10, 2006
Did anybody get the virus page? I got it the first time and then spelled out the number 2 the second time and got in. Kinda weird.

Comment by Mike | May 10, 2006
woohoo i’ve been entered in to the draw

GET IN THERE!!!

good luck to everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by pacoflan | May 10, 2006
I received a “quest has ended” message at 1:04. I kept trying and trying, until just now it accepted it and gave me a link to a page that has pictures of the different locations the grand prize winner will be traveling to. So, even if it didnt’ accept it at first, try again, because my hunch is that the servers were so overloaded they just left that message up until tihngs died down.

Comment by very angry | May 10, 2006
Can anyone who has received notification please post the approximate time they finished? Also, I filled out name and address stuff. Is that the final form?

Comment by CJ Millisock | May 10, 2006
draw?? i dont think there is one….

Comment by Woohoo | May 10, 2006
are people getting confirmation emails?

Comment by sarah | May 10, 2006
No email yet.. plus, when I submitted, I put the wrong zip code -_-. For those of you that got the email, is there a way to change your mailing address?

Comment by uhoh | May 10, 2006
No email so far

Comment by daVinci | May 10, 2006
I just re-read the rules (which can be found here:
http://flash.sonypictures.com/movies/davincicodequest/us/rules/
)

The first 10,000 people to enter their google id, will be deemed finalists–but they must also fill in their contact information on the subsequent page. They word it this way to clarify that the speed in which you fill out your contact information is irrelevant.

Comment by CJ Millisock | May 10, 2006
i already entered, but when i tried to register again, it let me reenter all of the info and then led me to a page informing me that i had already entered the contest. kinda weird.

On an unrelated topic, has anyone looked at the official rules closely? It says you need to be a resident and physically located in the US to be eligible. Does that mean if I was hypothetically doing the contest from overseas, that i am disqualified? Are there any other american citizens here who played the game and are just out of the country for a few months?

Comment by Fitz | May 10, 2006
i dont have an e-mail

Comment by pacoflan | May 10, 2006
Congrats gang!
I have too completed and registered

HAVE ANYONE GOTTEN ANY FURTHER THAN REGISTRATION FOR COMPLETION?? or received any confirmation??
So far I haven’t know of any person who has submitted an entry form. The rules say we will immediately be directed to Contest Entry Form. Has this happened to anyone?

Comment by Jenne | May 10, 2006
You can all stop holding your collective breaths. Official Rules stat finalists will be notified by e-mail on or about May 15,2006. Goin back to my life XD

Comment by Yeti | May 10, 2006
Kobe, how were you informed that you were a finalist?

Ack! I keep checking my e-mail in vain.

Comment by jay | May 10, 2006
I’m from the US and for whatever reason I just received an e-mail from Google and Sony stating that I was one of the finalists. Perhaps they want to surprise people sooner than expected?

Comment by The Teke | May 10, 2006
ahh it told me i’d already entered but i hadnt and i didnt receive an email grr

Comment by Grace | May 10, 2006
Kobe, how long after you registered did you receive your email?

Comment by Aleja | May 10, 2006
Okay - more breathless updates! I went back to register again (for the third time today) and this time instead of saying the contest was over, it said I was registered and to watch my e-mail.

I’ll be bummed if some glitch saying the contest was closed keeps me from being a finalist!

Comment by jay | May 10, 2006
Man, I was really hoping it would have been a Geography puzzle last, that might have actually stumped some people instead of this mad rush on the Observation one. Although I can’t say I’m surprised, it’s actually a smart move on Sony and Google’s part to ensure that they get 10,000 finalists in time to mail everything out before the movie opens. Just not very fair to the rest of us who thought this was actually a contest based on puzzle-solving instead of cheap trivia.

Did anybody else notice something strange about halfway through the video? There was a “chalice” symbol superimposed on another symbol on the floor where Langdon and Sophie were walking. I looked around and discovered it looked like the symbol PHI. Although on the full trailer we can see that there’s a letter “Z” or something beneath it, maybe it’s a compass of some sort instead? Just seemed weird that the Chalice was obviously added on TOP of the video, specifically over that symbol. Does it mean something?

Comment by PsyHam | May 10, 2006
I dont think Kobe really recieved an email

Comment by sarah | May 10, 2006
within 5 minutes. i completed the puzzle at 1:04 EST. and apparently that was good enough

Comment by Kobe | May 10, 2006
I think i got on. I finished with my submission by 10:03 PST. I think 10:02. I entered my google id and then i entered my info and then it gave me a page saying “You have succesfully registered. I put a screenshot on my flickr, view it at:

http://tinyurl.com/onhh9

I had so much fun doing this and hope/can’t wait for my cryptex.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 10, 2006
Kobe, at least you should post what the e-mail said, word for word.

Comment by Neil | May 10, 2006
I have been trying to load the final puzzle since 1:00 pm EST; I guess there was just too much traffic, but I have done the puzzles everyday with no problem. I am really frustrated that it is already closed and I had no chance to even solve the last puzzle. As of 2:52 EST, it is still not loading. I just wanted a cryptex device!!!!

Comment by MB | May 10, 2006
What does it say?

Comment by Woohoo | May 10, 2006
It just starts loading and gets a little more than halfway there and stops. No error or high traffic message. It has been opening the page for 3 hours now. I wouldn’t be as frustrated if the puzzles weren’t so easy, because I am positive that 10,000 people have finished by now. I wasted 3 weeks of my life for nothing. ARGH!

Comment by MB | May 10, 2006
Read the rules. Finalists will be notified by e-mail on or around May 15th (which is Monday). They will receive the crypto on May 18 and will then have until May 21 at 1pm EST to finish the five puzzles that constitute the final phase. The grand prize winner will receive the call on May 26th.

Comment by Riqui | May 10, 2006
Finished the UK sector quest.. pretty straight forward.. No hassles with the registrations.. All the best to everyone.. thats the end of an amazing quest.. Any idea abt the next quest?..

Comment by Arvin | May 10, 2006
I am so pissed. Was so fast with this contest every day, then today I was in meetings until 3pm. Finished it, including the forms, in less than 2 minutes. But I am likely #55,348 lol. Now I know what major league baseball players who don’t make the playoffs must feel like.

Comment by James | May 10, 2006
this is just bs…ive been doing this since its started and i just keep getting were sorry, the contest has ended!! WTF???!!

Comment by WTF??!! | May 10, 2006
just like to thank everyone for their input during ‘the quest’ although im not in for any prizes (i only completed it about 1 hour ago and im in uk) however i got strangely addicted!! Davinci code is my favourite book and i can not wait for the film to come out. i wish everyone best of luck if your in for the prizes and thanks again for helping me out!

Comment by Rob81e | May 10, 2006
The finalist will have to complete 5 more puzzles! Wonder if they’ll be much harder ones?

Comment by Melissa | May 10, 2006
MB, I had the same problem with the puzzle not loading. I was using IE, then I tried Mozilla, and it didn’t work either. I finally was able to load the puzzle using Netscape. Maybe trying another browser would help. All this trouble meant I couldn’t even begin to solve the puzzle until about 1:10 EST, but I was still able to register. I highly doubt I was one of the first 10,000, though!

Comment by Amy | May 10, 2006
Amy I bet you’re in.

Comment by James | May 10, 2006
James did you get the game is closed message?

Comment by sarah | May 10, 2006
Thanks Amy. I actually ended up calling my boyfriend to complain and he got through from work. I completed the last puzzle over the phone and he registered for me. I didn’t submit the form until around 3:40 EST, so I hardly think I made it. I didn’t get the “quest is over” message so there still might be hope. I just wanted a cryptex

Comment by MB | May 10, 2006
No, Sarah, see post 61. I am a pretty positive guy, but am unfortunately quite sure that I fall into the large registrants “just in case” category. Too bad, because I already know I’d kick ass in the Finals because I am such a badass and also because I already know part of it involves chess, at which I rule.

Comment by James | May 10, 2006
For what it worth. I was on a call when the quest opened today. So, I started it around 1:06 ET and completed it promply. I was then directed to the registration page. Which acknowledged the registration. I did not receive a game closed message. However, with a delayed start I can’t believe that I’ve finished this as one of the top 10,000. I’ve checked over and over and no email from google…yet Still hoping for an email now or on the 15th!!!

Comment by Mike | May 10, 2006
I think they should sell cryptex’s like Broadway shows sell replicas of stuff.

That is all I personally wanted and I think they could make a boat load of money on them.

Comment by Aleja | May 10, 2006
Aleja there will be at least 100 of them on ebay in a few days, I promise.

Comment by James | May 10, 2006
Well, back to pokerroom.com!

Comment by James | May 10, 2006
James, it is too bad. If you didn’t already know, the finals will not be universally timestamped like this was. The puzzles must be completed by a certain date and time, but you are timed from when you sign on until you finish. The fastest person wins, so it won’t matter if you are in meetings until 3 pm or the page just won’t load. If you and I are in the “just in case” category, we better hope that like 50,000 people messed up their google ID and/or didn’t read the fine print. Otherwise I will have to resort to ebay for my cryptex.

Comment by MB | May 10, 2006
lol i finsihed this like in 10mins and filld the form. im in aus so i dun think theres like a final “phase”. it just said enter in 50 words or less where u want t see langdon in a next adventure…i tried to get up as early as possible like at 3am here lol !! and in the aus rules it says judgin takes place 15th may and….are they only gonna judg on 50 word essay???!?!?

Comment by Arun | May 10, 2006
The retail value of the grand prize is $128,170.54. Think about paying taxes on that…

Comment by Bob | May 10, 2006
I just wrote to one of the puzzle creators lol. If I don’t get in and you do, I might consider helping you win. The finals is about speed and I can do the chess stuff instantaneously, meanwhile everybody else will probably spend the longest here.

Comment by James | May 10, 2006
The ARQ: for the Cryptex is $30.00, so it think it will be on shelves some time pretty soon…

Comment by Nithin | May 10, 2006
So its the first 10,000 that get selected? That would explain why you’d have to fill out the form so fast…that leaves us folks out on the west coast in kind of a spot since we get up later (and I get up unusually late :o!)

I wasn’t thrilled out giving my phone number as its a cell phone…I already had to change it once last year due to a solicitor call…I really hope they don’t give it to their advertisers!

BTW, watching Jay Leno on Monday night with Ron Howard helped on question 2. they showed a clip of the scene where they are finding the words “So Dark the Con of Man” and Sophie figuring out that it means “Madonna of the Rocks”…otherwise I would have had to look through the book to find the answer (I read the book a year ago so I’ve forgotten a lot of the details).

Comment by Iorhael | May 10, 2006
hmmm, I just registered at 1:39 pm PST and didn’t receive any message about it being closed..was this on the screen when you registered or in an email?

Comment by Iorhael | May 10, 2006
So what’s this about winning a free cryptex?

BTW, if you want a fun challenge that will last all summer, try playing the LOST Experience…it started last Wednesday and all ready there’s been tons of clues released so the best way to catch up is to go these two sites:

http://thelostexperienceclues.blogspot.com/

http://www.experience-lost.com/known.php?header=1

Clues are showing up on TV, in the paper, and most often, on www.thehansofoundation.org

And the best part is…there are no annoying puzzles to solve!

Comment by Iorhael | May 10, 2006
Jay,
I just tried to register, and it let me — so holding my breath that I made it in. I think they were having issues with the web.

Let’s hope.

Comment by charolem | May 10, 2006
What is my google ID? Is it my gmail address???

Comment by heather | May 10, 2006
James, you keep talking about being good at chess, but for me that section is really easy. I suck at chess. I just find the questions easy. Everyone who has read the books shouldn’t have too hard a time, should they?

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 10, 2006
I did it in 2 minutes, then got a virus screen, so I did it again, and this time it worked and I got in by 12:03. I’m pretty hopefull. Good news about the 15th, I won’t be home from college till then!

Comment by Elizabeth | May 10, 2006
Oh, and ten minutes before the start of the game, I went to google video and they had already posted the new movie so I went ahead and got a head start and watched it. I still had to see it again for the books question, but I got the con of man one right away, hence my quick time

Comment by Elizabeth | May 10, 2006
AND (sorry about the string of posts) you should go to the Eurostar quest page, the puzzles are harder, and if you win (1 winner from America, Britain, and France, and one other place I forget) you go to paris on the 14th and compete for that prize which is 2 tickets for life between paris and london, or something, I can’t remember specifics. But it’s fun!

Comment by Elizabeth | May 10, 2006
Alex one of the puzzles creators has cryptically mentioned in his blog that being able to solve the chess portions without using the questions will come in handy in the finals. But I seriously doubt I am in them. gl all…

Comment by James | May 10, 2006
Eat Junk James.

Comment by mcow | May 10, 2006
james good luck to you(im a chess wiz myself). and to all you other ppl best of luck. Apparently b4 1:09 EST. you are basically in.

Comment by Kobe | May 10, 2006
I’m surprised to hear that some ppl are unable to register immediately after the quest is open! I finished it now (at almost 18:30CST) but was able to register without any hassle!!

By the way, when they say the shortest time, does they mean from when the puzzle is available or from when we start solving it?

Comment by MK | May 10, 2006
wow you are all so smart to do all these puzzles in just minutes. that must be why its only for the US the rest of the world isn’t smart enough

Comment by JIM | May 10, 2006
Kobe and James i bet i can checkmate both your kings, apparently i can do it by 1:08 EST. Punk-ass smugs.

Comment by mcow | May 10, 2006
I didn’t get to the puzzle until after 1 p.m. CST and it definitely let me register. I think Kobe is lying about getting an e-mail — everyone should just sit tight until May 15, which is the date Google has said they will notify finalists.

And, worst case scenario, the cryptexes will probably hit stores eventually, too.

Comment by Stacy | May 10, 2006
When I went in and answered the questions (I only had to watch the video for the first one, the second answer was easy if you looked to the third one), It said that my answers were too much like an automated response. So I got the answers to quickly? I had to go back in and do it again. Still got it done in like 2 or 3 minutes though… heres hoping

Comment by Dave | May 10, 2006
I think bottom line is that we all have to wait and see what happens.

Comment by Charolem | May 10, 2006
yeah I think the Aus competition is separate - the official aus rules say that “All entries will be judged based on creativity and originality and the adherence to the word limit”. So no final phase for us. and there is no cryptex as a prize, so we have to look on ebay in a few weeks.

Comment by benito255 | May 10, 2006
i dont know about you guys but i did it at 4:30 pacific time and registered no problems what so ever and i did it in about 2 min.

Comment by gyren | May 11, 2006
Please be sure to add davincicodequest@sonypictures.com to your email address book to ensure that we will be able to contact you.

Have you all done this?

Comment by Mayur | May 11, 2006
Reading these comments this morning (was out fixing a PC until late so couldn’t login) I was panic stricken but re-reading the UK rules (http://flash.sonypictures.com/movies/davincicodequest/uk/rules/) I see our prizes are less and there is no ‘finalist’ business.

Comment by M | May 11, 2006
wow that is some insanely blatant mockery. that must be why im writing this post some people here may be from the UK or AUS and be smart enough

Comment by trevor | May 11, 2006
so are people being notified by emails if they are finalists? I haven’t gotten a thing I hope they don’t still use my number for advertising/spam purposes.

Comment by Iorhael | May 11, 2006
It would have been nice if they just told you if you won.

Comment by Teara | May 11, 2006
for aus , we have to write a 50word essay on where we would like to see Robert Langdon in a next adventure….i simply cannot believe they are gonna jugde us on this essay.!!!!!!!!and they said it was a game of skills…wat a waste if i get nothing..!!!!!

Comment by Arun | May 11, 2006
Please read the rules!!! Notifications are not supposed to take place until about May 15th!!!!!! That’s next Monday!!!! u won’t hear a thing until then!!!!! Anyone who says they did is a liar!!!!

Comment by Joe Adams | May 11, 2006
You are right Joe, Kobe is being a total donkey wipe. Emails go on May 15th and cryptex are scheduled to arrive not before May 18th. c
All you guys who got the email, can you copy/paste the contents.

Comment by mcow | May 11, 2006
Of all the questions I couldnt get one solution on my own (answer was Holy Water). Thanks to this forum for that solution!!!. The last one took some time as I havent read the book. I submitted my entry at around 1:35 PM. I am not sure I will get through.

Abt the movie, I will be seeing it just because of Audrey Tautou

Comment by jnm | May 11, 2006
The message of the Da Vinci Code quest on my Google home page turn into this “Thank you for participating in The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google. We hope you had fun. If you enjoyed the Quest, then you won’t want to miss The Da Vinci Code movie, in theaters on May 19.” Does that mean I wasn’t a finalist? Has anybody else gotten a different message? Has anyone been notified of their winning? Please let us know!

Comment by ld | May 11, 2006
BTW,
Anybody can buy cryptex from this site: http://www.encryptagifts.com/quest/

Comment by jnm | May 11, 2006
I just logged back into to the quest and I got a screen telling me I logged back in too early and to wait until May 19, at which time I have 48 hours to complete the final challenge. Whoever does it fastest will win. No E-mail or anything. I wanted to show my wife the map of Paris because one of the little thingys we had to find was over the hotel we stayed in for our honeymoon.

Comment by Jacknut | May 11, 2006
Let me add one more note: I didn’t complete the final puzzle until 3:30 PM EDT yesterday.

Comment by Jacknut | May 11, 2006
I guess we all need to wait till 15th to know if we have qualified for the finals. The reason why Google is taking so many days to inform the finalists is, maybe, they want to do some kind of verification of the correct address, IP checks etc to ensure that only US residents are the finalists. Anyway after a great start Google messed up towards the end. And guys the Quest was no way a brain/skill/knowledge challenge. It was just a marketing gimmick to sell the movie.

Comment by rajarshi | May 11, 2006
Per Jacknut, here’s how to see if you’re in or not - http://www.google.com/davincicode

Comment by mike | May 11, 2006
Ld, I got the same message, I Think its the same message for everybody, since the contest is now closed.

Woohoo

Comment by Woohoo | May 11, 2006
I logged in and got this one but not sure what “appears that you have received our message” means since I haven’t:

“Congratulations! It appears that you have received our message and have completed all 24 puzzles. In order to reach the end of the Quest and be rewarded with untold riches you must quickly and correctly complete the Final Challenge.

The one to complete the Final Challenge in the least amount of time will be our chosen one. Beginning at 1pm EDT on May 19th, the final challenge, which is a time trial, will be made available to you for 48 hours. You can begin whenever you like, but prepare well, for once you begin there is no turning back. The player who completes all five tasks in the shortest amount of time will be declared the winner.

The Da Vinci Code is in theaters worldwide May 19th. Visit the official movie website at www.SoDarkTheConOfMan.com“

Comment by Greg | May 11, 2006
This is the link:

http://www.google.com/ig/davinci/final_puzzle_too_early.html

Comment by Greg | May 11, 2006
So if you didnt recieve that message upon logging in, does that mean your not in the running?

Comment by Matt | May 11, 2006
Not everyone gets the same message…I just logged onto a google ID that I did NOT use to complete the quest but completed just 2 puzzles with and this is the page I got:
http://www.google.com/ig/davinci/final_puzzle_quest_over.html

It appears as if the folks at google have now at least distinguished those who registered and those who haven’t registered.

Comment by Connie | May 11, 2006
Just got this email:
Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.

Comment by Christopher | May 11, 2006
I finally got an email!

Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.

Comment by Maria | May 11, 2006
Greg, I received a different message:

Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.

The Da Vinci Code In Theaters 5/19
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970826/67464251/970828/T/www.SoDarkTheConOfMan.com

Comment by Iorhael | May 11, 2006
This is what i got when i logged in but i havent recieved anything yet.
http://www.google.com/davincicode

Comment by Kobe | May 11, 2006
I got an email saying that all the finalists will be notified on monday and that everyone who finished all 24 puzzles will get a “surprise”. Here’s the email :

Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.

The Da Vinci Code In Theaters 5/19
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970826/67438912/970828/T/www.SoDarkTheConOfMan.com

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 11, 2006
I just got this email from Sony:

Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.

The Da Vinci Code In Theaters 5/19
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970826/67505813/970828/T/www.SoDarkTheConOfMan.com

————————————————————

You are receiving this email as part of your participation in THE DA VINCI CODE QUEST ON GOOGLE.

This newsletter may contain links to, or advertisements concerning, various Web sites. Other sites may also reference, advertise, or link to Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) Web sites. SPE is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of other sites and encourages you to read the privacy policy statement and terms of service of any site that you visit. To learn how we handle your personal information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service statements.

Privacy Policy:
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970826/67505813/970829/T/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonypictures.com%2Fcorp%2Fprivacy.html

Terms of Service:
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970826/67505813/970830/T/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonypictures.com%2Fcorp%2Ftos.html

Copyright 2006 Sony Pictures Digital, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sony Pictures Webmaster C/O Sony Pictures Digital
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232-2518

Comment by Woohoo | May 11, 2006
So, I got an email from them, but it’s not a confirmation of being a finalist. It only states that I _could_ be a finalist.

email:
Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.

The Da Vinci Code In Theaters 5/19
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970837/67441125/970839/T/www.SoDarkTheConOfMan.com

Comment by AppleJax | May 11, 2006
Hey, I haven’t posted here yet but I have been watching this site. I received an email not to long ago. Here is the contents:

“Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.

The Da Vinci Code In Theaters 5/19
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970837/67452017/970839/T/www.SoDarkTheConOfMan.com

————————————————————

You are receiving this email as part of your participation in THE DA VINCI CODE QUEST ON GOOGLE.

This newsletter may contain links to, or advertisements concerning, various Web sites. Other sites may also reference, advertise, or link to Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) Web sites. SPE is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of other sites and encourages you to read the privacy policy statement and terms of service of any site that you visit. To learn how we handle your personal information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service statements.

Privacy Policy:
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970837/67452017/970840/T/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonypictures.com%2Fcorp%2Fprivacy.html

Terms of Service:
http://news.sonypictures.com/rspba/r2.php?b=131&970837/67452017/970841/T/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonypictures.com%2Fcorp%2Ftos.html

Copyright 2006 Sony Pictures Digital, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sony Pictures Webmaster C/O Sony Pictures Digital
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232-2518″

Comment by Ben | May 11, 2006
I received an e-mail. I was out until around 12:30 CT, which is 1:30 ET on the last day, so I don’t think I’m one of the 10,000.

I don’t think they are letting anyone know if they are part of the 10K yet.

Here’s the text:

“Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Thank you all for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google and making it such a success. We hope you enjoyed playing.”

Comment by Caren | May 11, 2006
Received the mail from Google..

Thank you for participating in “The Da Vinci Code” Quest on Google.

This email is to confirm that you have completed all 24 puzzles within the quest and successfully registered for a chance to participate in the final challenge. Well done!

We will be contacting the 10,000 finalists on Monday 5/15 via email regarding their cryptex shipment. Within that email the 10,000 finalists will also receive instructions on how to participate in the final challenge.

All remaining players who finished the quest will also receive a surprise message via email.

Comment by Rajarshi | May 11, 2006
Got the same E-mail (twice actually, for some reason)

Comment by Jacknut | May 11, 2006
What time did u complete the puzzle that u got this email ? mine was 1:04 EST (i got 2 similar email too)

Comment by The vinshee | May 11, 2006
I received the same email that Rajarshi and Jacknut received, and I got two of them - one from Sony and one from Google. Now it’s a waiting game until Monday.

Comment by Charolem | May 11, 2006
Woohoo!!! I got the confirmation emails too!! One from Sony and one from Google. Wonder what the “surprise email” will be? Think they may shell out for free passes to the movie for the 10,000 finalists? That would be sweet! I would LOVE to win the Grand Prize (here in the States) but I’m stoked to be getting the cryptex! Awesome!

Comment by Vernon | May 11, 2006
Haha, it’s funny how we all posted the same email ten times. I’m so excited. I also got both emails identical, one from sony and the other from google.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 12, 2006
you can still get the a cypres at discount for participating read:
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2006/5/emw384198.htm

go here:
http://www.encryptagifts.com/quest/

Comment by ppitou | May 12, 2006
I am way excited. I don’t think that I have a chance at winning, but at least I am getting a new toy.

Comment by James | May 12, 2006
@ The vinshee (very punny!): I didn’t complete the final puzzle until close to 3:30 on that day.

Comment by Jacknut | May 12, 2006
Is the toy going to help you get a life ?

Comment by mcow | May 12, 2006
I found my letter in my Spam folder…sooooo I guess I’m still in the running

Comment by MG | May 12, 2006
I was talking to some friends of mine. It seems this mail has been sent to all who have submitted the registration form. Basically one of my friend just attempted the 24th question and was pomptly redirected to the registration screen. And guess what she got the same mail like the rest of us.
Does that mean this mail has been sent to all who have registered and finalists will be intimated later on 15th.

Comment by rajarshi | May 12, 2006
that’s what it means rajashi

Comment by MG | May 12, 2006
I have filled out the registration form with the warning that “Time is of the Essence”.

I’ve gotten 2 emails saying I should expect an email on Monday, May 15. I got another email saying I should be at home on Friday, May 26, between 2 and 4 to receive a phone call.

Does this mean I will die and go to heaven? It’s all a mysterious code. Oh what do I do, what do I do?

I replied back to the emails telling them to stop sending me spam.

Comment by Rob | May 12, 2006
In Aus, is it judged on the ‘50 words on what adverture you’d like to see Robert Langdon in’ (not in those exact words)?

Comment by Random | May 13, 2006
lol is it me or most of the people posting here are just kids, that do not even read the rules, or information that was given regarding the “game” lol

Comment by na | May 13, 2006
I KNOW what the bonus email “gift” for those that did not get to be in the final 10000 will be —-its going to be a discount on a cryptex (to be honest a crappy one, made out of wood, and not looking at all like the movie one)i saw its pictures, its totaly diffrent thatn the movie one, and it costs $ 79 or something like that, itll fit no more than couple of bills inside, and its made out of wood and couple metal bolts, the email will problable yave a discount for 40% so the price will be around 50$ ( i think) so i wouldnt get ur hopes up for it 2 mutch…sorry guyz.

Comment by na | May 13, 2006
We are all sounding like pitiful juveniles! What happens if we fail? Does the world end?

The real prize is the reality that we can get on with our lives and stop being sucked in by this media frenzy of nonsense. As a matter of fact, I am not even religious!

Bwahahahahah!!!!

Comment by Uranus | May 13, 2006
Also, I notice that a Nathan Weinberg keeps erasing my posts. Can someone beat him up with the Mona Lisa?

Comment by Uranus | May 13, 2006
Looks like we’ll have to wait till monday, to know if we are finalists.

Comment by Era | May 13, 2006
monday here i come

Comment by Kobe | May 14, 2006
I did not receive the confirmation e-mail like you folks for registering. I am a little nervous, hoping that I didn’t mistakenly put in the wrong e-mail address or something. I finished the final challenge at 1:06 p.m. EST. Fingers crossed I hear something tomorrow!

Comment by Maria | May 14, 2006
it’s the 15th and no email, I guess I didn’t make it or should I wait for 1:00PM hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Comment by ppitou | May 15, 2006
I don’t think that it is a discount cryptex. That was just a completely different company trying to live off the buzz of the Da Vinci Code Movie and Quest. They just want to attract more customers. I’m not sure what the surprise will be. Don’t worry if you haven’t recieved your email yet. I doubt anyone has.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 15, 2006
It has been so much fun reading all this! I am an English teacher (mostly mythology), and though I don’t take the Davinci Code any more seriously than I do Harry Potter, it has been fun to deal with some symbology. All this stuff is OLD news, so I can’t really figure out why everyone’s so surprised. It’s FICTION, and a good many of the “facts” are not factual. Still, I’d like to go back to Rome…
I entered VERY late on the 11th, as I didn’t get out of class until 4:00. Still, I got the same e-mails as everone else. Go figure. Good luck to all - I hope at least some of you get a cryptex.

Comment by Amy Ernest | May 15, 2006
someone claims he got a cryptex by mail today
check it out here
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g182/jscura/davincicode1.jpg

Comment by ppitou | May 15, 2006
Its 12 CST, and still no email. Am i still in the running or not?

Woohoo

Comment by Woohoo | May 15, 2006
Anyone get an email yet?

Comment by Swede | May 15, 2006
I think every1, who registered, should get a mail… atleast a surprise mail!!!

Comment by MK | May 15, 2006
Hey Gang!! I can’t believe this..

I’ve just received the cryptex in the mail.
Look out for it. It’s a small package from Skycastle Entertainment (CA)

It’s smaller than I imagined but it’s heavy for its size. It’s very nice. I can’t wait to open it.

So to everyone who’d been guessing about their status like I did, look out for them cuz they’re coming.

Comment by Jenne from NYC | May 15, 2006
Haven’t recieved any email regarding the finalists yet…..But just want to come up to say thank you to Nathan Weinberg for this place and to all of you for your comments. All these made my trip of “the quest” really fun!

Comment by dodo | May 15, 2006
Forget email, I just recieved the cryptex! (via DHL):
http://www.justwidgets.com/blog/?p=14

Comment by G3 | May 15, 2006
I submitted my entry in under 6 minutes past 1:00PM EST, so hopefully anyone in the US with an entry time faster than that is in!

Comment by G3 | May 15, 2006
PS Dont’ worry there’s no vial of liquid inside. I just opened it. But it would have been cool tho, howere it would also be messy given that it will most definitely break on the way.

Luv ya and have a great journey!!

Comment by Jenne from NYC | May 15, 2006
CHECK THIS OUT
Here are my photos of the cryptex…just in case there are any doubters (not that I don’t loooovvvee being called a tool, an a-hole, and a bitch *sarcasm*)

http://photos.yahoo.com/jcuckoo

Comment by ppitou | May 15, 2006
Still no email… has anyone attempted this Da Vinci game?
http://quest.eurostar.com/en-us/quest.php

Comment by lambchop27 | May 15, 2006
No email here either so with no one else getting an email I’m still hoping that I’ve made the 10,000. No news is good news!

Comment by Mike | May 15, 2006
people have already started recieving their cryptex. i have been reading another site. i checked my mail already and did not get one.http://solomon.dailygrail.com/node/44?from=350&comments_per_page=50

Comment by Tammy | May 15, 2006
By the way, was it mentioned anywhere, saying that the e-mail will be sent by 1pm EST? I’m eager to hear the result, though!!

Comment by MK | May 15, 2006
well i finished the whole think by 1:16, cuze i have dial-up so the loading took 10 minutes. I thought i had a chance until i read this guys blog
http://www.kzeng.info/node/1349
then my hopes went down the drain cuz i never got that screen,.that sux

Comment by 0b3 | May 15, 2006
I just got my cryptex in the mail. No, I am not kidding. Lots of other folks have received them today as well and many have posted pictures. There’s even one already up for sale on Ebay. No e-mail yet, but I’d say check your snail mailbox first.

Comment by Martha | May 15, 2006
No, and the suspense is killing me!!!

Comment by kap | May 15, 2006
Martha,

show us a pic if you really got it, what time did you finish?

Comment by Matt | May 15, 2006
Looks like it is legit, I’ve been to a ton of different sites and they all show the same thing. Well I guess I didnt make the finalist. Good luck to all those that are going on.

Comment by Matt | May 15, 2006
OK, just for you Matt, here are 2 pictures. One with me holding the box with your message on the screen in back of it, and one of just the cryptex. Oh, and I finished the final puzzle at about 1:06

http://home.comcast.net/~martha001/cryptex1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~martha001/cryptex2.jpg

Comment by Martha | May 15, 2006
I GOT ONE!!!!!!
I just recieved the cryptex by mailb!!!
No email at all so far!

Comment by dodo | May 15, 2006
Congrats to you that have recieved their cryptex.

Comment by Swede | May 15, 2006
I finished at 12:04PM, Central time (1:04EST)– and I hope that’s early enough to get a cryptex! I got the 2 e-mails on Friday night as well as the “You have successfully registered” message on Google, but I still don’t know if that guarantees that I’m a finalist?

Comment by Rebecca | May 15, 2006
finished around 1:05pm, rec’d cryptx today, no email yet, live in TN

Comment by Joe | May 15, 2006
Ft! Just found that the cryptex I got has only 2 letters working out of the 5. Its inside “lock” design is a little different from the one in this official website they give, and I can’t change the password….
http://www.noblecollection.com/catalog/product.cfm?id=NN5335%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&catid=0
This is really disappointing….Any one has the same problem?

Comment by dodo | May 15, 2006
Yay! =D I supposedly got a cryptex in the mail, but I’m not home yet so I can’t actually see it.

Comment by Jen | May 15, 2006
seems like people on the east coast are getting their cyprex, Nathan Weinberg did you get one?

Comment by ppitou | May 15, 2006
I swear I feel like Charlie from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. Where is my golden ticket?

Comment by mbmKY | May 15, 2006
Those that got the cryptex what time did you register?

Comment by Matt | May 15, 2006
I registered at about 1:06pm. And I am at West coast.

Comment by dodo | May 15, 2006
Got mine today from Skycastle Entertainment. Registered at 1:05 EST.
Woo hoo!

Comment by Christopher | May 15, 2006
Anyone have any idea when the cutoff time was (estimating?)

Comment by Matt | May 15, 2006
i received my cryptex in today’s mail. i’m in L.A. opened it and it just gives you www.google.com/davincicode
go to the site, sign in and it just says i’m too early.
haven’t received an e-mail yet though

Comment by John | May 15, 2006
did u get yours in regular mail or did fedex or something come?

Comment by bridget | May 15, 2006
sweet,.,man i just got my 2 ,.,hahahahha

like i said i finish everything by 1:16 pm
I live in Florida.
so by what i see am guessing the cutoff time for the 10000 peeps to register would have been about 1:45 pm

but no e-mail yet

Comment by 0b3 | May 15, 2006
Actually I am a little worried that the cryptex that peolple just recieved are not the finalists’ prize. If you read the official rule:
“Final Phase. Finalists will be mailed via U.S. postal service, for scheduled delivery by May 18, 2006, a limited edition Cryptex replica and a screenshot of 4 codes (the “Finalist Prize”). …”
That’s not what we got just now!

Comment by dodo | May 15, 2006
i still didn’t receive the cryptex..hope I Will (I libe in israel)

Comment by VITALY | May 15, 2006
I’m in Memphis and got my cryptex today. I finished at 1:07pm edt. Anyone surprised by how cheap this thing feels? And only the last two letters in the code matter. The first 3 can be anything. No wonder it’s only worth $30.

Comment by Wratz | May 15, 2006
I wont know till tonight if I received anything when I get home from work…congrats to all of you.

Mary

Comment by MG | May 15, 2006
Dodo– you are right, I got no screenshots. The cryptex only contained the website address for the damn game.

Comment by Wratz | May 15, 2006
dodo,

Dont worry! I think you got the finalist prize. They said… ‘delivery BY May 18, 2006′ not delivery ON May 18, 2006. I think they might just send the screenshot of codes to open the cryptex by email on 18th to synchronize everybody’s start time. BTW was anybody able to open their cryptex? what codes open it?

Nathan, did you get your cryptex??

Comment by deadbeat | May 15, 2006
I just got mine in the mail. I finished the last puzzle and registered 3 or 4 minutes after 1:00 EDT. I haven’t recieved any email though, and am curious why it didn’t come with “a screenshot of 4 codes” like it says in the rules. I am in Santa Cruz, California by the way.

Comment by George | May 15, 2006
So, has anybody received their email yet? I know I haven’t.

Comment by Moosen | May 15, 2006
I think it’s telling that nobody has a picture of the “screenshot of the 4 codes” that is supposed to be in the cryptex. Nothing but easily created pieces of paper. You figure it out…bound to be a lot of scams on e-bay…this is just the beginning.

Comment by Joe Adams | May 15, 2006
Does anyone know how to change the password on the cryptex? I read on the website that it is possible… In fact, that is one of the selling points

Comment by JS | May 15, 2006
Also, Sullivan Compliance Company is the name of the company that is administrating the contest. Thus, that is the name of the company that would be dealing with the prizes and getting them to the people. Not “Skycastle Entertainment,” as people keep mentioning. Might help if people would read the complete rules and/or would not read the box that the commercially available cryptex came in. LOL

Comment by Joe Adams | May 15, 2006
@ Joe Adams
Just because Sullivan Comlpiance Company is administrating the contest, doesn’t mean they didn’t contract out for the cryptex’s. I got one, and would be happy to take pictures if you doubt us all that much.

Comment by George | May 15, 2006
So no one has received a screenshot of codes?

Comment by JS | May 15, 2006
i think it really wasnt fair for me. i completed all of the puzzles w/out any help. but i was in school when the final puzzle came out, and i come home at only 4:00. i really wanted that crypted thing

Comment by someone | May 15, 2006
“i really wanted that crypted thing”
first learn what it is you actually want. second, go get one from ebay then.

Comment by guess | May 15, 2006
Dear Joe Adams:

Comment by Christopher | May 15, 2006
www.Ontheflats.com/images/dcode.jpg

Comment by Christopher | May 15, 2006
Chris, thanks for the compliment….coming from the king of them…that is high praise. With nothing to attack the message in your posession…attack the messenger.

Comment by Joe Adams | May 15, 2006
@ Christopher
LOL!!!
@ Joe Adams
Would you like some neosporin for that burn!!!

Comment by guess | May 15, 2006
question - the noble collection website says that the cryptex codes are resettable. there are no instructions on the box, however, on how to reset it. anyone know if this is possible with a finalist cryptex, and if so, how to do it?

Comment by hmm | May 15, 2006
I’m hoping to get one of the cryptex. I finished about 1:15pm.

Nothing yet though.
No email, no package, and I live in Florida.
We’ll see.

Comment by skillet | May 15, 2006
I haven’t been able to check my snail mail yet, but I registered by 1:03pm (10:03 on the west coast where I am) so hopefully I’m in! I got the confirmation email that I had successfully registered last Friday, but when I checked my Google homepage today (I still have the quest window on it) it said I had only completed 23 of the 24 puzzles. Did anybody else get this?

Comment by erica | May 15, 2006
No email, but package arrived in mail this afternoon. Midwest USA.

Comment by Louis DeFargo | May 15, 2006
I received my cryptex as well today! I registered at 1:06 p.m. roughly. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be the real thing. It said folks would we receive the cryptex BY May 18th, not ON the 18th.

Comment by Maria | May 15, 2006
I got one ….

http://www.benmcmurtry.com/2006/5/15/google-da-vinci-code-quest-finalist-pictures

Comment by Ben | May 15, 2006
O and it dind’t include 4 screen shots …. the code was on the box haha.

Comment by Ben | May 15, 2006
I just got one in the mail! They are heavy, and compact. Totally cool prize. Inside is a website address and a message saying to visit there “to see if your quest continues…”

Comment by da vinci code freak | May 15, 2006
P.S. I finished the quest at approx 1:11 PM due to many Google home page glitches.

Comment by da vinci code freak | May 15, 2006
Anyone notice that the cryptex are defected? It only has 2 holes on the key, so only the last two letters matter!!

Comment by Ying | May 15, 2006
got one today, the mailman just left it in front of the dor (what a bee***EEP) lol

its quite small lol i thought it would be bigger lol but its a nice gift, and i enjoyed the 24 puzles (especially the satelite photo ones)

Comment by na | May 15, 2006
I got my cryptex! Here’s my flickr stream with all the pics, including two of it open. http://www.flickr.com/photos/57202395@N00/sets/72057594136022839/ I’m SO SO SO Excited. My code is sorta obvious/dumb tho.

Alex Brewer

P.S. Was everyone elses cryptex sticky with oil/grease. They seem brand new.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 15, 2006
i wonder wheather vinegar would desolve the paper that was inside….maby someone could try it lol ;)…..
ps for those who got their cryptex what unlocking pasword did You guyz have? just curious…. ps post ur time stamps (for those who got their cryptexe’s

and gratulations to all

Comment by na | May 15, 2006
One more thing, these are really easy to break into. Only the last two letters actually have a tumbler with them. If you just know the last two you can do it easily. This seems a little cheap on their part. It’s still really cool. I’m gonna put a video up on YouTube of me opening it. See my next post for the link.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 15, 2006
The unlocking password is grail but oddly enough my cryptex only locks on the last two letters so as long as the code ends with “il” it will open. There seems to be nothing unique about it - all 5 dials go from A-Z in order. Some may hate me and people will call me a profiteer but I already flipped it on ebay:
http://www.justwidgets.com/blog/.. what I am I going to do with a metal cylinder? But it was an interesting contest and piece of movie publicity.

Comment by G3 | May 15, 2006
Does anyone that received a cryptex live in New York?

Comment by P.S. | May 15, 2006
If you watch my video you will find out what my code was. The video shows me opening the cryptex by spinning the dials, and then I show you and read you the scroll inside. Here’s my YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FynOEZaZ2n4

Alex Brewer

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 15, 2006
Here’s an embedded version of the video.

To: Nathan Weinberg, If this doesn’t work due to HTML not being enabled, or if you are against having an embedded video on your site, just email me and feel free to delete this. I just want to know a reason. THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING SITE!

Nathan here. Alex, the comment system doesn’t allow you to embed, in your comments, but I’m pretty sure that I can go back and add the embed myself. Thanks for trying, and I have no problem with you doing that. Everyone playing the Quest has done so much for my site, that I wish I could give back more. I’m going to give away prizes as a thank you, so hopefully people will stick around to get them.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 15, 2006
Yeah so only the last two letters matter. big whoop. It’s still a frickin cool prize. I kept reading everyone’s posts and wishing i could get off work so i could go home to check the mail. My sister and I both finished at 1:03pm, but only her cryptex came today and I finished before her. Odd. Plus I’m a little disconcerted about having no screen shots and having the code on the bottom of the box

Comment by Yeti | May 15, 2006
If anyone is curious, I’m in Connecticut and we got ours. I finished at around 1:06pm the magic number seems to be higher. My code word was Grail. I have 3 teeth holding mine together- not rocket science to open. It’s smaller than expected but still pretty neat as a novelty. Good luck to everyone out there.

Comment by Andrew R. | May 15, 2006
na,

The code is written at the back of the cryptex box. It’s ‘grail’ but it seems anything works as long as it ends in ‘il’ so ‘frail’ works as well!;) I finished at 1:05pm Eastern and got my cryptex today (dunno when it came but when I got back it was in my mailbox).

Comment by deadbeat | May 15, 2006
So did anyone actually get an e-mail today?

Comment by P.S. | May 15, 2006
Did they come regular mail, or UPS, FEDEX, etc?

Comment by Swede | May 15, 2006
It’s 7:40 pm CDT and no email and no cryptex. I finished the final puzzle at 1:05 EDT. To clarify, I got the first email confirming that I had completed all 24 puzzles, but I did not get the email that was referenced by teh first to come on 5/15/06.

Comment by Adam | May 15, 2006
Regular Mail

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 15, 2006
Looks like I missed out then.

Comment by Swede | May 15, 2006
Oh, and congrats to all that were lucky enough to have won.

Comment by Swede | May 15, 2006
Did you people with the cryptex get instructions on how to access the final challenge online?

Comment by P.S. | May 15, 2006
hey erica,
that same message popped up this morning on my google homepage. It bummed me out. I too got an email saying I was all registered and that. The message on the homepaged changed and it just says something like it did before, thanks for playing…let’s wait and see

Comment by jewles | May 15, 2006
Anyone live in Hawaii?? Have you gotten your cryptex?? I’m waiting!!! Hope it comes soon!

Comment by jewles | May 15, 2006
The Email:

Your journey does not end here. You have also qualified to compete for the grand prize which includes trips for four to New York, Paris, Rome and London, a colossal Sony® Electronics package and more valued at over $100,000! See official rules.

Beginning on or around 1pm EDT May 19th at www.google.com/davincicode, the final challenge, which is a time trial, will be made available to you for 48 hours. You can begin whenever you like, but prepare well, for once you begin there is no turning back. The player who completes all five tasks in the shortest amount of time will be declared the winner.

As for your previous accomplishments, your skill and perseverance will be rewarded with a limited edition replica cryptex arriving in your mailbox in the coming days.
While you wait, Click here to watch a congratulatory message from Sir Ian McKellen and a sneak peek of The Da Vinci Code and then continue on to view special offers and discounts from our Quest partners.

Comment by mcow | May 15, 2006
Sweet! I got my email - I’m a finalist!

Comment by JS | May 15, 2006
Just got my email. Finally! Came around 10:15 EST

Comment by Icetoad | May 15, 2006
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7620129605

Comment by Ebay | May 15, 2006
I just got my email confirmation.. there are pictures, but here is most of the text:

——————————
Your journey does not end here. You have also qualified to compete for the grand prize which includes trips for four to New York, Paris, Rome and London, a colossal Sony® Electronics package and more valued at over $100,000! See official rules.

Beginning on or around 1pm EDT May 19th at www.google.com/davincicode, the final challenge, which is a time trial, will be made available to you for 48 hours. You can begin whenever you like, but prepare well, for once you begin there is no turning back. The player who completes all five tasks in the shortest amount of time will be declared the winner.

As for your previous accomplishments, your skill and perseverance will be rewarded with a limited edition replica cryptex arriving in your mailbox in the coming days.
——————————–

Comment by Chip | May 15, 2006
I just received the email tellnig me that I am a finalist, but I haven’t received the cryptex yet. Anyone having the same situation???

Comment by Joey | May 15, 2006
I got the email too. I like the Ian Mckellen/Lea Teabing Video congratulating us. Now i can rest assured the surprise wasn’t that everyone gets a cryptex, no offence to anyone who didn’t win, i also want to compete in the finals

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 15, 2006
I got email but no cryptex

Comment by Icetoad | May 15, 2006
Got the Cryptex in my mail box when I returned from the office. Received the email too. Follow the link in the email to see some offers for the finalists.
http://sonypictures.com/movies/davincicode/dvcqog/offers/finalist/
Anyway most of the offers are pretty much useless..

Comment by Rajarshi | May 15, 2006
Oh well, just now got this email with the subject:

NOT A FINALIST - The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google

I finished around 2:30 pm EST

Comment by lambchop27 | May 15, 2006
So, I just got an email saying that I didn’t qualify. What I don’t understand is that I finished the last puzzle at 1:04EDT. How could people who finished it 10 minutes later be finalists but not me?

Comment by Rachel | May 15, 2006
yea i havent recieved the cryptex either. but i am a finalist, im not too worried i thought you needed the cryptex in order to complete the final challenge. im kinda suprised i am finalist i started the puzzke a 1.00pm edt and it took me 15 minutes to complete it. good luck to all the finalists.

Comment by NOKS | May 15, 2006
Got the NOT A FINALIST email, had finished at 1:16 EST. bummer.

Comment by wheresmycryptex? | May 15, 2006
So was there a surprise ? lambchop

Comment by mcow | May 15, 2006
The surprise was the message from Sir Ian.

Comment by wheresmycryptex? | May 15, 2006
I got the NOT a finalist email - I finished around 1:15pm.

Oh well, was kind of hoping for a neat souvenier, apparently it isn’t going to happen.

Comment by skillet | May 15, 2006
Anyone that is not a finalist - did you guys get a cryptex? Did everyone get one?

Comment by JS | May 15, 2006
hey lamchop27, did u receive a cryptex?

Comment by me_curious | May 15, 2006
I got my congratulatory email from google as well, but I did not receive a cryptex today. I expect it will come tomorrow of the following day, as the rules state that it will come before the 19th and everyone else seems to be getting thiers today. I live in New Orleans, Louisiana by the way. Good luck to all of the finalists, but look for my name on the winner’s certificate!

Comment by Adam | May 15, 2006
Something is odd here - like Rachel above I finished at about 1:04 and also just got the email saying I’m not a finalist.

So - did Google mess this up completely and not play by theor own rules? 1:07 beats 1:04?

Hmmm…

Comment by Mike | May 15, 2006
NOT A FINALIST email received

well I’ll either buy the cryptex of the site (noblecollection.com) or check ebay offers

Comment by Ben | May 16, 2006
[…] Well, got some bad news in the ol’ email today: In spite of completing the last Challenge relatively quickly, it wasn’t quick enough. At least 10,000 contestants appear to have beaten me to the punch, have received cryptexes (cryptexii? crypteces?) and will compete this Friday for the enormous grand prize. I gotta say, I’m feeling kind of bummed. I did my best, answered all 24 challenges, and get for it nothing. […]

Pingback by » Google / Da Vinci Code Quest: Not A Finalist » InsideGoogle » part of the Blog News Channel | May 16, 2006
Sony’s registration website was broken. Finished at 1:06 and it said it was closed.

Comment by jvm | May 16, 2006
That’s really weird, maybe there was an issue with you filling out all of your information correctly? That seems really unfair. Scroll Up if you want to see an embedded video of the cryptex.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 16, 2006
Well in reply to comment 258. I, also, did not become a finalist but I got something for my efforts. I got to spent days chasing a dream using my intelligence to cover the course. None of the puzzles were that difficult but some were challenging. I had fun!! I wanted more but I did have fun. Thank you google and sony.

Comment by Mike | May 16, 2006
I believe that how quickly you answered the last question is only part of the equation. That was one of my longer ones at 11 minutes, yet I was a finalist. I believe all the puzzles throughout the contest were timed.

Comment by flostog | May 16, 2006
Congrats to all of us. Completing the puzzles was fun and at times challenging. Extra congratulations to those who got in to get a cryptex.

Comment by charolem | May 16, 2006
You can dismantle the cryptex and change the code. Just unscrew the right side (two pieces). There are two eyeglass screws to remove (very small) and presto, you can now take off the rings and re-arrange them as you see fit. (still only the last two letters matter)

Comment by Nathan | May 16, 2006
Just got the NOT A FINALIST email, that really bums me out. I finished filling out the form at 1:04! If, like flostog speculates, they were really timing us on every puzzle, then I guess it would make more sense since there were a couple of them where I started a puzzle, got about halfway through, went on lunch break, came back and finished. But it hadn’t said anything in the rules about timing each puzzle so I didn’t worry about finishing them quickly.

Congratulations to everyone who got a cryptex! At least we all had fun. It’s not as if I have room in my apartment for more junk anyway.

Comment by erica | May 16, 2006
I got my cryptex and finalist email yesterday. I had finished my last task at 1:06 and filled out the competion form by 1:07. Wondering wht the concensus is here: do you think the last challenge will be one of each of the types of puzzles from phase 1 {even though there were six(geography, curator, restoration etc)} or entirely new puzzles based on info from the book and movie?

Comment by Kristopher | May 16, 2006
I can’t believe there aren’t more of you taking it apart.

There are two set screws that have to be unscrewed most of the way.

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/1351/cryptexscrew5ls.jpg

Then you can slide off the end and the 5 rings.

To change the combo just take the plastic ring off the metal one and line the letter you want up with the divit in the inside of the ring.

I will get better images up, but I need to find my camera first.

Maybe I’ll madify it so that all the rings actually matter rather than 2.

Comment by Jared | May 16, 2006
While examining my cryptex with the password “grail”, i noticed that grail was not the real password. I know that only the last two letters matter, il. If you look inside and twist the other rings until you see the small cutouts that are also for the i and the l at the end, you will see how the password is actually: “FXIIL”, at least for me. Does everyone else have this same actual code?

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 16, 2006
Here is some better pics

set screw before
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4082/setscrew0hk.jpg

set crew after
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/2623/unscrewed1up.jpg

The end taken off
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3995/takenoff1dy.jpg

The ring, it’s set to I
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9710/ringi8we.jpg

The ring pulled apart
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/2349/ringapart3qm.jpg

Taken all apart
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9456/allapart4fk.jpg

If you have any questions let me know. techyguru@gmail.com

Comment by Jared | May 16, 2006
hey alex,

i also noticed my cryptex also did that. i thought the last three, AIL worked fine… but i guess it’s the last two

btw, i forgot the time and got on a little later and finished it fast (that last one was easy) and i went through most of them pretty fast.

so i think flostog is right. it depends on how fast you answer all of them… not WHEN you finished the puzzles. just how the final round is.

Comment by eliza | May 16, 2006
i also looked inside i think that the leter order was just random when they were producing it on the site which sells the minicryoptxss there is a pic which has i think 5 teeth but if u look closely they are superimposed, and u can notice (those 2 ) with a n end after it. the big ones have only 2 teeth also. …its was a nicepromotional move onsonys part, …theyll get it writen off from their taxes anyway lol :);)

Comment by na | May 16, 2006
I’m a finalist, and I’ll be trying my hardest, but if I win I’m not claiming that prize and paying those taxes… ouch!

Comment by Uisce | May 16, 2006
i think that google picked the finalists at random, because i finished mine by in under fifteen minutes and 10,000 people can not all use google and solve the puzzle in fifteen minutes. thats an avereage of about 15 people completing the puzzle per second. seems fishy to me.

Comment by bridget | May 16, 2006
I finished puzzle, form and all by 1:09 PM EST and I’m not a finalist. I was a little surpirsed since many who posted finish times after me were finalists. I think it has something to do with which google server you were on while registering. Anyways, good luck to all! I wish I was in the running with you Those puzzles were so much fun…now what am I going to do with my time

Comment by orangebackpack | May 16, 2006
Oh, got codex in mail today. It’s stupid… only last two characters are significant. And the message is the same the finalists got in our emails already.

Comment by Ananymous | May 16, 2006
And my code was but SILIL

Comment by Ananymous | May 16, 2006
If you look at the cryptex offered on http://www.noblecollection.com you can see that the internal part of the cryptex is keyed for all 5 rings to work and you can change the password. The cryptex I got from the quest today has a keyed area for only 2 rings to actually lock it and i don’t know how I would go about changing the password.
I’m ebaying mine.

Comment by Adam | May 16, 2006
If you open the cryptex, there are two tiny flat head screws on either side of the opening that the piece slides out of. If you have a small enough screwdriver, you can remove the screws and change the password… well the last two characters anyway.

Comment by Adam | May 16, 2006
woot got my cryptex today

i guess google was goofy and just sent out the cryptexes long before the email went out

Comment by Icetoad | May 16, 2006
http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/15/143251

For all those wondering about time as it relates to these time stamps? thought it was interesting

Comment by orangebackpack | May 16, 2006
Just a quick note for everyone… i finished up my first quest at 1:06 PM EDT, but i had to also finish my girlfriends as she is out of town… I finished hers at 1:08 PM EDT. I was a finalist, my girlfriend was not. And I know for sure that the total time for all of my puzzles was more than hers, cause i helped her complete almost all of them after i had already done mine. So I think they were all about time stamps. Go to http://www.time.gov/ to double check your computer time with the official US time. My only explanation for why some people feel they finished at 1:04 and didn’t get in the final phase is that their time is off by three or four minutes. Also remember that it was EDT, so if you finished at 1:04 CDT, you were an hour late. Sorry for those of you who didn’t make it, and good luck to those who did!

Comment by bsqwared | May 16, 2006
Got my cryptex today, the game was fun. I didnt use the website for no hints but I wish I knew bout it sooner. wish everyone well.

Comment by Rose | May 16, 2006
The password for the cyrptex is grail. the asking price for one on ebay is high so I might just sell mine on google.

Comment by Rose | May 16, 2006
well either way, i think it’s still cool to get a FREE cryptex. i mean, what do i expect right? the vinegar in it too? (altho i have to admit that would’ve been cool lol)

as i mentioned i do not think finishing the 24 puzzles FIRST has TOO much to do it with. it’s more of how fast you finished each 24 puzzles. such as did you spend 5 mins or under each of them and still not a finalist? then i find that wrong.

but if you left a few of the puzzles opened for an hour and forgot about it and came back… and didnt get picked even tho you finished the last puzzle in 1 min… then that makes sense

i believe all of the puzzles are timed. not by just what time you finished the last puzzle.

as for bridget, do you believe it’s possible to have more than 10,000 ppl try out this quest on google? if so, why is it so hard to believe that 10,000 ppl has done the puzzle faster than 15 mins all at the same time? it’s not liek we’re all sharing one computer

Comment by eliza | May 16, 2006
I’ve been working on modifying my cryptex. I’ve changed it so that it has a different code, and i’m using fimo to make it necessary for all five dials to be set. You only need to add two more notches for it to work. I hope mine works now. I’ll post pictures and if i have success later.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 16, 2006
They cut the other notches off the cryptex.

They may have done it to identify the real 10,000 or to make the puzzle easier to open.

Take a look at your cryptex on the inside, you can see scraches and its discolored.

look where the other teeth would be if they where there.

wide view of marks
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/3650/cutout2ll.jpg

close view of marks
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/4779/cutclose8gq.jpg

Comment by Jared | May 17, 2006
jared. didnt even noticed that!

Comment by eliza | May 17, 2006
@bsquared

My clock is within 1 second of www.time.gov. I looked at my time after I sent in my form and it was 10:11 AM (West Coast). I’m not sure when I actually finished the contest(which I believe is the time that was supposedly used) but it wasn’t more than a minute - So I would say 10:10. I was a finalist. So its not clear what method they used as I see conflicting reports.

Comment by flostog | May 17, 2006
There seems to be some confusion here and that proves to me that even the smartest people can overlook certain things. Everyone is talking about the time they “think” they finished the puzzle. The time you think you finished it does not matter. I did not do my puzzle by looking at my computer clock. I used the google clock that was right next to my puzzle list on the website. I was doing my puzzle by google time not anybody’s time. Some of you think that you may have finished sooner than others and not get the cryptex. Did it ever occur to anyone that your time may have been wrong?

Secondly, not everyone is getting a cryptex, even if you are a finalist. I got the cryptex but no email telling me I was a finalist. On May 19 just log on to www.google.com/davincode and if you are a finalist it will let you play the final puzzle. If you are not it will tell you can’t play. It is that simple.

Comment by Jo schwarz | May 17, 2006
Anyone notice the hidden anagram in the emailed video link? I don’t want to spoil the puzzle for anyone so I’ll just link to my solution so far:
http://www.justwidgets.com/blog/2006/05/17/the-vitruvian-anagram/

I think it ties into another official puzzle (not the eurostar contest mentioned above) which starts by going to the website encoded in credits at the end of the full length trailer. Has anyone followed this? I haven’t found a site on the web that has completely has solved it yet.

Comment by G3 | May 17, 2006
Jo schwarz. Actually, I did the same thing. I timed the completion of my puzzle using the google clock. I sat in front of the computer at 12:55EDT and started reloading my google homepage until the puzzle appeared. Then I solved it. I finished at 1:04EDT. I am not a finalist. There must have been other factors involved in the selection of the finalists.

Comment by Rachel | May 17, 2006
I got a finalist email, but no cryptex yet. Anybody else not get their cryptex? I know where the contest starts tomorrow, but I would love to get the cryptex!

Comment by JoeDaddy | May 18, 2006
I get this message on my google page
“Many of you wrote to the Google team to let us know how much you enjoyed the quest, so I decided to keep creating puzzle challenges. Stay tuned for your first challenge on May 26 and get ready for a mental workout.”

Comment by ppitou | May 18, 2006
Rachel,

I say you should log on tomorrow and see if you are allowed to play. I got the cryptex but no email telling me how to access to final puzzle. I am confident that I am a finalist. Tomorrow I am going to log on and see what happens.

I think you should do the same. Good luck to you.

Comment by Jo schwarz | May 18, 2006
I asked the noble collection website if they would fix my cryptex, or send me a different one. Their reply was:
We produced the promotional Cryptex for Sony/Google. Both models look the same, but you can change the code for the piece that we are currently selling. The promotional piece is more simplified and only has two keys. From the outside they look identical, but the mechanism and the inner parts are different.

Comment by Alex Brewer | May 19, 2006
blah yeah i finished pretty quickly about, 1:05 i was pretty confident about the whole thing….but damn…this sucks so much..i was really hoping to win… -_- did anyone get an email about NOT being a finalist??!? because….i hope i didnt enter the wrong email….:P id be a dumbass if i did

Comment by Jake | May 19, 2006
how are u guyz doing on the final QUEST?

Comment by na | May 19, 2006
The final puzzles are on the “painful” side, they are however on the same lines as the previous 24, the Sudoku and restoration and curator puzzles are crazy. It took me 56 mins to complete.

Comment by mcow | May 20, 2006
try creating a cryptex online

Comment by William | May 22, 2006