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A Song for the Season (Posted on 2006-02-08) Difficulty: 3 of 5
Golkam: Hello everyone, I am a little late.

Golkam: So anyway, what are we going to plan for the theme for this year's dance? I don't have too many ideas to choose bewteen.

Dartam: Well, you could wish to do a prehistoric one.

Golkam: What would be used for scenery?

Azdam: I don't think that would work. You would only have rocks and dinos to use. I would suggest something more geographic.

Dartam: Ya, I suppose you are truthful. My alternate suggestion would be using a Sixties theme which would have plenty of ambient items.

Bastam: From a high perspective, it sounds fine. Do you think so?

Azdam: Agree, is a better idea. Then you have an entire decade.

Bastam: I also think that we should get a live DJ to compile hits.

Cagram: That appears to be expensive. I suggest a song playlist.

Bastam: It wouldn't be expensive. I got an exact price and the prearrangement obtained was for a long time, so I was able to secure a discount.

Azdam: I will check for Sixties soundtracks to get for him.

Golkam: That would work well with the theme.

Golkam: Note down the attendance keeps going down for the rest of the year. I don't know the reason but maybe people are getting tired of them.

Forgam: I think people who went to them at the beginning are busy now.

Epotram: It didn't seem to dwindle; has it been decreasing that amount?

Forgam: Yeah, I think it has been decreasing for a while; work has come up and...

Golkam: I hope it goes up again.

Azdam: It will for a little while but it will probably drop out again.

Bastam: Yeah, it will probably go down soon after that.

Forgam: People are on break, so although they may attend more during that break, afterwards attendance will just decrease again but I don't think...

Epotram: Well I wager that after the break people will return; I think this Sixties event will improve attendance.

Dartam: Ya Sixties is cool.

Dartam: I will go work on the decorations. It will take a while to put them on. If anyone is inclined to help, I will be present at this location for a while. I think I will turn on the radio; I wonder what song is playing?

  Submitted by Gamer    
Rating: 4.3333 (9 votes)
Solution: (Hide)
It is interesting to notice that all the names begin with A through G. (If you looked at the previous problems including these people, you would also notice Holdram doesn't appear here.)

So taking the initial letters gives GGDGADBABCBAGGFEFGABFEDD, which is decipherable but not easily done, as each letter could be high or low, and long or short. Fortunately there are clues in the text; the most common one is that a long passage implies a long note, while a short passage impiles a short note. From that, gives: G (short), G (long), D (short), G (short), A (long), D (long), B (short), A (short), B (short), C (short), B (long), A (short), G (short), G (long), F (short), E (short), F (short, slur), G (short), A (short), B (short), F (long, slur), E (long), D(short), D (very long)

There are still a few more minor clues. "From a high perspective" is a clue that that note shifts to a higher octave instead of decreasing. The "attendance" in the later part maps the direction the notes take, and Forgam being cut off twice represents two slurred notes.

This is the beginning of a popular Christmas song "O come, all ye faithful", which is the answer. The slightly strange wording of the conversation was a decoy to make it seem like the text was important, which actually (other than a few clues) had no relevance.

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
Puzzle Thoughts K Sengupta2023-07-15 04:34:53
Magical tipsCodyDunning2023-07-14 05:07:02
No SubjectPrice Nelson2020-05-27 06:18:33
More complete solutionGamer2006-03-11 14:14:38
re(3): What is the answer?Gamer2006-03-08 22:15:39
re(2): What is the answer?Leming2006-02-23 13:08:04
re: What is the answer?Jyqm2006-02-15 13:56:13
What is the answer?Leming2006-02-15 09:13:39
re: First thoughts + a long timeDustin2006-02-11 17:37:49
First thoughts + a long timeHugo2006-02-11 16:31:29
First thoughts + 24 hoursHugo2006-02-09 11:51:35
re: Serious First ThoughtPaddy2006-02-09 07:38:37
Got itGamer2006-02-08 21:40:24
SolutionSolution (no spoilers)Dustin2006-02-08 21:23:01
Hints/Tipsre: First thoughtsJyqm2006-02-08 20:11:52
Serious First ThoughtVernon Lewis2006-02-08 20:09:39
re: First thoughtsVernon Lewis2006-02-08 20:05:30
Some ThoughtsHmm...Dustin2006-02-08 19:41:15
re: First thoughtsLeming2006-02-08 17:33:37
First thoughtsHugo2006-02-08 16:31:25
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