MuffinQuest 2: Pastry Is Alchemy!!

[Derpy]

Good evening, dough-loving ponies! Hope are enjoying seasonal cake rain! Is perfect time for pastry story. So sit forward and hear tale of...

=) =) =) MUFFINQUEST 2!!! (= (= (=
=) =) =) Pastry Is Alchemy (= (= (=

For second time, Derpy has lost her favorite muffin! And for second time, search for muffin was on!!

******************

Our story begin, as usual, in OOC room. The following note annouce-d in @shout and lived in the OOC Complex:

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MuffinQuest 2 Note!!

Woe is Derpy!! In her Muffin Studies correspondence courses, she's been learning about the new art of Pastry Alchemy. Something terrible has happened to Derpy's favorite muffin, and now she has no idea where it is! Can you find it for her?? The trail will be long, convoluted and difficult, though if you're clever you just may find a shortcut. Players are encouraged to work together! You can start by kicking back here, or by going to the only place in town you can order an oatmeal cupcake--another of Derpy's recent Pastry Alchemical atrocities.

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Kick back? Kick back and do what? Maybe 'watch' TV, like in first MuffinQuest!! If so, reward with NINE clue!! As before, were random and different for watcher and bywatcher. But these clues? Not necessary! Only bonus, and will mention as relevate.

Note says to go to only place in town for oatmeal cupcake. So clear? VERY CLEAR!! Sugarcube Corner!! But this time, Cupcake ATM actually matters! The Cupcake ATM in Sugarcube Corner lets you order cupcake flavors. Try 'order oatmeal'? This message!!:

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MapleWing [or whoever name!] puts a couple of bits into the Cupcake ATM and pushes the button for a oatmeal cupcake. There is nothing for a few moments, then a section of the black behind the glass slides open like a panel. A light blue eye surrounded by pink is seen, which looks around before focusing on MapleWing. The panel shuts and soon there comes whirring and sucking noises, though they sound like somepony is just making them, as well as the 'ding' that follows. Then the back of the inset shelf slides open, and a pink face can be seen. "Oatmeal?! Are you CRAZY?!! You can't make an oatmeal cupcake--at least not without cracking a lot of eggs! And I don't mean real eggs--I mean *symbolic* eggs! But I guess you're looking for Derpy's muffin, huh? Want to learn more? Go to the news office and read a newspaper! Or go see a movie!" The face withdraws and the opening slams back closed with a giggle.

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O Pinkie. O Pink Bin. Is clue rhetorical dismiss? NO! Is two branch.

A. Go to the news office and read a newspaper!

The Ponyville Daily is located off of Maple Street! Go there and newspaper on ground. Look at newspaper? Newspaper asks you:

What is the tenth word of what Derpy is doing?

TV Clue 1: To see what's doing, make like Owlowiscious in all caps.

What says Owlowiscious? WHO! @doing command lets you set Doing field in WHO! Type 'WHO' and see that Derpy doing this:

YYUR;YYUB;@xuryy4mi

Is strange talk, even for Derpy. What does it mean?? When puzzle so hard, try taking one at a time. If read one letter (or two) at a time, this text as follows!

Too wise you are; too wise you be; at times you are too wise for me!

Get it? Two Y's?!? Is funny rebusmessage from when young Derpy and friend of family. Tenth word? Is very newspaper word: TIMES! Type 'times' when have newspaper and receive instruction: You are ready to muck around inside of clocktower!!!

Or.

B. Go see a movie!

Ponyville Movie House off of Ponyville Square! Go and see. Is Film inside! Look at Film, get clue:

Derpy appears on screen, holding an envelope in her mouth. She sets it carefully into a paper bag. Then, eyes wandering, she addresses you.

"When mail? Sometimes very strange. Is process to go." Derpy slowly puts the paper bag upside-down on top of her head. "If try and find answers before escape, then FEEP!" The bag slips down over her head as she cries out. ...A feep is a ball of what?

TV Clue 2: Feep! The mail program holds a secret.

"mail" and "f" in "find" are ansi!! Is clue to where. Go into mail program and type 'f'. As if 'find', but really 'feep'! Is very strange Easter!! Mastermind game! Master ask to solve color puzzle!!! Is part of old-school feep-added tradition. n.u

How to format answer?

TV Clue 3: green green yellow yellow black No? Awwww.

That is format: colors all written with spaces between. Try and guess in twelve round! Good player in five to seven. Puzzle different every time! But if solve?

The keeper stands up suddenly and exclaims, "Impossible! Nobody can defeat the keeper of the FEEP!" He searches for words, then just motions you to follow him. Weakly he says, "You must tell none of what you see here." He leads you into the cave of the FEEP, and shows you a ball of fluff with adhesive feet, glued on eyes, a elastic wristband, and a little tag that reads FEEP.

A feep is a ball of what? OF FLUFF!! Type 'fluff' in Movie House and receive clue that ready to muck around in clocktower!!

But whose clocktower? Clocktower's CLocktower!! Is in Ponyville Square! Go inside and upstairs and could find exit INTO clocktower's geary belly! Hop inside for adventure! To be continued...

[Derpy]

Once inside Clocktower's innards, is spare description and panel on wall. First panel asks:

The numerical registers sit under an inscription in the wooden panel:

"She first hit the scene in episode six.
But it wasn't until the __th episode that she returned to transcend her haughty tricks."

Easy one! Of course is The Great and Powerful Trixie. Appeared first in Episode 6: "Boast Busters". Back at last in fifth episode of third season, "Magic Duel". First two seasons 26 episodes each, so 2 times 26 plus 5 is 57 episodes! "Magic Duel" is 57th episode, so type 57 and (gasp) DARK EXIT!!

Now inside the Clocktower, Room 2! Second panel on wall! It says:

This panel also features a series of registers and an inscription burned into the tin:

"How many feet? Go to Lumina Tower's gallery and find out from the wind! Celestia's visage awaits."

Lumina Tower?? Where is that?!?

TV Clue 4: Lumina Tower is deep in the Everfree Forest.

Oh! Well then. Look deep in dark Everfree until find Lumina Tower. Climb up to Gallery! Not is portrait gallery? Think again! Celestia's portrait was there, and speaking!

The portrait of Princess Celestia speaks to you in the voice of Fancy Pants. "Thank goodness you're here! Someone's mixed up all the portraits in the gallery! They're completely out of order. Will you unscramble them? You can start with an easy one... Maple Bloop!"

MAPLE BLOOP??

Oh. Is APPLE BLOOM, of course! Only rearrange!!

Type in one anagram, collect new! Is anagramagical! Harder and harder anagrams. Get stuck?

TV Clue 5: Having trouble unscrambling? They are, in no particular order: A female Apple, a male Apple, an assistant, a bully, a weather pony, an itinerant grump, a mailpony, and a special secret.

Well, is particular order: is alphabetical by description. But does it help? Shouldly!! Here are solutions:

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Maple Bloop ==> Apple Bloom (female Apple)

I Bash Onward! => Rainbow Dash (weather pony)

So Overhyped => Derpy Hooves (mailpony)

Barn Rube => Braeburn (male Apple)

Evil Sponsor => Silver Spoon (bully)

A Knighted Poser => Spike the Dragon (assistant)

Odd Corny Naked Yokel => Cranky Doodle Donkey (itinerant grump)

A Stern Trashy Girl => (special secret)

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For record? Go by Derpy Doo now. Not so overhyped, hopingfully! For weeks up until game, my @doing was: Derpy Doo: Dodo Prey!

If still too hard anagrams? Those who remember original MuffinQuest or who frequent forum may have seed this in the news ticker:

Muffin hunters know what the internet knows: Herding Is Pacifism.

What does mean? If internet knows, so does Google. Search for "Herding Is Pacifism" and:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVOqV9MyAlQ

Is source of brilliant anagrams, and many more!! Not invent myself. In case forget about news ticker?

TV Clue 6: v=GVOqV9MyAlQ

Is YouTube URL after question mark.

But the last anagram? NOT THERE!

PUZ >> Nitro_Nine says, "A Stern Trashy Girl... I keep trying to Type 'Rarity' but it won't do anything!"

Silly Nitro! Not is Rarity. Check out this:

TV Clue 7: An incidental background shot determined the essential core of her personality. The general consensus is that she enjoys an alternative lifestyle. Her last name contains five consecutive consonants. She is: The most interesting mare in the world. (Our world?)

What is relevant? Well, if you are true pastry seeker, have visited obvious place like Cafe Tobiano (off Ponyville Market)! Inside? Was Cream_Puff, asleeping. But beside? Was Cream Puff! Because of name similar, hard to look at or pick up. But can! In fact, because some clue items could be pick-ed up and mov-ed around...

TV Clue 8: Look for the newspaper, the teeny muffin and the cream puff.

Teeny muffin?? Not worry--will get to. Anyhow, if look at cream puff, this find:

This cream puff used to be a muffin, yes, but not Derpy's -favorite- muffin. That got turned into something with far more layers. Nice try! Anyway, if you're wondering who's stern and trashy, it's probably "the most interesting mare in the world".

And there is connection! TV Clue refers to final anagram! So think about:

An incidental background shot determined the essential core of her personality.

Very familiar story, but not Derpy. Maybe funny sitting position?

The general consensus is that she enjoys an alternative lifestyle.

Maybe very special someone is other mare??

Her last name contains five consecutive consonants.

Maybe from compound word??? Such as 'RTSTR'

Answer is Lyra Heartstrings!!!!

She is: The most interesting mare in the world. (Our world?)

Well, maybe is only talking mare in our world. (u.n)

When final anagram answer?

The portraits all look at you and say in unison: "Thank you for sorting us out. Go upstairs and ask the wind for a 'riddle', if you would trace your muffin's far-flung path." It sounds really weird in all those different voices, especially Braeburn's. And Derpy's of course.

Head upstairs to the observation deck of Lumina Tower!! There, is more challenges when continue to final part!

[Derpy]

Now on Observation Deck. Ask wind for 'riddle'? Okay! type 'riddle'!

Some crescent moons inspire art, and others melancholy. But lo: this type of crescent bright will always make you jolly.

Is easy one! www.youtube.com/watch?v=20nh8_FCb8k

Answer is 'smile'! Type in, and now?

Smile as wide as mile. How wide??

Even Derpy can get that one. A MILE!! But wait! 'mile' doesn't work!

Remember the phrasing of the second panel, so long ago...

"How many feet? Go to Lumina Tower's gallery and find out from the wind! Celestia's visage awaits."

And if have forgotten that?

TV Clue 9: Feet are the unit in the answer to the wind's second riddle.

So! How wide is mile in feet?! 5280! Therefore return finally to Inside the Clocktower, Room 2 and enter 5280. ANOTHER DARK EXIT!!

Room 3 very cramped:

Inside the Clocktower - Room 3
It's a third room within the clocktower's mechanisms, and there's just room for you to squeeze between a drivetrain, a dingle cog and a flywheel in order to arrive at a third panel with a huge amount of tiny lettering.

The panel tells you that there are three ways through, and to look at the objects in the room! So let's look at the...

A. Flywheel

'look flywheel' and see:

"Muffin in the middle
Three in every way
Now a cross of muffin
Hip and hip hooray.
Fill in all the corners
Pile it all three high
Now how many muffin
In my muffin pie?!?"

Is ambiguous at best of derps. Many to interpret. But correct way is:

Muffin in the middle: @

Three in every way:

|-----@
|-----@
|-----@
@@@@@@@
|-----@
|-----@
|-----@

Now a cross of muffin: hip and hip hurray.
Fill in all the corners:

@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@

Pile it all three high - now three squares as above!
Now how many muffins in my muffin pie?!?

Answer: 7 times 7 times 3 = 147 muffins.

Too hard? The flywheel does suggest looking at the drivetrain. But first...

B. Dingle Cog

This clue is more whimsical. Refers to a 'city of trees and birds' where an unlikely pocket monster might fly by. What city might be? Might be Owl City! Is access from Whitetail Wood or Cloudsdale.

Remember clue about teeny muffin? Was questionable teeny muffin in Owl City.

A Teeny Little Muffin??- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nope! It's not a muffin. It's a piece of baklava. DRAT!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Or pick up, and simply: DRAT!

Is strange mistake to make. Remember clue from cream puff, saying Derpy's muffin got turned into something with layers? Bakava is layered dessert!

But in meantime? 'Pocket monster' is Pokemon. DRAT suggest Dratini! Would unlikely to fly by in Owl City, as cannot fly until evolve. Dratini's Pokedex number? 147.

But this is silly clue. Dingle Cog suggests that if stuck, try the...

C. Drivetrain

This is what you see...

?E???
D????
???C?
????A
??N??

"One strives hard to do what's right
although the world confuses.
One is fond of vim and drink
and both these things abuses.
One is sad and starving and
snaps bitterly when questioned.
One loves rocks and seeks to lead
her folk to where they're destined.

All of these are characters
portrayed by this game's maker.
(One is spoofed at large events
and thus is slightly faker.)
All are words five letters long
but one name has two parts.
Fit these words into the grid
employing all your smarts.

Read from the diagonal
that runs across the frame.
This gives you a Survivor player
with a unique name.
Mark his season times his
final placement in the game;
The panel in this very room
is asking for the same."

Tricky puzzle!! But at least clear instruction!

Game's maker is me! But what characters do I play? Well, if not know, can ask other, or check RP logs to see which posted by Derpy! Solution?

One strives hard to do what's right
although the world confuses.

Is me, DERPY! Sometimes world is intense-flavor confuse. (9.6)

One is fond of vim and drink
and both these things abuses.

Not familiar? Is BERRY PUNCH. Have spoofed her for the Ponyville Rodeo, A Tale of Two Moons, A Hearth's Warming Carol, both chancellor's debates, and the Running of the Leaves. n.n

One is sad and starving and
snaps bitterly when questioned.

Is DINKY daughter. :( Wish could cheer, but so hard. So hard shell.

One loves rocks and seeks to lead
her folk to where they're destined.

Is CLARA, the Diamond Dog!

Final grid only fit together one way:

BERRY
DERPY
PUNCH
CLARA
DINKY

Pinkie_Pie says "...revealing that Derpy has /from the beginning/ only played characters with five letter names just to do this puzzle."

Derpy feels so clever! ^.n But really, was coincidence that chose to exploit. Sometimes puzzle run in surprise direction.

Read from the diagonal
that runs across the frame.
This gives you a Survivor player
with a unique name.

Derpy enjoys TV show Survivor. Yes, is still running after thirteen year! Unique player name is BENRY. Is nickname for Ben Henry, who played in Survivor: Nicaragua.

Mark his season times his
final placement in the game;
The panel in this very room
is asking for the same.

Nicaragua was 21st season, and he finished 7th! 21 times 7?

...147.

Any way is slice-d, answer is 147! Enter into final panel, and enter the very Heart of the Clocktower!

The Heart of the Clocktower(#1441R)
You squeeze inside and find yourself in the warm, whirring heart of the clocktower. As you sit here, you hear a voice whistling through the gear teeth:

Three panels you opened to reach this place.
Three combinations you found.
Take the third minus the second. Drop the last digit.
Divide by the first to get a new number.
Pretend you're playing Skymaster. You guess the central column in conjunction with this number.
Where does your shot land? Go there now--it is a real place in the high reaches.
Look at the menu and get the first sweet thing, and your quest will be complete.

Now is almost over!!Do some mathing. Three combinations to get here were:

57, 5280, 147

Third minus second is 147 - 5280 = -5133. Drop last digit? -513. Divide by first, or 57? Now get -9.

In Skymaster, central column is Cloud column!! Is guess of Cloud-9!!

But What is Cloud Nine? Is restaurant!! If have been finding and where-ing, may have seened message:

24 ponies searching high (and low) for a muffin.

High and low! Well, ground is low, but this search have gone very high, to Lumina Tower tippytop and also to Owl City. But arguably very highest room in entire grid? Is Cloud Nine in Cloudsdale. Go there and see [MENU] in the description! So 'look menu'!

CLOUD NINE MENU:
~Drinks~
Iced Frappé / Snow Slurries / Flavored Coffees / Fig Wine / Thunder Tea
~Appetizers~
Olive Salad / Stuffed Grape Leaves / Spicy Fritters
~Dishes~
Eggplant Rings / Briám (Vegetable Stew) / Stuffed Tomatoes / Vegetable Gyros / Revithia (Baked Chickpeas)
~Savories~
Feta and Olives / Strapatsada / Artichokes in Olive Oil
~Sweets~
Baklava / Finikia Cookies / Halva / Lokum / Honey Yogurt / Rizogalo Pudding

Look at the menu and get the first sweet thing, and your quest will be complete.

Firrrst sweet thing? Is baklava!! Where have seen THAT before?

Type 'get baklava', and dark item collect to see this message:

Why, this isn't a piece of baklava at all! It's... it's Derpy's MUFFIN!! It's been transformed a little, that's all. Take it to Derpy! Let her know that you have WON MUFFINQUEST 2!!!

And that, at last, is completion of quest. My muffin! SAFE AT LAST!! Even if transform, and even if hazel nuts, still cherish. Always cherish. <3

[Derpy]

So that is MuffinQuest 2: Full Solution!! Now will protect and guard favorite muffin zealous until nearly inevitable MuffinQuest 3.

Best thanks and congratulations to Nettleglum, who found the muffin in an amazing 12 minutes, by finding the cream puff, thinking of Owl City as a layered city, finding the teeny muffin and its reference to baklava, and guessing to look for hidden baklava in Cloud Nine, the only place on the grid that serves it. Nettleglum, who is "good at finding shortcuts like that," kindly returned the muffin for the enjoyment of other searchers, and then went through the clues in the mainline order.

Also congratulate to Nitro Nine, who was the first to retrieve the muffin from the room that shares her number. Despite (or perhaps because of??) freaking out about the puzzle many times, she won the race! To the extent a cooperative search is a race. Honorable mention to Pinkie Pie, who was right on her tail, and to Nimbus Dawning and Bardigan for numerous contributions to a search that was fun to watch.

And now reward for all? Enjoy!!

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Xk35mLLgGdw

[Nettleglum]

You did set the baklava-muffin as 'dark', dear, and I've said Nettie can find catacombs anywhere...

Including clouds.

._.