03. May 2017 - The City

## Introduction

*We rose as infants, From a sunless sleep, We stood as pylons, In the rolling wastes, White-knuckle moon sat, Bleeding in orange, Onto the tarmac vein, In a car back blame it, On brain black fire, And surface sickness*

### The Black Cat's Playlist

* Godspeed You! Black Emperor - *The Dead Flag Blues*
* Lightning Dust - *Take Me Back*
* Dark Dark Dark - *Daydreaming*
* Mountain Men - *Arabella*
* O'Messy Life - *House that Howls Built*
* Angel Olsen - *Sweet Dreams*

## The Puzzles

### (i)

Anna arrives at the once great city, where a black cat greets her at the gate.

* **Hint 1**

The cat gives very explicit instructions on which way to go
* **Solution**

Make the right choice: Choose the right pillar.
### (ii)

As the cat returns to the shadows, Anna finds a card in each of her hands.
One is the Order of the Fox, the other is the Sisterhood of the Bat

* **Hint 1**

Consider the symbols on the pillar from (i)
* **Hint 2**

What are the creatures carrying?
* **Solution**

The sceptre and the hourglass of the Sisterhood of the Bat match the shapes on the pillar in (i)
### (iii)

In her search for the coven house, Anna comes upon some reminders that often the words unspoken speak louder than those we hear.

* **Hint 1**

Keep in mind that the artist is British.
* **Hint 2**

Which sign are you stuck on?
* **Trespassers Will Be**

In the UK,
 trespassers are apparently not shot, but instead penalized financially
* **Ships Docking**

What is another word for pier?
* **Finest in Wools**

Wool is a natural fiber/fibre. What would you call a manmade fiber?
* **Time Together**

A flag in the breeze does what that starts with an S?
* **Bags**

What do they call the process of treating leather?
* **Almanac**

If you're in the process of learning, like Anna is, you are a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_
* **Tavern**

What is the other symbol on the sign?
* **Brilliant Bathrooms**

The other descriptors are either rhyming or alliterative. What would go with a door?

* **Sign Solutions**

Which sign are you stuck on?
* **Trespassers Will Be**

Fined
* **Ships Docking**

Quay
* **Finest in Wools**

Synth
* **Time Together**

ways
* **Bags**

Tan
* **Almanac**

dent
* **Tavern**

earth
* **Brilliant Bathrooms**

adore

* **Hint 3**

Consider the message of the coven's card
* **Hint 4**

Hint 1 applies not only to writing and word choice, but also pronunciation
* **Solution**

"Fined Quay Synth Ways Tan Dent Earth Adore," when you bind your eyes and listen, becomes "Find keys in the waste and enter the door"
### (iv)

Picking through the wreckage, Anna finds some artefacts left behind

* **Hint 1**

Consider the message of the signs in (iii)
* **Solution**

Choose the keys
### (v)

Anna finds a piece of paper with bits of banners and a center filled with symbols. What's she supposed to do with it?

* **Hint 1**

What did the answer to (iv) say to do?
* **Solution**

Cut the page, or a copy!, and align the symbols on the banners.
### (vi)

A tapestry hangs in the coven's ceremonial chamber

* **Hint 1**

What are other things that X and V can mean?
* **Hint 2**

How do you get between X and V?
### (vii)

As Cryptogram Puzzle Post is still running a competition with prizes for the first season, the guide will stop here for now. Once the Season 1 prizes are completely handed out, this will describe the solution for (vii)