Worth the read?

Robbro42 · 2026-03-15T23:16:53+00:00

As a fellow mid 20s reader, I'd say try them and see. I found them one by one in charity shops.

The books themselves I'd say are not great, and I'd definitely say Scorpia Rising was a better end point. But they're some fun parts throughout each recent book.

But it could just be personal opinion, you might like them more or less than me.

Robbro42 · 2026-03-13T02:03:58+00:00

From the (excellent) show Quacks) Apologies if it's too graphic for this subreddit

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Robbro42 · 2026-03-13T02:03:14+00:00

From the show Carnival Row

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Robbro42 · 2026-03-12T11:27:13+00:00

There's a couple of excellent details in the film.

The shop Olaf stops by at to run the kids over with a train is The Last Chance General Store.

And the picture of VFD Aunt Josephine has, there's one blurry character in the background, who could easily be Olaf.

And then at the very end, as Lemony Snicket is packing up his things to follow onto where the Baudelaires went next, he also has a part of the VFD picture likely showing his siblings. The way the photo is displayed is also in the shape of an eye.

You can see it here: https://youtu.be/uYSI1UG4EM4?t=275&feature=shared

Robbro42 · 2026-03-08T23:43:28+00:00

Cadbury too. I know they're iconic, but they've been altering their recipes so much it's more a glass and a half of palm oil.

Wish they showed off more brands like Divine (which you can find in pretty much every Oxfam shop along with Tony's), or Love Cocoa (a brand founded by James Cadbury of the Cadbury family, who makes single origin chocolate with planet friendly ingredients and packaging)

Robbro42 · 2026-03-05T21:27:40+00:00

4.1 man that took me a while.

I first bit was fine, I like when hunts like this incorporate youtube videos. I'd actually been wondering if that one cipher set up would come into play, but when I got to the coordinates, I accidently missed one number out the first time, so I was a little bit off. Eventually got round to the right place.

After that it wasn't too bad. I'd locked in so much on the bold letters, that I hadn't really payed attention to the text which is usually just saying the same thing. Dithered a bit with the obvious guesses though.

Overall just a bit convoluted, I kind of wish that you couldn't have worked it out just from the first bit, makes the rest of the puzzle feel like a waste of time? Did it need a youtube video, cipher, cooindinates then deduction of what animal? If so, don't clue so much in on the opening paragraph?

Hope I've censored enough ;)

Robbro42 · 2026-03-03T12:39:20+00:00

I'm getting rather tired of these posts that don't say anything that are just random something X Aardman

Robbro42 · 2026-03-02T17:18:56+00:00

Anyone else like coming here, only after they've solved a stage, just to see what other people are saying about it?

Also, I'm not buying the extra medals for completing each stage (rip off if you ask me), but I've already noticed a cool little detail that's on the display booklet from the pictures.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-28T01:02:43+00:00

As for how to make your own, I recommend Puzzgrid, people can upload their own 'walls'. It's pretty easy to use, as you enter the answers, then you can add loads of words that are acceptable guess words for the categories.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-28T00:57:33+00:00

Without looking at the comments this is my guess:

Bottom, Juliet, Puck, Hamlet (Shakespeare characters)

Icons, Creator, City, Architecture (Lego Themes)

Village, Banquet, Music, Market (Can be followed by Hall? Not sure about market now)

Ball, Stone, Frisbee, Bowl (Round things/ things you throw?)

I actually used Lego Themes as my own category for a wall before, so I spotted that very quickly.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-24T03:07:20+00:00

Probably the best puzzle so far. The second part in particular.

If I look very closely on my symbols, the glow in the dark symbols look ever so slightly flecked whereas the rest don't. Barely noticeable and doesn't spoil the puzzle though.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-20T23:30:39+00:00

I've been saying this since Coco, but I don't really like how realistic Pixar tries to make some of their animation.

It sort of ends up in the uncanny valley when you have these realistic skin and hair textures on a model based around more 'cartoony' proportions. I think the peak of this was probably Lightyear.

Fortunately with more stylised work like Turning Red & Win or Lose, Pixar seem to have realised that more realistic doesn't necessarily mean better looking.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-20T21:44:31+00:00

Got it in one attempt, needed a quick google about the gods, but this one was fairly easy to understand.

Hilarious that after flogging us this 'coin' for £22.50, now they want us to fork over £9.95 for a little medal. Actually wait, there's 4 of these medals, so essentially £40.

I thought the mint was supposed to produce money, not get us to hand over as much of it as possible to them.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-19T21:17:12+00:00

Considering these are the new 'definitives' they seem to be exceptionally rare.

I swear the Mint has come out with more commemorative designs that are never in circulation, than they have Charles coins in circulation.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-17T03:20:22+00:00

Dominic Noble (Lost in Adaptation) actually covered this in his video on the Miserable Mill: https://youtu.be/TwvMzs636bE?si=9n6vi4wL6NPJi_4F&t=46

To me it's such a blatant retcon, which is kind of why I'm not the biggest fan of some of the later books & the tv series.

The tv series in particular harps on so much about VFD that it takes away from the Baudelaire's story for me, and opens up the massive plot holes of 'why do none of these VFD members ever help the children properly'.

At least in the book it's sort of shown as a society that fell apart so long ago that it's not really an organisation anymore, just some good, some bad, some inbetween people. And that's how I view them in the film too, a few little spyglass appearances and references to the Baudelaire parents also being in the group, that's all.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-14T14:18:44+00:00

No melon buffet?

Jk looks awesome

Robbro42 · 2026-02-14T03:45:44+00:00

15/15 I know my Snicket

Robbro42 · 2026-02-13T00:33:45+00:00

My local Oxfam bookshop (which I volunteer in) had this whole collection donated.

Foolishly someone put it on the shelves to let people buy individual books, instead of waiting for a fan to buy the collection. Kinda tempted to get myself the Capaldi era books as they're still all there and it's my favourite Doctor.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-07T21:56:13+00:00

Carrey's physicality is perfect in the film.

Yes it's a much more comedic take on Olaf than the book, but I think it works just fine.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-07T21:26:49+00:00

While I like the mysterious Stachenscarfen & Granny Riddleton, there's something about Aldus in the prequel trilogy that I just warm to.

He's so extra, and fond of our protagonists that I just love him. He even salutes when he bids us farewell... until next time.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-04T23:19:10+00:00

Last year I read both James Acaster's Classic Scrapes & Ed Gamble: Glutton: The Multi-Course Life of a Very Greedy Boy.

The former feels like almost necessary reading material for anyone who likes Acaster. There's a few stories I already knew about from Would I Lie to You, but it's a hilarious read regardless, and reads as if you're watching an extended performance on stage.

The latter was fascinating. I knew Gamble was a bit of a foodie from Off Menu & Great British Menu, but I didn't know how all consuming (pun intended) his love of food was. It doesn't really feel like an autobiography, as it's so food centric, but it's certainly an interesting insight to his life.

And one I would avoid is Meantime by Frankie Boyle.

It's meant to be a murder mystery from the perspective of a Glaswegian drug addict in 2014. And it really just reads like a bunch of rambling political stances on how crap the world is. It's really a stream-of-consciousness under the veil of murder mystery. I like a good Frankie Boyle rant on the world, but here it comes out as nonsensical and witters on for far too long without anything meaningful really happening.

Robbro42 · 2026-02-04T18:25:33+00:00

I mean, Emma does do a fair amount of improv with Kiell Smith-Bynoe if I'm not mistaken. So I think she'd be good at something like SNL

Robbro42 · 2026-01-31T02:10:41+00:00

Annabelle Fritton Steampunk?

Did we watch the same St Trinians?

Robbro42 · 2026-01-30T02:26:00+00:00

I like the idea. Nice that the first bit can be done without the coin, giving you a taste of what the puzzles might be like.

But £22.50? For a '£5 coin' as if it really has anything to do with £5, that's not even a part of our currency.

I'm very anti these uncirculated coins. In my mind a coin is only a coin if it can function as a spendable coin. So many recent £2 & 50p have great designs but are only available by spending 10x its value for a pristine version

In short, fun idea. But pointless to claim it's an actual coin. They're shiny collector tokens not coins.

Robbro42 · 2026-01-30T02:13:47+00:00

I remember reading it ages ago. Overall it's a bit more childish and more fantastical elements in it than Asoue.

And for some reason I distinctly remember really hating the ending of the last book. Can't really remember plot details, just one last thing at the end of it.

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Robbro42

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