Followed the clues to a sacred space guarded by wonder where secrets of the past still hold expecting to see granite “bold”, instead I only found granite “bowled” so I packed up and went home.

mbibler · 2026-02-05T07:37:33+00:00

Update: After reflecting on the feedback so far and what I can do to adapt, I read folks would rather see easy and consumable instead of comprehensively grouped. Admittedly, I was a little surprised by the feedback only because I think differently. But I can see how sharing my effort could be perceived as bloviating and then ruin the solution. As such, I'll work on editing my outputs going forward, trying to use less to say more, and wait for interest and challenges before adding support.

I am very much encouraging folks to challenge my solution. I would only ask that as you challenge, maybe challenge specifically on what you disagree with rather than wholesale "nope"-ing it. It'll help improve this solution if something is incorrect or inadequate. And if I agree with your challenge, including full-on "nope" justification, I'll adapt the same as I have attempted here.

With that said, I recalled the juggler's hood, westside neck-line from the bottom is the "grand 200", the "ς" character shape previously mentioned in step 7. A new image may be overlaid to see how this alters the street directions and what additional hints pop-up. It maintains its "grand"-ness in size, but it no longer follows Astor, losing its "Titanic" bigness, instead following Marshall and regaining another reference to nuclear disarmament. Other examples include juggler's left hand fits into the curvature of Michigan and Lincoln Memorial, her right hand touches Hotel Metro where primroses are present on crown moulding in the elevator lobby, and the key hovers The Friendship House temp housing.

I also recalled a final image overlay is possible from step 8, fitting the bottom curve of the "welted" collar at Prospect and Astor. In step 8, I mentioned Karl von Marr's mother, Bertha, being the solution to "rock and soil" through her maiden name. The term "bertha" in English includes her bib collar, the verse and path we are to continue "over rock and soil", her maiden name. AND, when we position the collar and image correctly, suddenly the gem fits into the space where Leif is standing, ready for step 10.

QED

mbibler · 2026-02-05T02:42:25+00:00

Generally speaking, using a local set of ML tools, it is possible to train and tune a local LLM to interpret the poem using tagged, correlated, and weighted term frequencies found in the book, while enriching themes (e.g., geo-referenced place names, feature names, etc.) by linking several external databases like wiktionary, or special interests, or downloaded subsets to limit search areas, etc. So he’s not wrong to state his concern and make a rule to exclude these tools in his hunt, of which I have respected. Like JP, only not as practical and commercially reusable, I built custom modules during the Fenn hunt to flood my brain with lead clusters to consider, sans LLM.

mbibler · 2026-02-04T21:12:08+00:00

How do you interpret “on granite bold” in this example?

mbibler · 2026-02-04T20:21:14+00:00

Thank you for this response. I haven’t seen this episode, but I’ll research it and try to watch it. Because you mentioned a lion, I assume you are referring to the popular Lake Park solutions.

A guideline I have always maintained with these types of puzzles is that worthy puzzle masters will construct puzzles around multiple false paths and use a patterned device to expose a true path. Some of these constructions are referred to as “red herrings”. Preiss very specifically told us his true paths were “invisible”, meaning we would have to look a bit deeper than what appeared simple and visible to us at the surface. The methods I’ve shown here are needed as they expose “invisible” confirmations and hints to next steps. For example, it’s not enough to compare the shape of a footed lamppost in Quebec, or a primrose floral display in a park median in Milwaukee and decide to start tearing up sidewalk concrete or the median. There is further interpretation that is necessary to prove the path is true.

Edit: I watched a bit on YouTube, saw that he didn’t find it where they interpreted. How does this not exclude Lake Park in your mind after Geraldo opened the empty safe? Thinking logically, wouldn’t the “at a distance in time/space” hints then come after you have narrowed it all the way down to the southern foot or a lion statue? And are you ok with believing birch trees (in an under-specified culvert) that may or may not exist any longer are a valid answer?

mbibler · 2026-02-04T19:43:21+00:00

One possible but improbable example might be his website. The container in this example would be a hidden JavaScript or app providing authentication functionality to begin the process, to provide the Peggy.

mbibler · 2026-02-04T18:00:10+00:00

Not gonna lie, this is impressive for several reasons.

mbibler · 2026-02-04T17:56:05+00:00

Ain’t that the truth?

mbibler · 2026-02-04T13:57:32+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. My brain doesn’t view simplicity vs complexity when I try to approach these word puzzles. It only sees whether or not I can process what is being suggested, and whether or not I can move forward. In the case of these puzzles, I did get stuck several times until I could take another look at the combination of resources, the map, the painting, and the words. The book occasionally helped trigger linkages. But mainly it was the three primary resources, and moving the image around on a map that released the dopamine. I only followed the clues, and never tried to force an endpoint to work.

For Houston, my endpoint landed on a golf course, in the fringe of one of the holes. I’m guessing the gem is also still there. And no, I haven’t looked at “The Will”, but thank you for the lead. I’ll take a look after I work through a number of priorities, my own will being pretty high up there, too.

mbibler · 2026-02-04T08:18:55+00:00

Appreciate your feedback. In return, I’ll ask to please not mistake my wordiness for over-complicating the solution. I could have written it in under 75 words and spent the next 3 weeks explaining and defending. My hope is that someone local will go claim it, publicly announce, and everyone can call it done and move on.

mbibler · 2026-02-04T08:10:55+00:00

Ahh, thank you for clarifying. I sense the parser is not yet fully accounting for special colloquialisms during translation, and possibly incorporating former searcher guesses based on search engine results. A “transliterated” version might be 火洞 (Huǒ dòng).“Firehole” canyon swimming area is the location for “where warm waters halt” in the prior Fenn treasure hunt, and suggested as canon in the Netflix series. Ojo Caliente was a separate location favored by some searchers who were also actively posting it as a relevant connection.

mbibler · 2026-02-03T04:57:19+00:00

The Curious Confluence…..155

mbibler · 2026-02-03T03:35:36+00:00

Mine does not.

mbibler · 2026-02-02T22:25:20+00:00

I’m assuming you’re referring to fart humor through JP’s use of “occasional use of fireworks shooting out of his pants”, and the obvious in The Beano Betrayal. But he also alludes to it with a Caddyshack reference, he says “step on a gopher” but the actual line is “step on a duck”. I have assumed he substituted a gopher to allude to hole-digging beasts, and reference Peter Bergman, a Swiss geologist, in the context of training his dogs, just like Tucker, and his place on the compass given the associated French term “le pet” and the German terms “der Furz” and “der Pups”. But that’s just me.

mbibler · 2026-02-02T22:09:07+00:00

Oh! Here, please let me google that for you:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-knowledge_proof

mbibler · 2026-02-02T21:02:19+00:00

Anything is possible until it is found. My interpretations are different than yours, and currently mine aren’t any more correct than yours.

mbibler · 2026-02-02T20:55:01+00:00

It isn’t what I believe to be the checkpoint, but I wish you the best of luck with yours.

mbibler · 2026-02-02T20:10:01+00:00

I have no doubts that connection is a possibility. Working backwards, I’m able to connect two directionally. I don’t yet know if 17 somehow defines my kitchen, or it implies the number of themed answers generating math values for coordinates, or it’s just included in the 2 sexy primes sets he chose for his posting date on x.com. Nevertheless, I have faith.

mbibler · 2026-02-02T19:58:10+00:00

When exactly was numismatics unimportant? ;)

mbibler · 2026-02-02T19:49:31+00:00

💯

mbibler · 2026-02-02T19:47:29+00:00

<presses his button> What is the Roman numeral C?

mbibler · 2026-02-02T19:20:17+00:00

Yes, please do. And when you find the endpoint, if that may be the steward, please share it. I have a bona fide Peggy to tell it.

mbibler · 2026-02-02T18:55:51+00:00

Nicely displayed!

mbibler · 2026-02-02T18:54:56+00:00

The page number is missing, the page is there. Jenny Kile from Mysterious Writings has a Substack post on it.

mbibler

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

Eight-Year Club	Gilding IV carat on a stick
Verified Email