2014 Event Archive: Seattle Seattle, a puzzling casino concept

Ever wanted to beat the house? The 2014 College Puzzle Challenge focused on a brand new casino on the Las Vegas strip: Seattle Seattle.

Participants received a cache of leaked documents from the casino’s security department, with information about several games that looked crackable. They worked through the puzzles and toward the meta puzzle - breaking into main casino vault.

More than 300 teams participated in the 2014 challenge, held simultaneously at 14 campuses across the US.

Winners: galactic dogesetters from MIT

Full results are available here.

Scoring worked a little differently than previous years.

Regular puzzles: Teams earned $100,000 in "casino chips" per regular puzzle solved. A bonus went to teams based on how quickly they solved the puzzle. Teams were also allowed to bet some money they had in hand, earning that bet if their first submission for the puzzle was correct, or losing that money if they were wrong.

Teams earned $100,000 in "casino chips" per regular puzzle solved. A bonus went to teams based on how quickly they solved the puzzle. Teams were also allowed to bet some money they had in hand, earning that bet if their first submission for the puzzle was correct, or losing that money if they were wrong. Meta-puzzle: The meta-puzzle was worth $1,000,000 in casino chips (and not eligible for bonuses or betting.

The winner was determined by which team ended the day with the most casino chips (unlike in previous events, where the winner was determined solely by which team solved the meta-puzzle first.

Puzzles and Solutions

The puzzles and their answers are available as PDFs below. Per-wave puzzle collections may also available.

Pre-Event

Caesars Palace's Trophy Room Puzzle | Solution

Las Vegas, the Center of the Universe Puzzle | Solution

Old Green Eyes Puzzle | Solution

To Egypt From Luxor Puzzle | Solution

Wave 1

Casino Games Puzzle | Solution

Don't Trust the House Puzzle | Solution

Game of Numbers Puzzle | Solution

Headlining Act Puzzle | Solution

Keno Puzzle | Solution

Mobius Strip Puzzle | Solution

Natural Odds Puzzle | Solution

Seattle Seattle Puzzle | Solution

The ABCs of Nevada Puzzle | Solution

When the Chips are Down, Look to the Stars Puzzle | Solution

You Think You're Done Puzzle | Solution

Wave 2

A Minor Inconvenience Puzzle | Solution

Bad With Names Puzzle | Solution

Beat the House Puzzle | Solution

Mandalay Bay Puzzle | Solution

Mating Games Puzzle | Solution

Ocean's Eleven Puzzle | Solution

Please Don't Puzzle | Solution

Poker Alice Puzzle | Solution

Six Line Puzzle | Solution

Soccer Facts...and Fiction! Puzzle | Solution

The Safe Puzzle | Solution

Wave 3

Advance the Silver State Puzzle | Solution

All Flights Lead to Vegas Puzzle | Solution

It's In Your DNA Puzzle | Solution

Keepin' It Reel Puzzle | Solution

Revolving Roulette Wheel Puzzle | Solution

Show Me the Money Puzzle | Solution

Table Stakes Puzzle | Solution

The Line Puzzle | Solution

Therefore You're Not Puzzle | Solution