The Missive
3
by Scalar7th
it is the mole
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I’ve read these entirely too many times by now, and the clues are just whooshing past me. So, hypno-hivemind: what do ya got? These are the rabbit-holes my brain has wandered down so far; maybe they’ll help my fellow puzzle solvers.
In 1, there were a few things that stood out as not not quite as “trancy” as other things. In the overt changing triplets, “Dawn” and “Fly” seemed to fit less smoothly. In the main body, the suggestions to “want some soft music” and “get a drink” snagged on my brain a bit.
For 2, I don’t have very much. “Flee” seems like the odd member of that changing triplet. The only other thing I caught was a lot more focus on repetition - actual repetition like “over and over”, and a general sense of wanting us to read and reread what we’ve already read.
And 3… yeah. It feels like it’s pointing me straight at the solution, but I must be blind to the “flag” that’s probably “waving” in plain sight. Bah. So, possible clues in here:
Solitaire: it’s a game about sorting cards - making the “not ordered”, like us, into something “ordered”, like the new narrator. The only suit that stands out is Hearts - this chapter didn’t mention them at all, but it came up in 2 with the idea of freeing Controller into an audience’s hearts. (also: i never knew that the place where the Aces go is called the “foundation”. Neat!)
Address: There are some words the Controller uses to describe us that might qualify as an address, like “Free” or “Confused” or “Safe”. But that’s a stretch. And everything else is just “you”, right? Otherwise… maybe it’s hinting toward addressing an individual reader via handle or an email. Or the address of this website, for all I know.
where will you dig to find a hidden clue? the foundation. which are also piles you place cards in solitaire.
the controller starts first missive welcoming us into the fold. folding in card games is went you surrender the game to the other player. we are surrendering are minds to the controller.
The joke of playing solitaire? solitaire is a game of one but we are not one mind. the controller has their hooks in us. the mole is not playing solitaire either despite thinking it is. the guards think the controller is in solitary confinement but the controller still speaks to us.