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Announcement: All puzzles are being delayed because my Puzzling notebook with all of my keys disappeared. :/ -- Mithrandir

Some hours after discovering this devastating loss, Mithrandir went to bed. Still moping over his missing notebook, he didn't notice the piece of paper on his pillow at first. But when he picked it up, he realised that it might contain the secret to getting his keys back!

So, Mithrandir, by this time you must have discovered the loss of your precious notebook. Cunningly hidden within this message is both the name of the person who stole it and the place where they've hidden it. (It was me, of course.) Mithrandir, if you figure out where I put your notebook, then you really are the master of puzzles. Oh, and don't forget to count. Never mind diamonds or powers of two or any of your other puzzles; this one should be easy. Succeed, and recover your notebook; fail, and it burns. That's all you've got. Enjoy the challenge, but you must hurry. Remember, I have your keys!

Frantically Mithrandir read the note again and again, trying to find the two hidden pieces of information within it. In case he doesn't manage to calm down enough to think about it logically, can you help him to find the hidden solution?

Who wrote the ransom note, and (more importantly) where is Mithrandir's notebook?

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    $\begingroup$ Okay. You made my night. :P (+1 and favorited, of course! :D) $\endgroup$
    – Mithical
    Sep 17, 2016 at 17:25
  • $\begingroup$ Where did you find that note?? $\endgroup$
    – Scimonster
    Sep 17, 2016 at 17:25
  • $\begingroup$ @Scimonster Under the bed. $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Sep 17, 2016 at 17:28
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    $\begingroup$ @randal'thor Guess I know someone who should start locking their door at night. $\endgroup$
    – Scimonster
    Sep 17, 2016 at 17:59
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    $\begingroup$ Puzzling.SE is getting as meta as /r/HighQualityGifs nowadays. And getting to be a lot more fun in the process! $\endgroup$
    – Sundar R
    Sep 18, 2016 at 11:21

1 Answer 1

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The who:

Take the first letter of each sentence to get Scimonster

The where:

Count the words in each sentence and use A1Z26: 15 22 5 18 6 18 9 4 7 5 ⇒ OVER FRIDGE

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    $\begingroup$ What sort of brain even considers looking at the word counts - wow - kudos to you for seeing that ! $\endgroup$
    – Tony Suffolk 66
    Sep 16, 2016 at 22:36
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    $\begingroup$ @Tony The sentence, "oh, and don't forget to count," tipped me off & counting isn't uncommon in text-based steganography :) $\endgroup$
    – Will
    Sep 16, 2016 at 22:37
  • $\begingroup$ I would have never have got it in a million years. $\endgroup$
    – Tony Suffolk 66
    Sep 17, 2016 at 9:52
  • $\begingroup$ Same here. +1! :) $\endgroup$
    – Tzu Li
    Mar 11, 2019 at 21:55

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