# The Brief Puzzle Hunt

Recently, I was invited to give a speech during the kickoff phase of a local puzzlehunt. I’ve almost finished writing my first draft, but I just can’t figure out the best way to end it off. Can you guys help me out?

Here’s the draft:

Welcome to the Brief Puzzle Hunt! Before we officially kick off our main event, I want to say a few things about the puzzling event we all cherish and love:

• Many kinds of puzzles have a high puzzlehunt value, scientifically speaking, so don’t panic if at first glance they seem too hard!
• Puzzles can originate from anywhere. My personal favorites come from Pittsburgh puzzlehunts on campus.
• Wondering if $$\sqrt{16}$$ should be $$4$$ or $$-4$$? Take the puzzlehunt and you’ll find the answer!
• Puzzlehunt helps you learn how to stay fit and take care of yourself.
• Puzzles are so important to our lives that even musicians need puzzlehunts to perform properly!
• When forming a team, make sure to have a puzzlehunt, otherwise it’ll be like AD’s team without AD.
• Feeling disgusted and want others to know? Simply shout “Puzzlehunt!” and everyone around you will start feeling the same thing.
• Finally, puzzlehunts are great ways to help identify the nuts and bolts in everything, especially when it comes to specific items.

And with that, the Brief Puzzle Hunt will now commence! Good luck to all the teams participating, may the best team win, and as always, ______!

Again, the question is: what phrase should I include at the end of this speech, and why?

HINT 1

I wonder why they called it the Brief Puzzle Hunt. Perhaps I can make my points brief as well?

HINT 2

I feel like I used a specific word a few too many times. In my next draft, I might need to replace it with words that make more sense in context.

HINT 3

To clear some things up: Many puzzles are basic, AD is Anthony Davis (who plays...), and the nuts and bolts can be identified because of their labels.

• It seems like the basic strategy might be rot13(ercynpvat chmmyruhag jvgu bgure 'CU' jbeqf naq nooerivngvat). For example, the first one 'have a high puzzlehunt value' becomes rot13('unir n uvtu cU inyhr' ersreevat gb gur npvq onfr fpnyr). This can be more concisely stated as rot13(ner onfvp) which makes the first statement make sense. – Barker Apr 25 '19 at 21:28

HAVE FUN

In each phrase, the word puzzlehunt can be replaced by a 2 letter (hence the claim “brief”) acronym starting with P (for puzzle!)

Many kinds of puzzles have a high puzzlehunt value, scientifically speaking, so don’t panic if at first glance they seem too hard!

pH Scientific measure of acidity that can measure the hardness of water

Puzzles can originate from anywhere. My personal favorites come from Pittsburgh puzzlehunts on campus.

pA the abbreviation for Pennsylvania, where Pittsburgh can be found

Wondering if $$\sqrt{16}$$ should be $$4$$ or $$-4$$? Take the puzzlehunt and you’ll find the answer!

Puzzlehunt helps you learn how to stay fit and take care of yourself.

pE physical education

Puzzles are so important to our lives that even musicians need puzzlehunts to perform properly!

p_ piano as in the quiet music indication or an actual piano, both helpful for musicians to perform

When forming a team, make sure to have a puzzlehunt, otherwise it’ll be like AD’s team without AD.

pF power forward @Bobby Tables

Feeling disgusted and want others to know? Simply shout “Puzzlehunt!” and everyone around you will start feeling the same thing.

pU phrase meaning “gross!” @Bobby Tables

Finally, puzzlehunts are great ways to help identify the nuts and bolts in everything, especially when it comes to specific items.

pN part number

• Yep, that’s the phrase I was missing, well done! Once I finish delivering the completed speech, I’ll award the green tick to you :) – HTM Apr 27 '19 at 0:07
• I edited your answer to remove the preformatted text blocks and include the MathJax. If you prefer the blocks, then you can roll back the edit – HTM Apr 27 '19 at 5:55
• Ah nice job! So relieving to see the final answer all figured out. – Bobby Tables Apr 29 '19 at 12:53

Brief

Many kinds of puzzles have a high puzzlehunt value, scientifically speaking, so don’t panic if at first glance they seem too hard!

P.H (high value corresponding to basic in chemistry)(thanks @hugh)

Puzzles can originate from anywhere. My personal favorites come from Pittsburgh puzzlehunts on campus.

P.C?(Petersen Center is the only on campus building at Pittsburgh starting with p, though Pittsburgh might be the P in this answer)

Wondering if 16−−√ should be 4 or −4? Take the puzzlehunt and you’ll find the answer!

P.F (prime factor)

Puzzlehunt helps you learn how to stay fit and take care of yourself.

P.E (physical education)

Puzzles are so important to our lives that even musicians need puzzlehunts to perform properly!

When forming a team, make sure to have a puzzlehunt, otherwise it’ll be like AD’s team without AD.

P.F (power forward)

Feeling disgusted and want others to know? Simply shout “Puzzlehunt!” and everyone around you will start feeling the same thing.

P.U

Finally, puzzlehunts are great ways to help identify the nuts and bolts in everything, especially when it comes to specific items.

P.L (parts list?)

The second letters seem to be spelling a word but without the blanks I can't get the final answer yet.

• Gur svefg bar: uvtu cU inyhr? Qhaab, whfg jung V gubhtug jura V fnj gur jbeq "fpvragvsvpnyyl". V'z abg rira fher vs vg'f na npebalz. [rot13] – Hugh Apr 26 '19 at 16:55
• Gur guveq bar: zvtug or CE (cbfvgvir ebbg) — jbaqrevat vs $\sqrt{16}$ fubhyq or $4$ be $-4$? Gnxr gur cbfvgvir ebbg naq lbh’yy svaq gur nafjre! [rot13] – Hugh Apr 26 '19 at 16:57
• Prime factors are also always positive by definition but both could work! – Bobby Tables Apr 26 '19 at 16:58
• I think you might be on to something! Perhaps if you keep going you’ll find the phrase I’m missing? – HTM Apr 26 '19 at 18:16
• Keep in mind hint 2 while you’re going about doing the necessary edits – HTM Apr 26 '19 at 18:48

Partial to get brains rolling:

Replace puzzlehunt with a word (Acronym?) that belongs there

•Many kinds of puzzles have a high puzzlehunt value, scientifically speaking, so don’t panic if at first glance they seem too hard!

IQ?

•Puzzles can originate from anywhere. My personal favorites come from Pittsburgh puzzlehunts on campus.

DASH?

•Wondering if $$\sqrt{16}$$ should be $$4$$ or $$-4$$? Take the puzzlehunt and you’ll find the answer!

Root?

•Puzzlehunt helps you learn how to stay fit and take care of yourself.

?

•Puzzles are so important to our lives that even musicians need puzzlehunts to perform properly!

Practice?

•When forming a team, make sure to have a puzzlehunt, otherwise it’ll be like AD’s team without AD.

Captain?

•Feeling disgusted and want others to know? Simply shout “Puzzlehunt!” and everyone around you will start feeling the same thing.

[random curse word]

•Finally, puzzlehunts are great ways to help identify the nuts and bolts in everything, especially when it comes to specific items.

Instructions?

• That’s a good idea, but it doesn’t really help me finish the script. Again, I think Brief Puzzle Hunt is important here – HTM Apr 24 '19 at 11:32

Many kinds of puzzles have a high puzzlehunt value, scientifically speaking, so don’t panic if at first glance they seem too hard!

ph

Puzzles can originate from anywhere. My personal favorites come from Pittsburgh puzzlehunts on campus.

halls

Wondering if $$\sqrt{16}$$ should be 4 or −4? Take the puzzlehunt and you’ll find the answer!

four

Puzzlehunt helps you learn how to stay fit and take care of yourself.

running

Puzzles are so important to our lives that even musicians need puzzlehunts to perform properly!

do

When forming a team, make sure to have a puzzlehunt, otherwise it’ll be like AD’s team without AD.

Feeling disgusted and want others to know? Simply shout “Puzzlehunt!” and everyone around you will start feeling the same thing.

damn

Finally, puzzlehunts are great ways to help identify the nuts and bolts in everything, especially when it comes to specific items.

marks

All together:

Falls for running do head damages.

• Heh, that’s definitely an interesting phrase, but I’m not sure it would fit so well in the context of my speech. Sorry! :) – HTM Apr 26 '19 at 18:18