Da Vinci Code: Eurostar Quest

i just wanted to say that i dont think its fair that the person who claims to be the winner FROM the US ISNT really from the US, that's not fair, a real US citizen should have won from the US!

I got the same email. It said they would send it within 28 days, but the page where you verify youself says 3 days. I have no idea where the prizes are sent from, however being in Australia, I would guess it is being sent from here so I get an Australian PS2 console and game.

I was told that I won a PS2 and the Da Vinci Code game for having a low enough number of tries and a fast enough time. Doe anybody know when I'll get my prize?

I actually used my children's alphabet blocks to help me out with the last cryptex puzzle. It saved me a little time from having to write out which letters were good and bad. I also did the shifting technique of moving a letter to the right if it had the yellow light.

This technique gave me three great times, but my best number of attempts was only 4. I'm sure the USA winner had to have gotten it in three.

I won a PS2 Game for the Prize Puzzle in Sydney, Australia(Level #1)
My time were 2 attempts in 22 seconds

Regards
Saksham

Hi to all,

I was looking for info about the ones who have received e-mails saying that we were the 2% who have completed the quest and I wanted to know about the prizes that could come with it.

I saw a (French) blog (well... I'm French) giving the names of the top 5 winners. Here it is for the curious ones :

• Sébastien Delvaux (24 ans), Angleur, Belgium
• Olivier Klein (28 ans), Schweighouse sur Moder (Alsace), France
• Eleanor Ruth Colling (22 ans), Southampton, Great Britain
• Christopher Williams (30 ans), Sydney, Australia
• Anjana Prasad (26 ans), Chicago, US

But I'm still looking for the end-of-level prizes.
If anybody has any info, let us know !

Whatever you did, leo, it worked! And congrats! I am glad somebody nice won something! You are right about luck, but don't discount your brain power! Luck will only get you so far...

BTW: anybody have any news on that (now what was it called, it's been soooooooooo long...) oh, yes..... that DA VINCI CODE QUEST ON GOOGLE...? Anybody remember playing something like that???
lol

Hi She,

I don't think getting all the letters was the main problem, it's getting them in the right positions. I don't honestly believe there is any technique faster than mine (although I'm happy ot be proved wrong). This isn't just a stab in the dark method, I studied advanced maths ( a long time ago admittedly) and this is, I'm sure, the best way, after this it all comes down to luck of the draw, which i didnt' get although others obviously did.

Congratulations to all, and good luck to those still left in the competition.

Hi Leo, mark & all

"Hope this helps, did anyone use a similar technique?"

My best was 6, but I did use a technique to get that one (but not fast enough). There were 21 letters (all the consonants). In 2 spins you can have all the letters (maybe even some in the right spot) by selecting the first 10 in spin 1, and the second 10 in spin 2. since there is only 1 letter left, if you only have 19 go's, then the leftover letter is in. After that (and hopefully you made notes if you got green lights), it's logical "here/not here" deduction.

I got the close but no cigar, oh well it was fun whiole it lasted just got to get through bizfantast now. Brilliant if not a mind blowing game. Well done top all those of you who managed to win something on euroquest especially the grand final finalists, good luck.

Leo, I used a technique similar to this, but didn't think about just shifting the yellow numbers down one space. I also had trouble with the fact that you could only have one number in any space at the same time. So, for instance if I needed to move the 7, I had to change the seven in the previous place first, etc. (If that makes any sense.) Lost lots of time that way. I wish I had though about shifting...that would have saved me a lot of attempts! Congrats on your prize!

I used basically an identical technique, except to save time I didn't worry about exactly shifting the known numbers. I kept track of what numbers I had used in which position and used whatever valid number rolled up next in each position. Not really sure if it saved any time or not, but that the direction my brain worked in.

Hi Mark, thanks.

Well basically (and it's not that easy to explain) I had a piece of paper in front of me to write down those letters (and numbers earlier on) that were definitely "there" or "not". For those letter that came up yellow I would simply shift all of them along one to the right, so if it were 1,9,2,8,3,7, etc. (numbers are easier for this demo) I would shift them over to 7,1,9,2,8,3... and so on. This saves time having to go through what numbers need to go where. For those positions that came up red (i.e. completely wrong) you just need to change it to a number that is either not on that yellow list (i.e. either 1,9,2,8,3,7) or the original red list. This red list obviously expands as you go along making it easier to pick numbers that haven't come up at all.

Sorry if this is the worst explanation ever, but for those of you that understand my autistic offering, try it and you'll see that you can get the answer much quicker than usual.

At the end of the day it comes down with how lucky you are at the beginning. I was pretty unlucky, only ever starting with about 4-5 yellows and the same reds, but I still managed to finish it in 6 attempts in around 3 minutes each time. I think with better starting letters I could probably have got down to around 3-4 attempts in around 2 mins.

Hope this helps, did anyone use a similar technique?

Got the "close but no cigar" top 2% e-mail, but apparently did not qualify for any other prizes, either. (Can't say I'm too surprised - my times were awful compared to some others - but the kids were hoping for a PS2 or something!) It was a blast, though!

Leo, congratulations! i only got the "close but no cigar" email myself. you had mentioned in one of your earlier posts that there's a simple technique to solve such puzzles. now that the contest is over, care to let us know what it is? thanks.

Ok, well won a limited edition book and a soundtrack, hoping I might hear about the PS2 now as a blow softener for not getting through to the final. Anyone else get any booby prizes?

Well, I got my "close but no cigar" e-mailing from Eurostar. I was in the top 2% (so the bulk-mail message said) but missed out. Still it was a LOT of fun.

NOW, what about the Google Quest??? Still nada on that...

Does any one have any idea about the winner from Australia / New Zealand sector?

What about Prize Puzzle Winners from Australia / NZ?

I was expecting to win some prize Prize Puzzle #2. I solved this in 2 attempts in 22 seconds. I am from Sydney, Australia.

Regards,
Saksham

Congrats to your girlfriend and you! Do us proud & good luck!

Jill & others:

We get to go! After 4 long crazy days of emailing, faxing, photocopying, running between consulates, etc. etc., we finally have visas to both the UK and France and are ready to go! Thank you for your support.

As for the attempts and times, she really isn't sure as she completed the Prize Puzzle #2, Puzzle Set 3, Prize Puzzle #3 and the Grand Prize Puzzle all the night before the deadline. So she's confused about how well she did on what, but *thinks* she took about 4-5 attemps and 3 mintues.

Btw, has anyone heard about the results of the Prize Puzzles? I think they're supposed to be out by June 9. I hope I personally win something!

So anyone know ehere to go to see a posting of the final winners and times? I think they at least owe it to us to give us the final standings based on how much time we put into this game :-)

Watziznehm,

I'm so sorry that you guys couldn't go; I really am. It's so exciting to contemplate winning, and then to think that you DID win and couldn't go--oh, it must be so frustrating!

What was your girlfriend's final attempts/time? Did they tell you when you talked to them? Of course, we're wondering if a new person from the US has been selected, and if that person has accepted!

Thanks,
Jill from the US

Apparently you lost as someone was selected.

Dear She and others:

Thank you for your kind words. The email did turn out to be real and my girlfriend is the winner from the US! Unfortunately, we are not US citizens and obtaining visas to both UK and France by the deadline we have been given appears bleak. It increasingly looks like we'll have to give up our chance to go to the final, which, needless to say, is hard to swallow. (Even participating in the final gets you great prizes.) But after two days of ups and downs we've decided to make peace with whatever the outcome is going to be. :)

Thanks again.

I was slightly unlucky with my starting pieces but managed 6 attempts in 2 minutes 19.70. There is a fairly easy method for finding the solution and I just wish I'd had a couple of "green" letters to start with like some seemed to. It is perfectly acceptable to assume that some might have done it in 3-4 attempts in under 2 mins if they used a similar technique.

Anyone else heard anything from Eurostar about either the grand prize or any of the smaller prizes?

Not sure how it compares to anyone else but this same technique (and before anyone asks, not cheating at all) meant that I finished the previous cryptex puzzle in 2 attempts and 35 seconds and the one before in roughly the same, think it was 27 seconds.

it's clark gable not gayle.. hope that helped

can anyone please help me I'm stuck on the stupid alphabet thingy and i can't figure out which leters go where? :(

Dear watziznehm, I hope it's true! And if so CONGRATS!!

BUT, I wouldn't reply direvtly to that e-mail, but go to the main site and check how they said they would contact the finalists. If it isn't clear, there should be a way to contact them ether by e-mail or by phone. Let them know about the e-mail you got and ask them if it's authentic. I really hope it is--and that you have been nice enough to your girlfriend that she takes you along... =)

As for your girlfriend maybe winning a spot in the Eurostar quest, why don't you go to the website for agencyspace and inquire as to whether they have been instructed to send out any emails.

I am soo stuck! If u can please help me...

Jean Cocteau
Leonardo Davinci
Claude Debussy
Victor Hugo
Isaac Newton
Jacques Suaniere
Nicolas Flamel

Wow, I'm confused! My girlfriend received the following email from what appears to be Eurostar this morning saying she's been selected to go to the ULTIMATE CHALLENGE. While she does not remember what her best attempt on the final cryptex was, she does not believe she stood a reasonable chance of making it to the finals. So we suspect that this is just some scam going around and were curious if other participants have been receiving similar emails as well. Any thoughts? What's weird is that the email came in the same format as the Eurostar quest pages and APPEARS to be sent by AgencySpace - a company who's website says it's working with Eurostar.

---- The email ----

The Eurostar Quest – your invitation to a world exclusive

Congratulations! You are the top code-cracker in your Territory and we are delighted to tell you that you have won the opportunity to travel to Paris and pit your wits against four other Questers in the Grand Final of the Eurostar Quest.

You have been chosen to become a member of a very select group of people. We take great pleasure in inviting you to join us at the Eurostar Quest Grand Final in London and Paris between the 14th and 16th June 2006. All expenses paid.

Starting at Claridge's, London, and traveling to Paris as Eurostar's guest, you will be transported in style in a VIP carriage on the Winners' Train, experience the unbeatable luxury of Paris' premier hotel, the Ritz Paris, star in the Grand Final of the Eurostar Quest and potentially win the Ultimate Prize.

But there's no time to lose. The Grand Final is looming and we need to know that you are going to be there. Please email me on [email protected] as soon as you receive this and before Saturday 3rd June at 10.00 GMT to confirm your place at the Grand Final. Please be sure to let us know a contact phone number and a convenient time for us to call you to discuss details and travel arrangements.

Hurry! You have only 36 hours to confirm your attendance before you lose this amazing opportunity, please call or email and let us know you're coming as soon as you can.

We look forward to hearing from you.

i am soo stuck! If u can please help me please any help will be appreciated. I am on the last puzzle (the one before the grand prize puzzle) and its like this cryptic pyramid thing. You have to name the seven grand masters of the priory of sion. The only thing is that there was loads of alleged masters. Its hard enough because theres so many letters but without knowing if im looking for the right name its impossible. I found one name. Can anyone help me? Thankyou.

You are right.. Its only one friggin letter to correct the answer. Thanks!

Try Clark Gable

Ive named 8 famous masons but apparently somemthing is not right.. The 8 names I placed are

Clark Gayle
Voltaire
George Washington
William Shakespeare
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Peter Sellers
Winston Churchill
Oscar Wilde

Are you able to see the mistake I might made?

I don't believe anyone that says they got it in 1 or 2 attempts. The odds are 1 in 1.4 TRILLION of hitting in 1. If the EurostarQuest people met their mark of 1 million participants, then the odds of at least one person hitting in a single attempt is 1 in 1.4 MILLION. In other words, there is a 99.99992% chance that the 1-Attempt guy is lying.

As for 2 attempts, the odds are similarly unfavorable. At 3 attempts, it becomes reasonable to expect some people to hit in 3.

"IS that even possible?"
I don't know. It is possible to get all the letters in 2 attempts, but getting them all AND in the right place in 3 takes an awful lot of luck I should think.

My best was 5 attempts in around 7:30 minutes. My region is UK.
I thought that was pretty decent but I have been reading posts about people who claim they did it in 3 attempts and in less than 1-2 minutes! IS that even possible?

Wow, three attempts! From the US? Congrats to you. I guess I'll have to pay for my own trip to Europe someday! (: Also, to the person who got it in six, that's still a great job. All of my attempts were 7+, and I even made a little solution grid to help me!

My best was 6 attempts in between 11 & 12 minutes I think. I know the 6 was right, but somebody else had done it in 6 attempts in just under 10 minutes in our region (US), so that alone would have beaten me. 3 attempts seems a bit hard to believe, but if luck was with you, by all means enjoy and send a post card to us here so we know how the final goes. And if it's the 5 attempts couple, I wish you the same.

Have a ball whomever it is, and the best of luck on the final! Do us KillerBetties fans proud!

Hi,
Not bragging but I did it in 3 attempts in 1min 19s. I was lucky and got a good start.

D.

Can anyone tell me if they have beaten 5 attempts, ~8 minutes? Also, please include your region. I really want to know if anyone in the US has beaten that time, AND has his/her passport ready for a spontaneous trip to Europe! Ours are ready, and I really need a vacation! (:

That's what my husband got, and I just can't believe anyone beat that, unless they got really lucky! Of course, several people have said three attempts, but that just seems unbelievable. When I did it I got between 7-9 attempts, and it seems like lots of people are beating that, but I just find it hard to believe!

Also, on a different note, I'm curious about the demographic of people playing this quest. I'm 30, and I speculate that most people playing are much younger (have more free time and such)...

Finally finished and i was just starting to get the hang of it! Think i was a bit of an average joe with 6 attempts in just under 10 mins - gutted though - i think i would have got it in 5 if i hadn't bodged up on one of them!

Good luck everyone else!

i found nicolas...can you help me with the others?

i've just finished it. then annoylingly only had two tries on the final cryptex and it said i had had all three. my first two times were 5.9.82 and then 4.17.35. so who knows wht my next score would have been as i was getting the hang of it. i don't think they'll win me anything though, judging by some of the scores you guys have got.

To the person who got the final cryptex in 1 attempt (23 seconds)... If the letters all came up green without you doing anything, then why would it take you 23 seconds.... Did you wait 22 seconds before submitting your first attempt!?!? Your time should have been 2-3 seconds!!! Methinks something doesn't add up with this one...

i have possibly 6 but im not sure.. i know leonardo da vinci and isac newton, but sauniere, piere plantard sandro boticelli and flamel??? does this help if so which ones do you already have?

I'm having trouble getting back in. I never did get a password confirmation, although it keeps telling me it sent it. What can I do?

Note: should say switch places with TWO squares, not just squares.

Ooops!

My mistake. Perhaps I should get a job at Eurostar? :-)

My best time was 6 attempts also. Took 8 mins. 12 secs.

I wonder if the person that says they got it in 1 attempt and mere seconds is for real?
I'm thinking not since that would make the game more luck...and no logic.
Of course, as many have found (including myself) there is a parity error in the 3x3 missing square puzzle about half the time you bring it up to play. If you can't solve it and you only need to switch places with squares, then it is unsolvable. Try, try again.
So, who knows...it's all a movie plug anyway.