The poker teaser hidden inside a treasure hunt nested within a maze found inside the body of a dinosaur was a wild adventure that captivated many participants, myself included. It all started with the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Pass location challenge, where my friend Blockey and I spent hours solving clues and finally cracked the code after numerous attempts. The creator of this elaborate puzzle was described as a riddler, comedian, genius, and a total b*stard, leaving us both in awe and frustration at the same time.
In late November 2022, PokerOrg launched the ‘Runner, Runner’ promotion, offering a Pokerstars Platinum Pass to a player who had to evade capture while moving across America and leaving clues to their whereabouts. The runner, Jonathan ‘Slow Poker’ Rand, was eventually caught after weeks of hiding, but the excitement and thrill of the chase were unforgettable.
On October 4, 2024, PokerOrg introduced a new Runner Runner competition for a $10,000 Gold Pass to the NAPT Las Vegas Main Event. This time, a mysterious group known as CodeOrg had stolen the pass and initiated a complex puzzle game involving cryptic clues, hidden messages, ciphers, and other challenging tasks. As a participant, I spent over 30 hours following the intricate trail of breadcrumbs laid out by the Blockers, determined to crack the code and win the prize.
As the game approached its climax, players were required to gather eight pieces of information, with one crucial piece still missing. My team and I were prepared with decryption tools and GPS coordinates, but unfortunately, one of the numbers I had was incorrect, leading to a setback in our progress. Desperate to find the missing piece, I resorted to book-code and sought help from my friend Barry Carter, who provided valuable insights from ‘The Biggest Bluff.’
Overall, the Runner, Runner experience was a rollercoaster of emotions, from frustration to satisfaction, as we navigated through a maze of puzzles and challenges. The dedication and commitment required to unravel the mysteries presented by CodeOrg were immense, but the thrill of the adventure and the camaraderie with fellow participants made it all worthwhile. The mystery of “What is 245 23 13?” led me on a wild goose chase that involved book-codes, cross-references, rabbit-holes, and brute-force tactics. It all started when I reached out to my friend Barry Carter for help, only to realize that we had both read ‘The Biggest Bluff’ on Kindle, rendering physical page numbers useless. Despite this setback, I was determined to crack the code and began my search with seven correct numbers and one incorrect one in hand.
After narrowing down my options to five towns in the contiguous USA – Price, Utah, Livingston, Montana, Evanston, Wyoming, Tucson, Arizona, and Winslow, Arizona – I delved into a web of clues and hints that led me down numerous rabbit-holes. From watching old TV shows to researching dinosaur exhibitions and baseball stats, I found myself lost in a sea of information. However, one hint eventually aligned with a theory I had developed, pointing me towards one of the towns.
Upon arriving at the location, I realized that the coordinates were precise, making my one incorrect number a major obstacle. With the knowledge of where six of the seven correct numbers were placed, I faced 100 potential configurations that could lead me to the answer. Despite a captcha failsafe to prevent computer brute-force tactics, my friend Blockey and I were prepared to manually enter 100 numbers each in about two hours.
The race was on to solve the puzzle before anyone else with the same information could beat me to it. Thankfully, I emerged victorious and now faced the challenge of securing a last-minute flight from Malta to Vegas without depleting my spending money. I extend my gratitude to Pokerstars and the PokerOrg ‘Runner, Runner’ team, as well as my fellow chasers and friends who supported me throughout this thrilling adventure.
In hindsight, the journey to unravel the mystery of “245 23 13” was filled with unexpected twists and turns, but the thrill of the chase made it all worthwhile. As I reflect on the countless hours spent deciphering clues and navigating through obstacles, I am reminded of the power of determination and perseverance in the face of challenges.