The first five weeks of StarCityGames’s Magic Puzzles competition has ended, and we have a winner. RidiculousHat’s hat may in fact be a crown, since he won a close battle with Middleman to be dubbed the first Puzzle Master (whether he wants the title or not!) RidiculousHat submitted solutions to several of the puzzles, earning over 25% of the points possible. He will be the reigning champion for the next five weeks, while the next set of puzzles are underway. With the scores being reset today, can RidiculousHat defend his title, or will you take it away from him?
Solution to last week’s puzzle.
These solutions can alternatively be viewed by downloading this image.
3a) Extravagant Spirit
5a) Battle Strain
6a) Rime Transfusion
11a) Archery Training
13a) Strange Inversion
14a) Infiltrate
16a) Three Tragedies
17a) Echo Tracer
19a) Extra Arms
22a) Collective Restraint
23a) Extraplanar Lens
26a) Puffer Extract
27a) Cabal Trainee
30a) Merfolk Traders
32a) Mystic Restraints
34a) City of Traitors
36a) Betrayal
37a) Spectral Bears
39a) Strafe
40a) Benalish Trapper
41a) Concentrate
43a) Divine Transformation
44a) Aquastrand Spider
45a) Mistral Charger
46a) Entrails Feaster
47a) Strategy, Schmategy
48a) Infernal Contract
1d) Petrahydrox
2d) Mizzium Transreliquat
4d) Kongming’s Contraptions
7d) Extract
8d) Ancestral Knowledge
9d) Magistrate’s Scepter
10d) Petra Sphinx
11d) Aura Extraction
12d) Durkwood Tracker
15d) Astral Slide
18d) Metathran Transport
20d) Transcendence
21d) Stratozeppelid
22d) Contract from Below
24d) Straw Soldiers
25d) Allied Strategies
28d) Booby Trap
31d) Retract
33d) Ostracize
35d) Dimir Infiltrator
38d) Lead Astray
42d) Restrain
The scores for this round were:
RidiculousHat – 23
Middleman – 19
hforduva – 7
Vyolynce – 6
That leaves the final scores for the first wave of competition at:
Final Scores:
RidiculousHat – 51
Middleman – 42
moxlotus – 12
amajlaton – 10
Mystic Mage – 9
ravenight – 9
hforduva – 7
Estherandherdoll – 6
Pathian – 6
Vyolynce – 6
bleonhar – 5
lord atog – 5
DraconisUK – 4
DI419 – 4
navaja22 – 3
Congratulations to everyone who earned even a single point.
This Week’s Puzzle (10+ points total!)
Difficulty: 3/5
You are playing a TTP draft against Herbert “never surrender” Nunchuck. Herb’s been attacking you with fliers, and even though you have the larger army, you are only a turn away from death. Your deck has refused you any Mountains, instead offering up both of your splashed Forests. Nonetheless, you drew Sage of Epityr, and you therefore still have a chance to win the game.
Goal: Win this game in the fewest number of turns possible. Assume that each player will draw Islands for the duration of the game. It is your first main phase.
You: (4 life)
In Play:
2 Forests
5 Islands
Mistform Ultimus
Shaper Parasite
Tolarian Sentinel
Veiling Oddity
Voidmage Husher
In Hand:
Dream Stalker
Island
Lightning Axe
Grapeshot
Sage of Epityr
Herbert: (17 life)
3 Islands (tapped)
2 Plains (tapped)
Ivory Giant
Stormcloud Djinn
Stormfront Riders (tapped)
1/1 White Soldier creature token (enchanted with your Utopia Vow)
There are no other relevant cards.
Scoring Breakdown:
Each correct solution is worth 10 points. If there are multiple solutions, points will only be scored for answers that are not trivially similar to previous answers.
Remember to post your solutions to the forums. Good luck.