![]() ![]() Louis, etc), I had to satisfy my curiosity with webpage clicks and URL addresses. However, since I lived far away from Philadelphia and the other major cities where these cryptic signs were appearing (Pittsburgh, Cleveland, St. I first became aware of the existence of Toynbee Tiles after reading an article on MetaFilter back in 2002. However, despite all of this, no one really knows what the hell is going on. They are written in English (though proper grammar and syntax are often lacking), they are fairly easy to access (if you know where to look), and they have attracted the attention of many puzzle enthusiasts in the age of the all-knowing World Wide Web. Rather, these linoleum plaques which have been embedded in the asphalt roadways of major cities throughout the world for over two decades are a true conundrum of the present day. And it is not giving up its answers easily. It is not trying to get you to by a ticket to an upcoming summer blockbuster. It is not written in an ancient language that few can read. This world-spanning puzzle does not involve a musty old map from a remote archeological find. The existence of the "Toynbee Tiles" might be just such a mystery. Throw in the fact that most puzzle memes, alternate reality games, and online mysteries invariably end up just being marketing campaigns for soon to be released (and too often forgotten) films or television series, and one begins to wonder if any modern day, genuine mysteries truly are left. As a professional puzzle designer and follower of puzzle hunts, I have personally witnessed how drastically the connectivity and community of the internet, the power of Google, and the sheer volume of information readily available to all makes the solving of many brainteasers almost trivial. Though these modern days of the 21st century are filled with many puzzles, there seem to be few true mysteries anymore. Documentary Competition Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and so we asked puzzlemaker Eric Harshbarger to give us a look at the mystery behind the tiles.* The film Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles* just won the U.S. ![]()
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