Will and Mike are longtime attendees of Shmoocon, and have always loved the "neighborly" openness this community has fostered. We recently learned the creator of the Harry Potter franchise has asserted very hurtful positions contrary to those Shmoocon values. We're disappointed that the magical stories that we projected into this year's game may appear to extend support to these statements, as this bluntly is not the case. We, nor our sponsors (LufCo and NSP), have any philosophical or financial connection to Rowling. Our sole intent is to provide a fun-hearted - yet technically rigorous - event at Shmoocon, and apologize for this oversight. We'll do better in the future planning of our games.
After a pandemic-induced hiatus, Shmooganography returns for your 16th year of hiding messages at the Con, and this year, we pulled out the magic! For the n00bies, Shmooganography is an implementation of Steganography, which is the art of hiding messages "in plain sight," such as using invisible ink that's revealed under a blacklight or embedding an image within an image. The challenge is simple; find the hidden messages around the con. The messages are not encrypted, but they are not obvious either. We use various steganographic techniques - some of the shelf and some home-rolled.
New this year, Lufburrow and Company (LufCo) is sponsoring this challenge. There will be small prizes given to the first person (or team) who solves stages 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. The person or team who conquers all five levels and guess the message related to the CODEWORDs first wins the top prize of $500 (and we mean those crisp $100 bills - not those cheesy plastic gift card crap.)
If you are still reading, then you must be interested in winning the cash. Perfect. Here are your instructions... Use your wizard & witch steg skills to help Bruce and Heidi's adopted child, Harry. Your task is to conjure the ultimate steg spell to defeat 'He Who Must Not Be Named.' Remember, the secret codes and clues are <stego word="hidden" />! Don't worry if things get heavy: clues will be released throughout the weekend. By the end of the weekend, someone WILL BE taking home the trophy (and money) and it could be you!
SO -- DO YOU WANT TO PLAY to win $500 in Cold Hard Cash!?!? Register your team now!!
Email shmooganography@gmail.com to register your team!
Ready to start? You have been sorted appropriately. Assemble in your house. Remember your password. Don't be like Neville Longbottom.
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