August 2022 - The Expanse

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Location: Josephus Miller

  1. To start off, look for hints from the same suspect that are contradictory.
  2. If you find two contradictory hints, then the third hint must be true.
  3. Suspect 1's first clue refers to Romeo and Juliet. Since both R and J have curved lines, 1 and 3 cannot both be true. Therefore the fourth letter must be M.
  4. Since we know the fourth letter is M, Suspect 3's second hint must be a lie (M has vertical symmetry). Therefore Suspect 3's first and last hints are factual.
  5. The most common letter in the English language is 'E', so the final letter is an 'E'.
  6. This means Suspect 1's first hint is a lie, and therefore the third hint is factual.
  7. Suspect 2's second hint can only give three letter pairs: I/T, A/E, and N/E.
  8. Suspect 2's third hint says the third letter must be a consonant. This theoretically rules out A/E and leaves N/E and T/I (placing the consonant in the third space).
  9. However Suspect 3's third hint is known to be factual, and says the 6th letter must be between N and V, which means that Suspect 2's second and third hints are in conflict. Therefore Suspect 2's first hint is factual.
  10. Suspect 4's first hint refers to O and S.
  11. The numerical values of O and S would make it impossible for the letters in spaces 1/2/5 to add to 16. Therefore Suspect 4's first hint is a lie.
  12. If Suspect 4's first hint is a lie, then the second and third hints must be factual.
  13. If Suspect 4's third hint is factual, then Suspect 2's third hint is a lie, and therefore Suspect 2's second hint is factual.
  14. All four lies are now known (Suspect 1-1, Suspect 2-3, Suspect 3-2, Suspect 4-1).
  15. Combining Suspect 2's second hint (I/T, A/E, and N/E) with Suspect 3's third hint and Suspect 4's third hint leaves only one possibility - I/T.
  16. Lima is the capital of Peru, therefore the second letter is 'L'.
  17. 'L' has a value of 12 in the context of Suspect 2's first hint. That leaves 4 remaining for letters 1 and 5.
  18. The only possible combinations to add to 4 are A/C, B/B, and C/A.
  19. Suspect 1's third clue says the first letter is the only one without straight lines.
  20. CLIMATE

James Holden

  1. Start off by pairing each of the resources with one of the factions.
  2. The factions are Earth, Mars, and the Belt.
  3. BRUNO MARS,
    EARTH DAY,
    SEAT BELT,
    BELT BUCKLE,
    MIDDLE EARTH,
    MARS ROVER,
    BIBLE BELT,
    MARS LANDING,
    MOTHER EARTH,
    MARS BAR,
    RARE EARTH,
    BELT WAY
  4. Now you need to pair the resource names with the clues on the right.
  5. The answer for each clue is the word that will join with the resource codename.
  6. Example - "Things that ring" + "Bar" on the left gives "BARBELLS".
  7. BARBELLS,
    CARSEAT,
    MIDDLEEAST,
    MOTHERGOOSE,
    GROUNDHOGDAY,
    ONEWAY,
    RANGEROVER,
    SANBRUNO,
    RARESTEAK,
    LANDINGSTRIP,
    BIBLESTUDY,
    BUCKLEUP
  8. Use the given index values to index a letter from each of the combined words.
  9. OTHER PLANETS

Naomi Nagata

  1. Each clue will have exactly one turn, and that turn will not happen at the beginning or the end.
  2. So when you have a solution for a clue, you can always write at least the first two letters.
  3. SHEEP,
    AREA,
    PRANCE,
    PARTY,
    RAISIN,
    NANA,
    SMASH,
    SPRY,
    YARN,
    SERMON,
    KRONA,
    ALFA,
    MISO,
    ORE,
    HEIR,
    HOT,
    FLASK,
    AIM,
    RENO
  4. Now identify all of the letters which were used only once.
  5. METRIC SYSTEM

Amos Burton

  1. The flavour text mentions "concealing a weapon".
  2. Each of the names has a word contained inside of it.
  3. The flavour text also implies binary math will play into the puzzle ("one" and "naught").
  4. James Gunther (gun),
    Suzie Watts (uzi),
    Hopi Stoller (pistol),
    Max Evans (axe),
    Paloma Cervantes (mace),
    Chris Wordsworth (sword),
    Ngambo Mbewe (bomb),
    Teri Fletcher (rifle),
    Kat Anand (katana),
    Miles Pearson (spear),
    Greg Renadette (grenade),
    Tamara Pierre (rapier),
    Rajat Shivankar (shiv)
  5. Once you have identified all the individuals packing heat, translate each row into a binary value for a letter.
  6. Each of the people who are "concealing a weapon" should be counted as a one.
  7. COMBAT

Alex Kamal

  1. Start with the largest asteroids first, since they are the easiest to rule out.
  2. Once you have determined all the positions, draw a line through the squares to trace a path for the Rocinante.
  3. Remember that it must have the fewest turns possible, and that the Rocinante cannot pass adjacent to an asteroid.
  4. The flavour text specifically calls out "turns".
  5. Extract all the letters at each turn in the path.
  6. SPEED UP

Meta: Chrisjen Avasarala

  1. First, write the answers from the other four puzzles in the blanks.
  2. Each answer for each clue will be a word related to that crew member's puzzle answer, but off by one letter.
  3. SPAS,
    PETER,
    PLATO,
    CRAM,
    VENUE,
    RABID,
    QUACK,
    RATTLE
  4. Identify the exchanged letter in each of the answers.
  5. SPAR,
    METER,
    PLUTO,
    GRAM,
    VENUS,
    RAPID,
    QUICK,
    BATTLE
  6. S,
    P,
    A,
    C,
    E,
    B,
    A,
    R
  7. SPACE BAR

Bonus: Bobbie Draper

  1. PLANET RUM,
    SCOLD WARP,
    EMAIL SIZE,
    GULP ASCOT,
    ESCROW OXO,
    QUID ARRAY,
    AMEN OMENS,
    RISK ROWER
  2. PLANE TRUMPET TOYS REWORKS IRAQ EDGES,
    COLDWAR ZOOX ANEMONE MUSEUM,
    AILS ICHOR RADICAL,
    PASSWORD
  3. DEAD SHOT