Help & FAQ

Hoot answers the most frequently asked questions. Hoot is an owl, so take it with a grain of salt.

About the club

Q: What is this?
A: A riddle club from 1997. Every page hides something. There are 24 secrets. The counter at the top tells you how many you have found, never where.

Q: Is there an order?
A: No. Go anywhere. Some doors need keys, and keys are words you find on other pages, in files, or outside on the Web. You will know a key when you have it.

Q: How do I tell the club something?
A: The box at the bottom of every page. Type words, numbers, answers. Type hint for a nudge about the page you are on. Type secrets to see your progress.

Q: Do I have to be good with computers?
A: No. You have to be curious. Google, Wikipedia, Google Earth, YouTube and old web pages are all allowed. So is Notepad.

About files

Q: hoot.png looks like a normal picture.
A: It is. Pictures can carry notes at the end, though. Open it with Notepad (right-click, Open with) and scroll to the bottom.

Q: theme.mid will not play.
A: Some files lie about what they are. Rename it. Try .zip. If Windows hides file extensions, turn them on (View, File name extensions).

Q: clubpack97.zip asks for a password.
A: One of the files inside opens without it, and tells you which riddle to solve. The archive has it.

Q: The newsletter is half empty.
A: The club once printed in invisible ink. Select everything (Ctrl+A) or change the background.

About the Web

Q: Riddle #100 is blank.
A: It was removed in 2000. Pages do not forget. Put this site's address for #100 into the Wayback Machine and read an older copy.

Q: Where do the coordinates go?
A: Google Earth or Google Maps, satellite view. Paste them in the search box exactly as written.

Q: I found everything and nothing happened.
A: Something happened. Go look at the webmaster. And check your seat.

About the pen

Words the pen understands: hint, secrets, name (sign again), reset please (the club forgets you), and every answer you ever find anywhere.