NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, I need help. My girlfriend lives quite far away and it's been a while since I've seen her. So I decided to send her a series of puzzles that lead up to her ending up at the airport to pick me up in two weeks. A scavenger hunt of sorts. After she completes each one she gets a prize. She thinks the final prize is going to be her getting a ticket to see me (which is how I'm going to get her to go to the airport and pick up "the ticket"). I'm having a hard time thinking of cute or interesting things to have her do.

The first task is that I sent her a love letter that has a code with it, that spells out what she has to do to get the next clue. And I've already ordered her an orchid, her favorite flower, as a reward.

What now?

Note: if you're just going to post to call me lame, save your breath, I already know.

Hey, not lame at all, i'm in the same position as you, hence why I am taking my gf away for the weekend tmrw :D

What other ideas did you have in mind? Anything specific or you wanting a whole plan of action leading up to the airport?

A cuddly monkey toy.


Though maybe that's just my girlfriend.

(And no, It's not lame)

You're not lame... you're adorable! That's the sweetest thing I've heard in awhile.

Alas, I'm terrible with puzzles - thinking of them or solving them - so I can't help you there. I'm just here to cheer you on. :p

That is really damn romantic.

If there is a nearby park, perhaps you could tell her to go there (put a note on the orchid or something). Then give her a riddle that identifies a landmark (pond, lake, fountain, sundial, whatever) and make that landmark a password for a free email account with her next instruction.

I'm not going to save it just because you said so! Lame! You are lame! What kind of man puts any thought into something like this? Don't you realise that the BOMB is about to drop on you? (Brotherhood Of Macho Bastards) Repent your ways! Ignore your girlfriend! Treat her like dirt! Or risk the wrath of the REAL men!

That is really damn romantic.

If there is a nearby park, perhaps you could tell her to go there (put a note on the orchid or something). Then give her a riddle that identifies a landmark (pond, lake, fountain, sundial, whatever) and make that landmark a password for a free email account with her next instruction.

I like that one.

I'm not going to save it just because you said so! Lame! You are lame! What kind of man puts any thought into something like this? Don't you realise that the BOMB is about to drop on you? (Brotherhood Of Macho Bastards) Repent your ways! Ignore your girlfriend! Treat her like dirt! Or risk the wrath of the REAL men!

I wasn't trying to be macho. I just know I'm totally goofy over this girl.

I thought you'd think of something interesting.

That is really damn romantic.

If there is a nearby park, perhaps you could tell her to go there (put a note on the orchid or something). Then give her a riddle that identifies a landmark (pond, lake, fountain, sundial, whatever) and make that landmark a password for a free email account with her next instruction.

Heey... I really like that idea. I was going to suggest sending her different small items that would all have a common theme - like a place or something - and send her there for her next clue... but the email password idea is pretty awesome.

I thought you'd think of something interesting.
I'm not capable of intricate thought at this time of the day...sorry:(

Ok, I need help. My girlfriend lives quite far away and it's been a while since I've seen her. So I decided to send her a series of puzzles that lead up to her ending up at the airport to pick me up in two weeks. A scavenger hunt of sorts. After she completes each one she gets a prize. She thinks the final prize is going to be her getting a ticket to see me (which is how I'm going to get her to go to the airport and pick up "the ticket"). I'm having a hard time thinking of cute or interesting things to have her do.

The first task is that I sent her a love letter that has a code with it, that spells out what she has to do to get the next clue. And I've already ordered her an orchid, her favorite flower, as a reward.

What now?

Note: if you're just going to post to call me lame, save your breath, I already know.
EEEGADS, man! This is brilliant! Why didn't I think of this?

...

Perhaps because I suck at riddles...

I wish I knew Albuquerque better.

The only problem you might run into is if your girlfriend doesn't solve the final riddle in the time you expect, she might end up not picking you up right away and leave you stranded at the airport.

Or, if the clue isn't time specific, she might end up going there early, and be confused and possibly irritated that they have no idea about the ticket she's supposed to be getting.

The only problem you might run into is if your girlfriend doesn't solve the final riddle in the time you expect, she might end up not picking you up right away and leave you stranded at the airport.

Or, if the clue isn't time specific, she might end up going there early, and be confused and possibly irritated that they have no idea about the ticket she's supposed to be getting.

I have that worked out already. I planned for both events since one or the other is very likely.

Good luck with this dude. It should really be sweet in her eyes.
I tried something simmilar with my last girlfreind, problem was either I think too much or she didn't try thinking about any of the clues. So it fell to pieces.

Cheat.

Chicks love that.

Cheat.

Chicks love that.

Yeah, and if she's the wrong kinda girl, you'll love it even more when she has a kitchen knife aimed at your crotch...


No...that hasn't happened to me. :p

I have that worked out already. I planned for both events since one or the other is very likely.

Very well. I salute your forethought. Now, if you want to give her a specific time to be there, well, the only thing I can think of is to give each letter of the alphabet a number, but it can't be arbitary...

So here's what I've got so far. She gets a handwritten letter from me (which I never handwrite anything, so that alone is special). I sent her a code that lets her extract the message that's hidden in the letter. Mind you, I wrote the letter first or she would have killed me when she found out I wrote the note only as a puzzle. Do you know how difficult it is to extract instructions from a mushy love letter?

So anyway, deciphering the letter earns her the potted orchid which is her favorite and she complains because she can't afford to buy one. The orchid has a note that leads her to an art gallary with a clud that brings her to a painting. The email password is the name of the painting.

The last part will be that she will look up a series of quoted passages from books in a books store to construct a riddle. The reward for solving the riddle is the "plane ticket" but I will tell her that in order to receive the next clue she needs to go to the counter at about a half hour after my arrival time (in case my plane is late).

I need more stuff in the middle because I don't get there for two weeks.

Another idea! (Cough medicine and HORRIFIC MIND EATING VIRUS make for unmatched inspiration).

Perhaps you could 'mail her (in the email account) a photo of the two of you doing something together and make her find an environment or venue as close as possible in her immediate area? Drop in a clue or two to make it a bit easier. Then make some element of the immediate area the next clue. Or even better something in the photograph.

Of course, if you have accomplices in the area you can trust, the possibilities are almost limitless.

Won't there be the risk of her actually looking forward to the trip, and spending time on packing her stuff, and taking days off, and getting to the airport - and then she isn't going? Of course she'll be happy to see you, but she would have expected to be seeing you anyway at her destination...

Or am I just thinking too much into everything again?

But it's a really great idea, and I'm sure she'll love it. Hell, it's gonna be fun, too. I always loved scavenger hunts. :)

So here's what I've got so far. She gets a handwritten letter from me (which I never handwrite anything, so that alone is special). I sent her a code that lets her extract the message that's hidden in the letter. Mind you, I wrote the letter first or she would have killed me when she found out I wrote the note only as a puzzle. Do you know how difficult it is to extract instructions from a mushy love letter?

So anyway, deciphering the letter earns her the potted orchid which is her favorite and she complains because she can't afford to buy one. The orchid has a note that leads her to an art gallary with a clud that brings her to a painting. The email password is the name of the painting.

The last part will be that she will look up a series of quoted passages from books in a books store to construct a riddle. The reward for solving the riddle is the "plane ticket" but I will tell her that in order to receive the next clue she needs to go to the counter at about a half hour after my arrival time (in case my plane is late).

I need more stuff in the middle because I don't get there for two weeks.


Awesome. Can I be your girlfriend too, pretty please? :D

Won't there be the risk of her actually looking forward to the trip, and spending time on packing her stuff, and taking days off, and getting to the airport - and then she isn't going? Of course she'll be happy to see you, but she would have expected to be seeing you anyway at her destination...

Or am I just thinking too much into everything again?

But it's a really great idea, and I'm sure she'll love it. Hell, it's gonna be fun, too. I always loved scavenger hunts. :)

She already thinks the trip is about a month away. She will just think she is picking up a ticket for a trip at some unspecified time quite a bit in the future. She definitely won't be expecting to leave on a Wednesday, which is when I fly in.

She already thinks the trip is about a month away. She will just think she is picking up a ticket for a trip at some unspecified time quite a bit in the future. She definitely won't be expecting to leave on a Wednesday, which is when I fly in.
Oh! Well, then everything is just perfect. :)

Awesome. Can I be your girlfriend too, pretty please? :D

Nope. I totally call him.

I hope my actual girlfriend reacts this well. I wish I could show up in the middle of the day at her job, but that would be a waste of an evening and I'm not up for that.

Hopefully, tomorrow, when Sin is rested up she'll come up with some more good ideas. I like the picture idea. I'm going to have to work on that one.

I'm not going to save it just because you said so! Lame! You are lame! What kind of man puts any thought into something like this? Don't you realise that the BOMB is about to drop on you? (Brotherhood Of Macho Bastards) Repent your ways! Ignore your girlfriend! Treat her like dirt! Or risk the wrath of the REAL men!
You win the thread! Can I joing your BOMB? Can we be angry, repressed homosexuals too?

Does she have any shows/music she likes? You could have her watch a cut of a specific episode of a show she likes, or a clip of a song she likes, that gives her a clue.

Words written in lyrics are fun, and the clue is even more fun if it is found in something she is already familiar with. Just think... if she hears the song or watches the show that had the clue in it in the future, she will be reminded of this (very romantic indeed) hunt.

-edit-
Note: I hadn't seen the books idea at the time I wrote this post. This is basically that :p

Do you know which songs she likes? Perhaps you could send her a mix CD and give her some clues to follow on that? If you have a microphone, you could make them audio clues.

Oh, get her a box of delicious cereal with a decoder ring inside it! Free cereal, and a way to help solve the puzzle!

And after everything is said and done, you should show her this thread :D

Maybe an answering machine message with a clue (not her answering machine of course, but the machine of a friend who is in cahoots, perhaps?)

Does she have any shows/music she likes? You could have her watch a cut of a specific episode of a show she likes, or a clip of a song she likes, that gives her a clue.

Words written in lyrics are fun, and the clue is even more fun if it is found in something she is already familiar with. Just think... if she hears the song or watches the show that had the clue in it in the future, she will be reminded of this (very romantic indeed) hunt.

-edit-
Note: I hadn't seen the books idea at the time I wrote this post. This is basically that :p

Dude, that's awesome. I know what shows she likes and I get to see them an hour before she does. I didn't think of that. If you were here I'd kiss you.

Incidentally, how did I end up in your signature?

maybe a magazine type thing, and make her have to find certain words on cetain pages or within an article or ads...make it something you know she reads...so like, in cosmo, say page 23, paragraph 2 word 12. It would take up time...
hmm...I've done stuff like this, but only when I was already in the city...do you have a friend down there who could help? If you do, have him tape a rose to the back of something with a note (someplace hidden) or put a note under something in a park and give her directions there...

hmm...I'll keep thinking.

Dude, that's awesome. I know what shows she likes and I get to see them an hour before she does. I didn't think of that. If you were here I'd kiss you.

Thanks :) Don't think I won't come to you when I need romance help as well...

Incidentally, how did I end up in your signature?

To be honest, I've forgotten. You probably took my side in a debate, or actually made me think. In any event, I have my account set so I can't see sigs (and I don't know how to change it- little help please?)

You click Profile and then you click Edit Options. It's in your options. That's also where you edit your signature.

A million points to you if it all comes off, Jocabia... I'll be very impressed :)

You click Profile and then you click Edit Options. It's in your options. That's also where you edit your signature.

Thanks. Now that I can see your sig, I'd like to comment that my voice can't get much "lower", I sing Bass. And I play Contra Bass Clarinet (that's two octaves below a normal clarinet, making it the lowest instrument in a traditional symphony).

Also, here's another n00b question: who are the invaders?

If you don't have a cohort in the town she is in, might I suggest you get one of her co-workers to help? For instance, if you call her at work and chat with the receptionist, you might get friendly enough to get that person to help you deliver something to her at work (ie a clue that shows up on her desk one morning, and if she solves it, the prize that shows up afterwards).

And if that doesn't work, another way to play it might be give her a clue that relates to her work, then have the prize (perhaps flowers or balloons) delivered to her office by a delivery service. Then she can share the fun with her co-workers, and they can all be jealous of her fabulous boyfriend.

You, sir, are a TRUE gentleman. It may be tricky, as everyone else has said, to do this without actually being in the same place... when you live in the same area you can put little notes and signs in places you know she's going to be. An accomplice helps, but its not enough. I suggest you need to think of a fair bit of stuff to do, and give her really obscure clues (ala, a line from a song, give her the song but dont tell her anything else). But to ensure she gets it, perhaps you could give her progressively easier clues, like telling her its a line from the song, then telling her the verse, etc. via the email address you set up for her (a fantastic idea, I cant remember who said it, but kudos to you). In this manner you could probably get away with 6 or 7 clues for the entire 2 weeks. Perhaps have a film developed at a photo place near her, and make her collect it? Maybe you could also send her to some random persons blog or webpage, which has a reference to the next clue.

I dunno, I'm not great at this sort of thing, but I hope I can help. Seriously, You have to tell us how it works out. This will be fantastic, esecially if your lady is willing to play along. We should make a movie...

I'm still waiting for some flooring advice from the wise and powerful Sinuhue.

By the way, if you guys want another great long-distance closeness trick. My girlfriend and I made dinner together one night. I sent her the recipe for a dish which she and I both made and she sent me the recipe for a dish which she and I both made. We talked while we ate dinner 'together' and afterwards each got ready for bed and watched a movie together with the movies perfectly in sync. It was really fun, and it's amazing how easy it becomes to forget you're just on the phone or on webcam.

We also watch shows together all the time because I record them and watch them when they're on live in her area. ;)

I have nothing of value to add. But awesome idea and good luck.

Ok, I need help. My girlfriend lives quite far away and it's been a while since I've seen her. So I decided to send her a series of puzzles that lead up to her ending up at the airport to pick me up in two weeks. A scavenger hunt of sorts. After she completes each one she gets a prize. She thinks the final prize is going to be her getting a ticket to see me (which is how I'm going to get her to go to the airport and pick up "the ticket"). I'm having a hard time thinking of cute or interesting things to have her do.

The first task is that I sent her a love letter that has a code with it, that spells out what she has to do to get the next clue. And I've already ordered her an orchid, her favorite flower, as a reward.

What now?

Note: if you're just going to post to call me lame, save your breath, I already know.


That's not lame, it's beautiful :')

I have nothing of value to add. But awesome idea and good luck.

For the record, I've never been nominated for any of those awards from you sig and that's how I like it - just below the radar.

So, last night I arrived at the airport and got her there and totally surprised her. She had no idea I was coming. Actually, she was a bit mad. She saw me and she got all excited but the first thing she said was something like, "my place is messy and I look terrible. I can't believe you're hear, you jerk. I was all annoyed at going to the airport for no reason and..." And that when on for about a minute and then she realized what she was doing and gave me a big hug and thanked me for coming. It was great. She said she'll probably be telling people about this for years. Thanks for all of your suggestions and whatnot. They were very helpful. And trust me, my girlfriend thanks you, she just doesn't know that's who she's thanking. I've accepted all awards on your behalfs, if you don't mind.

So, last night I arrived at the airport and got her there and totally surprised her. She had no idea I was coming. Actually, she was a bit mad. She saw me and she got all excited but the first thing she said was something like, "my place is messy and I look terrible. I can't believe you're hear, you jerk. I was all annoyed at going to the airport for no reason and..." And that when on for about a minute and then she realized what she was doing and gave me a big hug and thanked me for coming. It was great. She said she'll probably be telling people about this for years. Thanks for all of your suggestions and whatnot. They were very helpful. And trust me, my girlfriend thanks you, she just doesn't know that's who she's thanking. I've accepted all awards on your behalfs, if you don't mind.Congratulations, I'm glad it worked out for you.

Ok, I need help. My girlfriend lives quite far away and it's been a while since I've seen her. So I decided to send her a series of puzzles that lead up to her ending up at the airport to pick me up in two weeks. A scavenger hunt of sorts. After she completes each one she gets a prize. She thinks the final prize is going to be her getting a ticket to see me (which is how I'm going to get her to go to the airport and pick up "the ticket"). I'm having a hard time thinking of cute or interesting things to have her do.

The first task is that I sent her a love letter that has a code with it, that spells out what she has to do to get the next clue. And I've already ordered her an orchid, her favorite flower, as a reward.

What now?

Note: if you're just going to post to call me lame, save your breath, I already know.

that's a pretty good idea

Exactly how far is she from you, btw?

that's a pretty good idea

Exactly how far is she from you, btw?

I live in Champaign, IL. She lives in Albuquerque, NM.

Dude, you are seriously awesome. Your gf must adore you.

Three Cheers for Mr. Romance!

Ok, I need help. My girlfriend lives quite far away and it's been a while since I've seen her. So I decided to send her a series of puzzles that lead up to her ending up at the airport to pick me up in two weeks. A scavenger hunt of sorts. After she completes each one she gets a prize. She thinks the final prize is going to be her getting a ticket to see me (which is how I'm going to get her to go to the airport and pick up "the ticket"). I'm having a hard time thinking of cute or interesting things to have her do.

Do you have friends in her region that can hide things for her ?

Do you have friends in her region that can hide things for her ?

No. My company HQ is there though so I was able to get her to think she was picking up a present from one of my coworkers when she was in fact picking me up. I had everything else delivered.