Official Press Release and Text Source: Tim Roseborough, Digital and New Media Artist
“A Puzzling Display” is a new artist-created online arts and culture game, where registered participants compete and test their arts and culture knowledge. Inspired by the annual “puzzle hunts” hosted by institutions such as MIT and Microsoft, Silicon Valley digital artist Tim Roseborough has created “A Puzzling Display”: an Internet-based set of 20 intelligent and challenging interactive puzzles covering topics such as art history, music, film and culture.
In the 21st century, gaming and game-related paradigms are steadily integrating themselves into contemporary culture. “A Puzzling Display,” continues Roseborough’s exploration of the techniques and theories of gaming and play in the context of contemporary art. The website will be accompanied by an exhibition of Roseborough’s limited edition prints that translate each puzzle into the artist’s “Englyph” writing system, created via hieroglyphic-like images from everyday language. With an aim of blurring the distinction between fine art and diversion, Roseborough’s virtual artwork incorporates interactivity, video, sound art, and computer animation to take a fresh look at arts and culture. For “A Puzzling Display”, Roseborough has utilized limericks, silhouettes, common names, videos and art charades to challenge gamers. All of the challenges are fun, but not all of them are easy. The order in which you play the challenges is up to you.
- Win points for correct answers, check your overall progress and compare your score with other players on the scoreboard.
- The competitive game time coincides with an exhibition of prints related to the game at the New Art Center in New York City.
- The dates of the exhibition are May 1-19, 2012. The game begins at 8am EDT on May 1, 2012 and ends at 11:59pm EDT on May 20th, 2012.
- The first five players to reach a perfect score or the highest five scorers at the end of the competition will receive 8″ x 10″ prints from the exhibition signed by the artist and infinite bragging rights!
A Puzzling Display: How to Play
1) Register:
Register for the game by choosing a username and email. You will be asked to verify your account with an email address. Your address will not be shared with or sold to a third party.
Q: Why do I have to register to play?
A: Registering with a username, password and email address will allow you to play the game at your pace, check your progress and compare your progress with others’.
2) Pick a Challenge:
Pick from twenty (20) challenges. You can play the challenges in any order you like.
Q: Should I start with the first puzzle?
A: The challenges are loosely arranged from easier to more difficult, by you may have skills and knowledge that may help you do better on some puzzles more than others. Feel free to explore!
3) Explore the Puzzle:
Read the instructions above each puzzle carefully, as they hold clues to solving the puzzle. Be sure to click around the puzzle space below, as the challenges are sometimes behind the Englyph artwork.
Q: I’m stuck! Can I get some help?
A: Don’t be afraid to use search engines or the links provided at the bottom of this page to help you solve the puzzles.
4) Enter Your Answers
Answer entry fields are always below the puzzle space. As an aid, the correct number of letters for each answer is displayed. Your score on each challenge will be revealed immediately after you submit answers.
Q: Does punctuation count in the answers?
A: Letter counts do not include punctuation except for the dot (“.”) in a URL, but feel free to enter appropriate non-letter characters. They will not be counted in your answer.
Q: How many times can I submit answers?
A: You can only submit answers once per challenge, so check them carefully before submitting. Feel free to write down your answers on scratch paper.
Q: When can I see the correct answers?
A: Correct answers to the puzzles will only be posted after the main competition is over, after 11:59pm, May 20, 2012.
5) Check Your Progress
You can track your progress by clicking on the “My Progress” link and check your scores against other players by clicking on the “Scoreboard” link.
About the Artist
Tim Roseborough is a digital artist and musician. His artwork and exhibitions have been featured in numerous publications, including Art In America, ARTNews, San Francisco Chronicle, SF Arts Monthly, SF Examiner, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. Roseborough has performed and exhibited his artwork nationally, including the 2010 ZERO1 Biennial, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Root Division, Artexpo New York, The Garage San Francisco, ARTWork SF, and the Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco. Mr. Roseborough lives and works in San Francisco, California. Please visit his site and learn more about A Puzzling Display here.
