This is a continuation of the puzzle I talk about here and here.

I actually received this in the mail a while ago, but I wanted to try to figure it out on my own before posting it. Here’s what I received in the mail from Mike (click for larger):I’ve already figured out a lot of it (and found some secret messages in the list of words)… but I’m not going to give any hints yet, so you guys can work together to figure it out. If it turns out inside knowledge is needed from me (I think it may be in a couple of places), I’ll chime in in the comments. Have fun!

I just received an email from “Jnnfr Mccrght” – my name without vowels – from a gmail account that was obviously created by Mike. Here’s the message, no edits on my part:

Subject: X

a congress has senators
a parlament, owls
sooner or later
you’ll need to buy vowels
until that time comes
don’t over-think it
if my puzle is a cocktail
i wouldn’t yet drink it
but these index card clues
into your brain they’re tearing
i have a fish in my ear
so i have trouble herring
but don’t worry about them
if they make you bemused
in a few days or so
you’ll be even more confused
so until that time comes
prepare for what it’s in store
i should be a nice guy
but to confuse you some more:
i’m now eating my words
with a knife (not a fork)
wish you were here with me
in chapaqua, new york

Translated, I think it means “I think it’s hilarious how all of you people are over thinking things, wait until I send you real clues.” Of course, I’m still over thinking things, and noticing how Parliament is missing an “i” and puzzle is missing a “z.” Hmmmm….

EDIT: Got a follow up email:

“In the 7th-to-last line, “it’s” should be “is.” It was a genuine grammatical error and should not be considered a hint toward anything (seriously, my friend).

–Mr. Puzzle”

A couple of days ago I received a small envelope in the mail with unusual handwriting and no return address. Intrigued, I opened it and found the following note cards. Top note card was on the top of stack, left image is the front and right image is the back of each card. Click for larger images.
I think the initial reaction of most normal people would be, “What the hell, what insane serial killer sent me this?!” (okay, maybe not totally normal people). My first thought, on the other hand, was “Mike’s Birthday Puzzle.” I checked the stamp on the letter, and yep – from the town of his university. Nice try concealing your handwriting, but foiled by the United States Postal Service!

Mike is one of my best friends, and in addition to being hilarious and a brilliant mathematician, he’s also a Puzzle Master. I think he’s deserving of this title since he’s full of trivia (go on Jeopardy already, Mike!), always carrying around puzzle magazines, and has created unique puzzles that have been printed in said magazines multiple times. During our sophomore year of high school, Mike decided (maybe out of boredom) to create a puzzle filled treasure hunt that would lead to my birthday gift. I would have to figure out one clue to find out where the next one was hidden – usually somewhere in one of our classrooms – until it led me to my present. It was so fun, for both him and me, that it started a tradition. Every October since then I start getting puzzles, so by the time November 2nd rolls around, I’ll have found my gift.

Theoretically.

See, the part that I didn’t mention is that Mike is way, way smarter than me. And while his puzzles seem to get better and better, I seem to get stupider and stupider. I generally have to resort to outside help and many hints, and I think he takes special glee in the fact that Mike’s Birthday Puzzle is infamous enough to deserve capitalization and a certain amount of fear. But I have the upper hand this year, Mike! I have a blog! So fair readers, I present you with the first clue of many in the puzzle – the note cards – and I will update you with whatever other information I receive.

That being said, I have no idea what those note cards mean. I wouldn’t put it past him if the whole thing is a red herring just to make me go mad. So if I have to go mad, you’re going down with me.