Oct. 25, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Friedgen code is solved! Five students joined forces to solve the clues in the DaVinci-code inspired treasure hunt across campus -- and walked away with the $1,000 cash prize. The sleuths include sophomore Candace Tomkiel, seniors David Puglia, Derek Standarowski and Jason Moskowitz, and graduate student Joe Williams. The students who are all MD tour Guides, were working independently when the contest started but they soon decided to join forces to crack the code.

Several members of the winning team have applied to appear on the Amazing Race reality show and used the Friedgen Code as a practice run. And they weren't the only ones competing. Team members reported seeing competing groups of students scouring the libraries and chapel in hopes of finding the treasure. One rainy morning two of the students got to campus at 6am to be the first to get a bonus clue from a freshly bundled stack of the Diamondback newspapers.

There were several frustrating times and leads that left them empty handed. One theory had them counting rows and seats at Byrd Stadium, another theory had them counting bricks at Gossett Field House. They even managed to sneak into Comcast Center to count rows and seats...all for nothing.

In the end, the team solved the following clues...

Clue 1: You must begin at the Five - where Scholarship, Athletics, Community Service, Speech and Performing Arts converge. Stand on the axis and the Hour of Prime will point the way. Solution: The Five refers to the ODK fountain on McKeldin Mall. Stand on the nearby axis of the sundial and the Hour of Prime -- Six -- points towards McKeldin Libary.

Clue 2: To discover the code, you must first "reference" KFM 1230. Your next clue can be found on 296:3:1-6. Solution: Find the reference book with the catalogue number of KFM 1230 (a Maryland Code "Education" reference book). Inside the book, on page 296, paragraph 3, words 1-6 reference the University Chapel.

Clue 3: 4-14-9-6 15-20-15-8-16 18-5-4-14-21 20-1-20-19-15-13-18-5-8-20. Decipher the code, find the secret location, and solve the puzzle of 23-Up and 4-Across. Solve the puzzle to break the Friedgen Code -- the treasure awaits! Solution: This is a number replacement code (1=A, 2=B) that when read in reverse, reads "Find photo under thermostat." The picture beneath the thermostat depicts a wedding. A bonus clue printed in the Diamondback said "Think Synonym" Synonym for wedding: union. That clue leads to the Stamp Student Union. Inside the Union is a photo montage (the puzzle)....from bottom left, trace 23 images up and 4 images across...and you find a picture of a Testudo sculpture.

The treasure was hidden under the belly of the Testudo sculpture outside Gossett Team House -- a congratulatory note that read: "You've just solved the Friedgen Code!" The winning team plans to throw a big party to celebrate their victory -- a fitting end to the sometimes frustrating quest.