C-KCR03 (Oct 2, 2021)
Puzzle
“13 17 | 2 47 | 3 3 5 7”
See: C-KCR02 | 3 Words
Clue
Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: You don't mind reading the last one back, do you?
Clue 2: Why is it all primes? And why are they separated?
Clue 3: I want to Book a Codenames.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: Stranger Clowns Outbreak
Explanation: The numbers, multiplied together and used as word index into the previous receipt, reads "Stranger Clowns Outbreak".
Summary of Receipt
Apparently Pierrot, the clown fungus thing, needs heat to spread. Since it’s cold now, it’s been able to be mostly contained. The CaD members at the Hotbed plan to remove the source of the fungus, but with Miss. Crawford showing up, the fungus seems to mutate, changing the clowns. They now look frozen over, and are much stronger. Instead, they plan to remove the House on Dracula Drive from the Flipside, returning it to the ‘Lane Between’ (phantom lane), then handle the issue on their own.
Transcript
[BRANCH] LONG BEACH
[SERVER] EMPLOYEE NO. 17
[DATE] 10/2/21
[INDEX ID] KCR03
[SECURITY] CAFE
Would you like the good news first or the bad? Ah, not that the order would change things, eh? The bad news is we indeed seem to be witnessing a new outbreak of harlequins. The good news is the spores have had trouble spreading lately due to inclement weather. As we understand it, the fungus requires heat to propagate, and recently, it has been rather brisk around here. A bit far from freezing, though the scattered showers seem to be helping suppress the fungus. Of course, the afternoon sun mixed with the damp air has led to minor flare-ups, but 26 has been quick to deal with them.
Our next step will probably be tracking the fungus to its source to attempt to pay this tab once and for all. 26 and I have been scouting the surrounding areas in the hope of finding the origin of these peculiar transfiguring fungi. However, every time we’ve gotten close, it would seem new spores pop up 10-20 miles in the opposite direction. At least the forecasts are looking pretty favorable as luck would have it, so we can hopefully get this wrapped up before the House of Hamilton once more returns to the aether. Assuming we cannot destroy the mother spore, our plan at the moment is to place it within the House of Hamilton, which should more than keep it contained in the future.
Perhaps I spoke too soon... it seems to be snowing? Or hailing, at the very least. I suppose that would help kill off the current spores though the lows were only supposed to reach 50 at the worst. The rain has been bitter cold, but this is not a natural storm. It can’t be. Ah, and now it would seem we have visitors. A traveling circus-
Dear Bird, the spores are... changing. These clowns are not the same as before. Their bodies look pale and blistered as if they had been frozen over. They are stronger, too, unnaturally so. There are far too many for us to handle on our own. 323 will unfix the House, and we will return to the Lane Between until next Wednesday, though an urgent order of coffee must be served here ASAP. We will see if we can stay in touch, although you will hear from us on Wednesday regardless.