Strange Love Game - Chapter Two
Liar's Poker
Chapter two in our series A Strange Love Game - read chapter one here.
The first thing I do is browse to crossfiregambit.com—the domain listed on the front of the tear tabs. The site has expired, leaving behind a simple domain parking page. Archive.org comes to my rescue, capturing the site as it was when the puzzle was first posted back in 2019.
Upon loading the page, I’m greeted by a list of alternating red and black, capitalized code words. There are four separate lists, each containing thirteen words. These are clearly playing cards—designed to match the cards on the back of the tear sheet tabs. It becomes blatantly obvious, hence why I’ve promoted myself to Captain Puzzle Solver, when I spot "TALULA," the 5♣️ from the tear sheet. Look at me go!
The last word on the list is lowercase: "map." Naturally, I interpret that as, "Map this shit out." Dutifully, I open Google Maps, ready to drop pins.
I scan the Clubs suit, looking for words I recognize. My first hit is "WORMWOOD"—the 10♣️. That word triggers memories of the Netflix series Wormwood, a haunting docudrama on biological warfare, espionage, and mysterious deaths. My first pin drops at Fort Detrick, where Frank Olson, the show’s protagonist, worked for the U.S. Army and the CIA. Fort Detrick was notorious for its biological weapons research.
Later, while visiting with Doug Mouser, one of our wrongfully convicted clients, he mentions Wormwood again, but in a much darker context—straight out of the Bible. He reminds me that Wormwood is the name of the star that falls to Earth in the Book of Revelations, poisoning the waters and causing massive death.
Revelation 8:11-13: "The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter."
"Jesus Christ," I mutter, noting that I should probably revisit the Bible at some point.
I move on to the 9♣️—"WHITEALICE." A quick Google search brings up Zach Dorfman, a talented journalist whose article explains that White Alice was a Cold War-era nuclear attack warning system based in Boswell Bay, Alaska. Dorfman had already made a name for himself on BullshitHunting.com, where I’d recommended his podcast Spy Valley as a must-listen for espionage enthusiasts.
I copy code word YELLOWTOE, the Q♣️ and paste it into a Google search. A few links deep and pay dirt with a reference to the 717th Bombardment Squadron, an American Air Force outfit that sports an elephant with yellow toe nails in their emblem. I place a marker on Tucson, Arizona, where they were originally based out of.
Each clue intensifies my admiration for whoever created this game. I’m not just solving puzzles—I’m soaking in American history, the Cold War, and even Indigenous folklore, like the Cherokee witch, Spearfinger, who used her obsidian-black finger to pierce her victims, consume their livers, and then shapeshift to hide among the population.
After pouring another cup of dark roast, I settle back onto the couch, reviewing the map I’ve been building. Then it hits me: my initial placement of "XENOPHON"—the J♣️—might not belong in Athens, Greece, after all. Athens, Georgia, feels like a much better fit. With a smug smile, I adjust the pin.
Now, to be clear, I still have no idea what I’m doing. It’s entirely possible I just connected a bunch of random dots on a map, fueled purely by vibes and caffeine. But the arrow I’ve drawn points north toward the Appalachian Trail, which seems promising. I spend some time basking in the gorgeous scenery through Google Street View and tourist videos.
Curiosity leads me down a rabbit hole about alternate reality games (ARGs). I listen to an episode of the Big Brains podcast from the University of Chicago, featuring professors Patrick Jagoda and Kristen Schilt. They argue that ARGs aren’t just games; they’re large-scale learning systems. The best forms of learning, they say, involve play. I couldn’t agree more—this puzzle has become more about discovery than any specific objective.
As I continue my background research, I stumble upon a gem: in 2007, Nine Inch Nails collaborated with Studio 42 Entertainment to create an ARG promoting their Year Zero album. One of the most impressive puzzles required players to download an audio file and view it through an MP3 player’s spectrograph. Hidden in the sound waves was a pitch-black hand ominously reaching downward, known as "The Presence." Below it, etched into the waves, was a phone number. This use of steganography—embedding hidden messages within media—blows my mind.
Naturally, I begin to suspect there might be similar tricks in this game.
I’m drawn to the 8♠️—"GRAYBEAT." A quick search leads me to an electronic DJ and producer named GrayBeat from Minneapolis, Minnesota. His videos seem connected to the So Joana ARG, filled with apocalyptic vibes. Listening to the tracks closely, I notice odd bursts of static and strange audio artifacts. On a hunch, I pull one of his tracks down from YouTube and analyze it using Izotope RX8, a tool I often use for cleaning up my remixes.
Sure enough, etched into the sound waves are the numbers 7 or 77, along with Roman numerals repeating seven times. Intrigued, I pull down a second track, which reveals the number 2 or 22. Finally, a third track reveals a chilling "666" along with what looks like a devil’s face.
Piecing them together, I get "726"—a quick Google search tells me that’s the area code for San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio, of course, is significant in this puzzle, as it relates to the main code word at the top of the list: "CROSSFIRE GAMBIT."
What a ride. I'm nowhere near solving it all, but I feel like I’m getting closer.
Again I ask when will the BH show will air? Title-Musings on the human condition.