Elf Assembly Hints and Solution

Here you can find hints and the solutions for our Christmas cracker puzzle box Elf Assembly.

Trivia Bingo - Hint 1

Are there any numbers on the Trivia Bingo cards that you could use to play bingo with?

Trivia Bingo - Hint 2

Did you notice that the answer to each trivia question has a number in it somewhere?

Trivia Bingo - Hint 3

Hmmm... there are some numbers left over. I wonder if these could be made into letters somehow. Oh, and Merry Christmas by the way!

Trivia Bingo - Hint 4

Notice that Merry Christmas on the inside of the pamphlet has been turned into numbers using a simple code. Use that same code to turn the leftover bingo numbers into words.

Trivia Bingo - Solution

After removing all the numbers which appear as answers to the trivia questions and using the code A=1, B=2, C=3, etc. to convert the remaining numbers to letters, you should extract the following 8 words:

BAUBLES
CANDLES
HOLLY
LETTERS
TREES
SHADOW SANTA
SNOWFLAKES
SNOWMEN

Mess - Hint 1

If you're not sure what you should be looking for, maybe revisit the bingo cards.

Mess - Hint 2

Did you notice that each of the items is slightly different? Now come on, get your mess in order!

Mess - Hint 3

There is a natural order for the items in each set. For example, there are four snowmen and they have one, two, three and four buttons.

What happens if you connect each set in order?

Mess - Hint 4

For the final step you'll need to get in shape.

Mess - Solution

The items from the bingo cards can be found in the mess.  Each set has a way to put the members in order:

Baubles (7) Colours of the rainbow
Candles (6) Length
Holly (5) Number of berries
Letters (6) Name of sender
Shadow Santa (6) Number of reindeer
Snowflakes (3) Number of prongs
Snowmen (4) Number of buttons
Trees (3) Size

If you trace a line between the elements of each set in order they should form a letter.  Put these letters in order using the shapes on the pamphlet noticing that they correspond to the shapes decorating the jokes on the bingo cards (the square is used twice). They spell the message ELF IN CODE.

 

Padlock Code - Hint

Have you used any codes which you could use to translate the word ELF to numbers?

Padlock Code - Solution

Using the A=1, B=2, C=3, etc. code again, the word ELF becomes the padlock code:

5126

Santa's Workshop - Hint 1

First you'll need to make sure you've found all 15 of the missing elves. Make sure you check everywhere, some of them are very good at hiding.

Santa's Workshop - Hint 2

Each elf needs to find their seat in Santa's workshop. Maybe the pictures on the back of the elves can be paired up with the pictures in the workshop somehow?

Santa's Workshop - Hint 3

The pictures on the back of the elf tiles can be paired with a picture in the workshop to make something Christmassy. For example, the first one is SLEIGH BELLS. The elf picture is always first and the workshop picture second.

Santa's Workshop - Solution

The elves can be found in the following locations:

  • Inside crackers (8)
  • Inside mysterious envelope (2)
  • Loose in first box (2)
  • Behind Santa's workshop (1)
  • Stuck on inner wall of first box (1)
  • Stuck to base of second box (1)

Glasses - Hint 1

There are some interesting design choices in this pamphlet...

Glasses - Hint 2

The red filter glasses should allow you to decode four secret messages hidden in the pixelated images (numbered 1-4).

Glasses - Solution

The hidden messages are:

1. GREEN SHIRT (back of Santa's workshop)
2. GOLD BUTTONS (clouds on reverse of pamphlet)
3. GLASSES (below Christmas wishes)
4. ODD STOCKINGS (above Christmas wishes)

Final Padlock Code - Hint 1

Four secret messages and a four digit combination to open...

Final Padlock Code - Hint 2

Take a look at which elves match the criterion for each secret message.

Final Padlock Code - Solution

Identifying which elves meet the criterion of each secret message in turn spells out the padlock code:

7054