Ferris Wheel

"The Ferris wheel was one of the first things to break down. Unfortunately, there were riders on it at the time; apparently they've been posting about their experiences."

Puzzle Files

The following files are required to solve this puzzle:

Click to reveal Hint #1

Notes on the physics of this particular Ferris wheel that may be helpful:

- Each Ferris wheel car holds one passenger

- The Ferris wheel moves at a constant rate even while passengers are boarding

- No one disembarks from the Ferris wheel over the course of the puzzle’s timeline

Click to reveal Hint #2

Using information in the tweets about boarding times and events, you can determine where each passenger is sitting when the Ferris wheel stops.

For instance, using Dr. James' tweets, you can tell who boarded right before him/her.

Click to reveal Hint #3

Each passenger’s text or images identifies one or more colored items that accompanied them at the time that the Ferris wheel shut down.

Click to reveal Hint #4

Pair up the colored items. Their positions around the wheel, in rainbow order, give the answer when interpreted as semaphore.

Click to reveal the solution to this puzzle

wheels up

"That did it! It turns out it was just the weight of the snow in the gondolas that was stopping the ride from working. Once we tipped them over, it started up again!"