I'm a finalist in "The DaVinci Code Quest"

Google was running a contest in conjunction with Sony Pictures for the last few weeks for "The DaVinci Code". Being a bit of a puzzle and code junkie, I decided to try my hand at the contest. At first it was pretty easy, but the puzzles got harder as the days went on. It was pretty neat how the puzzles referenced the book/movie as well as requiring use of Google services to solve. In the end, the top 10,000 people would receive a limited edition replica of the cryptex from the movie, as well as getting to proceed to the finals, where the winner gets a prize package valued at over $120,000.

I felt pretty defeated as I checked my e-mail all day today, waiting for my notification that I was a finalist. Eventually, I figured that 10,000 out of a nationwide pool was simply not the kind of odds that were going to go my way. Imagine my utter surprise when I noticed a package my wife had shoved aside ... containing the cryptex!


I was a finalist! Sure enough, I checked my mail, and there was the notification I had been waiting for, along with a congratulatory message from Sir Ian McKellan and a behind-the-scenes look at the movie!

The cryptex is cool enough, I suppose. You can't change the code, which is set to "GRAIL" (actually, anything ending in "IL", which is lame), but it's not so much the prize, but what it represents. I have no idea what the remaining challenge will entail, but I'm just giddy with excitement. All I know is that the adventure starts May 19th!