The Pizza Code Mystery
The Pizza is a LIE!
“It has come to my attention that strange messages have been appearing throughout Black Mesa, and have been causing somewhat of a conunDrum concerning what has become known as "The Pizza Code Mystery".
I have long suspected that there was something stRange going on during the development of this facility. The unexplained disappearances, misappropriation of funds regarding cheesy oven-baked bread products and an ominous feeling that something is constantly watching this all from the shadows, Have added up to create something that needs solving, and sOlving fast.
As a result, I am offering a small reward to the first peRson that can solve this mystery and provide me with the answers I need. Together, I'm sure you caN crack this.
— http://terminal.blackmesasource.com/
This wiki details our efforts since 2012 to solve The Pizza Code Mystery: an ARG found in Black Mesa, a re-envisioning of Valve Software's seminal classic Half-Life. As of August 14, 2019 the Pizza Code Mystery is on the verge of being solved as the notoriously difficult gateway puzzle has now finally been solved. With the recent release of the Xen/Gonarch beta, the ARG has entered a new phase, seeing as the puppetmaster has indicated that the conclusion to the ARG is now in-game.
It is possible that some information here may be incomplete or out of date. For the latest activity and theories check the forum thread. You can also join the discussion in the #pizza-delivery channel on the official Crowbar Collective Discord server: https://discord.gg/PSZfh8N
Current Unsolved Puzzles
- "Imagine making a discovery so great and disturbing, it turns you mad. Mad enough to think beyond perception."
- — Stormseeker
The great mysteries.
- The story - Some parts of the picture are known, but the entirety isn't.
- Why was Dr Horn so obsessed with pizzas?
- Why did he fall out with his colleagues?
- What was he working on?
- What did he discover in Xen?
- What happened to him, and where did he go?
- HALOS - An unknown entity worked on by Dr. Horn. Thought to be an AI, something involving holograms, a combination of the aforementioned, or something else entirely.
- 21 into 1
- The Myons
Clues
Below is a list of items that may contain additional clues in addition to the clues found in the solved puzzles. Some of them may be related to the recently solved puzzle:
- 21 into 1 - A hint left by Stormseeker.
- Whiteboards - Whiteboards found in game throughout the Black Mesa facility.
- Tempus omnia revelant - Mysterious message from User:Dr Horn.
- 1001085139140914 / grilledpizza.jpg - Hidden message left by Dr. Horn. May hold clues to the story.
- Wiki clues - An overview and description of clues and hints that have appeared on this wiki.
- Pizza Box and Graffiti Arrays - Patterns of pizza boxes and graffiti found in some of the background maps in the steam release.
- Dr. Sezen's computer monitor - Contains a hint for the key to the 752 Hex Code puzzle.
- Dr. Horn's Xen Lair - A hidden cave in Xen.
Solved Puzzles
In-Game Puzzles
The original puzzles that introduced the ARG.
- Code A - 1001 - Dr Horn explains that he has hidden 4 codes (A,B,C,D)
- Code B - 0851 - Composite of several paintings
- Code C - 3914 - SSTV encoding
- Code D - 0914 - a SECOM cipher
- The combination of these solutions revealed a hidden area on Stormseeker's Website containing the 1001085139140914 message and the grilledpizza puzzle
IRC Puzzles
Puzzles that were given to us by Watcher on the now defunct IRC channel
- IRC clue 1 - base64
- Led to the discovery of the Terminal website.
- IRC clue 2 - base64, Contains 2 longitude/latitude combinations
- Led to the discovery of a hidden message on Johnathan Welsh's website
- IRC clue 3 - base64, Another location clue
- IRC clue 4 - base64, Navajo Code, Playfair
- IRC clue 5 - base64, Running Key
- IRC clue 6 - base64, ASCII85, Points to HALOS.txt on Stormseeker's Website
- 752 Hex Code - 752 hex characters (376 bytes), Rijndael-256-256 in CFB-8 mode
- Solution contains a passcode for site activation
Websites
- Stormseeker's Website - Main website surrounding the ARG.
- terminal.blackmesasource.com - A message from Dr. Horn.
- Dr J. Welsh - Johnathan Welsh's main website with a hidden message.
- www.bmrf.us - The "homepage" of the Black Mesa Research Facility
- KXBM.net - Website linked to BMRF.us
- http://terminal.bmrf.us - BMRF employee login terminal. Purpose unknown. (Site is down?)
Miscellaneous
- Timeline and Concept Map - Compiled information to assist with narrowing the focus of the ARG's clues and puzzle solutions.
- Storyline
- Additional Storyline - A slightly different take on the initial storyline with additional information and thoughts.
- Characters
- Locations
- Stormseeker - The ARG's creator and puppet-master.
- Extra Game Info - Everything extra that may or may not have any relation to the ARG.
- Back References - A list of game assets with their coordinates.
- Pizza Code Mystery Blog - A blog focused on centralizing solution attempts, providing updates and communicating, in addition to the forums.