Master Control - "Advanced Protocol"
Station Configuration:
- 8 buttons total (5 colors: RED, GREEN, BLUE x2, YELLOW x2, SILVER x2)
- Two-phase challenge:
- Phase 1: Find 5 hidden candy canes in Candy Cane Power Plant room (5 button presses)
- Phase 2: FOUR independent memory sequences (4, 5, 6, 7 button presses)
- Total: 27 button presses to complete
Button Layout
[Button 1] [Button 2] [Button 3] [Button 4]
BLUE YELLOW SILVER GREEN
SOLID SOLID SOLID SOLID
[Button 5] [Button 6] [Button 7] [Button 8]
RED BLUE YELLOW SILVER
SOLID FLASHING FLASHING FLASHING
| Button |
Color |
Mode |
| Button 1 | BLUE | SOLID (first BLUE button) |
| Button 2 | YELLOW | SOLID (first YELLOW button) |
| Button 3 | SILVER | SOLID (first SILVER button) |
| Button 4 | GREEN | SOLID (single GREEN button) |
| Button 5 | RED | SOLID (single RED button) |
| Button 6 | BLUE | FLASHING (second BLUE button) |
| Button 7 | YELLOW | FLASHING (second YELLOW button) |
| Button 8 | SILVER | FLASHING (second SILVER button) |
Station Display Instructions
⚡ ADVANCED PROTOCOL ⚡
Master control requires dual authorization.
PHASE 1: AUTHORIZATION KEYS
Locate 5 authorization keys (candy canes with stripe codes).
Each has a number (1-5) showing sequence order.
Note BOTH the color AND stripe pattern:
- THICK stripes = Solid button
- THIN stripes = Flashing button
Press buttons matching authorization keys in numbered order.
All 5 are hidden in THIS ROOM - look carefully!
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
PHASE 2: MASTER ACCESS SEQUENCE
Once Phase 1 is complete, the buttons will light up.
Watch carefully and repeat the pattern from memory.
Four rounds: 4 buttons, 5 buttons, 6 buttons, 7 buttons.
Each round is a NEW sequence - they do NOT build on each other.
Phase 1: Authorization Keys - Hidden Candy Canes
Five authorization keys (candy canes) hidden throughout the Candy Cane Power Plant room:
- Authorization Key #1 - BLUE candy cane with THICK stripes
- Location: Tucked behind power plant control panel
- Authorization Key #2 - YELLOW candy cane with THIN stripes
- Location: Hidden under workbench edge or table lip
- Authorization Key #3 - GREEN candy cane with THICK stripes
- Location: Behind one of the giant candy cane tubes
- Authorization Key #4 - RED candy cane with THICK stripes
- Location: Tucked into overhead rigging, pipes, or high shelf
- Authorization Key #5 - SILVER candy cane with THIN stripes
- Location: Inside/behind plant equipment or machinery prop
Phase 1 Solution
Color and Stripe Pattern Matching:
Authorization Key #1: BLUE + THICK stripes → Button 1 (solid button)
Authorization Key #2: YELLOW + THIN stripes → Button 7 (flashing button)
Authorization Key #3: GREEN + THICK stripes → Button 4 (solid button)
Authorization Key #4: RED + THICK stripes → Button 5 (solid button)
Authorization Key #5: SILVER + THIN stripes → Button 8 (flashing button)
Correct Phase 1 Sequence:
Button 1 → Button 7 → Button 4 → Button 5 → Button 8
Phase 2: Memory Sequences
Round 1: 4 Button Sequence
Pre-programmed sequence: Button 2 → Button 6 → Button 5 → Button 3
- Buttons light up in order (1 second each, with 0.5 second gap)
- Player must repeat from memory
- Correct = advance to Round 2
- Incorrect = retry Round 1
Round 2: 5 Button Sequence
Pre-programmed sequence: Button 8 → Button 1 → Button 4 → Button 7 → Button 2
- Buttons light up in order (1 second each, with 0.5 second gap)
- Player must repeat from memory
- This is a NEW sequence, NOT an extension of Round 1
- Correct = advance to Round 3
- Incorrect = retry Round 2
Round 3: 6 Button Sequence
Pre-programmed sequence: Button 3 → Button 5 → Button 1 → Button 8 → Button 6 → Button 4
- Buttons light up in order (1 second each, with 0.5 second gap)
- Player must repeat from memory
- This is a NEW sequence, NOT an extension of previous rounds
- Correct = advance to Round 4
- Incorrect = retry Round 3
Round 4: 7 Button Sequence
Pre-programmed sequence: Button 7 → Button 4 → Button 2 → Button 6 → Button 3 → Button 1 → Button 8
- Buttons light up in order (1 second each, with 0.5 second gap)
- Player must repeat from memory
- This is a NEW sequence, NOT an extension of previous rounds
- Correct = SUCCESS! Candy cane lights up green
- Incorrect = retry Round 4
Memory Sequence Notes:
- Sequences are pre-programmed (not random - ensures consistency)
- Each round is INDEPENDENT - sequences do NOT build on each other
- Phase 2 is about BUTTON POSITION, not color: All buttons are solid (no flashing). Players remember which physical button lit up (Button 1, Button 2, etc.)
- Button lighting behavior:
- Buttons light up temporarily in sequence to show the pattern (1 second each, 0.5 second gap)
- After sequence completes, buttons go dark
- When player presses a button, it lights up for feedback
- Buttons are NOT constantly lit during Phase 2
- If player fails a round, retry ONLY that round (don't restart from Round 1)
- Player cannot leave station during Phase 2 (auto-reset would interfere)
Total Challenge Breakdown
| Phase/Round |
Button Presses |
| Phase 1 (Authorization Keys) |
5 presses |
| Phase 2 Round 1 |
4 presses |
| Phase 2 Round 2 |
5 presses |
| Phase 2 Round 3 |
6 presses |
| Phase 2 Round 4 |
7 presses |
| TOTAL |
27 button presses |
How Players Solve This Challenge
Phase 1: Authorization Keys Search
- Player reads challenge at Master Control station
- Understands they need to find 5 authorization keys (candy canes) with sequence numbers
- Notes that stripe pattern (THICK vs THIN) determines solid vs flashing button
- Searches the Candy Cane Power Plant room carefully
- Finds Authorization Key #1: Blue candy cane with THICK stripes (behind control panel)
- Finds Authorization Key #2: Yellow candy cane with THIN stripes (under workbench)
- Finds Authorization Key #3: Green candy cane with THICK stripes (behind tube)
- Finds Authorization Key #4: Red candy cane with THICK stripes (overhead rigging)
- Finds Authorization Key #5: Silver candy cane with THIN stripes (inside equipment)
- Returns to station
- Matches Authorization Key #1 (BLUE + THICK) → Button 1 (solid blue button)
- Matches Authorization Key #2 (YELLOW + THIN) → Button 7 (flashing yellow button)
- Matches Authorization Key #3 (GREEN + THICK) → Button 4 (solid green button)
- Matches Authorization Key #4 (RED + THICK) → Button 5 (solid red button)
- Matches Authorization Key #5 (SILVER + THIN) → Button 8 (flashing silver button)
- Presses sequence: 1 → 7 → 4 → 5 → 8
- Station confirms: "PHASE 1 COMPLETE!"
Phase 2: The Memory Test
- Station prompts: "ROUND 1: Watch carefully..."
- Buttons light up temporarily in sequence: 2 → 6 → 5 → 3 (then go dark)
- Player repeats (buttons light when pressed): 2 → 6 → 5 → 3
- Correct! "ROUND 2: Watch carefully..."
- Buttons light up temporarily: 8 → 1 → 4 → 7 → 2 (NEW sequence, then go dark)
- Player repeats: 8 → 1 → 4 → 7 → 2
- Correct! "ROUND 3: Watch carefully..."
- Buttons light up temporarily: 3 → 5 → 1 → 8 → 6 → 4 (NEW sequence, then go dark)
- Player repeats: 3 → 5 → 1 → 8 → 6 → 4
- Correct! "ROUND 4: Watch carefully..."
- Buttons light up temporarily: 7 → 4 → 2 → 6 → 3 → 1 → 8 (NEW sequence, then go dark)
- Player repeats: 7 → 4 → 2 → 6 → 3 → 1 → 8
- SUCCESS! Candy cane tube lights up green!
Design Notes
Why this works for Expert:
- Dense search area - All 5 objects in ONE cluttered power plant room (harder than Advanced Systems' multi-room spread)
- Visual discrimination - Must identify BOTH color AND stripe pattern (thick vs thin)
- Pattern-to-button mapping - THICK stripes = solid button, THIN stripes = flashing button
- Observation challenge - Small candy canes with subtle stripe differences hidden in industrial power plant decor with lots of visual noise
- Independent memory sequences - 4 rounds (4 → 5 → 6 → 7 buttons), each a NEW pattern to memorize
- Button position memory - Phase 2 tests spatial memory (which button by position, not just color)
- Dual challenge types - Observation/search skills (Phase 1) + Memory skills (Phase 2)
- 27 total presses - Significantly longer than other difficulties (Primary=3, Secondary=4, Advanced=5)
- Adult difficulty - Requires focus, attention to detail, short-term memory, spatial awareness
- Retry safety - Failed memory rounds retry that round only (not full reset)
Target Audience: Adults and serious puzzle enthusiasts
Estimated Time: 10-18 minutes
- Phase 1: 4-8 minutes (searching power plant room)
- Phase 2: 6-10 minutes (four independent memory rounds with potential retries)
Room Infrastructure Required
Candy Cane Power Plant Room needs:
- 5 small candy cane decorations (4-6 inches each)
- Each with distinct color + stripe pattern combination:
- BLUE with thick white stripes (Authorization Key #1)
- YELLOW with thin white stripes (Authorization Key #2)
- GREEN with thick white stripes (Authorization Key #3)
- RED with thick white stripes (Authorization Key #4)
- SILVER with thin white stripes (Authorization Key #5)
- Each tagged with "Authorization Key #1" through "Authorization Key #5"
- Hidden in locations specified above
- Should be tucked but not completely concealed
- Durable for 30 shows
Candy Cane Specifications:
- Small decorative candy canes (4-6 inches)
- Clearly identifiable stripe patterns (thick vs thin)
- Bold colors (RED, GREEN, BLUE, YELLOW, SILVER)
- Tags with "Authorization Key #1" etc. attached securely
- Materials: Plastic/resin (not edible, durable)
Last Updated: November 21, 2025