SPOILER ALERT. This section contains solutions.

What follows are the official rules to MAZE and how to win the $10,000 prize money, which was only active after the inception of the book, and for a few years more, at most. A number of individuals shared the prize after submitting parts of puzzles successfully, however the central riddles were never completely cracked by one person. Henry Holt, the publisher, was compelled to release clues and the solutions later in time…

Contest Page in First Edition

There are forty-five rooms in the Maze and each room is numbered. As outlined in the directions, by selecting the correct door in each room, it is possible to go from room #1 to room #45 and back to room #1 in only sixteen steps. Hidden in room #45 is a riddle. The answer to that riddle is concealed somewhere along the shortest path through the Maze.

TO ENTER THE CONTEST, just print your name, address, and zip code on a plain piece of paper and answer the following three questions:

1. 1. Which sixteen rooms comprise the shortest path from room #1 to room #45 and back to room #1? Room numbers must be given in the order in which you enter the rooms. (Entering room #1 at the start is not considered to be the first step.) For separation, each room number must be preceded by the symbol #.
2. What is the riddle found in room #45, stated exactly as indicated by the clues in the book?
3. What is the answer to the riddle, stated exactly as indicated by the clues in the book?

Answer all three questions in the order given. Mail your entry, plus 50¢ processing fee (cash, check, or money order) to: MAZE, P.O. Box 542, Lowell, IN 46399. Enter as often as you wish but each entry must be mailed in a separate envelope and must be accompanied by the 50¢ processing fee.

Entries for each phase of the contest will be reviewed by VENTURA ASSOCIATES, INC., an independent judging organization whose decisions shall be final on all matters relating to the contest. The initial contest ending date is September 1, 1986.

If no completely correct solution has been received by September 1, 1986, a clue(s) will be made available and the contest will be extended for six months to March 1, 1987. Only entries received between September 2, 1986 and March 1, 1987 will be reviewed for correct answers.

If no completely correct solution has been received by March 1, 1987, a second additional clue(s) will be made available and the contest will extend for a final six months to September 1, 1987. Only entries received between March 2, 1987 and September 1, 1987 will be reviewed for the correct answers. If no totally correct answer is received, the prize will be awarded to the entrant(s) who submit the most nearly correct answers based on the following point system: Question 1.–16 points, Question 2.–25 points, Question 3.–50 points, Total–91 points.

If more than one winning entry is received, prize money will be divided equally among all winners. Winner will be notified by mail and may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and release and winner’s name and likeness may be used for publicity purposes without additional compensation. Prize is non-transferable and no substitutions will be allowed. Taxes are the responsibility of the winner. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply and all entries become the property of Holt, Rinehart, and Winston and will not be returned. Contest void where prohibited.

FOR A COPY OF THE ANSWERS OR ADDITIONAL CLUES IF NO CORRECT ANSWER HAS YET BEEN RECEIVED, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope and 25¢ for handling to MAZE Solution/Clues, P.O. Box 607, Lowell, IN 46399, any time during the contest, but no later than November 1, 1987. Requests sent to this P.O. Box will be fulfilled at the end of each of the contest cycles.

For the name of the contest winner, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: MAZE Winner, P.O. Box 741, Lowell, IN 46399 no later than November 1, 1987.

Maze Contest First Clue

Dear Maze Contestant:

We would like to inform you that the Maze Contest has been extended to March 1, 1987. Since no correct answers to all three questions were submitted, you may still enter! To help you out, a clue(s) has been made available below:

Three things should be thrown out;
Three things come in pairs,
You’ll find two people in the room;
They must sit in one chair.

Remember, according to the official rules, only entries received between September 2, 1986, and March 1, 1987 will now be eligible to win. So, study the clue and submit your winning solutions before March 1, 1987 to P.O. Box 542, Lowell, IN 46399.

Enter as often as you wish but each entry must be mailed in a seperate envelope, and must be accompanied by the 50c processing fee. (All official rules still apply.)

Good luck!

Maze Contest Second Clue

Dear Maze Contestant:

We would like to inform you that the Maze Contest has been extended one last time to September 1, 1987. Since no correct answers to all three questions were submitted, you may still enter! To help you out, a second clue(s) has been made available below:

Each of the additional clues below applies to one word of the riddle to be found in room #45 of MAZE:

1. I’ll tip my hat if the two of you can solve this.
2. You can get into these two shoes only if you don’t go anywhere.
3. You will find two names on the table, and they go together like doughnut and hole.
4. You must choose between two pictures.
5. There are no two ways you can read this sign.
6. You can see that another two pictures demonstrate their own kind of symmetry.

Remember, according to the official rules, only entries received between March 2, 1987 and September 1, 1987 will now be eligible to win. So, study the clue and submit your winning solutions before September 1, 1987 to: MAZE CONTEST, P.O. Box 542, Lowell, IN 46399.

Enter as often as you wish but each entry must be mailed in a separate envelope, and must be accompanied by the 50 cent processing fee. (All official rules still apply.)
Good luck!

MJB 200 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10016, 212-889-0707

Maze Contest Solution