A series of four 1000-piece Lost Mystery of the Island jigsaw puzzles have been created by TDC Games: The Hatch, The Others, The Numbers, and Before the Crash. The first two were released in July 2006, the third in August 2006, and the fourth in February of 2007.
Box for Jigsaw Puzzle #1
Secret writing on back side[]
The website proclaims that the puzzles reveal secrets, and the boxes come with a Spoiler Warning.
When completed, they each have glow-in-the-dark secret images on the reverse side of the puzzles, including a complete blast door map image (same as that shown on the show and Season 2 DVD, but with a little more clarity for areas blocked by the door).
Codes
Along the borders, there are several mysterious number codes, some of which are preceded by the letter 'c', also in glow-in-the-dark ink. In February of 2007, there was a clue in French on the back of Puzzle #4, which confirmed the theory that the codes do refer to chapter and verse (see below).
Images of the glow-in-the-dark backs of all 4 puzzles, pieced together
The cipher on the back of the box is an Ottendorf cipher, and refers to the "turn of the screw." The first numbers after the "C" correspond to chapters of The Turn of the Screw (a Lost literary reference found in the Swan). The second number after the slash (/) corresponds to a paragraph (first letter). In the case of numbers after a plus (+), count that many letters over from the first letter.
For example:
| “ |
C14/12+3 |
” |
Refers to:
- Chapter 14
- 12th paragraph
- 3rd letter from the first (4th letter from the start of the paragraph)
- 12th paragraph
| “ |
[TRANSLATIONS OF CODE ARE GIVEN WITHIN BRACKETS] |
” |
For the completely decoded messages in order, scroll to the bottom of this article.
* For the chronicle of how the puzzle code was broken, see discussion page.
Jigsaw pattern #1: The Hatch[]
Image of completed Hatch puzzle
Images (front)[]
- See bottom gallery for more close-ups
- Edges:
- Top left: Left montage
- Top right: Right montage
- Far left: Countdown timer showing the hieroglyphs ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
- Far right: Montage: Desmond's vaccine vial ("Man of Science, Man of Faith"), blast door edge, Geronimo Jackson album cover
- Bottom left: Michael after killing Ana Lucia and Libby ("Two for the Road")
- Far left: Montage: Desmond's wall tallies, the Orientation Film case ("Orientation"), Dr. Marvin Candle in images on the film.
- Outside ring, starting at top and going clockwise:
- Countdown timer showing 108:00
- Charlie looking through records
- computer room
- Desmond holding Locke at gunpoint to enter the Numbers ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
- Desmond's mural
- The Swan just before destruction ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
- Food in the storage room
- The underside of the Hatch door showing "QUARANTINE"
- Inner ring:
- Floodlight pouring out of the Hatch after Kate went down ("Adrift")
- John and Jack looking down the freshly-blown hatch ("Exodus, Part 2")
- The Turn of the Screw book on the bookshelf ("Orientation")
- The Joshua Tree print painting on the wall
- The EXECUTE button on computer
- John with Ben in the gun closet
- Someone making scribbles in a book
- Desmond holding a gun, turning up the stereo ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
- Center:
Map (back)[]
Image of glow-in-the-dark section on the back of puzzle #1
- The back of the puzzle has the upper right part of the blast door map that Locke couldn't see, printed in glow-in-the-dark ink that cannot be seen in regular light.
| “ |
Arrow Station Primary Function: Restocking and staging area for DIHG |
” |
Number codes (back)[]
Three clusters along the top:
| “ |
C12/1+3 C14/8 C21/9 C6/1 C1/5 C7/37 C6/1 C2/5 [PERIODIC] C21/9 C14/8 C18/5 C20/1+1 C12/1+3 C12/6+5 C12/2 C1/7 [RESUPPLY] C7/8 C10/1+1 C8/2 C12/1+3 [DROP] |
” |
| “ |
C10/4 C12/2 C8/2+5 C2/7 C21/9 [ALVAR] C18/3 C7/2 C11/3 C10/8 C8/2 [HANSO] |
” |
| “ |
C14/1 C3/1 C10/4 C9/2 C7/4+3 C1/5 C5/1 C7/37 C7/1 C10/8 C12/6+5 C14/8 C2/7 C1/13 C16/6+9 C9/2 C16/20 C20/1+1 C9/2 C12/2 C14/8 C21/9 C10/4 C8/8 C7/8 C2/5 C16/13 C10/1+1 C10/1+2 C10/4 C12/2 C14/1 C1/2 C9/2 C3/1 C5/1 C3/1+5 C15/1 C20/2 C6/1 C12/2 C14/1+3 [WHAT GOOD IS PEANUT BUTTER AND CEREAL WITHOUT MILK] |
” |
Along the right side (connects to the right side of #3):
| “ |
+3 C21/9 C1/6 C3/1+5 C12/1+3 [(G)ROUP] |
” |
Jigsaw pattern #2: The Others[]
Image of completed Others puzzle
Images (front)[]
- See bottom gallery for more close-ups
- Background:
- The jungle
- The stone monument at the decoy village
- The statue
- The Pala Ferry sign
- Box insets:
- Various images of the Others and their interactions with Losties in Season 2, including:
Puzzle image (shown left); Dave screencapture (shown right)
Image of glow-in-the-dark section on the back of puzzle #2
- The glue bottle used for the fake beard disguise
- The vaccine
- Peculiarly interesting, one of the images in the left center of this puzzle has a sign that says "Rec Room Rules: Listen Respect Others". This exact sign appears in Dave, from a scene at Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute. No explanation as to why it would appear in a puzzle with images of the Others is given, or what the relationship is, though there is the possibility it is just a play on words for the phrase "respect Others". (see pictures at right)
- Center: The ?
Map (back)[]
- The back of the puzzle has the lower left part of the blast door map printed in glow-in-the-dark ink that cannot be seen in regular light.
Number codes (back)[]
Along the bottom:
| “ |
C2/5 C14/8 C21/9 C16/20 C16/13 C10/1+1 C20/1+1 C3/2 C8/2+5 C3/2+2 C1/13 C9/2 [CERBERUS VENT] |
” |
Along the left side (connects to the left side of #4)
| “ |
C16/13 C20/2 C14/8 C21/9 C7/4+3 C14/8 C11/3 C7/10 C8/3 [EMERGENCY] C3/2+2 C18/5 C2/1+4 C10/4 C12/6+5 C10/1+2 C16/1+6 C21/9 [ESCAPE PR(OTOCOL)] |
” |
Jigsaw pattern #3: The Numbers[]
Images (front)[]
- See bottom gallery for more close-ups
- Background:
Image of completed Numbers puzzle
- The Island and the sea
- Part of a letter inside the message bottle; the Numbers are written on it
- Inside 4:
- Montage of several instances where 4 is brought up, including the statue (# of toes), soccer shirt, Lenny (playing Connect Four), an odometer, vaccine bottle and Drive Shaft billing
- Inside 8:
- Montage of several instances where 8 is brought up, Hurley and the reporter, the Numbers on the Hatch lid and Swan computer, Mega Lotto Jackpot and Scooter man's baseball cap.
- Inside 15:
- Montage of several instances where 15 is brought up, including Henry Gale (original) driver license, soccer girl shirt, Kate's license plate, blast door map, Oceanic ticket, airport clock, Mega Lotto Jackpot ticket, California ID for Emily Annabeth Locke and police cars.
- Inside 16:
- Montage of several instances where 16 is brought up, including Virgin Mary statues, police cars, Eko's fake passport, odometer, Swan computer, soccer girl shirt and backgammon
- Inside 23:
- Montage of several instances where 23 is brought up, including license plate, combination dial to the gun vault, the countdown clock, airport gate signs, Hurley's alarm clock, police cars, soccer girl shirts, car display and mousetrap board
- Inside 42:
- Montage of several instances where 42 is brought up, including crossword, Mega Lotto Jackpot ticket, odometer, blast door map, soccer girl shirt, countdown clock, Penelope's letters and police car
Map (back)[]
Image of glow-in-the-dark section on the back of puzzle #3
- The back of the puzzle has the lower right part of the blast door map printed in glow-in-the-dark ink that cannot be seen in regular light.
Number codes (back)[]
Along the bottom:
| “ |
C12/8 C20/1+2 C7/2 C10/1+1 C10/4 C11/3 C14/2 C17/1 C8/8 C10/1+2 C7/1 C3/4 C2/7 C18/3 C5/1 C7/2 C18/1+5 [QUARANTINE IS A HOAX] |
” |
Along the right side (connects to the right side of #1):
| “ |
C22/1+10 C3/1 C7/2 C10/1+1 C20/2 C10/5 C6/2 C11/3 C1/1 C9/2 C7/1 C10/11 C14/2 C6/1 C13/1+8 C16/13 C3/3 C10/4 C8/1 C2/4 C5/1 C7/4+ [DHARMA INITIATIVE HANSO G(ROUP)] |
” |
Jigsaw pattern #4: Before the Crash[]
UPDATE: As of Feb 8th, 2007, now available online from TDC Games
Images (front)[]
- See bottom gallery for more close-ups
Image of the completed Connections puzzle
- Center:
- Oceanic Airlines logo
- Four corners (clockwise from upper left):
- St. Sebastian badge
Image of the glow-in-the-dark back of Puzzle #4
- Flightline motel sign
- Mega Lotto Jackpot ticket
- Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute sign
- In between:
- Various character connections
Picture of Un Vis Classique on the back
Map and text clue (back)[]
| “ |
Un Vis Classique, Chapitre et Vers* |
” |
* Translates to "A 'Screw' Classic, Chapter and Verse". Note: Un Vis (masculine) means in French, having a bad habbit, a weakness. Une vis (feminine) means in French, a screw. It may have been mistranslated on the puzzle. The official French name for The Turn of the Screw is Le Tour d'écrou.
- As a French speaker, I feel obligated to chime in here: "un vis classique chapitre et vers" translates roughly to "a classic screw chapter and verse". But it's not proper French at all. The thing is, this phrase makes much more sense in English: "chapter and verse" is not an expression used in French. Also, the word "vis" ("a screw", no sexual connotation here) is feminine, but the article that preceeds it ("un") is masculine. The masculine word you alluded to is spelled "vice", the same as in English. Regardless of the poor grammar, the function of this phrase is clear (see cipher explanation at the top of this article)
Number codes (back)[]
Two clusters above the map:
| “ |
C14/2 C18/3 C24/8 C31/9 C3/2+2 C1/1 C10/8 C8/8 C8/2 C3/2 C1/1 C2/1+4 C7/35 C22/3 C16/13 C18/5 C3/4 [THERE IS NO SICKNESS] |
” |
| “ |
C1/13 C16/13 C14/8 C7/8 C20/2 C8/2 C10/1+1 C14/8 C16/7 C7/10 C7/2 C8/8 C7/8 C7/10 C18/3 C3/2+2 C16/13 C3/4 C14/8 [NEED MORE MAC AND CHEESE] |
” |
Along the left side (connects to the left side of #2):
| “ |
C8/2 C14/2 C6/1+3 C2/5 C1/5 C12/2 [(PR)OTOCOL] |
” |
Completed secret messages, decoded[]
These are read from the upper left corner of the map, in a clockwise direction.
| “ |
THERE IS NO SICKNESS NEED MORE MAC AND CHEESE WHAT GOOD IS PEANUT BUTTER AND CEREAL WITHOUT MILK QUARANTINE IS A HOAX CERBERUS VENT EMERGENCY ESCAPE PROTOCOL |
” |
The underlined text (decoded from the corresponding underlined code) corresponds to abbreviations seen on the blast door map notations, which were previously not fully explained. This decoded message clarifies that shorthand.
- P.R.D.
- A.H.
- D.I.H.G.
- C.V.
- E.E.P.
Canonicity[]
Per Gregg Nations, script coordinator for the show, the messages revealed on the map can be considered canon:
| “ |
I'd have to say yes, they can be considered canon. But keep in mind who wrote those coded messages to begin with -- Radzinsky and then Kelvin. What were their states of mind when creating it? And can they really be trusted? --Gregg Nations[1] |
” |
Galleries[]
Jigsaw pattern #1[]
Jigsaw pattern #2[]
Jigsaw pattern #3[]
Jigsaw pattern #4[]
See also[]
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