Objective #10: Who Is Behind It All?

Problem

Who was the mastermind behind the whole KringleCon plan? And, in your emailed answers please explain that plan.

Hints

After solving the ransomware objective, Alabaster provides a hint:

I'm seriously impressed by your security skills. How could I forget that I used Rachmaninoff as my musical password?

Alabaster provides an additional hint to help us transpose the notes:

Really, it's Mozart. And it should be in the key of D, not E.

Solution

To answer this question, we need to get into Santa's vault.

Entering the password we obtained from Alabaster's password database doesn't work directly. The vault lock responds that the tune is good, but we should try again in a different key.

Alabaster mentioned Rachmaninoff in the previous objective, but the notes sound a bit more like Mozart, specifically the Overture to Marriage of Figaro, which is in the key of D Major. Using Alabaster's hint about which key to use, let's transpose the notes and try the following instead: DC#DC#DDC#DEF#EF#GAG#AG#A.

The Piano Lock responds You have unlocked Santa's vault! and we can now proceed into the vault.

Santa was behind the mastermind plan at KringleCon. Once we've completed all of the objectives and enter the vault, Santa explains it all:

You DID IT! You completed the hardest challenge. You see, Hans and the soldiers work for ME. I had to test you. And you passed the test!

You WON! Won what, you ask? Well, the jackpot, my dear! The grand and glorious jackpot!

You see, I finally found you!

I came up with the idea of KringleCon to find someone like you who could help me defend the North Pole against even the craftiest attackers.

That’s why we had so many different challenges this year.

We needed to find someone with skills all across the spectrum.

I asked my friend Hans to play the role of the bad guy to see if you could solve all those challenges and thwart the plot we devised.

And you did!

Oh, and those brutish toy soldiers? They are really just some of my elves in disguise.

See what happens when they take off those hats?

Based on your victory… next year, I’m going to ask for your help in defending my whole operation from evil bad guys.

And welcome to my vault room. Where's my treasure? Well, my treasure is Christmas joy and good will.

You did such a GREAT job! And remember what happened to the people who suddenly got everything they ever wanted?

They lived happily ever after.

Answer: You have unlocked Santa's vault!