By Teeuwynn Woodruff and Mike Selinker of Lone Shark Games
In the May issue of Wired, there's a package of stories on Lost __ (on page 88 in the magazine, available here on the site)__ reminisces about some of our favorite Easter eggs from the show. But there were more Easter eggs to collect in the section. Namely, a few hidden phrases given to us by the creators of Lost. The importance of those phrases will become clear as the show nears its finale.
Did you find them? Do you know what two messages the Island [or Jacob or the Smoke Monster or the island or perhaps the polar bear] decided to share with us in the most cryptic manner imaginable? Below we will share these two secrets of the Island, and where they were hidden.
__Solution »The first critical clue to two mysterious phrases hidden in a photo of Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cruse in the Lost writer's room. (It's on page 88 and 89 __in the magazine, and available here on the site.) On the board, next to writer Damon Lindelof’s head, are two number strings: (3 3’2 4 2) and (3 5 2 3 6 2 6 3 6 6). These number strings give away the length and formatting of the two phrases.
__Phrase One: __
Let’s deal with the shorter phrase first. The writer’s room’s enumeration (3 3’2 4 2) tells us we are looking for a four word phrase whose second word has an apostrophe. Scrolling through the section, a sharp-eyed reader capable of translating from Island-ese to English might have noticed some intriguing extraneous details. They're in the pullquotes from admirers of Lost, which are scattered through the package.
Looking closer, you can see that certain graphic elements point to specific letters of each quote.
In Tim Kring’s quote (on page 95 in the magazine and here on wired.com__)__, a small arrow under the first line points to the “n” in audience, the “o” in to, and to the “w” in sprawling on the second line. Together, these letters spell NOW, our first answer word.
Finding the arrows in the quotes of Dave Howe (YOU’RE) and Zack Snyder (LIKE ME), we get the rest of the first phrase. Together, the elements combine to make our first answer phrase from the white board: “Now you’re like me.”
The meaning of this phrase is clear to longtime viewers of Lost. In a nutshell, it signifies that—psyche! Did you really think we were going to tell? That wouldn't be sporting.
Phrase Two:
The second phrase is considerably longer than the first: (3 5 2 3 6 2 6 3 6 6). The solution is also more far more inscrutable—like, as inscrutable as Farraday's tie. The first thing we need to solve this phrase is the oddly misspelled Dharma logo (on page 93 in the magazine, or here on wired.com).
There are several elements on this “Dharma dial” critically important to figuring out our phrase. You may have already cursed the typo gods for the misspelling of the company name that is plastered everywhere on the island, but by now you must realize that that’s no typo in the word “DHAMAR.” The logo also contains a lot of numbers filling up the I Ching slots on the exterior bands of the logo. Finally, the lighthouse graphic in the center of the image is topped with a Roman numeral XII.
Let’s deal with the numbers filling up the slots first. These numbers are ones* Lost *fans have seen before. They correspond to the numbers on the wheel at Jacob’s lighthouse (referenced by the lighthouse at the center of the dial). To begin, take the numbers in the slots, starting at the topmost number and moving clockwise one cell at a time around the outer band. Compare these numbers to the ones on the lighthouse wheel (as described on the Lostpedia wiki.)
The first number, “31,” refers to “Toms,” the person at 31 on the lighthouse wheel. The next number, clockwise, is “103.” On the lighthouse wheel person 103 is Horsman. As we continue working clockwise and inwards around the wheel and matching names, a pattern forms.
1. __T__oms (31)
2. __H__orsman (103)
3. __E__ipons (110)
4. __H__oward (28)
5. __E__ipons (110)
6. __A__usten (51)
7. __R__eyes (8)
8. __T__homson (107)
9. __O__wens (125)
10. __F__ord (15)
11. __T__orres (37)
12. __H__orton (98)
13. __E__ipons (110)
14. __I__nman (62)
15. __S__hephard (23)
16. __L__ocke (4)
17. __A__lmeida (119)
18. __N__ielson (121)
19. __D__awson (124)
20. __I__nman (62)
21. __S__tanhope (48)
22. __B__ozarth (26)
23. __E__ipons (110)
24. __Y__amada (114)
25. __O__larti (54)
26. __N__guyen (19)
27. __D__avies (61)
28. __T__oms (31)
29. __H__oward (28)
30. __E__ipons (110)
31. __B__ardfield (100)
32. __A__usten (51)
33. __M__oorhead (22)
34. __B__arnes (43)
35. __O__wens (125)
36. __O__larti (54)
The first letters of each name string together to make the phrase: “The heart of the island is beyond the bamboo…”
Looking back to our phrase enumeration in the white board photo, we still need a final six letter word. Examining the center of our misspelled Dharma dial, we find the Roman numeral XII or “12.” On the lighthouse wheel, we see that person 12 is named “Foster.” Using the misspelling pattern in the word DHAMAR—that is, 1st letter, then 2nd letter, then 6th letter, then 5th letter, then 3rd letter, then 4th letter—we can rearrange FOSTER to make the word “forest” – our final word.
This completes the puzzle and gives us the phrase “The heart of the island is beyond the bamboo forest.” Obviously, this phrase solves every riddle the island has ever given us, laying bare all its secrets! Or not. You’ll have to see for yourself.
