FAQ
1. Is this legit?
Yes, this contest is 100% real.
We started Cicada Detroit because we love puzzles and wanted to bring the joy of decoding ciphers, cryptography and hidden messages to Metro Detroit.
It’s been awesome interacting with this community and we can’t wait to award our winners for 2025.
2. I think I solved a puzzle, but the answer I came up with doesn’t seem to work/the link is broke. What should I do?
We get this a lot and 99.9% of the time, you made an error decoding the puzzle or are inputting the URL incorrectly.
If you are extremely confident that something is broken, please send a detailed description of what is going on and a screenshot to [email protected]
3. I decoded a message but i’m not sure where to enter the solution?
If the decoded message isn’t already a URL, chances are likely it’s supposed to go after www.cicadadetroit.com/
For example, if the puzzle was “What is a baby cicada called?” the next puzzle would be found at https://www.cicadadetroit.com/nymph
4. How will I know if someone else has already solved all 42 puzzles?
We will notify all participants on the front page of our site once a winner has been determined and verified.
However, even if someone wins the 1st place prize, you can still compete for the secondary prize of $11,239, which will be divided among the players who complete all 42 puzzles by 12/31/25 at 11:59PM.
5. When do the puzzles start taking place offline?
Offline or “in person” clues are reserved for the back half of the game.
6. What’s up with the hints for sale?
We introduced hints available for purchase to help users who are stumped on a specific puzzle and because it helps to cover some of the operating costs to run this site.
The cost of hints increase as you get further into the game since you are competing for a cash prize and glory. Not all puzzles will have hints for sale.
7. Will buying hints disqualify me from winning a prize?
No. It’s ok to need a little help now and then and those that choose to buy hints are still eligible to win.
8. Can I work with others to solve puzzles/share answers online/ask for help from other players?
No, the game is designed as a single-player experience. Sharing answers with others is against the contest rules and will result in disqualification.
Additionally, the 2nd Chance Prize will be divided amongst all the users to solve all puzzles in 2025 so sharing answers will only further divide up the prize or help someone else get the first place prize before you. Please read our Terms of Service to see all contest rules.
9. What should I do if I find a damaged or missing physical clue?
We can’t promise to fix clues within a certain timeframe due to damage or vandalism but please report any issues (with pictures please, if possible) to us at [email protected] and we’ll work to get the puzzles fixed ASAP.
10. I have a question that wasn’t covered here. Where do I ask?
Please e-mail us with any issues, questions, comments, concerns, love letters, etc at [email protected]