Lost… Again
A puzzle by (and about) Janice
Author’s notes: Many years ago, in 2007 to be precise, I created a puzzle called Lost, as a bit of fun. I had intended to update it sometime, but then I thought, why not make a sequel? And why not hide it? In fact, why not hide clues in it to things that I might post in the future? So, here is the sequel to Lost. It’s kind of a maze… or a quiz… or a quiz-maze. Well, anyway, it’s a puzzle. Read the text. Click on the best answer and see what happens. Or, get the answers wrong on purpose; it’s more fun. You don’t really need to go right back to the start if you reach a point which suggests so; just use the ‘Back’ button on your browser to return to the previous question. I’m sure you’ll work it out. :)
Please note: Trixie Belden is a registered trademark of Random House Publishing. This site is in no way associated with Random House and no profit is being made from these pages.
Honey stopped short and let out a deep sigh. “We’re lost again, aren’t we?”
“No, I’m sure this is the right way,” Trixie insisted. “It’s just around this corner.”
The two girls were supposed to be helping with a charity fundraiser, but instead were wandering the halls of Honey’s father’s company at night. About half an hour ago, they had volunteered to pick up some supplies from an office on another floor… which had led to an encounter with a strange, old lady, dressed as a cleaner. She had told them about a place on the internet called ‘Jix’ where she had read their adventures. Working through the authors’ page, she had gotten up to ‘J’. The old lady had quizzed them on the works of the author she had read most recently and would not let them leave until they got six questions right.
Honey stood still and watched as Trixie approached the corner – and nearly collided with the same old lady as she rounded it from the other direction.
“Still not found the right place, dearie?” she asked, grasping Trixie by the elbow. “Answer six more of my questions correctly and I’ll take you right there.”
“No, thanks,” Trixie answered. “I’m sure we can find it ourselves.”
“Speak for yourself,” Honey contradicted. “What’s the first question?”
1. Way back in 2007, Janice only had two universes. How many does she have in early 2022, not counting stand-alone stories
(A) About five (B) Probably twelve (C) She can’t remember
2. In the unpublished story whose working title is “story with Aunt Hepzibah”, what did Aunt Hepzibah help to conceal?
Trixie’s eyes narrowed. “If it’s unpublished, how do you even know?”
“I have my sources,” the old woman replied. “Now, answer the question.”
(A) Tax fraud (B) An inappropriate statue with exaggerated reproductive organs (C) The age and identity of the attractive jogger
3. In Reality Displaced, are the Bob-Whites the only ones with powers?
4. Which stand-alone story secretly belongs in one of the other universes?
(A) The Andrew/Diana romance, Blackthorn and Celandine (B) The fairy AU ending to Volcanic Eruptions (C) The story of Regan and Dan’s vampire-hunting, Moonlight and Roses
5.
“You have a point, but that doesn’t answer the question,” the old lady told them.
6. Who is the most likely of the Bob-White girls to marry Dan in Reality Disproved?
“I’m not sure what I want the answer to be,” Honey admitted. “I think I like my reality how it is.”
(A) Trixie (B) Honey (C) Diana
7. In the long-delayed sequel to A Time and A Season, which couple moves out of the share-house?
“The future? Again?” Trixie shook her head. “Do we look like fortune tellers or something?”
(A) Honey and Dan (B) Brian and Liv (C) Mart and Diana
8.
“Ugh,” Honey groaned. “That couldn’t possibly be right, could it?”
The old woman only shook her head.
9. Why are all of the Summer Secrets stories set in summer?
(A) Because the name says so (B) Because there is no snow in summer (C) Because Winter Secrets didn’t have the same ring to it
10. Will there ever be an answer to the question of why Dan pushed Honey down the laundry chute in the abandoned mental hospital in Dark Places?
(A) Yes, in the upcoming story Dark Receptacles: The Secret of the Laundry Chute (B) Yes, in the upcoming story Dark Platitudes: Conundrum (C) No, Janice just wants to torture both of them, without explaining why
11.
“Now, what made you say that?” the woman asked. “You’re going to have to try a lot harder if you want to find where you’re going.”
Trixie and Honey both groaned.
12. In the back-story to The Long Way Home, what will be revealed about Jim’s great-uncle when the story Chasing Horus continues?
“Do we even want to know this?” Honey wondered.
Trixie shook her head. “I don’t think we do!”
(A) He killed someone in Egypt and hid the body in the desert (B) He actually had another heir, but disowned him in favour of Jim (C) It was all just a dream and nothing happened in Egypt
13.
“That was nearly right, wasn’t it?” Trixie asked.
The old lady sighed. “Not even close.”
14.
“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” the old woman asked, taking hold of Honey’s arm and gently leading her along the corridor. “You know a lot more than you thought you did.”
They rounded the corner that Trixie had said would bring them to their destination and Mrs. Henderson’s office came into view.
“Just look at this!” Trixie demanded of Honey. “If you’d listened to me, we wouldn’t have had to answer all those questions. We were nearly here the whole time.”
“Oh, but I think you’ve learned some important lessons along the way,” the old woman told her.
“Yes, like not to get lost in this building at night,” Trixie grumbled.
“Thank you for your help, again,” Honey murmured. “And thank you for the information, too.”
The old lady’s cackling laugh echoed down the hallway as she walked away.
The End
Notes on specific questions (links go to that question; use your browser’s Back button to return here):
(2) This story does exist, but is unfinished. It contains two of those three things, but that’s not what Hepzibah helps conceal. (4) I’m not sure if any of those actually belong in a universe. They might; you never know. (10) Yes, there will be an answer, but not in a story of either of those titles. (12) The story is called Chasing Anubis, not Horus. No, those aren’t what will be revealed. (15) Um. I know what’s happening. I’ve written it. I just need to fill in the blanks before that. And it depends on your definition of disaster whether that’s where they’re going.
General notes: If the universe or story name is wrong, I probably made the whole thing up.
15. Is Dan and Honey’s relationship in The Long Way Home destined for disaster?
(A) Yes, for a given value of disaster (B) Maybe (C) It hasn’t been decided
16. Which couple in The Wrong Way Home are most likely to break up?
(A) Brian and Di (B) Dan and Trixie (C) Mart and Euphemia
17.
“I’m pretty sure that was actually right,” Trixie tried to tell the lady.
The old lady shook her head. “I’m sure that it wasn’t.”
18. Which universe uses the fictional location of Winter Grove?
(A) The Long Way Here (B) A Thyme and A Season (C) Spring Secrets (D) Dark People (B) Reality Displayed
19.
“Please?” Honey begged. “Couldn’t you just say that we got it right?”
The old woman closed her eyes for a moment. “No, I couldn’t. Because that would be lying.”
20. In which universe is it most likely that Honey will be betrayed by someone she trusts?
“We’re supposed to predict the future, now?” Honey wondered. “And what if I don’t want to be betrayed?”
(A) The Long Way Home (B) A Time and A Season (C) Summer Secrets (D) Dark Places (E) Reality Displaced
21. Will Dan ever know of the existence of his love-child in the Summer Sequels story Enigma Machine?
(A) Yes, and he will marry Honey so they can be a family (B) No, he will leave town before Honey gets up the nerve to tell him
22. If there was going to be a sequel to She Excels at Causing Trouble, would Mr. Lytell be cast as Indiana Jones?
(A) Yes (B) No, he would be Darth Maul