Which clue is Witch? or Red Herring Soup - Room 11

The answer is in the text, as follows:

First, examine the number of doubles (famously used in the Raven poem by E.A.Poe)
"room...doors...still....room....doors...interrupt....crossing...gratefully...room...all"
10 doubles

Next, look for hidden numbers in the text, as follows:
"before" (b-4 when pronounced)
4

Now, try to add or multiply the two numbers.
10 X 4 = 40 Success!

(look for often, it would, net, for, etc. as wll as divided lines inter-rupted, would still count as a double.)
Now, we will apply this to the path. At times it is altered slightly.)

Here is the picture with hidden number highlighted 

Note: This page is a double clue! How? The sign itself!
Same Rule: 2 doubles (assistance and bell) and the word/number "for" = 2 + 4 = 24.

Room 16 appears to say "8" which is not an option, unless there is a hidden 8 on the, yes, on the trap door!

What is that machine?

Prologue

[Sorry, fans. Despite the fact that White Raven plagiarized all of his photos from Manson's copyright, I was asked not to re-publish his pictures. I have removed anything from his site until I can download a free version that I was given permission to use. It is what it is. In other words, White Raven is a vehement liar who is only jealous that I solved the path first (and in only two days!). Help others find my site by posting links. Thanks]


The inevitable 'Red Herring' that few identify correctly. It isn't merely a false clue. a red herring is a series of accurate clues followed by a false clue. (I'll skip the long tale about smoked herring and training hunting dogs. Wiki it if you don't know the history.) Manson gives us a fairly good guide for most of the way. But, be alert to changes in the maze. (Matrix) Even in Inception, the little tales, like dead end of short films, were lessons in what can be done or undone in the Maze/Dream World. There were three lessons for Ari, if you recall, who played Ariadne, the assistant to Theseus in his entrance and escape from the Minotaur's Labyrinth.

The three things you should most know about Maze when trying to comprehend it, is (drumroll please)
1. Abecendary - Not in order mind you, but an alphabet none-the-less. We start out with the ancient alphabet right on page one, visually. Some letters are very obvious, some very discreet. [For example, almost everyone seems to have missed the 'W' on page 22. The connecting clue is H2O or Water.]
2. Steganography, which includes Cryptography or Crytonomy (Poe's word for it), the study and use of secret messaging and hidden meanings. Poe was a master at deciphering coded messages and wrote about it, too.
3. Hermeneutic ( or a Hermeneutic Circle ) A subject open to different interpretations. Thus, if you know very little about Poe, only perhaps the most obvious clue of the scene from 'The Cask of Amontillado' will be discovered. While some non-intended references may be brought in by a reader's determination and imagination. (My list of songs is basically all of my own subjectivity. I highly doubt Mr. Manson foresaw all such implications.) Was the Sphinx a reference to Poe's story by the same name? Or a mere coincidence?

I found this online (sounds like a clue from Manson):

1.) I'll tip my hat if the two of you can solve this                                                                                            

 2.) You can get into these two shoes only if you don't go anywhere.                      

3.) You will find two names on the table, and they go together like doughnut and hole.

 4.) You must choose between two pictures. 

5.) There are no two ways you can read this sign                                                                                                

6.)You can see that another two pictures demonstrate their own kind of symmetry."

Look carefully at the entrance:

Off the Beaten Path

This is a list of all various subjects pertaining to the Maze:
Not in any particular order: Links are coming soon.

1. Atlas -
2. Pallas - http://pallasthemuse.blogspot.com/2014/07/pallas.html
3. The Party/Carnival -
4. Masons -
5. Songs -
6. William Shakespeare -
7. That darn 'Umbrella'.  -

8. Page 27
Observations:
Words Cat (picture), Bat, Slat (wood pieces) : Reminds me of Vat on another page.

"fata viam invenient" or "Fate will find a way" or " The Fates will find a way"
The phrase fata viam invenient is from Vergil's Aeneid, Book 4.
Where, once again, we are led to Pallas -  Son of Evander, whom Evander entrusts to Aeneas’s care and tutelage. Pallas eventually dies in battle at the hands of Turnus, causing Aeneas and Evander great grief. To avenge Pallas’s death, Aeneas finally slays Turnus, dismissing an initial impulse to spare him.
Pallas tying in with Poe, of course.
It also features Neptune (remind you of another page with a trident, as well as the boat below?)

A better view of the path of the Schwanberg labyrinth. This Roman labyrinth, was the first constructed with two meanders, dates from around 250 AD and is found on a circular mosaic labyrinth in Avenches (Aventicum) in Switzerland. (Source: Hermann Kern, Labyrinthe, 1982, p. 120)

The Path and a Riddle

Is there a riddle along the path. There must be. I went through 45 rooms and not a single bathroom! There is a series of letters formed from the second half of the path, as follows:

From Room 45's U to our exit at one, there are a series of letters. Add them up and rearrange them and it will spell a phrase or riddle. (This seems much more probable than other 'solutions' offered where several letters are leftover and the whole effort was merely to spell something simple, like 'shoulders'. Shoulders, though has two meanings, only one of which is known by most. The other relates to the final riddle.)

A list of each room here:

 45) M and U (The 'W' can be either an M or a W.)

23) No letter, tricky.

8) S, E

12 C (top of ladder), D, U

39 R, O

4 E

15 C (the moon), E (the shadow on the wall)

37 C (The side of the table), O (the shadow of the net)

20 S,S

It wasn't long to rearrange as:" SUCCESS! DO U C MORE?"

The Path:Step 1 - Room 1

One thing I noticed is that the wording is odd. I saw the word 'like' and the Greek lettering. I saw the tripod and the pictures of the Apple, Bottle, Cup, and Drum.

Here is my original typed thoughts: http://mazebymanson.blogspot.com/2014/06/maze-1-hells-bells.html

Here is a clear sample of following the 'clue' to the next room. Example given is room # 40.
http://mazebymanson.blogspot.com/2014/07/which-clue-is-witch-or-red-herring-soup.html

(Another example is room 44 which has 6 doubles and two doors 21 and 18. Only 18 can be divided by 6, so it is the correct door. You have to make it "fit" as the picture on 8 stipulates.)

There are a lot of similar words in The Raven by Poe.
I see 13 of these 'double' words: Hall, Looked, Carefully, Doors, Choose, Helpfully, Doors, Door, Too, Seen, Peering, Gloom Choose.
Also, note the words that sound like numbers: 'To', 'One', 'To', 'One', 'To', 'Too' 'To', 'One' inTo'
Hmmm 13 and six times Two is heard. 13 X 2 = 26.
This solution to the path is most prevalent in the second half from 45 to 1.

F-A-B-L-E = 6 + 1 + 2 + 12 + 5 = 26!
M-A-Z-E = 13 + 1 + 26 + 5 = 45!

The Path: Step 2 - Room 26

Room 26 has 5 double letter words in the text.
It also contains the words: 'four', 'not enough' or 'T EN', 'to', inTENtions', 'inTENtions', 'to', 'one', 'to'.
(I plan it = I planet)
Hmm, ten, ten, ten. That makes thirty for me.
I take room 30. Let's go!

The Path: Step 3 - Room 30

This room has 9 doubles. Also, the words: 'one', 'to',  'one', 'to' and 'for.'
The picture sign of "if no eve" spells one five.
I only saw 8 doubles and added 8 to 34 to get 42.
'to' times 'for' is 8. Give me a better clou! (french, explained in Poe part 2)
Let's try room 42.

The Path: Step 4 - Room 42

First, some immediate visuals.
The room features four pairs, scissors, shakers, pear, and pair of dice.
There are five boots.
The text has 9 double letter words, starting with room.
Also the words 'three', 'one', three', 'to', 'to', 'one'.
Hmm, two pairs is 2 X 2 = 4, since neither 8 nor 12 exist as choices.
Wait, also 9 (doubles) - 5 (boots) = 4
Too impatient to wait, Let's see room 4.

The Path: Step 5 - Room 4

Room 4 has 15 doubles. Hmmm and the words 'before' and 'to' .
I noticed regarding room 15 that 44-15=29. But, then 44-29 = 15.
Where to go? I'm totally guessing and taking 15.
If 15 is wrong. I will come back and choose 29.
(edit: 15 was not correct it seems)
Onto room 29.

The Path: Step 6 - Room 29

Room 29 has 12 doubles and the word to or two 5 times.
12 X 2 = 24, no. 12 + 5 = 17. Also, 29-12 = 17.
I saw this upside down right away.
If he hid it, it must be the correct room.
It feels like a coffin in here, this math riddle!
(For those unfamiliar with a math riddle, they are called coffins. They will kill you.)
Then, onward to room 17.

The Path; Step 7 - Room 17

This room has 6 doubles and 9 urns.
6 plus 9 = 17. Wait that's where I'm at.
Oh, ignore my advice. Does this mean he will now mislead us?
I know, there is a to (2) and a one (1) and a four in Amphorae.
4 and 6 is 46 minus 2 plus 1 = 45.
Complicated. Some may just take 6 but he tells us not to accept the obvious.
The glory of room 45 awaits.
What secrets will it hold?

The Path: Step 8 - Room 45

Room 45 is an excellent starting point. It was given to us as a goal from the start and the goal from here to return. Well, that's another discussion. What do we find here?

There are 12 doubles: "room, really, riddle, wall, all, see, hidden, room, room, looked, looked, look."
We find number words: 'to' 'one' 'for'.
Hmm, I took it as 12 times 2 = 24. 23 is the closest to 24.
Let's try room 23.

EDIT: Oh, 2, 1, 4 is 2 X 14 = 28. Too tricky for me.
It's ok as you see in the next step, I was led to 28 without at first realizing 28 was in room 45.

The riddle of this room (not really a riddle, just a quote)
"Without God, the world would be a maze without a clue."

The Path: Step 8B - Room 28

Room 28. Deja vu if you were working backwards to 45.
13 doubles and the words: 'to' , 'too', 'to' 'to' before' 'one'.
Hmm, 13 X 2 = 26. Not here. But 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8.
Let's try room 8. Not here either. Wait, 23 is here and was on page 45.
Onto 23.

The Path: Step 9 Room 23 or How I Escaped the First Time

Room 23 has 17 doubles and the words 'three', 'to', two'. 'to'.
Hmm, 3 'two's. Therefore, 17 times 2 = 34. No. 3+2+2+2=9
Thus, 28 was redundant, maybe a mistake?
The time is  11:05 or 1:55.
Oh, 17 - 9 = 8. (17 + 9 = 26 Nope.)
Let's try room 8.

The Path: Step 10 - Room 8

Room 8 has some twos: 2 'E', 2 bowls, 2 umbrellas, and a tutu.
The text has 'to' and 'to'. But also preceeded by a 'one'.
Since there is no 4 (future room?) Let's try one and two or 12.
Onto room 12.
Also 'pin' plus 'Du' from the last room is 'Dupin', Poe's favorite detective. Hmm.

The Path: Step 11 - Room 12

Room 12 has 13 doubles. The words 'to', 'to', and 'to'. or 3 'to's.
13 times 3 = 39.
The pictures point to 2 (2 fingers), The right has 2 and 1 finger (21) and the left has 'ate' (8).
Thus, we eliminate those three rooms.
Let's go to room 39.

The Path: Step 12 - Room 39

Room 39 has a huge 15 doubles. The appearing words are 'one', 'one', 'to', and 'to',
I liked the term "cellar" as in Green's "cellar door." Reminds me of the sound on "nevermore."
I noticed 2 X 2 = 4 and 4 X 12 - 11 = 39. So, this is the room.
But, 'to' X 'to' = 4. Room 4 is our answer.
Onto room 4, again.
Note there are 15 wine bottles. (Hmm, a future room?)
Also, the left side of the wine rack with one bottle sticking out looks like another false door.
For more on false doors see : Future LINK

The Path: Step 13 - Room 4

Room 4 has a whopping 15 doubles. The words are 'before' , 'one', and 'to'.
So 15 should be our room. Also, 44 - 29 = 15.
On to room 15.

The Path Step 14 - Room 15

Room 15 has 10 doubles. The words 'three' and 'one'.
10 X 3 = 30
But, it also has the word three, so perhaps he is telling us, neither room 3 nor 30.
Should we take 37?

The Path: Step 15 Room 37

The text on room 37 has 10 doubles and the words 'one' 'ney'/ten, and ten'
One times 10+10 or 20 = 20.
On to room 20.

The Path: Step 16 - Room 20

It doesn't take any effort to go to room 1 here, does it?
I'll let you play with the text.
Maybe you can still make a u-turn and get to 24.
I was a bit obsessed with 24 at first.

The Path : Step 17 Room 1

Well, this is too obvious. You left right after you got there. Strange.  Are you sure you know why you were here?

Note above 20 birds, 40 eyes. four birds still missing.
Could that be Raven, the guide and the birds on 21,32, and 44?
Notice the first two words are "a place" or 'palace'.
It also shows 40 eyes, but the text says "dozens of eyes" or 48 eyes, thus 24 birds.
Catching on?
Let's go to another option path from 45: Future Link 

I LOVE PIE
After all, we started with Pi, remember.

The Maze of Mystery [Poe part I]

                                              "I wrote down the lore of an
                                               aged opera. The poem long
                                               ago reaped its reward, a lavish
                                               ego parade. The most favorite
                                               page, adored by many, was the
                                               very last page where I wrote..."
      - Annette Graham on her operatic poem, "L'homme" (The Man) circa 1945.

   The maze inescapably surrounds Poe. His command of English, as well as other languages, was above us all. I owe much of my vocabulary to him.Shall we list every Poe reference here? Not enough room, I'm afraid.

    Edgar Allan Poe invented the first true mystery, followed by two more tales using the same detective Dupin. 'Murders in the Rue Morge', The Mystery of Marie Roget', and 'The Purloined Letter'. Poe's labyrinth path was followed by Juan Borges, Chris Nolan, and Christopher Manson (on release of his third maze.) Borges wrote 'The Garden ofForking Paths', 'Death and the Compass' (a title from Poe), and 'I.H.B. Dead in his Labyrinth'. Nolan's three mysteries are: 'Following', 'Memento', and 'Inception'(also the trilogy of the mystery man Batman). Poe wrote about cryptology in 'The Gold Bug' as well as 'A Few Words on Secret Writing'. Nolan showed his version in 'The Prestige' (remember the key word Tesla?). As for Christopher Manson, his trilogy includes Maze as well as, 'The Tales I Wrote / The Rails I Tote', and Labyrinth, his future masterpiece. (I'm a time traveler, so I know what I'm saying.)

   Poe's bird, the most famous of all, is The Raven. Borges wrote of the Phoenix. Nolan had his yellow canaries in The Prestige. Manson has his birds as well. (A white Raven claims one, but for me the Black Raven is on page 24.)

   Suffice to list:
The Black Cat - page 4
The Sphinx - page 3
The Cask of Amontilado - trowel and brick doorway - page 39
Fortunato wears the garment of carnival, the court jester, the joker, motley - page 8, 39, and 29.
Fortunato assumes Montressor to be a Mason. See page Mason link(unfinished)
Barrels of wine - page 39
William Wilson - William - page 45
Gold Bug cypher - page 1
Hop Frog - frog page 41
Appearance of apes (the men looked like monkeys in Hop Frog) page 38(it was a costume party for the king)
Murder in the Rue Morge -smell of apes - page 38
The Bargain Lost - quote: "turned the stomach of Cerberus." text page prologue.
Quotes from Lenore: "Let the bell toll" page 26
                               : "The broken golden bowl" 8
                               :A saintly soul floats on the Stygian River" text page 24
The Bells - page26

More on Poe follows:

You don't have a Clue? [Poe part II]

Poets only  excuse their egotistical nature by saying that
only those excessively possessed by superiority must be
ever compelled to enter the betraying labyrinth of effort.
-  Greek Poet, Telbus of Tripoli.


    Edgar Allan Poe invented the first true mystery, followed by two more tales using the same detective Dupin. 'Murders in the Rue Morge', The Mystery of Marie Roget', and 'The Purloined Letter'. Poe's labyrinth path was followed by Juan Borges, Chris Nolan, and Christopher Manson (on release of his third maze.) Borges wrote 'The Garden ofForking Paths', 'Death and the Compass' (a title from Poe), and 'I.H.B. Dead in his Labyrinth'. Nolan's three mysteries are: 'Following', 'Memento', and 'Inception'(also the trilogy of the mystery man Batman). Poe wrote about cryptology in 'The Gold Bug' as well as 'A Few Words on Secret Writing'. Nolan showed his version of coded writing in 'The Prestige' (remember the key word Tesla?).

   Poe's bird, the most famous of all, is The Raven. Borges wrote of the Phoenix. Nolan had his yellow canaries in The Prestige. Manson has his birds as well. (A white Raven claims one, but for me the Black Ravens are on page 24. There are birds on pages 21,32, and 44 and Magpies in the text of 34; even a scarecrow on page 35. The reader may be one also. Unless...) In the room by room, you may discover a wren, a dove, a coot, and a loon if you have a livid, I mean vivid, imagination.

   Poe's play on words was a term we now use in all mysteries. He gave us a clue. He used the term very proficiently in 'The Murders in the Rue Morge'. Here is a brief explanation of Poe's work: A 'clew' is a ball of thread, as used especially in reference to Theseus who used a clew of red thread to trace his path into, and thus, out of the Minotaur's labyrinth. As the story goes he tied the end to a nail at the entrance before proceeding. (We all did this with our journey into the book, right?) A 'clue' is something that leads out of a maze, or now commonly used to solve a mystery, be it a maze, a murder, or any perplexing problem. In the Rue Morgue mystery, our main character Dupin solves the mystery in part, by finding an altered nail. The nail used in reference, not only to Theseus (as in tracking back to the murderer's path of action) but as in a play on words; 'clou' being the French word for nail. [Thanks in part to "The American Face of Poe" by Stephen Racman.]

   One step further is the series by Borges, inspired by Poe's work. He further uses the red thread in his stroy, outlining the path of the murderer on a map with a red triangle. But further, his characters Lonnrot, where Lonn is Swedish for 'secret' and rot is German for 'red'. The suspect, Red Scharlach is also German in that Scharlach is 'scarlet', thus Red Scarlet is chased by Secret-Red. [Thanks in part to John Irwin's 'Mystery to a Solution'.] Borges also said in an interview about his "mazes": "I know of a Greek maze that's a single straight line." (Sounds similar to Manson's "a hallway with no end.")

   I prefer to think that Chris Nolan used a white line for his path through several mazes in Inception. The white lines of the road and the obscurity of using a white path in a snowbound mountain. But, that is just my imagination perhaps. Leonard was on a path of fate as well, in Memento (or Teddy, depending on how you look at it. Never hang out with a guy whose tattoo reads, "Kill" followed by your name.)

   Dupin is also seen if you turn to page 12 "DU" then 8 'PIN' (bowling pin).