Introduction
Reddit may not be the mother of all discussion forums. However, it is the uncrowned king that any and all discussion forums bow to. The topics of discussion may range from favorite books and anime to dankest memes and antique guns. According to Handy, Reddit also indulges in mystery-solving and its users have at times succeeded where authorities failed. Let’s look at few of the mysteries solved by Redditors:
The Mysteries
- Mount Chiliad – Mount Chiliad isn’t a real mystery but an Easter egg in the popular game from Rockstar Studios, GTA V. The Easter egg consisted of mysterious things like a blinking red light and alien abductions at the mysterious location of Mount Chiliad. Reddit was on the case and determined to find out about the alien mysteries.
It has a dedicated webpage which invites contribution to the investigation. Some believe that it is linked to GTA San Andreas, an older version of GTA V. While others believe that you can reach 100 percent completion in the game by solving the mystery.
- Grateful Doe – This case dates back to 1996, where an unknown man died in a car crash with the tickets to the concert of Grateful Dead. The person who died along with the man was identified as Michael hangar, but that didn’t help to solve the mystery behind his fellow passenger’s unknown identity who got nicknamed as “Grateful Doe”.
The case was deemed to be unsolvable by the authorities. However, two decades later Layla Betts, a Redditor and a Grateful Dead fan herself started investigating and posting her research material about the case. Her findings reached Grateful Doe’s roommate, who revealed Grateful Doe’s identity as Jason Callahan.
- Cicada 3301 – Back in 2012, the Cicada 3301 puzzle appeared along with an interesting message. The message content spoke of a search for “highly intelligent individuals”. To date, 6 puzzles had been posted which tested your capabilities in cryptography, data security, and steganography. It was a unique and innovative way to search for recruits.
However, the mystery behind the organization who posted the puzzle still remains cloudy. Some believe it to be a secret cult that wants world domination while others believe it to be an organization focused on cybersecurity and privacy.
- Nail Through Wood – Redditors lost their mind when someone posted a picture of a nail through a wooden block. It was mysterious since the shape of the wooden block suggested that there is no room for the nail to be hammered inside the block. The person who posted it also claimed that he got the block on a hiking trip and no glue or similar “cheat” was involved. Fortunately, it was solved by a carpenter with a YouTube video.
Conclusion
Handy believes that Reddit perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the internet. It is filled with useful information for those who are looking and with trolls who are just looking forward to some fun. However, it is one of the best places to hold a discussion and lures in many online investigators with a lot of time on their hands.
