Defusing Bombs

A bomb will explode when its countdown timer reaches 0:00 or when too many strikes have been recorded. The only way to defuse a bomb is to disarm all of its modules before its countdown timer expires.

Modules

Each bomb will include up to 11 modules that must be disarmed. Each module is discrete and can be disarmed in any order.

Instructions for disarming modules can be found in Section 1. "Needy" modules present a special case and are described in Section 2.

Strikes

When the Defuser makes a mistake, the bomb will record a strike which will be displayed on the indicator above the countdown timer. Bombs with a strike indicator will explode upon the third strike. The timer will begin to count down faster after a strike has been recorded.

If no strike indicator is present above the countdown timer, the bomb will explode upon the first strike, leaving no room for error.

Gathering Information

Some disarming instructions will require specific information about the bomb, such as the serial number. This type of information can typically be found on the top, bottom, or sides of the bomb casing. See Appendix A, B, and C for identification instructions that will be useful in disarming certain modules.

On the Subject of Backgrounds

For once you aren’t only focusing on what’s right in front of you. Make sure you pay attention to what’s going on behind the scenes here. We all know how you feel about exploding.

This module will present you with a coloured button, a counter, and a submit button. However, the backing may be a certain colour. Based on the colour of the backing and the colour of the button, press the button until the counter matches a certain number and press submit.

Step 1:

Use the rules in Table B to determine your letter pair, finding the first two conditions that apply, using the first letter from the first rule and the second letter from the second rule.

Step 2:

With the letter pair found in Step 1 and Table A, use the first letter along the left and the second letter along the top to find the number of times to press the button before pressing submit.

Table A (Step 2) :

	A	B	C	D	E	F
A	3	2	9	1	7	4
B	7	9	8	8	2	3
C	5	1	7	4	4	6
D	6	4	2	6	8	5
E	5	1	5	3	9	9
F	1	2	3	6	7	8

(Please note that if you press the button when the counter reads 9, the counter will reset to 0.)

Table B (Step 1) : Priority rules

Rule	1st Letter	2nd Letter
If the colour of the backing matches the colour of the button	A	C
Otherwise, if the button or the backing (but not both) are white or black	D	B
Otherwise, if there are no D batteries present on the bomb*	C	E
Otherwise, if there are no AA batteries present on the bomb	D	D
Otherwise, if the button and the backing are primary colours**	B	F
Otherwise, if the colour of the button is a secondary colour***	F	E
Otherwise, if there is an unlit SND indicator present on the bomb	E	B
Otherwise, if the bomb contains a Serial port	B	C
Otherwise, if the backing's colour mixed with blue creates the button’s colour****	C	D
Otherwise, use this rule (This rule can be used twice)	E	A

*: D batteries are detected as any battery holder with exactly one battery. **: Primary colours are Red, Yellow, and Blue ***: Secondary colours are Orange, Green, and Purple ****: Mixing Red and Yellow will make Orange, Blue and Yellow will make Green, and Red and Blue will make Purple. Mixing Blue and White will not make Blue.

On the Subject of Bitwise Operations

Nobody’s favorite kind of math. Who even likes math, anyway?

• There are 2 screens on the module:
  1. Bitwise operator (AND, OR, XOR, NOT)
  2. Result input
• Use the two bytes obtained from the tables below, and the operator from the first display, to determine the answer. In these tables, MSB is the most significant (leftmost) bit, LSB the least significant (rightmost) bit.

Byte 1	Bit	Byte 2
No AA batteries	MSB	1 or more D battery
Parallel port		3 or more ports
Lit indicator NSA		2 battery holders or more
More modules than you have (starting) time in minutes		Lit indicator BOB
More than one lit indicator		More than one unlit indicator
Number of modules divisible by 3		Last digit of serial number is odd
Less than 2 D batteries		Even number of modules
Less than 4 ports	LSB	2 or more batteries

Here is a table of explanations of each bitwise operator:

Info	AND	OR	XOR	NOT
HOW	Going bit by bit, if both bits are 1, the return bit is 1. Otherwise, the return bit is 0.	Going bit by bit, if either (or both) bit is 1, the return bit is 1. Otherwise, the return bit is 0.	Going bit by bit, if either (but not both) bits are 1, the return bit is 1. Otherwise, the return bit is 0.	Ignore the second operand. Going bit by bit, the return bit is the opposite.
MATH	bit1 && bit2	bit1 || bit2	(bit1 && !bit2) || (!bit1 && bit2)	!bit1

On the Subject of Broken Buttons

How did they get invisible ink to even work like that?

• A broken buttons module will have 2 submit buttons at the top of it and 12 buttons below them. Depending on the 12 buttons, follow the first rule that applies.
• Repeat the rules until it tells you to press the correct submit button, which will defuse the module.
• Every time a button is successfully pressed, the button’s text will change.
• If the defuser presses an incorrect button, it will give a strike.
• By default, the correct submit button is the left one.
• After successfully pressing 5 buttons, press the correct submit button.

Rules:

On the Subject of Green Arrows

What’s the point?

On the module are 4 directional buttons, and a display screen in the middle.

If the buttons are not Green, you’re looking at a different module.

On the screen is a random number between 00 & 99. Look at the table below to find the correct button to press. Use the 10s digit as the column, and the 1s digit as the row. After each correct press, the number will change. Keep repeating the process, and the module will be disarmed after 7 consecutive correct presses. Pressing the wrong button will register a strike and reset your streak.

	0-	1-	2-	3-	4-	5-	6-	7-	8-	9-
-0	Down	Up	Right	Left	Right	Up	Right	Left	Right	Up
-1	Left	Up	Down	Right	Left	Down	Left	Right	Up	Down
-2	Up	Down	Up	Down	Up	Down	Up	Up	Right	Down
-3	Right	Left	Right	Up	Right	Up	Right	Right	Up	Left
-4	Down	Up	Down	Right	Up	Right	Down	Up	Left	Up
-5	Up	Down	Up	Down	Up	Down	Up	Left	Down	Down
-6	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Down	Down	Up	Left
-7	Down	Up	Down	Up	Down	Up	Right	Left	Right	Up
-8	Up	Down	Up	Right	Left	Right	Down	Right	Left	Down
-9	Right	Left	Right	Up	Down	Left	Down	Up	Down	Left

On the Subject of Listening

“Why did we send a deaf person to defuse a bomb?” — Person who is no longer alive.

Press the play button to play a sound clip through the speaker. Each sound clip has a corresponding code that contains any of the 4 symbols $ * & #. Match the sound clip to the table below and enter the code via the 4-button keypad.

Taxi Dispatch	&&&**	Dial-up Internet	*#&*&
Cow	&$#$&	Police Radio Scanner	**###
Extractor Fan	$#$*&	Censorship Bleep	&&$&*
Train Station	#$$**	Medieval Weapons	&$**&
Arcade	$#$#*	Door Closing	#$#&$
Casino	**$*#	Chainsaw	&#&&#
Supermarket	#$$&*	Compressed Air	$$*$*
Soccer Match	##*$*	Servo Motor	$&#$$
Tawny Owl	$#*$&	Waterfall	&**$$
Sewing Machine	#&&*#	Tearing Fabric	$&&*&
Thrush Nightingale	**#**	Zipper	&$&##
Car Engine	&#**&	Vacuum Cleaner	#&$*&
Reloading Glock 19	$&**#	Ballpoint Pen Writing	$*$**
Oboe	&#$$#	Rattling Iron Chain	*#$&&
Saxophone	$&&**	Book Page Turning	###&$
Tuba	#&$##	Table Tennis	*$$&$
Marimba	&*$*$	Squeaky Toy	$*&##
Phone Ringing	&$$&*	Helicopter	#&$&&
Tibetan Nuns	#&&&&	Firework Exploding	$&$$*
Throat Singing	**$$$	Glass Shattering	*$*$*
Beach	*&*&&

Note: pressing play also clears whatever code you have entered.

On the Subject of Mastermind (+ Cruel)

The game from your childhood. Only advanced. And harder to memorize. And the feedback isn’t what it used to be...

• To solve this module you must find the correct 5 colour code.
• The colours used in this module are: White, Magenta, Yellow, Green, Red and Blue.
• Note that each colour may be used multiple times.
• The LED colours can be cycled through by clicking the LEDs.
• By pressing the "Query" button, information about the currently entered code will be displayed.
• When the correct code is entered, the module will be solved by pressing the "Submit" button. Submitting the wrong code will invoke a strike.
• If this is a normal mastermind, the left number gives the number of correct colours in the correct positions & the right number gives the number of correct colours in the wrong positions. Otherwise, continue reading below.

Each query will generate two numbers on the display. These numbers each represent the total sum of two of the values listed in the table below.

Note that the table has been simplified & so the colour white has been shown from the original table to show the simplifications.

A = Number of correct colours in the correct positions.
B = Number of correct colours in the wrong positions.
C = Number of colours not in the solution at all.

Colour on the display:		Left number	Right number
White	Left colour:	A	B
	Right colour:	# of batteries	# of solved modules

Colour:
White	AB	Batteries	Solved modules
Magenta	CA	Lit indicators	Last serial number digit
Yellow	BC	Sum of serial number digits	Ports
Green	BA	Modules on the bomb	Unlit indicators
Red	CB	Distinct port types	Strikes
Blue	AC	First serial number digit	Battery holders

On the Subject of Navinums

You should never write words using numbers unless...

The module consists of 5 displays, each containing a digit. Disarming this module involves two stages.

Stage 1: Press 8 directional displays

Look up the middle display’s digit in Table 1 below. The sequence of numbers obtained indicates which directional digits to press. “1” indicates the lowest digit, “4” the highest. After each press, the directional displays change, but the middle digit remains the same.

Additionally, move around in the grid below Table 1 starting with the cell containing the middle digit. Then, for each directional display pressed, move one space in the corresponding direction in this grid. The grid wraps around.

The module can be reset by clicking & holding the center display for 2 seconds.

Stage 2: Press the middle display

In this stage, the digit in the middle display changes every second. Press the middle display when the digit displayed is equal to the digit last landed on in the grid below Table 1.

1	9	3
6	5	8
7	2	4

On the Subject of Not Wire Sequences

It’s hard to say how this manual works. The writing is somewhat clear, but there must have been an easier way to manage 12 wires. Yes, this manual does defeat the purpose of the module, but I know we have all broken a little hearing "45".

On the Subject of Red Arrows

I think you get the point now.

On the module are 4 directional buttons, and a display screen in the middle.

If the buttons are not Red, you’re looking at a different module.

On the screen is a random number somewhere between 0 to 9. That is your starting position in the maze below. Once your first valid move have been made, the display will turn blank.

To solve the module, use the buttons to navigate the maze toward the last digit of the Serial Number.

On the Subject of Simon Screams

He’s angry! He’s furious! He’s enraged! He’s had it!

• This module has six lights coloured red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. These will flash in a sequence that grows longer with each stage. There are 3 stages.
• At each stage, consider the whole sequence of flashes. In the large table, find the first applicable row and the correct column. From that entry, take the letter in the position corresponding to the current stage and look at its corresponding column in the smaller table.
• Go through that column from top to bottom and press every colour whose condition applies. The colours are (R)ed, (O)range, (Y)ellow, (G)reen, (B)lue, (P)urple, and “#” means “serial number”.
• Every time the sequence flashes again, your current stage’s input is reset.

A C D E F H ≥ 3 indicators Y O G R B P ≥ 3 ports P Y R B O G ≥ 3 digits in # O G B P R Y ≥ 3 letters in # G B O Y P R ≥ 3 batteries R P Y O G B ≥ 3 bat. holders B R P G Y O	Stage 1: first flashing colour Stage 2: second flashing colour Stage 3: third flashing colour
	red	orange	yellow	green	blue	purple
If three adjacent colours flashed in clockwise order	FFC	CEH	HAF	ECD	DDE	AHA
Otherwise, if a colour flashed, then an adjacent colour, then the first again	AHF	DFC	ECH	CDE	FEA	HAD
Otherwise, if at most one colour flashed out of red, yellow, and blue	DED	ECF	FHE	HAA	AFH	CDC
Otherwise, if there are two colours opposite each other that didn’t flash	HCE	ADA	CFD	DHH	EAC	FEF
Otherwise, if two adjacent colours flashed in clockwise order	CAH	FHD	DDA	AEC	HCF	EFE
Otherwise	EDA	HAE	AEC	FFF	CHD	DCH

On the Subject of Wires

Wires are the lifeblood of electronics! Wait, no, electricity is the lifeblood. Wires are more like the arteries. The veins? No matter…

• A wire module can have 3-6 wires on it.
• Only 1 correct wire needs to be cut to disarm the module.
• Wire ordering begins with the first on the top.

3	no red cut 2nd wire exactly: blue blue red cut 2nd wire otherwise cut 3rd wire
4	≥ 2 red & SN odd cut last red wire last yellow & no red cut 1st wire 1 blue cut 1st wire ≥ 2 yellow cut 4th wire otherwise cut 2nd wire
5	last black & SN odd cut 4th wire 1 red & ≥ 2 yellow cut 1st wire no black cut 2nd wire otherwise cut 1st wire
6	no yellow & SN odd cut 3rd wire 1 yellow & ≥ 2 white cut 4th wire no red cut 6th wire otherwise cut 4th wire

On the Subject of The Button

You might think that a button telling you to press it is pretty straightforward. That’s the kind of thinking that gets people exploded.

Follow these rules in the order they are listed. Perform the first action that applies:

Bomb		2+B		*CAR	3+B *FRK
Colour	Red		Blue	White
Action	Tap	Tap	Hold	Hold	Tap	Hold
EN	Hold	Detonate	Abort	Releasing a Held Button Blue = 4 Yellow = 5 Otherwise = 1
CS	Držet	Odpálit	Zrušit
DA	Hold	Spræng	Afbryd
DE	Gedrückt halten	Zünden	Abbrechen
ET	Hoia	Õhka	Katkesta
ES	MANTENER	DETONAR	ABORTAR
EO	Tenu	Eksplodigu	Haltu
FR	Maintenir	Déclencher	Arrêter
IT	Tieni Premuto	Detona	Annulla
NL	Vasthouden	Ontsteken	Afbreken
NO	Hold inne	Detoner	Avbryt
PL	Przytrzymaj	Zdetonuj	Anuluj
PT	Segurar	Detonar	Abortar
FI	Pidä	Räjäytä	Keskeytä
SV	Håll ned	Detonera	Avbryt
RU	Держать	Взорвать	Стоп
HE	החזק	פוצץ	בטל
TH	กดค้าง	จุดชนวน	ยกเลิก
KO	누른채 유지	폭파	접근금지
JP	長押し	爆破	中止
ZHS	按住	引爆	解除

On the Subject of Keypads

I'm not sure what these symbols are, but I suspect they have something to do with occult.

• Only one column below has all four of the symbols from the keypad.
• Press the four buttons in the order their symbols appear from top to bottom within that column.
• Unique symbols are marked.

On the Subject of Simon Says

This is like one of those toys you played with as a kid where you have to match the pattern that appears, except this one is a knockoff that was probably purchased at a dollar store.

1. One of the four coloured buttons will flash.
2. Using the correct table below, press the button with the corresponding colour.
3. The original button will flash, followed by another. Repeat this sequence in order using the colour mapping.
4. The sequence will lengthen by one each time you correctly enter a sequence until the module is disarmed. (Length 3-5)

If the serial number contains a vowel:

		Red Flash	Blue Flash	Green Flash	Yellow Flash
Button to press:	No Strikes	Blue	Red	Yellow	Green
	1 Strike	Yellow	Green	Blue	Red
	2 Strikes	Green	Red	Yellow	Blue

If the serial number does not contain a vowel:

		Red Flash	Blue Flash	Green Flash	Yellow Flash
Button to press:	No Strikes	Blue	Yellow	Green	Red
	1 Strike	Red	Blue	Yellow	Green
	2 Strikes	Yellow	Green	Blue	Red

On the Subject of Who’s on First

This contraption is like something out of a sketch comedy routine, which might be funny if it wasn't connected to a bomb. I’ll keep this brief, as words only complicate matters.

1. Read the display & use step 1 to see which label to read.
2. Using this label, use step 2 to see which button to push.
3. Repeat until the module has been disarmed.
4. Marked words require little confirmation on how to spell them if understood correctly.

Step 1 - Read

Step 2 - Push the first one present

B L BLANK M R C T R CEE B R DISPLAY B R FIRST T R HOLD ON B R LEAD B R LED M L LEED B L NO B R NOTHING M L OKAY T R READ M R RED M R REED B L SAYS B R SEE B R THEIR M R THERE B R THEY ARE M L THEY’RE B L UR T L YES M L YOU M R YOU ARE B R YOU’RE M R YOUR M R

BLANK WAIT, RIGHT, OKAY, MIDDLE, BLANK DONE SURE, UH HUH, NEXT, WHAT?, YOUR, UR, YOU’RE, HOLD, LIKE, YOU, U, YOU ARE, UH UH, DONE FIRST LEFT, OKAY, YES, MIDDLE, NO, RIGHT, NOTHING, UHHH, WAIT, READY, BLANK, WHAT, PRESS, FIRST HOLD YOU ARE, U, DONE, UH UH, YOU, UR, SURE, WHAT?, YOU’RE, NEXT, HOLD LEFT RIGHT, LEFT LIKE YOU’RE, NEXT, U, UR, HOLD, DONE, UH UH, WHAT?, UH HUH, YOU, LIKE MIDDLE BLANK, READY, OKAY, WHAT, NOTHING, PRESS, NO, WAIT, LEFT, MIDDLE NEXT WHAT?, UH HUH, UH UH, YOUR, HOLD, SURE, NEXT NO BLANK, UHHH, WAIT, FIRST, WHAT, READY, RIGHT, YES, NOTHING, LEFT, PRESS, OKAY, NO NOTHING UHHH, RIGHT, OKAY, MIDDLE, YES, BLANK, NO, PRESS, LEFT, WHAT, WAIT, FIRST, NOTHING OKAY MIDDLE, NO, FIRST, YES, UHHH, NOTHING, WAIT, OKAY PRESS RIGHT, MIDDLE, YES, READY, PRESS READY YES, OKAY, WHAT, MIDDLE, LEFT, PRESS, RIGHT, BLANK, READY RIGHT YES, NOTHING, READY, PRESS, NO, WAIT, WHAT, RIGHT SURE YOU ARE, DONE, LIKE, YOU’RE, YOU, HOLD, UH HUH, UR, SURE U UH HUH, SURE, NEXT, WHAT?, YOU’RE, UR, UH UH, DONE, U UH HUH UH HUH UH UH UR, U, YOU ARE, YOU’RE, NEXT, UH UH UHHH READY, NOTHING, LEFT, WHAT, OKAY, YES, RIGHT, NO, PRESS, BLANK, UHHH UR DONE, U, UR WAIT UHHH, NO, BLANK, OKAY, YES, LEFT, FIRST, PRESS, WHAT, WAIT WHAT UHHH, WHAT WHAT? YOU, HOLD, YOU’RE, YOUR, U, DONE, UH UH, LIKE, YOU ARE, UH HUH, UR, NEXT, WHAT? YES OKAY, RIGHT, UHHH, MIDDLE, FIRST, WHAT, PRESS, READY, NOTHING, YES YOU ARE YOUR, NEXT, LIKE, UH HUH, WHAT?, DONE, UH UH, HOLD, YOU, U, YOU’RE, SURE, UR, YOU ARE YOU SURE, YOU ARE, YOUR, YOU’RE, NEXT, UH HUH, UR, HOLD, WHAT?, YOU YOUR UH UH, YOU ARE, UH HUH, YOUR YOU’RE YOU, YOU’RE

On the Subject of Memory

Memory is a fragile thing but so is everything else when a bomb goes off, so pay attention!

• Press the correct button to progress the module to the next stage. Complete all stages to disarm the module.
• Make sure you take note of the positions & labels of all pressed buttons.
• Pressing an incorrect button will cause a strike & reset the module back to stage 1.
• Button positions are ordered from left to right.

Stage 1 1 ⇒ position 2 2 ⇒ position 2 3 ⇒ position 3 4 ⇒ position 4 Stage 2 1 ⇒ label 4 2 ⇒ stage 1 position 3 ⇒ position 1 4 ⇒ stage 1 position Stage 3 1 ⇒ stage 2 label 2 ⇒ stage 1 label 3 ⇒ position 3 4 ⇒ label 4

Stage 4 1 ⇒ stage 1 position 2 ⇒ position 1 3 ⇒ stage 2 position 4 ⇒ stage 2 position Stage 5 1 ⇒ stage 1 label 2 ⇒ stage 2 label 3 ⇒ stage 4 label 4 ⇒ stage 3 label Grid Stage Position Label Stage 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Stage 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Stage 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Stage 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

On the Subject of Complicated Wires

These wires aren't like the others. Some have stripes! That makes them completely different. The good news is that we've found a concise set of instructions on what to do about it! Maybe too concise...

Note that if a multicoloured wire is part-white, consider it to only have its other colour. (Example : White-Red = Red)

Follow these rules in the order they are listed. If a rule applies, cut the wire.

Alternatively, use the table below to decide whether or not to cut the wire.

1. The wire is white and its LED is off.
2. The wire is red, has a star and its LED is off.
3. The last digit of the serial number is even, the wire's LED is off and it has no star.
4. The last digit of the serial number is even, the wire is red-blue and its LED is on and it has no star.
5. The bomb has 2+ Batteries, the wire is red and its LED is on.
6. The bomb has 2+ Batteries, the wire is white and its LED is on and it has a star.
7. The bomb has a parallel port, the wire is blue and its LED is on.
8. The bomb has a parallel port, the wire is red-blue, has a star and its LED is off.
9. Otherwise, don't cut the wire.

		None	LED	Star	Both
Wire Colour is:	White	Cut	Don't	Cut	≥ 2 Batt
	Red	SN Even	≥ 2 Batt	Cut	≥ 2 Batt
	Blue	SN Even	Parallel	Don't	Parallel
	Both	SN Even	SN Even	Parallel	Don't

On the Subject of Mazes

This seems to be some kind of maze, probably stolen off of a restaurant placemat.

• Find the maze with matching circular markings.
• The defuser must navigate the white light to the red triangle using the arrow buttons.
• Warning: Do not cross the lines shown in the maze. These lines are invisible on the bomb.
• Naming each maze may help you memorise it. Here are some examples :
• Conversation, ???, ???, Alley, Elephant, Gully, Polar Express, The Big L, ???

On the Subject of Passwords

Fortunately this password doesn't seem to meet standard government security requirements: 22 characters, mixed case, numbers in random order without any palindromes above length 3.

• The buttons above and below each letter will cycle through the 6 possibilities for that position.
• Only one combination of the available letters will match a password below.
• Press the submit button once the correct word has been set.
• The following letters are never used in the respective slots :
• Any : J,Q,X,Z
• 1 : D,I,J,K,M,Q,U,V,X,Y,Z
• 2 : C,D,J,K,N,Q,S,U,W,X,Y,Z
• 3 : B,C,D,F,M,N,J,K,P,Q,S,W,X,Y,Z
• 4 : B,F,J,K,M,P,Q,V,W,X,Y,Z
• 5 : B,C,F,I,J,M,O,P,Q,S,U,V,X,Z

A	about	after	again
B	below
C	could
E	every
F	first	found
G	great
H	house
L	large	learn
N	never
O	other
P	place	plant	point
R	right
S	small	sound	spell	still	study
TH	their	there	these	thing	think	three
W	water	where	which	world	would	write