555-4639 and Other Phone Numbers
Hey, all you puzzle masters!
Last week a little group chat was created with our small but mighty marketing department. We figured it was high time since many of us work different hours we do not always cross paths at the same time. I am pretty bad about saving numbers so of course, when the text chain started I was getting texts from a number I knew, and one I didn’t. I had to ask them to confirm their name/number so I knew I was saving it correctly. This made me reminiscent of the phone numbers found in some of my favorite games, because who else still remembers Ned’s number but can’t remember their own childhood home phone number? And let me tell you, some early games had the best-hidden meanings in each character’s phone number.
If you are unfamiliar with this, let me set the stage. The year, 2007. The place, LaPorte, Indiana. 12-year-old Indy was surfing the message boards having just played White Wolf of Icicle Creek Lodge for the first time, she was riding on a high. THEN she read the most beautiful thing in the world. Someone pointed out that Tino Balducci’s phone number (312-555-5375) spelled out JERK.
Honestly, I almost spit out my Gatorade because little kid me thought this was the ultimate burn. On that thread, I learned the Hardy Boy’s spells out HUNK, (I thought this title was saved for Dave Gregory, but okay I guess). Bess, George, and Ned all spell things like HINT, CLUE, and HELP. Now, I always knew you could call most phone numbers found in the games and hear funny messages. This happens in Secrets Can Kill with the Save the Manatees Club at 1-800-432-5646 and possibly the most popular bonus number is in White Wolf of Icicle Creek Lodge. Calling 1-800-Mystico is such a must-do that we even have merchandise dedicated to this fun extra. However, this was the first time I realized the phone numbers can spell out silly messages or serious clues. Below are some of my favorites!
- Bess: 555-4468 –HINT
- George: 555-2583 –CLUE
- Ned: 555-4357 –HELP
- Hardy Boy’s: 555-4865 –HUNK
I personally think White Wolf of Icicle Creek Lodge has the most clever phone numbers.
- Tino Balducci: 312-555-5375 –JERK
- Lou Talbot: 213-555-2063 –BONE
- William “Bill” Kessler: 905-555-3689 –LIAR
- Guadalupe Comillo: 213-555-3264 –FANG
- Avalanche Patrol: 403-555-2006 –BOOM
- Sheriff Mahihkan: 403-555-7827 –STAR – think classic sheriff badge
- Pinevale Hospital: 403-555-4878 –HURT
- The Farmingdale’s: 551-555-7425 –SICK – remember the potato salad?
- Carl Jenkins: 312-555-7547 –SLIP – think icy stairs
- Elsa Sibblehoth: 403-555-2483 –BITE – did the Wolf bite her tires?
- Derek and Brenda Southwaite: 418-555-7387 –PEUR – the French word for fear, scared, or afraid
What are some of your favorite phone numbers from the games? They could be silly, helpful clues, just plain clever references, or funny extra numbers you just HAVE to call like the Save the Manatees Club!
-Indy
P.S. There might be a silly reference in the title phone number
call 1-555-MYSTICO and prepare to be amazed!
That’s so cool!! I never knew that before! Also, we be getting any information on game 34 in the near future? Just curious because I know there’s a lot of talk circulating about this right now haha.
Hi! We are planning on a game 34 but we don’t have any news to share right now. Please sign up for the newsletter as any new game announcements will made there! 🙂 -Indy
Awesome, thank you! 🙂
Don’t forget the phone trivia contest Nancy can enter from the Haunted Carousel to win an Easter Egg. 😀
Yass!! I totally forgot about that! AHH I know now what I am doing when I get home from work later today 🙂 – Indy
What’s the deal with Her copyrighting Mystery of the Seven Keys!? THE CLUE CREW WANTS TO KNOW!!!!
Hi Himeko,
Here at HeR Interactive, we are always in various stages of development for future games and projects – keep following us for updates! I encourage you to keep an eye on our website (www.herinteractive.com) and our social media channels for the latest news, and even sign up for our newsletter. – Indy
I was 11 in 2007 and also from northwest Indiana so this made me emo
I feel like this is the spiderman meme of us pointing to each other! haha -Indy
that is so cool how peope figure out stuff like that!