2023 Cookie Contest Honorable Mentions

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Happy New Year Sleuths!

Roo here, I hope you all had a WARM and cozy holiday season and a SWEET new year! Perhaps you spent some time making cookies? Maybe even submitted them into our annual holiday cookie contest? If so, then you’re in for a real TREAT today. Now before we begin, I want to start with a fun cookie riddle that will set the mood for my favorite upcoming holiday – Valentine’s Day!

What do you call it when two cookies made at the same time fall in love? Read until the end to find the answer!

Now without further ado, here are some of our Honorable Mentions from 2023’s cookie contest:

Curse of Blackmoor Manor

One game was very popular this year! The plants and other elements here from Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor are such a classic, and I’m sure taste as delicious as they look. From Jane’s guinea pigs, to the fabulous Lou Lou, you made sure to include all the fun things that make Blackmoor Manor one of my favorite games. I do have to say I’m always thinking of Linda, as she was someone adjusting to a new family and became a BATTERed woman! Great job for these fun little masterpieces.

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“Now who wants some nummies?!” | Victoria F | Emily S | Anna H

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KEY-Themed

Ok, so one of these isn’t an honorable mention but a 1st runner up winner! But we just love any entry related to Nancy Drew: Mystery of the Seven Keys! Oh to have a twin that loves Nancy Drew as much as you do… talk about FRIEND-CHIP goals! Recognize these icons? If you have been deeply following all of the hints and puzzles we dropped from April of 2023 to now, some of these should look pretty familiar. Love that they included the question everyone loves to ask, “Who is Hans?”

@Pintsizedartist shared that she’s been a fan of Nancy Drew games from playing them on CD-ROM all the way to now with this KEY in Mystery of the Seven Keys! These are truly the cherry on top when it comes to all things Nancy Drew.

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The KEY to baking cookies is… | Alyssa & Taylor J. | @pintsizedartist

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Sweet Scenery

These cookies were one step away from being a painting as they truly do such an amazing job at capturing the essence of the games they are representing! I can almost hear Shorty yodeling or Big Island Mike convincing me to take part of the Immersion Excursion! The Danger by Design cookies by Natalie J. are just so utterly RUDE I just know Minette would love them (they’re way better than “bugged” chocolates). They are even mint chocolate chip! These bakers really are some smart cookies.

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As Hotchkiss would say, “a real dynamo!” | Maddy W | gracie._.jeanne | Mary R | Natalie J | Claire R | Kiomi P

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IYKYK

Now you have to be QUITE the ND fan to get the references these cookies are making here. If you know, you know! Need to make a call? No problem just bake a cookie phone and you can be reporting avalanches all day! Oh want to do a jigsaw puzzle? Just BAKE ONE! I could do this all day. BROWNIE points for creativity!

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bugs, dolls, & necklaces, oh my! | Maggie L. | @iggyfrommoonlake | Max & Violet | Anne & Emily G. | Teresa H | Sadie C

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Funny Faces

These fun faces seem familiar? Now I DOUGH not care what you may think of these as I know if I attempted to draw faces onto my cookies, there is no way I would do BATTER than these entries!

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The BATTER bunch | Holly U | Kayla J | Emily G

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Classic Recipes

This category represents good old fashioned tradition cookie recipes. Here we have J.J.’s mint chocolate chip cookies and the jammie dodger sandwich biscuits from Nancy Drew: The Silent Spy! Why CRUMBLE under the pressure when you can stick to the classics? These cookies instantly transported me to Scotland and Paris (not at the same time… but that would cool)!

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Keeping it classy and tasty! | Jess E | Noelle S

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Food or Fake?

Have you seen that trend on “Is it real or is it cake?” Nancy’s version would be “Is it real or is it a COOKIE!” The creative cuisine here features a koko kringle bar, Joe Hardy’s cheeseburger, pies from the Lilac Inn, an order from Icicle Creek, and fifty drumsticks, please! Chicken, that is. These almost faked us out and made us think these were meant for our summer cook-off.

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Joe would be proud! More excuses to eat cookies when they look like real food | Pamela H | @trista.the.artista | Rachel H | Holly U | LittleMxHoney

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Palatable Puzzles

Not only were these puzzles challenging to play, but now they are edible! A great thing about these cookies is you don’t have to ride a subway in Tokyo to make them, or have to ride in a car where you almost get in a crash at every turn to earn some Pa Pennies. Can you name which puzzles these are, and from which game? Comment your guesses below. You know what they say – when life gives you lemons, make some lemon cookies!

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If I right click the cookie, will it rotate? | Annanasyk Y | Breanna B | Amanda M | Amanda M (2 different Amanda M’s!)

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Tasty Transport

Now these are some hot wheels! Get it? These cookies are so good that with one bite they can take you places far and wide. From Zippy gas (where zipless service is zippily zapped and zippy service is the zippiest) to a nice little gift shop in the mountains where you can eat some delicious taffy and talk to Fatima all day long about her cousin who went to Junior College! But be warned – Tino Balducci may try and arrest you for a-salt and buttery if you misbehave on the Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon! Check out these video entries below.

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Now all we need is a plane! | Sarah G | Libpaulsen_

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Thank you to EVERYONE who participated in the cookie contest this year! We loved all your entries and always appreciate all the love and support you have for our girl, Nancy. From escaping a burning building to catching masked culprits… you could say she is one tough cookie!

So what DO you call it when two cookies made at the same time fall in love? A BATCH made in Heaven! 😀 ALRIGHT! I’m sure you are over my cookie puns but I have to say I was laughing so hard writing this I almost… CRUMBLED!

We already can’t wait for next year’s cookie contest and if you are wanting to look at the other entries from this year, be on the lookout for our video of every entry!

— Roo

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